Where Do Dogs Come From?

Editor's Note: This story originally ran on Ars Technica. It's food for thought and we are rerunning it with permission.

Dogs were the very first creatures that humans domesticated, and their remains have been found along with those of humans from before we even had basic things like agriculture. And, with the advent of molecular tools, researchers were able to identify the animal that was domesticated (the gray wolf), as well as a handful of breeds that appear to be "ancient," and split off close to the source of domestication.

These breeds might not be so old. Nordic dogs via Shutterstock. It was a nice picture, but apparently it was probably wrong. That's the conclusion of a study that appeared in last week's PNAS, which uses a combination of genetic, archeological, and historic evidence to argue that the history of domestic dogs is such a mess that we're not going to be able to unravel it without resorting to large-scale genome sequencing efforts.

The challenges of sorting out what happened from archeological remains are significant. The source of domesticated dogs, the gray wolf, historically ranged across North America, Europe, and Asia. The earliest domesticated dogs, which appeared about 15,000 years ago, looked a whole lot like the wolves they were descended from, making unambiguous identification of domestic vs. wild animals a challenge. And once things that were clearly dogs started appearing, they appeared over a huge geographic range. The earliest remains appear in Europe, the Middle East, and Kamchatka (on Russia's Pacific coast) all within 1,500 years of each other. Within another thousand years after that, domestic dogs were present in North America as well.

It's impossible to tell whether these distant sites represent separate domestication events, or whether (and, if so, how often) the earliest domesticated dogs ended up breeding with wolf populations.

All of that would seem to make DNA testing the best way to bring some clarity. And, indeed, the authors have a prodigious amount of data at their disposal, having looked at nearly 50,000 individual variations in DNA sequences, using a population of 1,375 dogs and 19 wolves. As with past studies, these identified a handful of breeds as "ancient," meaning they appear to have branched off the family tree much closer to the domestication event. These breeds are the Akita, Basenji, Eurasier, Finnish Spitz, Saluki, and Shar-Pei (more on the Eurasier later).

Are Salukis really as old as they seem? Via Shutterstock.

But the authors themselves point out that there's a problem with their own data: None of these breeds are from the regions where the first remains of domesticated dogs are found, and a few come from outside the normal range of the grey wolf. In fact, the archeological evidence suggests that some of the genetic data can't be trusted at all. As far as we can tell, dogs spread across the Pacific only 3,500 years ago, but two breeds (dingos and New Guinea singing dogs) from there appear near the base of the tree. The same thing goes for southern Africa, where dogs arrived less than 1,500 years ago, but a specific breed (Basenji) looks ancient.

What in the world is going on here? The authors argue that it's a product of the odd history of the domestic dog. For one, we can largely throw out any genetic data from the Americas. Everything from there indicates that dogs were brought over in such large numbers by European colonists that they swamped any breeds native to these regions. (In fact, a hairless mutation found in a breed "native" to Mexico is identical to that found in breeds in China.)

In Europe, most breeds aren't original. For example, the Irish Wolfhound has been proposed as being an old one, but wolves were already hunted to extinction before 1800, and the original version of the breed probably died out shortly afterwards. (The current incarnation is probably the product of a recent attempt to revive the characteristics through selective breeding.) Similar things apply almost everywhere else; most breeds have probably only been around 300 years or less. And then both world wars created large bottlenecks; many breeds were reduced to a handful of individuals, and some probably vanished entirely (only to be rebred since).

A Samoyed. Via Shutterstock. This process of rederiving breeds has made matters worse. In some cases, we know exactly how a breed came about. As the authors note, Eurasiers looked ancient, but were recently derived from a mix of Chows, Keeshonds, and Samoyeds. But all of these breeds come from near the base of the dog family tree. As a result, Eurasiers look like an ancient breed themselves, even though we know they're not.

The authors conclude that the breeds that appear ancient haven't actually split off early from the dog family tree. Instead, they've simply remained isolated during the massive shuffling and rederivation of breeds that has been taking place over the last few centuries. That shuffling has made everything else look older, so that a breed that has only been isolated for a few thousand years suddenly looks ancient.

Will we ever sort this all out? The authors argue that the advent of cheap DNA sequencing could give us enough data to start pushing back the resolving power. But that would require that we decide knowing more about the dog's history is worth the resources required to do this sequencing.

Ars Technica is a trusted source for technology news, tech policy analysis, breakdowns of the latest scientific advancements, gadget reviews, software, hardware, and nearly everything else found in between layers of silicon. Please visit ArsTechnica.com for more stories.

View the original article here

Let’s Talk: Where Do You Buy Your Dog’s Goodies, and What Do You Look For?

