One of the most annoying things about “dog people” is the constant jockeying for the prize of the “most ancient breed of dog.” If you watch Westminster on television, I would say a third of the breeds are described as “ancient.”
Most of them aren’t that old, and even if they do resemble ancient forms of domestic dog, the modern day representative often has very little genetic connection to them.
So it was with jaundiced eyes when I saw the latest headline that “The world’s rarest and most ancient dog was discovered in the wild.” The headline is clickbait, of course, because most people don’t have a clue about what was actually found.
Some camera traps caught images of a type of dingo called the “New Guinea Highland Dog,” which is a new name for the “New Guinea Singing Dog.” It is a dingo that lives a semi-feral existence in the highlands of New Guinea. Note that I said “semi-feral,” because different indigenous groups in New Guinea have used these dogs and their descendants for hunting. It lives in the wild, but it can be tamed.
Genetically, these animals are not vastly different from Australian dingoes, which lived in much the same way. They could breed in the wild, but indigenous people used them to hunt things like tree kangaroos.
These dogs exist where there are no wolves and are found in cultures that are mostly involved in hunter-gatherer societies. These animals might give us a window into how hunter-gatherer people in the Paleolithic may have related toward wolves and perhaps give us an insight onto how domestication may have occurred.
But the problem with these dogs is that there are fantastical claims about them. When someone says this is “the most ancient breed of dog” one needs to understand something. The most complete genetic studies we have on dogs have revealed that this type of thinking is quite flawed. One of the big problems is that no domestic dog is more closely related to wolves than any other. The only exception are dogs that have actual modern wolf ancestry.
Dogs are derived from an extinct population of wolves, and yes, a recent genome comparison study says we have to call this ancestor “a wolf” if we are to adhere to cladistic classification. The reason is that dogs split off from Eurasian wolves at about the same time Eurasian wolves split from North American wolves.
Arbitrarily declaring dogs and dingoes a species makes the entire Canis lupus species paraphyletic, according to Fan et al.
Dingoes are commonly used in genetic studies about dogs and wolves. When compared to a large number of samples of different breeds and different wolves, they almost always group with East Asian domestic dogs, as this dingo did with a Chinese street dog.
Another study, which found initially reported dogs originating the Middle East (but has since been retracted in light of more recent evidence), also found that dingoes fit with East Asian domestic dogs.
It is well-known that New Guinea dingo-type dogs can be recognized as dingoes using a genetic test that looks for only certain dingo markers.
So the animal that was found in the New Guinea Highlands is a dingo, and a dingo is an East Asian domestic dog that has gone feral.
Now, about the question of this dog being “the most ancient.”
One of the problems with saying a breed is the most ancient, as I pointed out before, is that no breed of dog is more close to modern wolves than any other, and the other major problem with saying a breed is ancient using genetic studies is that many of these so-called “ancient breeds” are actually just populations of domestic dog that have been isolated from the main swarm of dogs. This gives a “breed-like” isolation that confers upon it some antiquity that really doesn’t exist.
Thus, we really can’t say that a breed is the “most ancient,” even with genetic studies.
What I think is more interesting in regard to dingoes and New Guinea singing dogs is that they represent a different permutation of domestication than the bulk of domestic dogs.
Domestication is a cultural process as well as biological. The vast majority of dogs in the world today are street and village dogs, which are very easily tamed if captured at the right age. This is the permutation of dog domestication that arose after the Neolithic Revolution, and it is still the rule when dealing with societies that have not engaged in extensive selective breeding for working characteristics in domestic dogs. We also have a permutation in which free-roaming and freely breeding livestock guardian dogs accompany herds across grazing lands. Any dogs that show aggression towards stock are driven off or killed. Another permutation, which is older than either of these two, are the people who actually rely upon their dogs as hunters. Here, I am thinking of the laikas of Russia, which are used to bay up boar and moose and tree gamebirds and furbearers in much the same way the Jōmon relied upon their hunting dogs for survival.
The Western permutation of dog domestication has been to breed many specialized dog breeds and types. We’ve selected for much higher levels of biddability in some of our dogs. We’ve bred out quite a bit of aggression and predatory behavior. We’ve accentuated certain predatory behaviors, like pointing and retrieving, and we’ve produced dogs that look you right in the eye for approval.
Western dogs have been removed very much from wolves, and from our perspective, it looks like the dogs of different cultures are more ancient than our own. But that’s from our perspective. Our own Eurocentric perspective.
For example, the indigenous people of the Americas were very much involved in producing specialized dog breeds. The Salish bred their own wool dogs. The Tahltan bear dog actually was used to hunt bears, even though it was quite small. The hairless trait that exists in most hairless dogs actually originated in Pre-Columbian Mexico.
