ARABIAN VILLAGE DOGS

We now have a separate group listed by Embark as Arabian village dogs, closely related to the earlier single umbrella of Middle-east village dogs.

It is widely accepted at present that domestic dogs originated in south east Asia and that they spread from there in all directions including through the middle east into Europe and Africa. It is only the last couple of hundred years that humans created all the hundreds of breeds we have today by selecting for various traits such as size, temperament etc. In doing so many genetic material was also lost from these so called pure breeds, either deliberately or as a consequence of controlled breeding. Today there are still far more free living dogs in the world than there are these breeds. In much of the western developed world humans have virtually eliminated these real dogs by removing them as undesired vermin. Wherever European colonialist went they considered their breeds as superior to any local dogs and often passed on that idea. Many so called pure breeds are increasingly having genetic health issues and some of these problems are particularly associated with particular breeds. A recent publication looking at genetic health issues in breeds versus mongrels showed that while the mongrels had more of these genes coding for health issues than did breeds they were nonetheless healthier. This is because the mongrels mostly had only one copy of the gene, inherited from one parent while 2 are required to put the dog at risk. Mongrels by definition being dogs born of mixed breed parentage and are not the free living pariahs or village dogs that have never been bred by humans.

The oldest known petroglyphs of dogs working with humans in Saudi Arabia show two morphological types, the well-known Saluki sighthound and the desert pariah as is still to be found throughout the Arabian Peninsula and middle-east. Many of the papers published refer to middle-east dogs but a closer look at them also shows that often the bulk of dogs looked at were from further north.

Following are some facts drawn from studying the DNA of some of the free born dogs in the Arabian Peninsula performed by Embark.

Overall predicted Weight: 12.7 to 25.9 mean 19.1 kilograms, Males mean  20.8 kg, Females mean  18.2kg

Wolfiness is described by Embark as “Most dogs have wolfiness scores of 1% or less. We find populations and breeds with higher scores of 2-4% occasionally, and unique dogs with scores of 5% or above more rarely.” Results for the 47 dogs studied here varied from 0.6 to 25.9 mean 2.86 and only 3 dogs below 1% and 6 dogs above 5%.

Haplogroups and haplotypes: As expected there was considerable diversity and there are probably others since it is impossible to sample every dog .   Notes on their significance copied from Embark.

Paternal haplogroups , A1b=1, D=11, E=3, F=1

The D paternal lineage is very common in well-known populations of dogs. Breeds belonging to the D lineage likely have direct male ancestors that can be traced all the way back to the origin of domestic dogs themselves! One popular breed that commonly sports a D lineage is the Boxer. Boxers were developed in the late 19th century from Mastiff dogs, so it is no surprise that D is well represented among Mastiffs, Bulldogs, as well as Terriers. Intriguingly, D is also found among Lhasa Apsos, an ancient Tibetan breed, and Afghan Hounds. While the presence of this lineage in Polynesia or the New World can be chalked up to interbreeding with European dogs brought during voyages of discovery or later settlement, D is also well represented among village dog populations in the Middle East and Africa. If the fact that we find dogs bearing a D lineage in the Middle East (not to mention the large amount of diversity among Middle Eastern D lineage males) is any indication of ancient residence in that region, then the presence among Oceanian village dogs is peculiar. Rather, it may be that D is part of a broader Eurasian group of ancient paternal lineages which disappeared from the eastern portion of its original range, persisting in the island of New Guinea as well as West Asia and Africa. With the rise of Mastiff breeds, the D lineage received a new life as it became common among many types of working dogs.

The E lineage is sticking around to remind dog lovers of a truly ancient ancestor among all modern domestic dogs. Males with this Y chromosome type are reminiscent of dog-like canids reaching deep into the most recent ice age (the Pleistocene). E is much more common among village dogs than breeds. However, it is found as a minor lineage among the Basenji breed, as well as the ancient dog, which has been present in the Middle East for thousands of years. E is present widely among African village dog populations, as well as among some Mongolian dogs. With its greatest diversity and most frequent occurrences popping up in the Middle East, this lineage extends all the way over into India. Thus, African, South Asian, and Central Asian populations may descend from founders in this region, perhaps somehow tied to the spread of agriculture.

A1b - For most of dog history, this haplogroup was probably quite rare. However, a couple hundred years ago it seems to have found its way into a prized male guard dog in Europe who had many offspring, including the ancestors of many European guard breeds such as Doberman Pinchers, St. Bernards, and Great Danes. Despite being rare, many of the most imposing dogs on Earth have it; strangely, so do many Pomeranians! Perhaps this explains why some Poms are so tough, acting like they're ten times their actual size! This lineage is most commonly found in working dogs, in particular guard dogs. With origins in Europe, it spread widely across other regions as Europeans took their dogs across the world.

