Last year, the French bulldog pushed the Labrador retriever out of the top stop for America’s most popular dog breed, according to a survey by the American Kennel Club (AKC). The origins of French bulldogs and Labrador retrievers date back several centuries, and they are relatively young when compared to some ancient breeds.
There are some breeds whose origins can be traced for thousands of years. Here are six of some of the oldest breeds:
(Credit: Sabine Hagedorn/Shutterstock)
Sabine Hagedorn/Shutterstock
There is evidence that humans and dogs have coexisted for as many as 32,000 years, and there’s also indication that the Sloughi was one of the first domesticated breeds.
Scientists don’t agree exactly where the Sloughi originated in Africa, but they do agree that humans domesticated this floppy-eared dog more than 30,000 years ago as a hunting dog.
Archeological evidence confirms the breed was present in Ancient Egypt, as it ...