The truth is people all over the world have produced dog breeds and types that are distinct. The various forms of dingo that exist in Australasia are exactly the sort of dogs that would occur in hunter-gatherer societies that were not engaged in the selective breeding of working animals. Instead, they are societies that relied upon feral dogs to provide their own hunting dogs, which often reverted back to the feral existence once they hit breeding age.
This is not the permutation of Western dog domestication at all, and because it resembles the ancient way man may have related to wolves, a lot gets read into these dogs.
These dogs aren’t more or less ancient than any other dog on the planet, but they are dogs that give us a glimpse of what might have been.
That is the amazing story.
But, of course, dog people can’t leave an amazing story to be told on its own, so claims about these dogs are made that simply aren’t backed up by serious inquiry and scholarship.
Unfortunately, we’re always going to be dealing with these sorts of clickbait stories about ancient feral dogs, but that’s not what the genetic studies are revealing. And it is quite sad that we’re still dealing with the erroneous Canis hallstromi classification for the New Guinea dingo, as well as its attendant “dogs are not wolves” hypothesis, which has been as thoroughly debunked as the “birds are not dinosaurs” hypothesis.
So it is interesting that the New Guinea dingo still roams in the Highlands, but I wish peole would be very careful of clickbait canid taxonomy.
Good sane analysis, Scottie, and an antidote to the common hysteria.My reaction was the sane as yours.
I do think, for reasons you have implied, that certain “tribal” dogs (what John Burchard calls “salukimorphs” too, not just dingos and laikas!) have both an ancient,ie long lasting and unchanging, phenotype, maintained until recently “accidentallly” or functionally, ie not by breeding for appearance, as well as more wolflike habits.
Oh yes. Some of these cultures around dogs are quite old, and the tazi “subspecies” is one of the oldest forms and cultures. It is also a form that is unmixed in some cases and mixed in others, which leads to great contrition about sloughis and azawakhs in Africa as being salukoids or not.
The dingo likely evolved from Indonesian villages dogs that went fully feral in the wilder parts of the archipelago and Australia.
This lineage has been isolated from the rest of dogdom for a very long time, but it includes very village dog-like forms like those found on Bali and very dingo-like forms too.
http://bmcgenet.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2156-6-6 I’d like to see these dogs included with dingoes from both New Guinea and Australia, as well as a big sample of East Asian dogs, especially those that haven’t had a history of crossing with European dogs.
I wonder if the results would show such a deep rift, because the studies I’ve seen that included dingoes with lots samples from domestic dogs and lots of samples from East Asian dogs, really haven’t found anything spectacular about dingoes that would point to a long isolation.
We suspect that once we’re able to do proper comparative samples of Dingoes, NGSDs and HWDs they will all fall together under a single taxonony/phylogeny as a separate species (with subspecies of each) of canis (taxonomy and phylogeny are currently indeterminate). (i.e., sister species.) Recent research and a paper by Dr. Kylie Cairns has demonstrated that the wild dogs that fall into this category likely migrated independently of humans in the pre-agricultural/pre-domestication period, indicating they were more likely wild dogs that were domesticated versus domestic dogs that became feral (with feral and “wild” being a fairly big distinction). However, much more genetic analysis is needed. While current studies and test methods do allow us insight into when and where a species or breed originated and when, placing the HWD as the most ancient of these morphologically similar canids of Asian origin located throughout the world, there is much work to be done to fully characterize the evolutionary trajectory. Previous to HWD location/genetic confirmation, studies were dependent on using NGSD DNA in this position, which was problematic due to the long term captive breeding in a mostly unmonitored, very limited genetic pool. Hence, the wild variant, that tests to date tell us had no introgression from village dogs or domestic canids, the HWD, is very important to telling a better version of the story, or so we currently believe.
In closing, we would add that while the NGHWDF appreciates the very generous press coverage the story has received, we have been cautious to caveat most of the statements we’ve made. While press coverage is fantastic in regard to calling attention to a subject worthy of study, such as the HWD, canids, evolution and conservation, it’s important to remember that the factual, scientific details are found in scientific publications (soon to be released on the HWD) and actual test results and reports.
Thank you for your very honest and critical treatment of the topic. Discussion such as this is both welcome and needed, and the New Guinea HIghland Wild Dog Foundation invites individuals such as yourself to participate in foundation activities and research to ensure that everything is evaluated with a critical eye so the very best answers are obtained. We look forward to your review of soon-to-be-released test results and our scientific publication.
Best Regards,
Lisa Wolf
NGHWDF, Secretary/Behavioral Sciences
llwolf@nghwdf.org
http://www.nghwdf.org
I found a research paper on the phylogeny of the cat family (Felidae).
Plylogeny and Evolution of Cats (Felidae): https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nobuyuki_Yamaguchi3/publication/266755142_Phylogeny_and_evolution_of_cats_Felidae/links/543ba0710cf2d6698be30c5e/Phylogeny-and-evolution-of-cats-Felidae.pdf
The Lynx species finding is pretty interesting! Bobcats are way more basal than the other three species. The Canada lynx is an offshoot of that lineage, and the modern Eurasian and Iberian species are relatively recent and sister taxa.
