Canis lupus probably arose in the Americas, as its ancestral species are endemic to that region. It spread (presumably via the Bering Strait land bridge or ice bridge) to Eurasia. A domesticated subspecies of Canis lupus arose (probably in South East Asia) during the Pleistocene, and these dogs also spread pretty quickly throughout Eurasia and the Americas, such that hunting with dogs has a history in those places spanning at least 15000 years: through intentional or accidental selective breeding, we have altered dogs to be a good fit for our needs (and, perhaps, vice versa).

Dogs arrived relatively recently in Australia (about 5000 years ago), and not all aboriginal clans used dogs in hunting, but some did. Dogs were taken by Polynesians as they settled the Pacific: the Maori dog was apparently used more as a source of fur and food than as a hunting animal.

Similarly, there were no Canis lupus in subsaharan Africa at all until quite recently, perhaps 4000 years ago. The native people of southern Africa did not encounter dogs until the arrival from the north of the iron-age Bantu peoples around 800 AD.

dv said:

Canis lupus probably arose in the Americas, as its ancestral species are endemic to that region. It spread (presumably via the Bering Strait land bridge or ice bridge) to Eurasia. A domesticated subspecies of Canis lupus arose (probably in South East Asia) during the Pleistocene, and these dogs also spread pretty quickly throughout Eurasia and the Americas, such that hunting with dogs has a history in those places spanning at least 15000 years: through intentional or accidental selective breeding, we have altered dogs to be a good fit for our needs (and, perhaps, vice versa).

Dogs arrived relatively recently in Australia (about 5000 years ago), and not all aboriginal clans used dogs in hunting, but some did. Dogs were taken by Polynesians as they settled the Pacific: the Maori dog was apparently used more as a source of fur and food than as a hunting animal.

Similarly, there were no Canis lupus in subsaharan Africa at all until quite recently, perhaps 4000 years ago. The native people of southern Africa did not encounter dogs until the arrival from the north of the iron-age Bantu peoples around 800 AD.

DNA studies of the wolf linage in Africa.

dv said:

Dogs arrived relatively recently in Australia (about 5000 years ago), and not all aboriginal clans used dogs in hunting, but some did. Dogs were taken by Polynesians as they settled the Pacific: the Maori dog was apparently used more as a source of fur and food than as a hunting animal.

Similarly, there were no Canis lupus in subsaharan Africa at all until quite recently, perhaps 4000 years ago. The native people of southern Africa did not encounter dogs until the arrival from the north of the iron-age Bantu peoples around 800 AD.

Excellent. That explains something that has puzzled me for about 25 years.

My sister had a sub-saharan dog breed on her farm. A Basenji. In appearance it resembled a dingo far more than I expected it to. The Basenji is an ancient need owned by among others the Bushmen of the Kalahari.

If the Basenji and Dingo both originated in the Indian subcontinent and migrated south about 4000 to 5000 years ago then that would explain the similarity. According to Wikipedia,

“Basenjis share many unique traits with pariah dog types. Basenjis, like dingoes, New Guinea singing dogs and some other breeds of dog, come into estrus only once annually” and “The Basenji is an ancient breed. the basenji and the dingo are both considered to be basal members of the domestic dog clade.” And “Both dingoes and Basenji lack a distinctive odor”.

If you look up pariah dogs its seems that dogs who live on the edge of domesticity and semi wild all sort of end up looking like dingos.

When Napoleon invaded Egypt he ordered all the dogs in Cairo shot which quickly led to a public health issue because they were the cities rubbish disposal.

• If you look up pariah dogs its seems that dogs who live on the edge of domesticity and semi wild all sort of end up looking like dingos.

Like camp dogs…

furious said:

• If you look up pariah dogs its seems that dogs who live on the edge of domesticity and semi wild all sort of end up looking like dingos.

Like camp dogs…

Now, now, a dog’s sexual preferences should not be a reason to be judgmental.

AwesomeO said:

If you look up pariah dogs its seems that dogs who live on the edge of domesticity and semi wild all sort of end up looking like dingos.

When Napoleon invaded Egypt he ordered all the dogs in Cairo shot which quickly led to a public health issue because they were the cities rubbish disposal.

Ha!

• Now, now, a dog’s sexual preferences should not be a reason to be judgmental.

mollwollfumble said:

dv said:

Dogs arrived relatively recently in Australia (about 5000 years ago), and not all aboriginal clans used dogs in hunting, but some did. Dogs were taken by Polynesians as they settled the Pacific: the Maori dog was apparently used more as a source of fur and food than as a hunting animal.

Similarly, there were no Canis lupus in subsaharan Africa at all until quite recently, perhaps 4000 years ago. The native people of southern Africa did not encounter dogs until the arrival from the north of the iron-age Bantu peoples around 800 AD.

Excellent. That explains something that has puzzled me for about 25 years.

My sister had a sub-saharan dog breed on her farm. A Basenji. In appearance it resembled a dingo far more than I expected it to. The Basenji is an ancient need owned by among others the Bushmen of the Kalahari.

If the Basenji and Dingo both originated in the Indian subcontinent and migrated south about 4000 to 5000 years ago then that would explain the similarity. According to Wikipedia,

“Basenjis share many unique traits with pariah dog types. Basenjis, like dingoes, New Guinea singing dogs and some other breeds of dog, come into estrus only once annually” and “The Basenji is an ancient breed. the basenji and the dingo are both considered to be basal members of the domestic dog clade.” And “Both dingoes and Basenji lack a distinctive odor”.

Very interesting. Thanks.

AwesomeO said:

When Napoleon invaded Egypt he ordered all the dogs in Cairo shot

ROFL.

In the olden days, everyone in charge was like Kim Jong Un or Trump.

dv said:

AwesomeO said:

When Napoleon invaded Egypt he ordered all the dogs in Cairo shot

ROFL.

In the olden days, everyone in charge was like Kim Jong Un or Trump.

If the same had happened in India and Nigeria then it might have succeeded in wiping our Rabies altogether. Although rabies can be carried by other mammal breeds, the feral domestic dog in those countries is by far the largest carrier – and rabies is spreading back into countries where it was previously eliminated.