The 10 Oldest Dog Breeds in the World

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Dog breeds come in all shapes and sizes and while some are relatively new breeds, there are others that have been around for centuries or even longer. Many of the new breeds are created by breeding two of the older species of dog to get the best traits from both breeds. Although a new breed is created, they still have ancestry from the oldest dog breeds in the world. If you are a dog lover, you may have wondered in the past which of the dog breeds is the oldest. It is worth noting that there are primitive breeds that still live only in the wild. These include the Dingo, the New Guinea Singing Dog, and the Carolina Dog.

The New Guinea Singing Dog is a primitive dog that is one of the oldest breeds in the world. These wilds dogs live an untroubled existence but are now extremely rare. They are the ancestors of many domestic breeds of dog. The Carolina Dog is from the southern areas of America and, despite being one of the oldest primitive breeds of dog in the world, was not discovered until the early 20th century. The dingo is another wild dog that is a primitive dog in Australia and is probably an ancestor to many domestic breeds from this part of the world. The following list includes some of the oldest domestic breeds in the world.

1. Afghan Hound

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Of the domestic breeds of dog, it is believed that the Afghan Hound is one of the most ancient breeds. This basal breed is a large, slender dog that originates in Pakistan. It is defined by its long nose and silky coat.

2. Basenji

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This hunting dog is believed to originate in central Africa. An unusual feature of this breed is the noise it makes, which is called a baroo and is described as sounding like a yodel. As this dog makes different Moises to most other breeds of dog, it has been given the nickname ‘barkless dog’.

3. Chinese Shar-Pei

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The Chinese Shar-Pei originates from China and is easily identified by the deep wrinkles in its face and its black tongue. They have been named as one of the rarest dog breeds in the world. Although it is one of the oldest basal breeds in the world, the Chinese Shar-Pei was not officially recognized by the American Kennel Club until 1992.

4. Akita

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The Akita is an ancient Japanese breed of dog that is sometimes known by the names Japanese Akita, the Great Japanese Dog, or Akita Inu. It is related to many other Spitz-type breeds. It is a large breed that many people find intimidating.

5. Saluki

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Also known as the Persian Greyhound or the Tazi, this breed originates from an area called the Fertile Cresent. This is a part of northern Africa where human civilizations settled around the Nile, Tigris, and Euphrates rivers. This breed is classified as a sighthound.

6. Alaskan Malamute

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This basal breed originates from Alaska and is very similar to many other arctic breeds, including the Siberian Husky, the Samoyed, the Canadian Eskimo Dog, and the Greenland Dog. The origins of this breed date back more than 12,000 years.

7. Chow Chow

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Originating from northern China, this dog is also known as the Dog of the Tang Empire. This dog has a blunt face and a thick coat in either red, cinnamon, black, cream, or blue. This dog was used as the model for the Foo Dog.

8. Samoyed

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This is a Eurasian dog that originates from western Siberia and northwest Russia. They were originally bred for the herding of reindeers. Another name by which this breed is known is Bjeiker. The Samoyed has a fluffy white coat.

9. American Eskimo Dog

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Despite its name, this basal breed actually originates in Germany. It is related to the German Spitz and was renamed following World War II as people had an anti-German sentiment at that time. These dos are similar in appearance to the Samoyed.

10. Canaan Dog

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The Canaan Dog is from the Middle East and has existed for thousands of years. These are now kept as pets around the globe and it is estimated that there is around 3,000 of this dog breed currently in existence. It is a medium-sized dog with a square build.