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Study Shows Nearly Two-Thirds of Dog Breeds Share Ancestry with Wolves

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A dog (Canis lupus familiaris) and a wolf (canis lupus) can interbreed to create fertile offspring, but such occurrences are far less common than in domestic and wild populations of other species. In a recent study, researchers from the American Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, and the University of California, Davis, combined localized ancestry estimation with phylogenetic analysis of the genomes of 2,693 ancient and modern dogs and wolves. They discovered that 64.1% of contemporary purebred dogs possess wolf ancestry in their nuclear genomes, stemming from admixture that occurred nearly 1,000 generations ago, while all analyzed free-ranging dog genomes showed signs of ancient wolf ancestry.

German shepherd puppy. Image credit: Marilyn Peddle / CC BY 2.0.

“Modern dogs, especially those kept as pets, seem quite distant from the often vilified wolves,” states Dr. Audrey Lin, a postdoctoral fellow at the American Museum of Natural History.

“However, certain wolf-derived traits are highly valued in our current dogs, and we have intentionally preserved them in this lineage.”

“While this research focuses on dogs, it reveals much about their wild relatives, the wolves.”

Dogs evolved from a gray wolf population that faced extinction due to human influence during the late Pleistocene, approximately 20,000 years ago.

Though wolves and dogs inhabit overlapping areas and produce fertile offspring, instances of interbreeding are infrequent.

Aside from rare cases of intentional interbreeding, there is limited evidence of genetic exchange between the two groups following dog domestication, which separated their gene pools.

“Prior to this study, prevailing theories posited that for a dog to be classified as such, it would need to have minimal or no wolf DNA,” remarked Dr. Lin.

“Yet, upon examining the modern dog genome closely, we found wolf DNA present.”

“This indicates that the dog’s genome can incorporate wolf DNA to varying extents without losing its identity as a dog.”

The researchers scrutinized historical gene flow between dogs and wolves utilizing 2,693 publicly accessible genomes from wolves, purebred dogs, village dogs, and other canids from the late Pleistocene to the present, sourced from the National Center for Biotechnology Information and the European Nucleotide Archive.

The findings revealed that 64.1% of breed dogs possess wolf ancestry in their nuclear genomes, a result of crossbreeding occurring about 1,000 generations ago.

Moreover, all genomes from village dogs (free-ranging canines residing near human settlements) displayed detectable wolf ancestry.

The Czechoslovakian wolfdog and Saarlos wolfdog, which were purposefully crossbred with wolves, exhibited the highest levels of wolf ancestry, ranging from 23% to 40% of their genomes.

The breeds considered most “wolf-like” include the Great Anglo-French Tricolor Hound (4.7% to 5.7% wolf ancestry) and the Shiloh Shepherd (2.7% wolf ancestry).

The Shiloh Shepherd is the result of breeding efforts that included wolf-dog hybrids aimed at producing healthier, family-friendly sheepdogs in the U.S., while the origins of the significant wolf ancestry in the Great Anglo-French Tricolor Hound (the prevalent modern hunting dog in France) remain enigmatic.

The Tamaskan is another “wolf-like” breed that emerged in the UK during the 1980s by selectively breeding huskies, malamutes, and others to achieve a wolf-like appearance, containing roughly 3.7% wolf ancestry.

Researchers identified several patterns within the data. Larger dogs and those bred for specific tasks, such as arctic sled dogs, “pariah” breeds, and hunting dogs, exhibited higher levels of wolf ancestry.

Terriers, gundogs, and scent hounds typically have the least wolf ancestry on average.

While some large guardian breeds have wolf ancestry, others, such as the Neapolitan Mastiff, Bullmastiff, and St. Bernard, showed no signs of wolf ancestry.

Interestingly, wolf ancestry was also detected in a variety of dog breeds, including the miniature Chihuahua, which has around 0.2% wolf ancestry.

“This shouldn’t surprise anyone who owns a Chihuahua,” Dr. Lin noted.

