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.
