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Tracking the Origin of Dogs
By: Associated Press
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NEW YORK (AP) —Where did dogs first arrive on the scene? Scientists have long debated that question, and now a study of doggie DNA from around the world is pointing to Central Asia.
Researchers say man’s best friend may have evolved somewhere near what is now Nepal and Mongolia.
Previous studies have suggested southern China, the Middle East, Siberia and Europe. Dogs, our first domesticated animal, arose from wolves at least 15,000 years ago.
The new work is based on dog DNA from 38 countries. It came not from house pets, but rather from dogs that wander freely in villages or fields.
Results were reported in a paper released Monday by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.