F - F is the odd duck in the family of domestic dog male lineages. This paternal lineage is genetically closer to wolves, foxes, and jackals than to other dogs. This indicates that it came into the dog population after dogs were originally domesticated, when one particularly attractive male wolf mated with a female dog, over 6,000 years ago. Since then, these dogs found their way into Africa and Mongolia. It hasn't been found outside those areas except in Basenjis. Basenjis are an iconic African breed, that first made its way to the USA in the early 20th century when a handful of individuals were imported from the Congo. The Basenji is an ancient breed which is distantly related to other dog breeds (most of which are European or Asian), and it has the earliest separation date from all other breed populations. Unsurprisingly, the F lineage has also been found in African village dogs, as well as, surprisingly, some samples from Mongolia. The fact the lineage is found in two very distant places is evidence that it entered the dog population many thousands of years ago.



Paternal haplotype Ha.4/11=1, H7=6, H7.2=5, H8.1=2, H8.4=1, H9=1

 H7 - Part of the D haplogroup, this common haplotype has been found in French Bulldogs, Afghan Hounds, Bull Terriers, and village dogs spanning from South America to Africa and into the South Pacific.

H7.2 - Part of the D haplogroup, the H7.2 haplotype occurs most commonly in Sarplaninacs. We've also spotted it in Middle Eastern Village Dogs and European Village Dogs.

H8.1 - Part of the E haplogroup, this haplotype has been spotted in Basenjis, Canaan Dogs, and village dogs spanning from Africa into the Middle East.

H8.4 - Part of the E haplogroup, we have spotted this rare haplotype in village dogs in southern and eastern India.

Ha.4/11 - Part of the A1b haplogroup, this haplotype occurs most frequently in mixed breed dogs.

H9 - A member of the F haplogroup, this haplotype is found in Basenjis and village dogs throughout Africa.

MATERNAL haplogroups.  A1a = 3, A1d = 5, A1e = 13, B1 = 15, B2 = 3, C1 = 3

A1a is the most common maternal lineage among Western dogs. This lineage traveled from the site of dog domestication in Central Asia to Europe along with an early dog expansion perhaps 10,000 years ago. It hung around in European village dogs for many millennia. Then, about 300 years ago, some of the prized females in the line were chosen as the founding dogs for several dog breeds. That set in motion a huge expansion of this lineage. It's now the maternal lineage of the overwhelming majority of Mastiffs, Labrador Retrievers and Gordon Setters. About half of Boxers and less than half of Shar-Pei dogs descend from the A1a line. It is also common across the world among village dogs, a legacy of European colonialism.

A1d This female lineage can be traced back about 15,000 years to some of the original Central Asian wolves that were domesticated into modern dogs. The early females that represent this lineage were likely taken into Eurasia, where they spread rapidly. As a result, many modern breed and village dogs from the Americas, Africa, through Asia and down into Oceania belong to this group! This widespread lineage is not limited to a select few breeds, but the majority of Rottweilers, Afghan Hounds and Wirehaired Pointing Griffons belong to it. It is also the most common female lineage among Papillons, Samoyeds and Jack Russell Terriers. Considering its occurrence in breeds as diverse as Afghan Hounds and Samoyeds, some of this is likely ancient variation. But because of its presence in many modern European breeds, much of its diversity likely can be attributed to much more recent breeding.

A1e - This female lineage likely stems from some of the original Central Asian wolves that were domesticated into modern dogs starting about 15,000 years ago. It seemed to be a fairly rare dog line for most of dog history until the past 300 years, when the lineage seemed to “explode” out and spread quickly. What really separates this group from the pack is its presence in Alaskan village dogs and Samoyeds. It is possible that this was an indigenous lineage brought to the Americas from Siberia when people were first starting to make that trip themselves! We see this lineage pop up in overwhelming numbers of Irish Wolfhounds, and it also occurs frequently in popular large breeds like Bernese Mountain Dogs, Saint Bernards and Great Danes. Shetland Sheepdogs are also common members of this maternal line, and we see it a lot in Boxers, too. Though it may be all mixed up with European dogs thanks to recent breeding events, its origins in the Americas makes it a very exciting lineage for sure!