“What we’ve discovered is that this is actually common. Most dogs have a hint of ‘wolfishness’ in them.”

The authors also analyzed the frequency with which personality traits were assigned to breeds labeled with high versus low levels of wolf ancestry by Kennel Clubs.

Breeds with lower wolf ancestry were often described as “friendly,” followed by terms like “eager to please,” “easy to train,” “courageous,” “active,” and “affectionate.”

Conversely, dogs exhibiting higher wolf ancestry were more frequently characterized as “independent,” “dignified,” “alert,” “loyal,” “discreet,” “territorial,” and “suspicious of strangers.”

Traits such as “smart,” “obedient,” “good with kids,” “dedicated,” “calm,” and “cheerful” appeared with relative consistency across both groups of dogs.

The researchers clarified that these traits reflect a biased assessment of behavior and that it’s uncertain whether wolf genes directly influence these characteristics, though their findings lay the groundwork for future explorations in canine behavioral science.

Additionally, significant adaptations inherited from wolves were uncovered. For instance, the wolf ancestry in village dogs enhances their olfactory receptor genes, crucial for locating human food waste, and distributions of Tibetan wolf-like genes assist Tibetan mastiffs in surviving low-oxygen conditions on the Tibetan Plateau and Himalayas.

“Dogs are our companions, but it appears that wolves significantly influenced their evolution into the beloved partners we cherish today,” commented Dr. Logan Kistler from the National Museum of Natural History.

“Throughout history, dogs have tackled numerous evolutionary challenges that arise from living alongside humans, such as thriving at high altitudes, foraging for food around villages, and safeguarding their packs. They seem to leverage wolf genes as part of their adaptive toolkit for an ongoing evolutionary success story.”

For more details, check the findings published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Audrey T. Lin et al. 2025. The legacy of genetic intertwining with wolves has shaped the modern dog. PNAS 122 (48): e2421768122; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2421768122

Source: www.sci.news

5,000 Years Ago: Ancient Humans Introduced Wolves to Isolated Baltic Sea Islands.

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The wolf, the wild ancestor of dogs, stands as the sole large carnivore domesticated by humans. Nonetheless, the exact nature of this domestication remains a topic of debate—whether it was a result of direct human control over wild wolves or a gradual adaptation of wolf populations to human environments. Recent archaeological findings in the Stra Fjärväl cave on the Swedish island of Stra Karsø, located in the Baltic Sea, have revealed the remains of two canids with genetic ties to gray wolves. This island, measuring just 2.5 km2, possesses no native land mammals, similar to its neighboring Gotland, and thus any mammalian presence must have been human-introduced.

Canadian Eskimo Dog by John James Audubon and John Bachman.

“The discovery of wolves on such a remote island was entirely unexpected,” remarked Dr. Linus Gardland Frink, a researcher from the University of Aberdeen.

“They not only had genetic links indistinguishable from other Eurasian wolves but also seemed to coexist and feed alongside humans in areas that were only reachable by boat.”

“This paints a complex picture of the historical dynamics between humans and wolves.”

Genomic analysis of the canid remains indicates they are wolves, not dogs.

However, their traits suggest a level of coexistence with humans.

Isotope analysis of their bones indicates a diet high in marine proteins, such as seals and fish, mirroring the diet of the humans on the island, suggesting they were likely fed.

Furthermore, these wolves were smaller than typical mainland counterparts, and one individual demonstrated signs of low genetic diversity—a common outcome due to isolation or controlled breeding.

This findings challenge long-standing notions regarding the power dynamics between wolves and humans and the domestication of dogs.

While it is unclear if these wolves were domesticated, confined, or managed, their presence in human-occupied areas suggests deliberate and ongoing interactions.

“The fact that it was a wolf and not a dog was a complete surprise,” stated Dr. Pontus Skoglund from the Francis Crick Institute.

“This provocative case suggests that under certain conditions, humans may have kept wolves in their habitats and found them valuable.”

“The genetic findings are intriguing,” noted Dr. Anders Bergström from the University of East Anglia.

