World's Dogs Are Descended From Asian Wolves

Ananova ^ | 11-21-2002

[blam]

World's dogs are descended from Asian wolves

Scientists have found that almost all dogs share a common gene pool after analysing the DNA of hundreds of dogs from Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.

They have concluded domesticated dogs originated from wolves in East Asia nearly 15,000 years ago.

The animals travelled with humans through Europe and Asia and across the Bering Strait with the first settlers in America.

Swedish and Chinese scientists studied the genes of 654 dogs and found a higher genetic diversity among East Asian dogs suggested that people there were the first to domesticate dogs from wolves.

The scientists said in a study presented in the new issue of the journal Science: "Most earlier guesses have focused on the Middle East as the place of origin for dogs, based on few known facts - a small amount of archaeological evidence from the region, and the fact that several other animals were domesticated there," said lead researcher Peter Savolainen of Sweden's Royal Institute of Technology.

A separate study by researchers in the US, Latin America and Sweden said dogs with DNA linked to Eurasian wolves were present in the Americas before the arrival of European explorers in the 15th century.

That suggests the first settlers in America, believed to have crossed the Bering Strait from Asia 12,000-14,000 years ago, brought domesticated dogs with them, the study said.

Uppsala University researcher Carles Vila said the presence of dogs could explain why the settlers spread through the Americas relatively quickly.

The two studies disagreed on when people first started domesticating dogs from wolves.

The earliest finding of dog remains a jawbone from Germany which is 14,000 years old. The Swedish-Chinese research team said DNA analyses, coupled with archaeological finds, pointed to a point of origin about 15,000 years ago.

Story filed: 19:02 Thursday 21st November 2002

[Tribune7]

Ink, the Ultimate Dog

[Tribune7]

ping

[Fiddlstix]

blam you always post good stuff
Bump

[RedWhiteBlue]

Simply amazing.

[blam]

Ping. Over here.

[Varda]

"What makes a dog a dog is behavior, not appearance."

Actually dogs are a subspecies of wolves and are not closely related to coyotes or jackals. The difference between dogs and most species of wolves is visible to the naked eye (if you know what bones to look for). Behavior does make a huge difference though and this is why I favor a single speciation event. That aside wolves have been hanging around genus homo for ~400,000 years. If they were attacking children I'm sure the humans would have exterminated them. Destroying a wolf pack is pretty easy.

As for all this being crank, well let's just say the evidence is piling up. This is the life's work of many people and I for one am glad to sit back and delight in what they find.

[Varda]

"What human breeders manipulated was neotony."

This has never been a real impressive hypothesis. Whoever made this up has never seen a Komondor in full defensive mode.

[Koblenz]

I had the exact same thought about Shih-Tzus as my little 9 month old Shih-Tzu, Gretl, is here in the room chasing her tail and barking at it.

[F16Fighter]

"Wart hog."

Did someone mention Michael Moore?

[blam]

"Simply amazing."

Neat picture.

[DouglasKC]

This is not a domesticated wolf...he is the anti-Christ:

Mr. Winkles

[Paulus Invictus]

Our neighbor had one too, but had to get rid of her when she started attacking his kids. That wolf was still a wild animal looking for a pack. She didn't find one.

When the animal huggers and the Klintoon govt. decided to release wolves into the Yellowstone area, they forgot to advise the Congressional delegations from Wyoming and Montana. Result: a big delay in the program as the congresscritters were scared of the ranchers whose cattle would be eaten by the wolves.

The same thing happened in Arizona and the ranchers there and in Wyoming are said to be using lead deterrants of some sort to keep the wolves under control. Killing a wolf can bring huge fines and years in prison. Killing a human via manslaughter can impose a lesser sentences and probation. Priorities!

[DouglasKC]

You doubt me??

[DouglasKC]

AAAAAARRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[blam]

"As for all this being crank, well let's just say the evidence is piling up. This is the life's work of many people and I for one am glad to sit back and delight in what they find."

I agree...and you thoughts seem to be similar to mine.

[PJ-Comix]

Q: What do you get when you cross a French Poodle with an Alaskan Timber Wolf?

A: I don't know but its name would be Fifi of the North.

[blam]

Click on my profile page to see my herd.

[blam]

A. A popcicle.

[DouglasKC]

Wow...you retired like how I want to retire. :-)

[blam]

Thanks. Make a plan and stick with it.