Fourteen ancient breeds of dog have been identified through advances in DNA analysis.[1] These breeds of domesticated dog show the fewest genetic differences from wolves. The breeds are geographically diverse, including dogs from Siberia, Japan, Alaska, China, Tibet, and Africa.
[edit] Research
DNA from dogs of 85 (mostly) AKC-registered breeds (5 individuals per breed in most cases) were tested by Parker et al.[1] This study had some surprises, especially the suggestion that three breeds – the Norwegian Elkhound, Pharaoh Hound and Ibizan Hound – are not as old as typically stated, but rather are more recent recreations of old types.[1] Also, five pairs of breeds are closely related: Alaskan Malamute and Siberian Husky, Collie and Shetland Sheepdog, Greyhound and Whippet, Bernese Mountain Dog and Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, and finally the Bull Mastiff and English Mastiff.[1]
However, the assumption that a small sample from a single dog breed can be representative for the entire breed, is argued to be invalid by long-time repeated incidental or intentional interbreeding with local dogs, thereby gradually replacing original wolf clade elements but maintaining the original phenotype by ongoing selection for the original use and conformation.[2] This evolution can be seen also in the high proportion of European clade in Asian breeds close to Europe, like Saluki and Samoyed, while a geographically remote Nordic spitz, the Siberian Husky, does not show such a replacement of the original wolfdog structure.[citation needed] Also, as there are some 400 known dog breeds (of which the AKC recognizes 167), it is possible that an extended study would reveal additional "ancient" breeds.
[edit] Gallery of the fourteen ancient breeds
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Parker, H.G.; Kim, L.V.; Sutter, N.B.; Carlson, S.; Lorentzen, T.D.; Malek, T.B.; Johnson, G.S.; DeFrance, H.B.; Ostrander, E.A.; Kruglyak, L. (2004-05-21). "Genetic structure of the purebred domestic dog". Science 304 (5674): 1160. doi:10.1126/science.1097406. PMID 15155949. http://www.britainhill.com/GeneticStructure.pdf.
- ^ Quignon, Pascale; Herbin L.; Cadieu, E.; Kirkness, E.F.; Hédan, B.; Mosher, D.S.; Galibert, F.; André, C; Ostrander, E.A.; Hitte, C.; (2007-12-19). Awadalla, Philip. ed. "Canine Population Structure: Assessment and Impact of Intra-Breed Stratification on SNP-Based Association Studies". PLoS ONE 2 (12): e1324. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001324. PMC 2129117. PMID 18091995. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=2129117.
[edit] Further reading