“We discovered that the wolf with the most complete genome showed less genetic diversity than any ancient wolf previously analyzed.”

“This resembles what is observed in isolated or bottlenecked populations, or in domesticated species.”

“Although we cannot completely dismiss the idea that low genetic diversity may occur naturally, it implies humans were likely interacting with and managing wolves in ways not previously considered.”

One Bronze Age wolf specimen also presented advanced pathology in its limb bones, which would have restricted its mobility.

This suggests care or adaptation to an environment where large prey hunting was unnecessary for survival.

Professor Jan Stroh of Stockholm University stated: “The combined data offers new and unexpected perspectives on human-animal interactions during the Stone and Bronze Ages, especially regarding wolves and dogs.”

“These findings imply that prehistoric interactions between humans and wolves were more intricate than previously understood, involving complex relationships that extend beyond simple hunting or avoidance, hinting at new aspects of domestication unrelated to modern dogs.”

A study detailing this research was published on November 24th in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Linus Gardland-Frink et al. 2025. A gray wolf in the anthropogenic setting of a small prehistoric Scandinavian island. PNAS 122 (48): e2421759122; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2421759122

Source: www.sci.news

Leading Scientists Acknowledge They Aren’t Creating Truly Miserable Wolves

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One of the modified grey wolves created by Colossal

Giant Biology

On April 7, a prominent biological science organization announced that the genetically altered wolf is “the world’s first successful animal.” Many appeared to take this claim seriously. New Scientist was one of the few outlets to refute this assertion, clarifying that these were grey wolves enhanced through gene editing.

In a later interview, Colossal’s chief scientist, Beth Shapiro, seemed to concur, stating: “We cannot recreate anything that is identical to the extinct species. Our animals are grey wolves with 20 cloned gene edits,” as reported by New Scientist. “We’ve always communicated this. The term ‘miserable wolves’ irritates some people.”

Richard Grenier from Oxford University noted a significant shift from Colossal’s earlier messaging, interpreting Shapiro’s statement as a clear reflection of their scientific approach. “I see a stark contradiction between the statement’s content and their past communications and promotional efforts,” he remarked.

He referred to a major press release announcing the birth of a gene-edited wolf, which repeatedly labeled them as “miserable wolves.” Shapiro defended this characterization during an interview with New Scientist on April 7.

“We employ the concept of morphological species, asserting that if they visually resemble this animal, they are classified as such,” she explained at the time.

The appearance of gene-edited wolves as “miserable” remains uncertain. For instance, some evidence suggests that the original wolves had a reddish hue, contrary to the white coat depicted. Claudio Cirero from Oxford University pointed this out.

Despite statements from Cirero and other experts declaring that the gene-edited grey wolf is not a true representation of the extinct species, Colossal maintained its stance. “[W]E continue to support our designation of Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi as ‘disastrous wolves’,” they affirmed in a statement on X.

In a more recent interview, Shapiro reiterated that Colossal had always clarified that the animal in question was simply a gene-edited grey wolf.

“We did not obscure this fact. The backlash arose from our labeling them as miserable wolves,” she explained. “We clarified that they are grey wolves modified with 20 edits. We communicated this from the outset.”

Shapiro also attempted to distance the project from any implication that the possibility of bringing back extinct species might lessen the urgency for conserving endangered ones, a notion supported by some factions of the Trump administration. “Now it’s linked to the idea that we need not be concerned about extinctions. This is problematic,” she remarked.

“The crucial point here is ‘sudden’,” states Grenier. He indicates that it has been long recognized that if the public perceives de-extinction as feasible, support for conservation may dwindle. Colossal, he argues, should recognize this risk. Their website declares: “Extinction is a critical issue we face… and the solution is not simply to reverse it.”

While Colossal has made significant strides in scientific innovation, Grenier asserts that their claims are fundamentally flawed. “This is transformative, groundbreaking science. It goes beyond merely reversing extinction,” he concluded.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Genetic Engineers Bring Back Extinct Wolves with White Fur and Improved Well-Being

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A company aiming to revive lost species has revealed three genetically designed wolves in the US that resemble extinct dire wolves. These wolves are seen sprinting, sleeping, and howling in their private, safe spaces.

