CANINE GENETICS

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THE STRANGEST THING ABOUT DOGS

by Barbara Andrews, SAAB member

A tiger is a tiger but a whale is not a fish. A penguin is a bird that can’t fly but strangest of all, the dog is a carnivore that protects plant-eating humans.

How amazing is that??!!? We don’t know when or where the canine species came from but more to the point, we have no evidence that dogs evolved!

We know horses originated “in eastern Eurasia 160,000 years ago” and were domesticated “in the western part of the Eurasian Steppe around 6000 years ago.” ~ multiple science sources. Some sources claim goats were the first domesticated species but most scholars agree with Wikipedia which states “Dogs were the first domesticated species and the only animal known to enter into a domestic relationship with people…”

That makes the dog unique but it doesn’t tell us when and where the dog came from. Most people don’t know this but what really (!) puzzles scientists is the fact that there’s not a scrap of evidence about the origin of the dog!

Britannica says “Genetic evidence suggests that dogs descended directly from wolves…” It also states “The timing and location of dog domestication is a matter of debate. There is strong genetic evidence, however, that the first domestication events occurred somewhere in northern Eurasia between 14,000 and 29,000 years ago.”

Here’s one that boggles the mind. “The earliest known mammals were the morganucodontids, tiny shrew-size creatures that lived in the shadows of the dinosaurs 210 million years ago.” That sounded like a contradiction but National Geographic is a deservedly world-renowned authority - and then I got it, dinosaurs are reptiles, not mammals.

So the fact remains. We know more about the origin of dinosaurs than we do about the dog.

The 13,000 year discrepancy on the origin of the canine species is just one of the puzzles. The NY Times speculates that “…dogs most likely originated both in Europe and in Asia.” CBS News reports a “Large DNA study (suggests) “dogs originated in Europe some 19,000 to 32,000 years ago.”

As recently as June 2022 Science.org said “Some genetic analyses of modern dogs suggest they arose in East Asia, whereas other genetic and archaeological evidence indicates…” We could quote dozens more sources which prove that no one knows when or where the dog came from.

Roberta Lee, PhD, a world-renowned authority, points out that religious scholars, scientists and geneticists admit there is NO evidence on the origin of the dog. She says simply that “dogs are a gift from God…” Dr. Lee delves deeply into eastern cultures, particularly Hinduism which believes dogs “guard the doors of Heaven.” With regret she says dogs are not as favorably mentioned in the Christian bible.

Religious beliefs matter so think about this. We know where all other species originated and while there is argument as to whether the goat or chicken was the first domesticated animal, there is no evidence that either of them preceded the dog.

Even more amazing is what we have done with dogs to further enhance their capabilities.

Think about this. If a Sighthound could see no further than the refrigerator, he would be fat and useless in the field. If Working breeds had the same boundless energy as Sporting dogs, they might be unmanageable.

And what about Toy breeds? Can you imagine a 90-pound Chihuahua alerting you that someone is at the door? And then greeting them…? Thankfully, the toy breeds are excellent “alarm” dogs and their bark is indeed worse than their bite.

On that basis, we can decide whether that breed would fit into our lifestyle. If we want a horse for riding, racing, or as a hunter-jumper we do not choose a Percheron. Likewise, if we want a quiet lap-cat to relax with, we wisely pass by the Siamese and choose a Persian cat.

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