Science long ago confirmed that humans originated on the African continent. It hasn’t been so kind to dogs. A group of scientists from the University of Oxford are saying evidence now shows that dogs were domesticated in Asia and Europe at different times. Nothing’s confirmed yet, but the study makes for fun discussion with dog owners.
Source: New York Times, June 2, 2016.
Laurent Frantz and Greger Larson of Oxford University and an international team of scientists who are of a dog domestication project run out of Oxford, made the argument in paper published in the Journal Science. They make clear that although they think their explanation best suits the available evidence, more evidence is needed to confirm it.
Also see Animal Health Digest, January 19, 2016, The Atlantic, June 2, 2016 and Science Magazine, June 2, 2016.