B1 - B1 is the second most common maternal lineage in breeds of European or American origin. It is the female line of the majority of Golden Retrievers, Basset Hounds, and Shih Tzus, and about half of Beagles, Pekingese and Toy Poodles. This lineage is also somewhat common among village dogs that carry distinct ancestry from these breeds. We know this is a result of B1 dogs being common amongst the European dogs that their conquering owners brought around the world, because nowhere on earth is it a very common lineage in village dogs. It even enables us to trace the path of (human) colonization: Because most Bichons are B1 and Bichons are popular in Spanish culture, B1 is now fairly common among village dogs in Latin America.

C1 - Congratulations, C1 is a very exotic female lineage! It is more closely associated with maternal lineages found in wolves, foxes and jackals than with other dog lineages. So it seems dogs in this group have a common male dog ancestor who, many thousands of years ago, mated with a female wolf! This is not a common lineage in any breed, though a good number of German Shepherds and Doberman Pinchers are C1. It is also found in breeds as diverse as Peruvian Inca Orchids and Pekingese; it is rarely found amongst Labrador Retrievers, Border Collies, Siberian Huskies, or Cocker Spaniels. Despite its fascinating origins, it is widely distributed around the globe, and even shows up frequently among Peruvian village dogs. It almost certainly survived at low frequency in Europe for millennia and then was dispersed outside of Europe by colonialism, though not as successfully as some other lineages.



Haplotype: A158 = 1, A16/17/99/100 = 1, A233 = 3, A247 = 4, A264 = 2, A228 = 1, A2a = 1, A361/409/611 = 3, A293 = 1, A414/643 = 1, A424 = 1, A435 = 1, A437 = 4, A494 = 1, B105 = 3, B2a=12, B77 = 1, C1/2 = 1, C34 = 2.

A158 - Part of the large A1e haplogroup, we have detected this haplotype in village dogs in India.

A16/17/99/100 - Part of the large A1a haplogroup, this common haplotype is found in village dogs across the globe. Among breed dogs, we find it most frequently in Labrador Retrievers, Newfoundlands, German Shepherd Dogs, and Golden Retrievers.

A233 - Part of the large A1e haplogroup, we see this haplotype in village dogs across Central Africa through the Middle East and into South Asia. As for breeds, we see it in the highest frequency among Irish Wolfhounds, with some detections in Greyhounds, Posavac Hounds, and Beagles as well.

A247 - Part of the large A1d haplogroup, this common haplotype occurs in village dogs all over the world. Among the 32 breeds we have sampled it in, the most common occurrences include Boxers, Labrador Retrievers, and Papillons.

A264 - Part of the large A1e haplogroup, this haplotype occurs in Irish Wolfhounds and village dogs from Iraq and Lebanon.

A228 – Part of the large A1e haplogroup, we have spotted this haplotype in village dogs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the Dominican Republic. Among breeds, we see it frequently in big dogs like Saint Bernards, Leonbergers, and Great Danes. However, we also see it in small breeds including wire Fox Terriers and Rat Terriers. That’s a pretty wide size range!

A2a - Part of the large A1e haplogroup, we see this haplotype in village dogs up and down the Americas as well as French Polynesia. Among the breed dogs we have detected it in, we see it most frequently in English Springer Spaniels, Papillons, and Collies.

A361/409/611 -  Part of the A1b haplogroup, this haplotype occurs most frequently in German Shepherd Dogs, Poodles, and Shiloh Shepherds.

A393 - Part of the large A1a haplogroup, this haplotype occurs most frequently in Yorkshire Terriers, Russel-type Terriers, and Tibetan Terriers.

A414/643 - Part of the A1b haplogroup, this haplotype occurs most frequently in the English Springer Spaniels.

A424 - Part of the A1d haplogroup, this haplotype occurs most frequently in American Pit Bull Terriers, Barbets, and Staffordshire Terriers.

A435 - Part of the A1d haplogroup, this haplotype occurs most frequently in American Pit Bull Terriers, Barbets, and Staffordshire Terriers.

A437 - Part of the A1e haplogroup, the A437 haplotype occurs most commonly in Brussels Griffons, Armenian Gamprs and Russell-type Terriers. We've also spotted it in East Asian Village Dogs, Middle Eastern Village Dogs and American Village Dogs.

B105 - Part of the B2 haplogroup, the B105 haplotype occurs most commonly in Middle Eastern Village Dogs. It's a rare find!

B2a - Part of the large B1 haplogroup, we primarily see this haplotype in Salukis and village dogs in and around the Fertile Crescent (Egypt through the Middle East).

