UC-Davis unveils new genetic clues relating to the origins of certain dog breeds

Davis, Calif. — A University of California-Davis (UC-Davis) study shows American and European canines may be more closely related to dogs from Southeast Asia than previously believed.

Early theories suggested Middle Eastern dogs had a large influence on Western breeds, particularly due to the region's close proximity to Europe, but new research shows that modern American and European dogs are likely descendants of canines imported from Asia dating back to the silk trade.

Researchers examined DNA samples from nine wild members of the dog family and 633 domestic dogs, mostly from villages in the Middle East and Southeast Asia because they are believed to have developed independent of modern breeds and are likely to reflect the genetics of ancient dogs of their regions. Australian dingoes, desert-bred Salukis, and 93 purebred dogs representing 35 other breeds also were included in the study.

The findings suggest that Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian village dogs must have originated from a common gene pool thousands of years ago or from distinct groups of wolves or wolf-like dogs.

Collaborators in California, Iran, Israel and Taiwan published their findings in the journal Public Library of Science (PLoS) One.