According to records, dogs have been with man for at least 10,000 years. We don’t know when they diverged from wolves, but one thing is certain: they have been an integral part of human life for centuries. Most of the dogs we see today are genetically modified crosses to please different people in different parts of the world (apartment dogs, hunting dogs, garden dogs, field dogs, sheepdogs, etc.), but there are some (very few) that they are the closest thing to the “original dogs”.
The following breeds are examples of «Pariah dogs» that have lived wild lives and have changed very little since ancient times. One of their characteristics is that they reproduce only once a year, unlike domestic dogs, which reproduce several times.
carolina dog
The so-called «American dingo» was discovered in the 1970s living a secluded and solitary life in the southeastern United States. Their behavior is more similar to that of wild dogs than feral dogs. It is now recognized as a pure breed.
australian dingo
Today’s «pure» dingo is in danger of disappearing, due to so much interbreeding with other modern domestic dog breeds.
basenji
Better known as «the dog that doesn’t bark,» this is reputedly one of the oldest breeds of dog. It is native to some areas of the Congo, in Africa. For example, it has been depicted in Egyptian tombs, which shows how old it is.
Xoloitzcuintle or «Mexican dog»
The Xoloitzcuintle is an extremely ancient hairless dog. In Mexico, this dog has existed for more than 3,000 years, and there is a possibility that it originated from the spontaneous baldness mutation of Native American dogs as a way to adapt to the humid and warm regions from which they came. This breed nearly went extinct with the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, but managed to survive in rural areas.
north american indian dog
Far less wild but just as old as the Carolina dog, this breed was used for a multitude of tasks, from guarding and hunting to pulling sleds. He was a fellow worker of the indigenous people for thousands of years. Pariah is the most wolf-like dog that exists today.
Alopekis
“Small but mighty”, the alopekis is mentioned by classical writers such as Aristotle, and can be found on vessels dating to 3000 BC. C. The breed could be found throughout Greece and there are still several of them in that country.
New Guinea Singing Dog
This dog falls into the category of dingo dogs (more wild than feral). Thought to be extinct in the wild, but a few exist in captivity, thanks to conservation efforts.
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