B77 - Part of the B1 haplogroup, this haplotype occurs most frequently in Japanese Chins.

C1/2 - Part of the C1 haplogroup, this haplotype occurs most frequently in Bouvier des Flandres, Collies, and Yorkshire Terriers.

C34 - Part of the C1 haplogroup, the C34 haplotype occurs most commonly in Collies, Anatolian Shepherd Dogs and Teddy Roosevelt Terriers. We've also spotted it in European Village Dogs and American Village Dogs.

Genetic health issues

None of these dogs were at risk for any of the genetic health problems tested by Embark.

Carriers:

9 of 47 (19%) dogs carried one copy of the allele coding for Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) so 81% were normal. The Orthopaedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) in USA figures for 1918 show Canaan dogs, a pedigree breed established in the 1930s from village dogs show an alarming rate of 6.4% abnormal (at risk) for DM with 38.2% carriers with only 55.4% normal. Compared to other breeds Canaan dogs ranked a high 22^nd.

2 carried one copy of the allele coding for choroidal hypoplasia, (Collie eye anomaly) . These 2 dogs from Umm al Quwain, UAE were closely related, sharing 40% of their DNA (half siblings).

1 dog from Sohar, Oman carried 1 copy of the allele for von Willebrand type 1 a bleeding disorder.

25 of 47 dogs (53%) had one copy of the allele coding for low normal ALT and 1 had 2 copies. This is important to know since a dog having this when suspected of having liver problems could give an ALT result generally considered normal but could in fact be raised for that dog.

Sadly the European idea of dog breeds and their “purity” is still wide spread in thinking. Right now there is a push in the emirate of Umm al Quwain to remove all of the several hundred free roaming dogs and neuter them. This may be done with the best intention but ultimately will lead to the destruction these ancient types that have survived for thousands of years without human intervention.

The Canaan dog breed is an attempt to preserve this ancient type but sadly fails to recognise, even today with DNA testing available, that there are potential health problems. The breed is based on around 30 dogs selected mainly on looks and already DM has shown up, particularly in some breeders who have been inbreeding, something breeders prefer to call line breeding. While not all the free living dogs have the Canaan look, many do and there is still a golden opportunity for breeders worldwide to throw out the outdated kennel club ideas and concentrate on developing one of the healthiest breeds in the world, which it is not at present. This could be done by selecting the required look from these dogs wherever they are found and testing their DNA first to ensure only dogs that do not carry any known genetic problem are used. It is highly unlikely that any matching the Canaan registered dogs DNA will be found because all the registered breed dogs are by now probably already related closely, in human terms as second cousins or closer. Instead efforts to introduce new blood continue to look for dogs with the “correct” look only without checking their DNA to check that they are not mixed and that they carry no mutant genes.

Since many of todays breeds would have come from the early dogs it is no surprise to see some uncommon or even rare haplotypes associated with other dogs turn up. All of these dogs show a trace of German shepherd in them as well as a smattering of other breeds. This is not an indication of recent mixed breeding but an indication of the presence of ancient ancestral connection of all dogs.

UPDATE ON THE GENETIC STUDY OF ARABIAN DESERT DOGS

Some results of the genetic study under way of our Arabian pariah desert dogs have been shared with me by Dr.Elaine Ostrander and her team at the National Institute of Health. All dogs have now been identified. (See below).

The dogs cluster in 2 groups, one showing a genetic connection to Basenjis. This is not surprising considering that Basenji dogs would have been established from dogs that moved to Africa through the middle-east so some of their genetic material would be expected to still be found among dogs of the middle-east. Basenjis have evolved separately now for some time.

The second cluster is with what is now human controlled “breed” registered as Canaan dogs. These have the same genetic origin with Canaan dogs having been selected from a small number based on appearances without reference to their genetic makeup, since such testing was not available when the breed was established several generations ago. It is to be expected that pedigree Canaan dogs would now have less genetic diversity than our pariahs.

The dogs included in this ongoing work include some born in Jeddah,  Al Qassim, Riyadh, Dammam, Doha, Dubai and other emirates  and Sohar. All of them have an ancient connection and are not mixes of modern dogs. Some had been adopted and living in homes or were in K9 friends, Dubai shelter and some were still living free but were being provided with food and water and had become accustomed to people. 

First is the overall tree as published previously by Elaine Ostrader et. al. It shows where Canaan dogs fit in the world of dog genetics but our dogs had not been included when published. 

