Dog domestication likely started in N. Africa

Discovery ^ | Aug 3, 2009 | Jennifer Viegas

[decimon]

A Basenji is a dog breed indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa. Humans might have first domesticated dogs from wolves in Africa, with Egypt being one possibility, since wolves are native to that region.

Modern humans originated in Africa, and now it looks like man's best friend first emerged there too.

An extensive genetic study on the ancestry of African village dogs points to a Eurasian — possibly North African — origin for the domestication of dogs.

Prior research concluded that dogs likely originated in East Asia. However, this latest study, the most thorough investigation ever on the ancestry of African village dogs, indicates otherwise.

[decimon]

Village dog ping.

[Frantzie]

They did not list any date. Norweigian Elkhounds were domesticated over 6,000 years ago.

http://www.breederretriever.com/dog-breed-history/180/norwegian-elkhound.php

“From that time to the present, the breed’s development has been virtually unaltered by man.”

[Citizen Tom Paine]

I would say my guess is as good as theirs. I hold that dogs were first domesticated in the Arctic regions. These breeds show the characteristics of long periods of domestication.

[edcoil]

Last years original was a tall harry ugly Egyptian dog.

[IMissPresidentReagan]

Thanks for posting. I own a Basenji mix that we adopted from a shelter. Daphne is the sweetest, yet most intelligent dog I believe we have ever owned.

[decimon]

I would say my guess is as good as theirs. I hold that dogs were first domesticated in the Arctic regions.

Given the nature of canids and of humans, my uninformed guess is that they could have come together in multiple locales.

[ottbmare]

That photo is of an American or European basenji, carefully bred and doubtless registered. This is a far cry from real African indigenous dogs, which may have curled or swag tails, prick or floppy ears, and very dubious conformation. People in Africa don’t deliberately breed dogs for looks, and only occasionally breed them for hunting ability.

An argument could be made that basenjis still aren’t really anywhere near so domesticated as other breeds. They’re pretty independent-minded. The African hounds, in particular, retain all their wild instincts.

[ottbmare]

If the guys who did this study really wanted to design it properly, they should have gone to the places where real indigenous African dogs live, untouched by Western breeds: in the heart of Congo and Rwanda, in places white people (much less their dogs) never venture. Some Western basenji-breeders mount expeditions to these extremely remote and sometimes dangerous areas to get broodstock that has not been contaminated by modern breeds.

[SunkenCiv]

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	Gods Graves Glyphs	Thanks decimon! An extensive genetic study on the ancestry of African village dogs points to a Eurasian -- possibly North African -- origin for the domestication of dogs. IOW, dogs in Africa have Eurasian, rather than African, origin -- but with the teadrinkers clinging like dingleberries to any possible prop to their racist Replacement model. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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[blam]

The Dixie Dingo

Still living Wild in the bottom land swamps and forests of the Southeastern United States.

Genetic (mitochondrial DNA) testing being performed at the University of South Carolina, College of Science and Mathematics, indicates that these dogs, related to the earliest domesticated dogs, are the remnant descendants of the feral pariah canids who came across the Bering land mass 8,000 to 11,000 years ago as hunting companions to the ancestors of the Native Americans.

[snip]

[Varda]

It’s an interesting study but with a fatal flaw, a faulty premise.

Genetic diversity is greatest at point of origin only for wild species and domestic species which have only pure strains. If what they say were true Basenjis would have the greatest genetic diversity since it’s a naturally occuring African purebred and every other breed would be a variation of that gene pool. It just ain’t true.

Dogs are wolves of Asian origin. That’s already been demonstrated. North Africa has one species of wolf and it’s the wrong kind.

[Jeff Chandler]

A Basenji is a dog breed indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa.

I thought it was a state college in Minnesota?

[xcamel]

Also, the elkhound (elghund) is known to be between 7500 and 10,000 old as an identifiable breed.

[Hyzenthlay]

One of my relatives owns a Basenji, purebred, but the pattern on the coat was the ‘wrong’ color for showing it. It’s a beautiful dog, and pretty smart, but the noises that it makes are unbelievable!

[IMissPresidentReagan]

Daphne is 1/2 basenji 1/2 chow (although she looks Basenji, just about 5-7 lbs bigger 1 inch taller). She barks and yodels. The yodels were crazy.