At one time, all three of these were considered one species. LOL.
Here is an interesting theory on Felis genus cats focusing on Felis attica, Felis lunensis, Felis silvestris, and cat domestication.
The Pliocene Pussy Cat Theory on Improbable Research: http://www.improbable.com/airchives/paperair/volume7/v7i5/pliocene-pussy.html
Here is a picture of the phylogeny of Felidae.
Felidae Family Tree: https://wiki.shanti.virginia.edu/download/attachments/31433201/Johnson2006%20Phylogeny.jpg?version=1&modificationDate=1380577845244&api=v2
A Few Nitpicks
1) The wildcat subspecies (shown are the Chinese mountain cat felis silvestris bieti, European wildcat Felis silvestris silvestris, and the Near Eastern wildcat Felis silvestris lybica) are listed as separate species.
2) The domestic cat is listed as a separate species from the wildcat as Felis catus.
3) The domestic cat is listed as closest to the European wildcat. The domestic cat is the domestic form of the Near Eastern wildcat. The European wildcat, especially the Scottish ecotype (infamously the only kind of cat that can’t be tamed), is very wary of humans, fierce when provoked, and nigh untameable even as a kitten, whereas the Near Eastern wildcat is bolder, friendlier, and can be easily tamed, especially as a kitten.
Ramblings on The Tameability of Various Different Cat Species
I have a sneaking suspicion that while the European wildcat (especially the Scottish variant) is untameable, the other four subspecies, like the Southern African and the Near Eastern ones, are friendlier and potentially or easily tameable.
The Wild Cat Species Who Failed to Become the Domestic Cat: http://pictures-of-cats.org/the-wild-cat-species-who-failed-to-become-the-domestic-cat.html
This article lists the jungle cat, the sand cat, the fishing cat, the manul, the jaguarundi, the margay, and the Chinese mountain cat as candidates. The non centralized location of jaguarundis and margays precludes domestication of them, despite the ability of both to be tamed. The article also finds it interesting that the Chinese mountain cat was not domesticated because it is as suitable for domestication as the Near Eastern wildcat is. There is a breed of cat called the Dragon Li. The Dragon Li is claimed to be derived from the Chinese mountain cat. This claim is not proven, but it’s not disproven either, especially considering its stocky wildcat appearance. The article suspects that the oncilla and the Geoffroy’s cat may have been tamed ocasionally.
The Adorable and Cute Pallas Cat is Quite Friendly: http://pictures-of-cats.org/the-adorable-and-cute-pallass-cat-is-quite-friendly.html
I’ve heard that Sand cats and servals, as well as cheetahs, are nonaggressive and fairly easy to tame. The only thing keeping cheetahs from being domestic is that they don’t breed in captivity well, plus they are endangered species. The sand cat and manul (or Pallas cat) are both friendly, but both live in fairly remote regions (mountains for manuls and deserts for sand cats).
A Week Alone With Big Cats on Rexano: http://www.rexano.org//ResponsibleOwnership/Husbandry/Tim_Frame.htm
This article says that some experts suggest that cougars may well be the next cat species to become domestic, considering how friendly and mellow they are. After all, they are related to cheetahs, which are friendly as well.
10 Legal Small Exotic Cats That Are Kept As Pets: https://pethelpful.com/exotic-pets/small-exotic-cats
This article has servals, bobcats, caracals, Canada lynxes, Siberian or Eurasian lynxes, ocelots, fishing cats, Geoffroy’s cats, jungle cats, Asian leopard cats, and exotic cat/domestic cat hybrids (Savannas, Chausies, Bengals, and Safari cats) on its list of exotic pet cats. The article says that Caracals have a personality similar to that of servals but bolder and that bobcats have one of the best companion animal personality of all the exotic cats. Ocelots, Geoffroy’s cats, and jungle cats can be timid and nervous though.
The Reason Why the Chinese Failed in Domesticating the Wild Cat: http://pictures-of-cats.org/the-reason-why-the-chinese-failed-in-domesticating-the-wild-cat.html
It’s interesting that the Asian Leopard cat is the species bred to the domestic cat to get the Bengal because the non-hybridized-with-the-domestic-cat Asian Leopard cat is unsuited to be domesticated and difficult to tame. They are not aggressive, but they are quite flighty. The Black Footed cat is also difficult to tame, but this one is fierce. Both are not as difficult to tame as the European wildcat, but still.
This is an excellent summary on the domestication of canids! How delightful to find people who truly understand the bigger picture.
For what it’s worth, the existing New Guinea Dog organizations and researchers as a whole, are distraught over the amount of misinformation found in the articles and web site. Most articles about “Highland Wild Dogs” contain at least half a dozen significant errors, and far more exist on the newly created org’s web site.
Keep up the good work!