Fourteen ancient breeds of dog have been identified through advances in DNA analysis.[1] These breeds of domesticated dog show the fewest genetic differences from wolves. The breeds are geographically diverse, including dogs from Siberia, Japan, Alaska, China, Tibet, and Africa.
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| Cladogram of ancient dog breeds. |
DNA from dogs of 85 (mostly) AKC-registered breeds (5 individuals per breed in most cases) were tested by Parker et al.[1] This study had some surprises, especially the suggestion that three breeds – the Norwegian Elkhound, Pharaoh Hound, and Ibizan Hound – are not as old as typically stated, but rather are more recent recreations of old types.[1] Also, five pairs of breeds are closely related: Alaskan Malamute and Siberian Husky, Collie and Shetland Sheepdog, Greyhound and Whippet, Bernese Mountain Dog and Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, and finally the Bull Mastiff and English Mastiff.[1]
However, the assumption that a small sample from a single dog breed can be representative for the entire breed is argued to be invalid by long-time repeated incidental or intentional interbreeding with local dogs, thereby gradually replacing original wolf clade elements but maintaining the original phenotype by ongoing selection for the original use and conformation.[2] This evolution can be seen also in the high proportion of European clade in Asian breeds close to Europe, like Saluki and Samoyed, while a geographically remote Nordic spitz, the Siberian Husky, does not show such a replacement of the original wolfdog structure.[citation needed] Also, as there are some 400 known dog breeds (of which the AKC recognizes 167), it is possible that an extended study would reveal additional "ancient" breeds.
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