Those three are among the most ancient of dog lineages, according to a new study of doggie DNA. They have heritages tracing back for centuries -- even millennia – and also show the greatest genetic similarity to wolves of all of the breeds studied, the research found.
In what is sure to be a controversial claim, the study also concludes that the dog was probably domesticated in the Middle East, not, as other research has indicated, in China and nearby countries.
The genetic makeup of dogs sends "a very strong signal for origin in the Middle East," says study leader Robert Wayne of the University of California, Los Angeles. "This really contradicts the prevailing notion that dogs originated in East Asia."
To determine the origins of modern dog breeds, Wayne and his team compared the DNA from 912 dogs with the DNA from 225 gray wolves from around the globe. Experts agree that thousands of years ago, the fierce and independent gray wolf somehow evolved to give rise to the first domestic dogs.
Many of the dog DNA samples came from the pageant queens of the dog world. As dogs were being primped to enter U.S. show rings, the scientists brushed the inside of their mouths with a swab.
Nearly all modern strains of dog have much stronger genetic ties to Middle Eastern wolves than to wolves in Europe or East Asia, Wayne and his colleagues found. That suggests that Middle Eastern wolves were the founding fathers of today's parade of pooches.
The study also found a handful of pedigrees that stretch back further than the rest. Historical and cultural evidence has painted the basenji, chow chow and shar-pei, among others, as ancient breeds. His DNA evidence backs that up, Wayne says. His team's roster of ancient breeds also includes the Afghan hound, saluki, Akita and Samoyed.
Asian and European wolves also contributed to today's breeds, but the main center of domestication was in the Middle East, Wayne says.
One of the scientists whose research points to Southeast Asia as the birthplace of the domestic dog disputes Wayne's interpretation of his own data.
"Their data clearly says there were two flows of genes from wolves into dogs, one in the Middle East and one in China, and that's the same thing we find" in a different form of DNA, says Peter Savolainen of the KTH-Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. He says the new study didn't examine enough Asian dogs and used a DNA study method that would have biased the results.
Wayne disagrees with Savolainen's assessment.
"I hope it doesn't become a big fight," Wayne says.
Whatever the dog's origins, Wayne points to a remaining puzzle: not where but how wolves were transformed into dogs.
The dog was domesticated earlier than any other kind of animal, earlier, even, than agriculture. Dogs weren't developed for eating, herding or protection.
"One can't imagine why you'd pick a large carnivore for the first domesticated species," Wayne says. "You have to feed them meat. ... And they potentially attack children and even adults. And what functions they provide, I don't know. My own dog, a Boston terrier, never provided that much of a function, except affection."
The study was published in the online version of the scientific journal Nature.
The Iditarod and the Mushers
Trail
There are actually two Iditarod courses. In even-numbered years, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race goes north, while in odd-numbered years, the race heads south. See the divergent Iditarod trails here, in this trail map from the official site of the Iditarod.
The northern route has 26 checkpoints the teams must pass through, and the southern version has 27 checkpoints. At checkpoints, mushers can pick up food for themselves and their dogs. These provisions are delivered by a team of bush planes referred to as the “Iditarod Air Force.” In addition, veterinarians can make sure all of the competing dogs are healthy before the teams continue.
During the race, teams are required to make three rest stops. One is a 24-hour stop at a checkpoint of the musher’s choosing. The second is an eight-hour stop at any checkpoint along the Yukon River. The last is another eight-hour break in the village of White Mountain, which is located just 77 miles from the finish line in Nome.
Preparation
Dr. Michael Davis, a veterinarian who has worked with the Iditarod on research to benefit the race’s sled dogs,
is wholly impressed with the human athletes in the event. “If I were to list 10 characteristics of mushers, the first six would be 'tough,’ because more than anything, the race is incredibly grueling on the mushers,” he says. “It’s not feats of strength or power lifting or anything like that. It’s just the ability to keep going.”
Even though the mushers are superb athletes, Davis believes that the dogs in the Iditarod are even more impressive. The original sled dogs were big Alaskan malamutes, but the wiry Siberian husky became the most popular sled dog in the early 20th century. Now, the favorite type of sled dog is the so-called Alaskan husky. Alaskan huskies aren’t actually a breed and usually resemble a larger version of the Siberian husky. Unlike true breeds, which are defined by specific physical characteristics and ancestry, Alaskan huskies are defined by one characteristic: their ability to pull sleds.
“Obviously, they have to have some pretty significant athletic capacity,” Davis says. “They need to have a thick hair coat. They need to have a good temperament to become the prototype 'man’s best friend,' in the context of if you ask them to do something they will give it 110 percent simply because you asked them to.”
Four-time Iditarod champion King says that he prepares himself and his dogs for the race throughout the year.
“The Iditarod is really thought of as more of a lifestyle than an event,” King says. “There’s something to do year round. It’s not unlike [the training of] a professional bike racer or professional football player. It’s a lifetime pursuit of excellence.”
A California native who moved to Alaska after discovering the stories of Jack London, King entered his first Iditarod back in 1981. As he prepares to compete in his 22nd Iditarod, King still approaches the competition with reverence.
“It’s the Super Bowl of dog sled racing,” he says. “There’s lots of events, but this is the crown jewel, and it’s the one that we are really working forward to each year as a goal, kind of the grand finale, the crown jewel.”
Dr. Matthew Cooper
Many people ask me about home remedies to cure smelly ears, but the best mode of prevention is having an owner routinely clean the dog's ears. You can purchase an ear cleaning solution from your veterinarian and ask them to show you the proper way to clean the dog's ears.
I always show owners how to clean a dog's ear properly so that they don't run the risk of causing injury to their dog. Owners should never put a Q-tip in the dogs ear because when a dog shakes its head, it's easy to a push too deep. Simple cotton balls work the best.
If your dog has odorous ears or appears to have pain in the ears, have your veterinarian examine your animal.
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Lance Mackey Q & A, Iditarod Winner for the 4th time!
What do you find is the biggest challenge when working with animals?
What made you choose your lead dog?
How long does it take to train the dogs for the amount of endurance required?
What do you think is your biggest strength and/or weakness when competing?
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Karen Ramstead Iditarod Video
Karen Ramstead Iditarod Video