Do you like to shop the local smaller pet supply stores?

I was chatting with Dogster’s terrifico Managing Editor, Janine Kahn, the other day, and the subject of where we get our dogs’ treats, toys, leashes, and other goodies came up.

In her no-child, single-dog home, she and her sweetie try to shop as locally as they can, partly in order to support mom-and-pop shops. And as she pointed out, there are cheap ways to get “Made in the USA” treats — like stocking up at Trader Joe’s. But there are some items they get at Petco, like litter for Moxie’s litter box. (Yes, Moxie is a dog. A most fastidious dog, especially compared with Jake. He uses Yesterday’s News litter, even though he’s a hip headliner around Dogster HQ.)

I like to shop locally, too, but we are a not a no-child home, so I might be slightly more frugal. Interestingly, I sometimes find that our small neighborhood pet-supply store stocks items that are even cheaper than bigger chains, especially when they’re on sale. They may not be the same brands, but that’s fine, because they also skew to the more locally produced items. And Trader Joe’s is, indeed, a dogsend. Jake is head over heels about Charlee Bear liver treats.

But I do get some things — like Jake’s dog beds — at places like Costco. These dog beds are huge, attractive, inexpensive, and if I do say so myself, quite comfy! (What? Me fall asleep while petting Jake on his bed at 2 a.m. after a long night of writing? Okay, it has happened, but don’t tell anyone.) I also bought chicken jerky strips there before I heard about the possible risks from the ones made in China, which are what Costco generally sells.

Or do you tend to shop at the bigger stores? Either way, let's talk!

With our other post today being about the situation regarding these potentially dangerous chicken jerky treats from China, this seemed like a very good time to do a “Let’s Talk” about where you buy your doggy goodies, and what you look for. (Let’s try not to talk so much about dog food for this, because that opens up a gaping maw that shouldn’t be part of this discussion.) Are you immediately put off by “Made in China,” or do you ignore it in the name of getting the cheapest deal or buying in bulk?

Many readers have several dogs, and it could get pretty pricey to buy things labeled as organic or “Made in the USA.” Is yours one of these multidog homes? Where do you buy your dogs’ goodies?

How about those of you with singleton dogs? Do you strive to support mom-and-pop stores, or do you try to keep costs down by shopping at bigger box stores? We’d love to know where you get your dog stuff, and whether where you get it and where it’s made is important to you, or if saving money is more important.  Remember to mention how many dogs are in your household.

Also, if you have any tips about saving money while buying locally or by creating your very own goodies such as treats, please share them! This is still a shaky economy, and many people are unemployed or underemployed, so we could all use some money-saving tips. Some of you in the past have mentioned making your dogs’ chicken jerky treats yourselves. If someone could reiterate the “how” here, that’d be great. (People seem to use chicken breasts for this, but is there any reason it can’t be done from thigh and/or leg meat, which is more economical yet?)

View the original article here

Hit Stores That Support Puppy Mills Where It Hurts: Their Wallets

Hi, all. Maria is out collecting stories for her upcoming book on Soldier Dogs and I thought I’d pop in to tell you about an important campaign the ASPCA has started that people who truly love dogs should care about.

I don’t have to tell you about the horrors of puppy mills. We cover them regularly on this very blog, our readers howl back about them in the comments section of any given post and our community has fierce discussions in the Dogster forums about rescued mill pups they’ve helped rehabilitate. It’s sick and sad from every angle you look at it and it infuriates and offends me, personally, when I meet otherwise intelligent people who somehow thought it was OK at one point or another to exchange cash* for a puppy at a pet store.

But apparently there is a huge disconnect in a staggering number of people’s heads when it comes to puppy mills and pet stores. Many are aware of the harsh conditions at the puppy plants but don’t realize they wind up turning into the cogs in the mill machine when they pay for that cute puppy in the window. It’s only later, when they run into the typical genetic or behavioral/socialization problems that they realize their mistake. (Please note: I am aware that not ALL mill dogs display these issues, but that does not excuse the conditions under which they were born and raised, etc.)

A few days ago, the ASPCA released the results of a poll they’d commissioned Lake Research Partners to conduct on their behalf. From it, these two eye-widening numbers emerged: apparently 78% of consumers don’t know that most pet store puppies come from puppy mills. The poll also found that 80 percent of consumers would not purchase a puppy if they knew the animal came from a mill.

Putting two and two together, the ASPCA has launched the No Pet Store Puppies campaign. At the heart of it is a pledge — and whether you’re a dog, cat, chinchilla or iguana parent, I urge you to take it along with me and encourage friends and family to do the same. The pledge is simple, here’s what mine looked like:

Add your voice and take the pledge over here. After you’ve done so, please leave a comment below to let us know you’re with us on this.

