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Most modern dog breeds have small amounts of wolf ancestry from long after dogs were domesticated, according to a new study. The wolf DNA isn't left over from when dogs and wolves diverged; instead, it most likely came from interbreeding in the past few thousand years. That wolfish influence may be linked to certain characteristics, such as size and personality traits, in different dog breeds, researchers reported Nov. 24 in the journal PNAS. "Dogs are our buddies, but apparently wolves have been a big part of shaping them into the companions we know and love today," study co-author Logan Kistler,...

Meet the Skye terrier. Named after the Scottish Isle of Skye, he’s one of the oldest terriers in the world -- with a lineage tracing back to the Middle Ages. He’s also been a very popular dog in his day. Queen Victoria kept several as pets starting a fashion trend. Mary, Queen of Scots kept one, which hid under her skirt at her execution. Famously loyal, “plucky but dignified”, and an important cultural icon, this is the kind of dog people erect statues of. In fact, they have.Want one? Better act fast: the breed could go extinct in your lifetime.Skye...

The Labrador retriever was the most popular dog breed in the U.S. last year for a 23rd year in a row, the American Kennel Club announced Friday. That's the longest any breed has been top dog since the organization's 1884 founding. German shepherds, golden retrievers, beagles and bulldogs are holding steady in the top-five pack, with Yorkshire terriers, boxers, poodles, Rottweilers and dachshunds continuing to round out the leading 10, which mirrors last year.

Like many people in late middle age, I find myself wondering if my next dog will be different. I have long shared my life with retrievers — active, field-bred dogs who throw themselves with joy into every situation (and every puddle of water bigger than a dinner plate). Their boisterousness is infectious: My dogs make me happy. But in 10 years, or 15, or 20, will I be up to the demands of dogs like these? Or will a nice, quiet little spaniel be the dog I need? My answer may be different than others, even among people of similar...

“A dog is a man’s best friend,” is one of the most common sayings that all the pet dog owners would agree with. The sole reason for this is that dogs can be loyal and well trained to be kept with you as family. In a recent survey carried out it has been proved that nearly 40 percent of people treat their pet dogs as their kids. A person can learn many things from a dog. Dogs will teach you how to live each day with joy and unbridled exuberance, they will tell you how to seize the moment and...

June 26, 2008 -- Little dogs -- think Chihuahuas and Dachshunds -- tend to be feisty, while certain breeds, like Golden and Labrador Retrievers, are as mellow as their reputations suggest, found a new study that identified the most and least aggressive common dog breeds.