Posted by DNA Guru in 
What is the oldest known breed of dog in the world?
Q. What is the oldest known breed of dog in the world? – Tom, West Bloomfield, Michigan
A. There are fourteen contenders for the title of “oldest breed.” Dogs, as we know them today, are descendants of domesticated wolves. DNA research was conducted to determine which dog breeds had the most common ‘genetic fingerprints’ to wolves.
The fourteen “ancient breeds” identified are:
- Afghan Hound
- Akita
- Alaskan Malamute
- Basenji
- Chow Chow
- Lhasa Apso
- Pekingese
- Saluki
- Samoyed
- Shar-pei
- Shiba Inu
- Shih Tzu
- Siberian Husky
- Tibetan Terrier
This research was reported in the article “Genetic Structure of the Purebred Domestic Dog” in the journal Science, Volume 304, on May 21, 2004.
Wiley, this one’s not a coyote – Case study #49
Wiley
Meet Wiley. This cute little dog is very active and mischievous. In fact, her nickname is Satan. Her behavior was perhaps the best clue to her breed. She’s gotten a bit bigger since this picture was taken, but she’s still a small-medium sized dog. What do you think Wiley’s breed mix is? Let us know what you think.
Wiley’s results – Case Study #49
The results are in! This cute dog’s results came back as follows:
Level 2 (37-74%) Beagle
Level 4 (10-19%) Borzoi. !!!
Level 4 (10-19%) Papillon. (Definitely explains the ears!)
Level 5 (Less than 10%) Boston Terrier
Many thanks to our friend Kate for allowing us to use pictures of her great dog.
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Featured Shelter Pet
Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society, Kitchener, ON
Meet Shelby, an adorable 11 week old Shelty. Young self starter looking for an inspirational coach to take us to the top. I've got the whole package - brains, good looks, and loads of raw talent - and I'm ready to use them. Teach me, praise me and I guarantee I'll make you proud at home, on walks, or competing in the field.
If you're interested in Shelby and would like to offer your support or help support other great animals like Shelby, please contact the Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society at (519) 745-5615 or click on the link above the picture). KWHS appreciates your help.
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