Thanks for reading,

Janine Kahn
Managing Editor, Dogster and Catster

*P.S. Please also note that stores that host adoption days for rescues/shelters are different from stores that SELL puppies.

View the original article here

Dog auctions: Where puppy millers do their dirty business

If only I were a fiction writer and the details within this blog post were a product of my imagination. Unfortunately dog auctions are a painful and despicable fact of life.

In case you are unfamiliar with dog auctions, let me fill you in. Envision rooms filled floor to ceiling with crates and cages each housing dogs whose sole purpose in life is to make puppies.

Every dog in the room is identified by the number on the auction tag hanging round his or her neck. There are purebreds of multiple varieties, although some might not be recognizable as such given their lack of health care and horrifically overgrown hair coats.

And, of course, there are plenty of “designer hybrids,” the mutts that are purposefully planned because they are “all the rage” and their litters will earn big bucks for some lucky puppy miller.

Some of the rooms filled with dogs are eerily quiet; these are animals with broken spirits, too scared to vocally protest and too disassociated from their miserable existences to invite attention from the humans peering into their cages.

Six auctions are held every year in Farmerstown, Ohio. In fact, the next one, of 351 dogs, is on April 2.

If you happen to live near Farmerstown, I encourage you to attend. You will be surrounded by puppy millers and their ilk who have come to socialize, discuss their trade, and buy and sell “livestock.” You will also find folks from breed rescue organizations hoping to place some winning bids that will alter the dismal fate of as many dogs as is affordable.

Don’t take a camera with you; it will be confiscated. You see, these are rather covert affairs; journalists and photographers are not allowed. The photographic images accompanying this post were obtained undercover.

On average, 300 to 500 dogs trade hands on any given auction day. The dogs who fetch the highest prices are those with proven fertility records; bitches already pregnant are highly valued. Details about each dog’s breeding behavior and previous litter sizes are provided, but information about basic temperament or breed-specific inherited diseases within the family tree is unavailable because it is deemed unimportant. After all, naive puppy buyers don’t request such information.

If you attend the auction in Farmerstown, be sure to look for Mary O’Connor-Shaver. You will find her at the peaceful protest that is a visible presence on each and every auction day. In my mind Mary is a hero, working tirelessly to convince Ohio legislators to ban dog auctions from her state. I hope you will visit her website. Mary has been a huge source of information and inspiration for me.

What can you do to help eradicate dog auctions and put an end to puppy mills? Here are some suggestions:

1.Educate your friends and family to boycott puppy mills and stores that sell puppies. Let them know that this means never ever purchasing a puppy from a pet store or from an on line source (site and sight unseen). Encourage them to visit their local shelter and contact local breed-specific rescue organizations, or to purchase a puppy from a responsible breeder.

2. If you live in a state that sanctions dog auctions (Ohio, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri), write your legislators and appeal to them to stop this madness. And if there are efforts within your state to create legislation banning dog auctions, please pitch in. This might involve organizing rallies, writing letters, and gathering signatures of support.

3. If you don’t reside in a state that sanctions dog auctions, write letters to the governors and legislators of the eight states that do. Let them know you will no longer support their state in terms of travel and commerce until their dog auctions cease to exist.

4. Let your veterinarian know how you feel about dog auctions and puppy mills, and encourage him or her to take a public stance against them. Goodness knows, we see first hand the horrific health issues and accompanying heartbreak produced by puppy mills.

5. If you are a teacher, educate your students about puppy mills and dog auctions. Teach them about responsible ways to acquire a dog. I believe in my heart of hearts that educating children about these issues is the key to success.

6. Please share this post with anyone and everyone you know who loves a dog, and encourage them to take action.

My youngest child attends college in Athens, Ohio. During a recent visit we checked out Petland, the largest pet store in Athens. We found no fewer than three dozen utterly adorable purebred and designer hybrid puppies, undoubtedly puppy mill progeny.

There were plenty of customers in the store that day interacting with the pups and contemplating buying one. I chatted with the store manager about the Boxer pup on display, and asked to see the paperwork documenting if Boxer cardiomyopathy existed in the pup’s lineage. Boxer cardiomyopathy is an inherited heart condition that can prematurely snuff out the life of an afflicted dog.

She responded by saying, “No, we don’t have that paperwork, but no problem because Petland guarantees full refunds on any dogs that develop symptoms caused by an inherited disease.” No problem for Petland, that is. It’s a different story for the dog, or the people who love him.

What are you willing to do to help stop this madness?

Photos taken by an undercover photographer who has asked to be unnamed to preserve his or her ability to continue to do this work. Used with permission.

View the original article here