The wolf puppies, aged 3 to 6 months, have long white hair, muscular chins, and weigh around 80 pounds. According to Giant Biology, this revelation was made on Monday.

Dire wolves, which went extinct over 10,000 years ago, were much larger than their closest living relatives today.

While independent scientists caution that this effort does not mean the dire wolves will return to North American grasslands soon, the lead scientist on the project, Beth Shapiro from Colossal, explained the process of genetically modifying blood cells from live grey wolves to create these genetically engineered puppies.

Colossal previously worked on similar projects, including creating animals resembling extinct woolly mammoths and dodos.

Although the puppies physically resemble young dire wolves, experts like Matt James, Colossal’s animal care expert, note they may lack certain behaviors vital for survival in the wilderness.

Colossal also reported cloning four red wolves using blood drawn from wild wolves to enhance genetic diversity among the endangered red wolf population.

While the technology may have broader applications for species conservation, challenges like sedating wild wolves for blood collection still remain.

Colossal’s CEO, Ben Lamm, met with officials from the US Department of Home Affairs in March to discuss the project. Despite skepticism from some scientists, interior secretary Doug Burgham praised the project as a remarkable advancement in science.

Vincent Lynch, a biologist at the University of Buffalo, emphasized that these reconstructed dire wolves cannot fully replicate the ecological functions they once performed.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

The miserable wolves remain extinct.

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Romulus and Remus are genetically modified grey wolves

Giant Biology

A company called Colossal Biosciences says it has revived the extinct species, the miserable wolf. “On October 1, 2024, for the first time in human history, Colossal managed to restore the once-appropriate species through the science of annihilation. After more than 10,000 years of absence, our team is proud to return the miserable wolves to their rightful place in the ecosystem.” That is an allegation made on the website of the US-based company. This is what we know.

what happened?

Colossal claims that three GMO-modified grey wolf puppies (two men born in October, called Remus, and a woman born in January, called Khaleesi) are actually miserable wolves. The same company recently announced the creation of wool mice and almost complete tyrasin, or Tasmanian tiger genomes.

What is a miserable wolf?

The miserable wolf is a big extinct dog (Enocion dillus) It lived in the United States until about 10,000 years ago. The animal looked like a large wolf with a white coat. They became famous game of thrones TV series – therefore, the name Khaleesi is named after the main character of the show.

So, are the miserable wolves an extinct wolf species?

no. Although grey wolves and miserable wolves were thought to be very closely related based on physical similarities, 2021 study of ancient DNA They finally revealed that they shared a common ancestor about six million years ago. Jackals, wild African dogs, and dolls are all more closely related to grey wolvesCanis Lupus) Dire’s wolves despite their similar appearance.

Does that mean there are many genetic differences between grey wolves and miserable wolves?

Beth Shapiro of Colossal says her team will sequence the full genome of Dire Wolf and release it to the public soon. Shapiro didn’t know New Scientist There are several differences, but the two species said they share 99.5% of their DNA. The genome of the grey wolf is about 2.4 billion pairs long, leaving room for millions of base pair differences.

And does Colossal claim that by creating 20 gene edits, he transformed the grey wolf into a miserable wolf?

That’s the argument. In fact, five of these 20 changes are based on mutations known to produce light coats in grey wolves, Shapiro said. New Scientist. Only 15 are directly based on the tragic wolf genome, aimed at changing the size, muscle tissue and ear shape of animals. According to Shapiro, it is clear whether these changes had an intended effect on genetically modified animals.

So, aren’t these puppies really bad wolves?

It all comes down to how you define the seeds, says Shapiro. “The concept of species is a human classification system, where everyone can oppose it, and everyone can do it right,” she says. “Phylogenesis can be used [evolutionary relationships] Species concept To determine what you call a species, it’s what you imply… We use the concept of morphological species and say that if they look like this animal, they are animals. ”

What happens to a gene-edited grey wolf that looks like a terrible wolf?

