African village dog

The African village dog is a type of dog that is not a mix of modern breeds but rather a direct descendant of indigenous dogs. While a study done by Cornell University caused some to believe that Africa was the earliest site of domestication for dogs, a further study by Peter Savolainen reaffirmed the theory that dogs were first domesticated in China.

In an analysis of hundreds of semi-feral African village dogs conducted by Cornell University, it was found that dogs from most regions of Africa are genetically distinct from both non-native breeds and mixed-breed dogs. The Village Dog Genetic Diversity Project, field researchers from the University of California, Davis, local veterinarians, and others sampled 318 African village dogs from Uganda, Egypt, and Namibia. There were some exceptions to the diversity in Namibia and Giza, which it was theorized was a result of European colonization or proximity to Eurasia. They then looked at various breed and mixed-breed dogs and sent various physical information and blood samples to the Canine DNA Bank at the Baker Institute for Animal Health at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. It was then discovered that African village dogs are "a mosaic of" indigenous dogs and non-native mixed-breed dogs. The African village dog was about as closely related to the modern domestic dog as it was to the gray wolf. Another reason the African village dogs have been found to be more genetically diverse is the lack of strict breeding, which narrows breeds' gene pools.

Previous genetic studies of dogs have confirmed that the domestic dog traces its origins to Eurasian wolves 15,000 to 40,000 years ago.

The information gathered from the Cornell study also suggests that breeds originally suspected to have come from Africa, such as the Pharaoh Hound and Rhodesian Ridgeback, have roots outside of Africa. However, the results also indicate that African village dogs descend from indigenous ancestors that are related to the Basenji, a dog originating in the Congo Basin that has many unique traits. The study also said that Afghan Hounds and Salukis appear to be indigenous to the Middle East.

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Wikipedia