Genomic and archeological evidence suggests a dual origin of domestic dogs

The geographic and temporal origins of dogs remain controversial. Here, we generated genetic sequences from 59 ancient dogs and a complete (28x) genome of a late Neolithic dog (~4,800 calBP) from Ireland. Our analyses revealed a deep split separating modern East Asian and Western Eurasian dogs. Surprisingly, the date of this divergence (~14,000-6,400 years ago) occurs commensurate or several millennia after the first appearance of dogs in Europe and East Asia. Additional analyses of ancient and modern mitochondrial DNA revealed a sharp discontinuity in haplotype frequencies in Europe. Combined, these results suggest that dogs may have been domesticated independently in Eastern and Western Eurasia from distinct wolf populations. East Eurasia dogs were then possibly transported alongside people where they partially replaced European Palaeolithic dogs.