Shapiro says it grows in an 800 hectares of reserve. “They can’t get the shard unless we know,” she says. There are no plans to allow them to breed.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Ethiopian wolves, known for their love of nectar, may become the first carnivore pollinators

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Ethiopian wolf licks nectar from red hot poker flowers in Ethiopia

Adrian Lesaffre

Ethiopian wolves feed on the sweet nectar of local flowers and apply pollen to their noses as they do so. This could make them the first carnivores discovered to function as pollinators.

Ethiopian wolf (canis mensis) is the world's rarest wild canid and Africa's most endangered carnivore. Endemic to the Ethiopian highlands, fewer than 500 individuals remain.

sandra rye Researchers at the University of Oxford observed wild Ethiopian wolves sucking nectar from Ethiopian red hot pokers (Kniphofia foliosa) flowers. Local mountain people have traditionally used its nectar as a sweetener for coffee and flatbread.

Wolves are thought to be the first large carnivores recorded to regularly feed on nectar.

“Nectar feeding is highly unusual for large carnivores such as wolves. This is due to a lack of physical adaptations such as long tongues and specialized noses, and also because most flowers are too fragile. “It's either easy to eat, or it produces too little nectar to be interesting to large carnivores,” Rai says.

The poker plant's durable, nectar-rich flower heads make this behavior possible, she says. “To my knowledge, no other large carnivores have shown nectar-feeding behavior. However, although rare and poorly documented, some omnivorous bears do opportunistically forage for nectar.” It may happen.

Some wolves reportedly visited as many as 30 flowers at once. When wolves lick nectar from flowers, their muzzles become coated with pollen. Pollen may be transferred from flower to flower as wolves feed.

Sucking nectar is extremely rare among carnivores

Adrian Lesaffre

“This behavior is interesting because it suggests that nectar feeding and pollination by flightless mammals may be more widespread than currently recognized, and raises the question of the ecological importance of these little-known pollinators.” “It shows that it may be more important than we think,” Lai said. “It's very exciting.”

Mr. Rai and his colleagues Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program In the future, we hope to dig deeper into this behavior and its effects. “It would be ideal to confirm actual pollination by wolves, but that would be very difficult,” she says. “I'm also very interested in the social learning aspect of behavior. This year I witnessed adults bringing children to flower gardens, which may indicate cultural transmission. there is.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Reintroduction Plan to Release Five Wolves in Colorado

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GRAND COUNTY, Colo. — Somewhere on a remote mountainside in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, a wolf was released into the wild and headed towards the treeline on a voter-approved plan. Wildlife officials have released five gray wolves into a remote area of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains to begin the reintroduction program. The plan was well received in urban areas and opposed in rural areas where ranchers feared attacks on their livestock.

The wolf was released from a crate in Grand County, and the project marks the most ambitious wolf reintroduction effort in the United States in nearly 30 years. The release of wolves has been temporarily postponed due to opposition from the state’s livestock industry.

The wolves were captured in Oregon and released in Colorado. After the releases, the crowd watched in silence as the wolves disappeared into the forest. Colorado officials expect to release 30 to 50 wolves within the next five years as part of the program.

The release of wolves in Colorado has become a political issue, deepening the divide between rural and urban residents. While urban and suburban areas largely vote in favor of reintroducing apex predators, rural residents are worried about the impact on livestock and big game animals.

To allay concerns in the livestock industry, ranchers whose livestock is preyed upon by wolves will be compensated with fair market value. Hunting groups are also expressing concerns about the impact of wolves on elk herds and other large game animals.

While some have celebrated the reintroduction of wolves, others are concerned about the potential conflicts that may arise due to the presence of wolves in the area. Joanna Lambert, a professor of wildlife ecology and conservation biology, described the release of the wolves as a “rewilding moment” to avoid the extinction of biodiversity.

Source: www.nbcnews.com