Ancient Dog Breeds PART 2

Number 10 Alaskan malamute

 

The alaskan malamute is the oldest and the largest arctic sled dog species and was bred by the malamute tribe at least three thousand years ago since then it has become a critical component of survival in some of the harshest living conditions in the world these dogs are amazingly strong and can pull huge loads on sleds across the icy lands where they live and they are also extremely good at hunting large game and protecting against other predators like bears and wolves they love to chase small animals around but in spite of this and their massive size they are gentle giants who make great family pets if you have enough space and are willing to spend more on dog food than you probably do feeding your entire family the ancestors of these dogs crossed the bering strait many thousands of years ago when people first moved from asia to the americas and once the inuit tribes had settled in the northern lands they developed this cold weather specialist breed they are true pack dogs and so will be happiest when surrounded by others especially their human back.

 

Number nine saluki

 

The saluki is a breed which according to modern dna evidence is one of the dog breeds which is most closely related to wolves these dogs haven't changed all that much since the days when it was still a wild wolf even if it really doesn't look too much like one a close relative of the afghan hound this dog has the entry in the Guinness book of world records as the oldest recorded dog breed having been noted down in an Egyptian text dating all the way back to 329 bc but the breed certainly dates much farther back than that way before humans figured out the technology of writing they have long been popular with nomadic tribes due to their speed strength and stamina and they are sighthounds above all else they love nothing more than chasing small animals and will almost always go for any squirrels goats otters foxes raccoons snakes and deer they encounter in egypt they were known as royal dogs and were favored by the nobility and when arab invaders arrived they also adopted the breed believing it to be a gift from allah they call the saluki el hor which means noble one the saluki is tougher than it looks and some breeders have recorded speeds of almost 50 miles per hour and the arabs applied henna or nut oil to these dog's feet to harden them making them even more adept at running on the tough terrain of north Africa.

 

Number 8

Another very ancient north african dog breed is the besenji which is said to date back all the way to around 6000 bc due to cave paintings of the breed having been found in Libya basenjis are considered a barkless dog since they do not bark like most dogs although this does not mean they are mute as they are able to communicate with the other usual sounds such as growls whimpers screams and wines this dog is extremely energetic and needs a ton of exercise or it will become bored and destructive they love to be outside running around as much as possible they are another breed that was popular with the ancient egyptians but the dogs in fact seem to have originated in sub-saharan Africa somewhere between congo and south sudan their main duties were in hunting missions and were probably gifted to the pharaohs from sub-saharan african tribal leaders the egyptians appreciated them for their cleanliness and cat-like personalities in kenya the Dog was also popular with maasai warriors who would use a team of four basenjis to flush a line out of a cave so the warriors could then kill it as it was chased out by the dogs.

 

Number 7 Akita inu

 

The akita inu is one of japan's most iconic dogs and it is named for the akita prefecture but archaeological discoveries have shown that the akita's immediate ancestor the matagi inu went extinct in 200 bc having existed from at least 8000 bc these dogs are famous for their loyalty as well as being affectionate and intelligent companions they are also great as guard dogs with a lot of courage and dominant personalities the breed became famous in the usa when author and disability rights advocate helen keller was presented with a pair of akita inus in 1937. these were the very first akitas to enter the us and nowadays the american akita is recognized as being a distinct variation of the breed akita is in the north most part of japan and the area is rocky and mountainous meaning that winters can be cold so this is a very hearty breed like a lot of things in japanese culture the akita symbolizes things health happiness and longevity in fact there is a tradition in japan of sending a small statue shaped like an akita to a friend or relative who is sick as a kind of get well soon gift.

 

Number 6 Siberian husky

 

The siberian husky is one of the most iconic dogs in the world and pretty much anyone can recognize this amazing breed when they're not confusing them with a malamute that is well these double-coated dogs are some of the most ancient hunting dogs in the arctic and they were bred by siberia's shooky people a long a long time ago they love to work and this means that any husky owner will need to provide plenty of tasks and physical exercise for these dogs to blow off all their mental and physical energy another skill that all huskies have is that they are the houdinis of the dog world they are amazing escapologists and can make their break from all but the mos secure of enclosures a sled dog they have incredible resistance to cold and can also survive on minimal amounts of food if they need to they proved their worth on their first arrival in the us in 1909 when a team of huskies competed in the all-alaska sweepstakes race for sled docks the husky team left all others trailing in their wake and went on to win every race for the next 10 years becoming famous as the world's greatest sled dogs.