The second diagram is an enlarged small section of this tree with our desert dogs added and shown in red. As explained by Dr. Ostrander :-

1. Small numbers on the lines in black are the bootstrap values.  That indicates how many times out of 100 we ran the same data and got the exact sample architecture of the tree. This tree is amazingly good with most data being at 100%. 
2. The Canaan dogs are not necessarily closet to the Saluki.  Remember that this is a two dimension graph that can exist in three dimensions.  So the branch with the Saluki can be flipped 180 degrees, putting them closer to anything left of the saluki.  What matters here is the branch position.  Like a real tree--what is relevant is what branch comes from which larger branch, not the twisted position of the single small branch. So focus on the branch structure. "

Photographs of the dogs included in these groups and identified follow. First those clustered with Canaan dogs then those clustered with Basenjis.

THANK YOU FOR ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS, WITHOUT YOU WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT. THESE DOGS ARE IMPORTANT AND DESERVE FULL RECOGNITION AS A PART OF THE NATIONAL HERITAGE OF THIS PART OF THE WORLD AND THE OVERALL WORLD OF DOGS. As more information comes to hand I will update it.

Clustered with Canaan dogs

(In order from left to right on the tree)

Dave and Roxx have rear dew claws.

Hannah

Figa

Pack leader

Jenny

Jimmy

Robin

Genevieve

Melli

Lilly

Hope

Faraji

Dave

Dasha

Coconut

Esra

Lucas

Lara

Luna

Rocky

Bobbi

Roxx

Aswad

Dolly

Pavlova

Tiara

Clustered close to Basenji

(In order from left to right on the tree)

Cookie

Foxy

Savvy

Sandy

Brandy

(no photo)

Shayboo

(No photo)

Nina

(No photo)

McKenzie

(No photo)

Spock

(No photo)

Max

Molly

Bella

Jasmine

(in front)

Jinn

(no photo)

Joann

Leila

(no photo)

Honey

Doodle

Tess

Ben

List of all dogs included 

30606 Pack Leader Carstens, 30609 Hannah Carstens, 30610 Figa Carstens, 30611 Dasha Carstens, 30612 Dave Carstens, 30613 Lara Carstens, 30614 Genevieve Carstens, 30615 Luna Carstens, 30616 Melli Carstens, 30617 Lucas Carstens, 30621 Habibi Groenewald, 30622 Coconut Schroeter, 30624 Bobby K9, 30625 Pavlova K9, 30626 Tiara k9, 30627 Molly Groenwald, 30628, Robin Hart, 30630 Max Beadle, 30631 Savvy Doust, 30632 Cookie Witt, 30633 Sandy Bennett, 30634 Shayboo Androski, 30635 Brandy Androski, 30636 Mckenzie Hassell, 30637 Nina Golez Chang, 30638 Spock Hald, 30639 Roxx Schroeter, 30640 Foxy Velasco, 30852 Jenny Carstens, 30853 Jimmy Carstens, 31081 Honey Carruthers, 31082 Tess Carruthers, 31083 Jinn Crowley, 31084 Joann Groenewald, 31085 Ben Groenwald, 31086 Jasmine Groenwald, 31087 Bella Groenwald, 31088 Doodle K9, 31089 Aswad K9, 31090 Esra K9, 31091 Glitter K9, 31092 Faraji K9, 31093 Dolly K9, 31094 Hope K9, 31095 Leila Kawpevis, 31098 Lilly Koerth, 31099 Rocky Koerth

Geographic areas and group

Al Khobar (Basenji group)

Max

Dharan (Basenji group)

Savvy, Sandy, Brandy, Mckenzie, Nina, Spock, Shayboo, Foxy

Dubai (Canaan group)

Coconut, Trixie, Bobbi, Pavlova, Tiara, Robin, Roxx, Glitter, Aswad, Hope, Feraji, Lilly, Rocky, Esra, Dolly

Dubai (Basenji group)

Doodle

Fujaira (Basenji group)

Honey, Tess, Leila

Jeddah

Cookie

Sohar (Basenji group)

Bella, Ben, Molly, Joann, Jasmine

Umm Al Quwain (Canaan group)

Pack Leader, Neo, Hannah, Figa, Dave, Dasha, Lara, Genevieve, Luna, Melli, Lucas, Jenny, Jimmy

The difference between “pedigree” and “pure” dogs.

A pedigree is nothing more than a record of parentage kept by kennel clubs. It is basically a family tree going back some generations.

A pure dog of any breed is one that shows no evidence in its DNA of any other breed amongst its ancestors. It needs to be understood that there are no genetic markers that prove a dog is pure.

