Man’s Best Friend

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences states that dogs may have become man’s best friend in Central Asia in what is today present day Nepal and Mongolia. Dogs have evolved from Eurasian grey wolves around 15,000 years ago, however, what caused their transition from pack animals to obeying orders of their masters has for long been a matter of debate.

The study is the largest ever survey of worldwide canine genetic diversity wherein more than 185,000 genetic markers in 4,600 purebred dogs of 165 breeds across 540 villages in 38 countries were analysed. The research suggests that dogs were first domesticated in and around Nepal and Mongolia.

According to some archaeologists, Central Asia was the place of origin for domestication of dogs, however, genetic studies in this case were lacking. The study although has stated that domestication of dogs might have happened elsewhere either through migration or a separate domestication event.