 

Number 5 canaan

 

This is a dog which comes from a part of the world where civilization first began the canaan dog is the dog of the ancient Hebrews used to hurt livestock and keep guard of camps back in biblical times that's pretty ancient they are fully working dogs and so can be a challenge in a household with other animals or young children and they tend to be very protective so strangers need to beware in the ancient middle east dogs had an important role in the birth of civilization as established communities sought to protect their growing towns with both militias and dogs which helped to keep bandits and barbarians away so the towns could develop in the safety that there were some excellent dogs on guard these are versatile dogs which nowadays can make good companions as well as personal guard dogs for a modern home they have retained many of the hearty characteristics which once helped them to work in their native desert environment.

 

Number 4 Lasa Apso

 

Back in tibet now once more and this time it's the lasa apso these dogs were widely used for guarding both monasteries and palaces and nowadays can make fantastic family pets who can double up as a guard dog for your home the lasa apso has been known to exist at least as far back as 800 a.d where the earliest records of the buddhists refer to the dog but they are likely much more ancient than that and some of that ancient buddhist wisdom seems to have transferred into these dogs as they are known for their kind calm nature around young children and other pets they are also a breed of dog which tends to be fine with spending time alone and they don't develop destructive behaviors if they chill by themselves for a while they are named for the capital of Tibet.. lasa and also the tibetan word for goat due to their long goat-like woolly coats however this is the modern name for the breed and they were originally called abso senkai which means bark lion sentinel dog kind of explains all you need to know about it they are also associated in Tibetan culture with the mythical snow lion which tibetans believe is a guardian of their country.

 

Number three Xoloitzcuintle

 

Now here's a dog with some of those names that is nice and easy to pronounce Xoloitzcuintle is native to central America and is one of the oldest breeds you will find there most people who don't happen to speak pre-columbian central american languages just call them the mexican hairless or Xolo for short  one of the greatest benefits of this breed for modern people is that they are hypoallergenic so you won't need to spend all day and night sneezing like crazy if you happen to have dog for allergies they are known to be a little highly strong and the epitome of small dog syndrome problems so better look elsewhere if you have young children or other small pets they have been depicted in Aztec artworks which date back 3500 years so there is no denying their popularity in fact they were considered sacred and believed to have magical powers so the aztecs kept them in their homes to ward off bad spirits and also apparently intruders although maybe not as efficient as a doberman fo example.

 

Number 2 Tibetan terrier

 

If it wasn't obvious already the tibetans loved their dogs and they weren't super happy about the chinese trying to take them away back in the 1970s some of the dogs the tibetans bred were for guarding and protection and even for battle but others like the tibetan terrier was bred mainly for good old companionship these lap dogs love to be close to their owners and they also love to play and entertain they have long hair that needs plenty of grooming and they hate to be alone usually freaking out and destroying stuff if they don't get enough attention they were first bred in a place called the lost valley at least 2 000 years ago and this region became cut off from the rest of the world in the 14^th century when an earthquake destroyed the only road in and out they are considered good luck charms by the tibetans and are sometimes given as gifts of good fortune in spite of being a lap dog they are actually quite strong and agile for their size and are quite capable of navigating the region's rocky terrain.

 

Number one Pekingese

 

The Pekingese were known to be the royal dogs of china and in fact only royals were allowed to own one for a large part of their history if you decided to steal one then you would be facing the death penalty usually carried out in the slowest and most painful way imaginable so maybe just settle for a mutt the Pekinese is a low energy dog and will be fine with a little play time every day along with occasional walks these are great department dogs and good for first time dog owners as they are considered a very easy breed to live with on the other hand they don't much like children strangers or other pets and are not the brightest sparks of the dog world making them snooty and difficult to train royal dogs all right they much prefer cool climates to hut but will be happiest when sat in the lap of their masters or mistress especially if you happen to be the king or queen of somewhere the fierce side of these dogs was bred in by those chinese royals they used to hide pekingese in their sleeves so they could leap out and attack like some kind of crazy taxi driver scene with tiny dogs should anyone get too close to the emperor.

 

Which of these ancient dogs was your favorite do you know any dogs that are even more ancient than the ones on our list let us know in the comments below.

 

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