There is no requirement for pedigree dogs to have been checked using DNA analysis to prove the purity or health of any of the dogs. This is not surprising since until recently accurate DNA testing was not available. Most breeds have only come into being within the last couple of hundred years through human manipulation to obtain a desired function, look, or temperament. Some breeds were established by mixing other breeds to obtain the desired type of dog. Pedigree dogs have gone through a genetic bottleneck with loss of natural genetic diversity and often an increase in genetic health issues as an unintended side effect. Since breed registers are closed and not all dogs born are used to breed, the genetic diversity is likely to decline further.   Some breeds such as the brachycephalic (short snouted) ones are in reality deformed and have breathing problems and should no longer be bred regardless of them having a pedigree. Others have been bred with a view to wining shows, which of course helps to sell them, but also in some cases may have a negative impact on their health. Any attempt to now eliminate these genes that are associated with health issues would of course also lead to further reduction in the overall genetic diversity of pedigree dogs in already closed pools, so is a complicated process. Other factors may also be involved and the likelihood of a dog developing health issues can be seen as a sliding scale, with absence of a given problem occurring being lowest in a dog without the associated gene, with an increasing chance in a dog with one copy of the gene (considered a carrier) to a greater risk in those with 2 copies of the gene (at risk). In some breeds, such as the Rhodesian Ridgeback, there is even a requirement in the breed standard that they have what is known to be associated with a risk. Open dermal sinus that need surgical intervention, have a greater chance of developing in ridged dogs and yet some breeders have gone on public record saying they euthanize any dog born without a ridge ie. the healthier ones may be killed! But hey they have a pedigree and come from “responsible” breeders.

Embark describes how breed analysis is done as follows:- “Breed analysis is based on comparing your dog’s DNA with the DNA of dogs from over 250 breeds, types and varieties. All dogs are related and share some DNA. Siblings share lots of their DNA (half of it in fact), cousins share a bit less (an eighth), and so on. Because dog breeds are made up of a closed group of dogs, all dogs in that breed share a lot of their DNA, typically about as much as second cousins, though it varies by breed. Different breeds that are closely related share somewhat less DNA, and dogs from very different breeds share even less DNA (but still much more DNA than either dog shares with a cat).

DNA is inherited in pieces, called chromosomes, that are passed along from parent to offspring. Each generation, these chromosomes are broken up and shuffled a bit in a process known as recombination. So, the length of the segments your dog shares with his ancestors decreases with each generation above him: he shares longer segments with his mom than his grandma, longer segments with his grandma than his great-grandma, and so on. We can use the length of segments a dog shares with our reference dogs to see how many generations it has been since they last shared an ancestor. Long segments of DNA that are identical to known purebred dogs tell Embark's scientists that Roxx has, without a doubt, a relative from that breed. By testing over 200,000 genetic markers, we build up his genes one DNA segment at a time, to learn the ancestry with great certainty. Other dog DNA tests look at fewer than 10,000 genetic markers and have to take a guess at breed ancestry based on that. In a small proportion of cases, we find dogs that don’t share segments with other dogs we have tested, indicating the presence of a rare breed that is not part of our reference panel or possibly a true "village dog" without any purebred relatives at all. In these rare cases we contact the owner to find out more and let them know about their unique dog before they get their results. With this in-depth detective work, we are pushing science forward by identifying genetically unique groups of dogs.”   

Many freeborn pariah dogs, also known as landrace or village dogs worldwide have been shown to be 100% pure. They seldom have a pedigree, often have fewer health problems,  since natural selection often means less chance that those with health issue would survive, and they maintain the wide genetic diversity that nature gave them. These dogs are not mixed mongrels or strays, but of course those do occur as well. In general they also have lower coefficient of inbreeding than do most pedigree dogs, a factor that also makes them more likely to be healthy.

Copy and paste the following links to your web search to see the results of just 2 of the natural pariah Arabian desert dogs of the type used to establish the human controlled Canaan breed. There are links on them to other similar dogs and there is no reason anyone looking to adopt a dog from the middle east could not get it tested if they are concerned about what other dogs may be in its genetic makeup or that it could have hidden health issues . The OFA testing done on pedigree dogs in the USA is not expensive and few pedigree dogs used to breed have been tested by Embark for the over 150 potential genetic diseases they may or may not have.

embk.me/roxx2

embk.me/sasha37

Some of the first DNA breed testing, as well as some still current, use older technology and were not accurate but newer ones currently look at 200 000 or more alleles with good accuracy. Embark remains the only one with data on “village dogs”.  Embark also does have DNA identification for Canaan dogs but sadly for some reason no owner has allowed the data to be shown publically, for reasons known only to them. With less than 30 dogs having been tested no overall statistical data can be provided on pedigree Canaan dogs.

So what do we know of the health of pedigree Canaan dogs. Well we know that a famous Italian breeder stopped breeding for a while after it was found that all her inbred dogs had a health issue. We know that “My dog DNA” (https://mydogdna.com/) has identified a renal disorder in pedigree Canaan dogs known as hyperuricosuria (HUU). Hyperuricosuria (HUU) is an inherited disorder in dogs that can cause hyperuricemia and predisposes affected dogs to the development of urolithiasis (urate stones) in the kidneys and bladder. The disease is very common in Dalmatians but is seen in several other breeds as well. Hyperuricosuria is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. The Embark DNA analysis tests for this as well as over 150 other potential genetic health issues. This condition causes kidney and bladder stones composed of urate; if caught early, it is responsive to dietary management. Uric acid is an intermediate of purine metabolism. In most dogs, uric acid is converted to allantoin, an inert substance that is then excreted in the urine. Dogs with HUU have defects in the pathway that converts uric acid to allantoin. As such, uric acid builds up, crystallizes and forms urate stones in the kidney and bladder. While hyperuricemia in other species (including humans) can lead to painful conditions such as gout, dogs do not develop systemic signs of hyperuricemia. Urate stones are invisible on X-rays and must be diagnosed by a veterinarian via ultrasound or urine sediment analysis. If left undiagnosed, bladder stones can lead to urinary obstruction, which can be life threatening.

In the USA a number of Canaan dogs have been tested by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) looking mainly for orthopaedic issues and that they recommend testing pedigree Canaan dogs for Hip dysplasia, Elbow dysplasia, Patella luxation, Eyes, Auto immune thyroiditis

They also say “The breed specific list below represents the basic health screening recommendations. It is not all encompassing. There may be other health screening tests appropriate for this breed.”

https://www.ofa.org/about/ofa-fees

When ranked with position 1 being the worst, Auto- immune thyroiditis in Canaan dogs Ranked 31 out of 114 breeds where more than 50 have been tested. 6% were positive of 167 tested. 13% were abnormal and a further 6.6% gave equivocal results. At any point in the dogs life a negative result does not rule out future development of this occurring thus in the dogs life time it is possible a greater number could be effected.

Degenerative myelopathy was worse, ranked 22 with only 55% giving normal results and 38% were carriers.

https://www.ofa.org/diseases/breed-statistics#detail

Degenerative myelopathy of dogs (also called chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy) is an inherited disease that occurs in German Shepherds, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Boxers, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, and other breeds. Affected dogs exhibit degeneration of nerve fibers (axons) and the sheath that surrounds them (myelin). Dogs with the condition are usually older than 8 years of age and slowly start to display nonpainful incoordination and weakness of the hind limbs. It can be confused with orthopedic disorders (such as arthritis), but dogs with degenerative myelopathy have difficulty sensing and placing their feet normally whereas arthritic dogs do not. Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment for the disease, and most affected dogs are euthanized within 1–3 years.

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/dog-owners/brain,-spinal-cord,-and-nerve-disorders-of-dogs/disorders-of-the-spinal-column-and-cord-in-dogs

The testing done by the OFA is very limited looking at only 8 issues compared with over 150 known genetic health issues so has very limited value.

All breeders are individuals and most responsible ones do take steps to be careful the dogs they breed are healthy as far as possible but statements that Canaan dogs bred for sale are somehow healthier than those directly introduced from rescue groups simply do not stack up. The Canaan breed was established from some 30 founders simply collected from the local pariahs, mostly from Israel but one of the first in the UK came from Jordan after an overland move to Libya with Bedouin. Myrna Shiboleth also has added dogs rescued in Jordan and yet says  "Rescue group that rescues street dogs, love to call them Canaans, but they are not". Yes it is true that most rescue groups give an identity to their dogs because potential adopters ask and they may be wrong and some do think that every dog found in the middle east is a Canaan which is not the case. No one can claim none of them are Canaan dogs without even seeing them anymore than they can all be called Canaan’s. A number of shelters in the USA also tag dogs as Canaan dogs which in some cases have probably not been bred by Canaan breeders and have not come from the middle east. It has been claimed that some 200 rescue dogs are imported to the USA annually and that 60 (a guess) dogs labelled as Canaan dogs have asked (and been rejected) for help in homing them through the Canaan rescue network. No supporting facts were presented to show that these dogs all originated in the middle east so this claim is meaningless.

How is it that in the USA it is claimed that all responsible breeders will always take back a dog they have bred if no longer wanted and yet there is a need for a Canaan Dog rescue that admits to “ 4-5 legitimate Canaan rehome requests for help in a year “ out of an estimated “50 to 70 true Canaan pups are born yearly”. That’s as many as 10% needing to be re-homed and not taken back by the breeder!

People involved in trying to home dogs in the middle east are NOT profit making groups that rely on selling deliberately bred dogs for a living. They manage entirely on fund raising and help from volunteers and some have considerable debt at veterinary practices that have to make money to stay in practice but still do all they can to help.

One of the often stated points of pedigree Canaan dogs is that they are a primitive (I prefer ancient) type so why is it claimed by a Canaan person that this is some sort of bad thing in a middle east dog?

The USA, like most countries, has its own health checks and requirements before a dog can be imported and while there has been a case of imported rabies as a result of false documentation from Egypt it was picked up during quarantine and rabies already exists in the USA so just what “weird diseases and parasites” are going to enter the USA that are not already there?

I am as passionate as anyone about the need to preserve these dogs with an ancient heritage but to claim that the pariahs used to establish the Canaan “breed” are only found in Israel shows a lack of knowledge and is not supported by what facts we know. Yes they are a type with ancient heritage but to say they are the oldest type in the world is unsubstantiated and not true considering what we presently know of ancient types. Nor is it accurate to say that these pariahs are becoming rare worldwide. Only some 15% of the worlds dogs are pets and an almost insignificant percentage are pedigree dogs.  (Coppinger and Coppinger “What is a dog”). The whole situation of dogs in the middle east and in other countries is vastly different to that in the western world and this is something people living in the USA or other “developed” countries unfortunately fail to understand, as do many expat westerners living in the middle east who tend to see homeless dogs through the limited experience they have in their home countries where pariahs are not found.

If Canaan breeders genuinely want to preserve these dogs and seek “to still bring in and preserve extant free living dogs and their bloodlines” then it is high time they recognised that there are thousands of these dogs out there. They also need to understand the true history of these dogs, something that has far greater significance than the made up story aimed at selling pups of pariahs, initially in Israel. As Myrna Shiboleth stated recently in her open letter: “When I started with the Canaans, nobody in Israel, other than my mentor, Prof. Rudolphina Menzel, and her few supporters, considered them to be anything other than an Arab street dog and garbage dump scavenger.” While dogs know nothing of human nationality, religious or cultural divisions, that of course is precisely what these pariah dogs are. Myrna herself knows that they are not officially “Israel’s national dog” yet continues to claim this as do other breeders. I have no problem with any country making them the countries national dog but to do so needs government declaration which does not exist.

Calling the free living dogs outside of Israel as “baladi” again shows somewhat lacking understanding. Baladi is a word used specifically in Egypt and most closely translates to English as “folk”. It is used in Egypt not only for dogs but to describe many other folk activities such as dancing etc. ie, baladi dance, baladi songs and yes baladi dogs. If the unsupported claim that that Canaan dogs were introduced to Israel by the followers of Moses were true (facts show they were in the middle east before that time) would the dogs in Israel not be baladi dogs?

It is shameful and disappointing to see claims of “knowledge shared” when the knowledge being shared is extremely limited and inaccurate and the approach to someone trying to learn at times extremely rude.

So yes indeed THINK and get your facts right and share correct information not that dreamed up in order to sell dogs, before condemning others.

There is still a golden opportunity to forget about ridiculous kennel club closed book regulations and bring in more of these dogs while concentrating on maintaining genetic diversity and eliminating all known genetic health issues. How can this be done? Very simply by firstly recognising the true distribution of these dogs then testing all current dogs for all known genetic issues and not using any that are even carriers. This cannot be done with closed breeds. It can be done with these dogs because there are still thousands that could potentially be used. While rescue groups invariably neuter dogs before homing them I don’t doubt they could be persuaded to help breeders for the sake of ensuring the long term future of these dogs. Simply choose ones breeders fancy and get their DNA checked for purity and health before adding them to breeding stock and avoid any (probably rare) that carry any potential health issue. Once no genetic health issues are present there is no need to test offspring. No current established modern Euro-breed has such an opportunity. Do I expect this to happen with Canaan dogs? No, not with the arrogant and often ill-informed attitude of some people involved.