14 Most Ancient Dog Breeds

Here are the top 14 most ancient dog breeds (first dogs on earth).

#1. Afghan Hound

The Afghan Hound is a hound that is one of the oldest dog breeds in existence. Distinguished by its thick, fine, silky coat and its tail with a ring curl at the end, the breed acquired its unique features in the cold mountains of Afghanistan. Its local name is Tāžī Spay or Sag-e Tāzī. Other alternate names for this breed are Kuchi Hound, Tāzī, Balkh Hound, Baluchi Hound, Barutzy Hound, Shalgar Hound, Kabul Hound, Galanday Hound, or sometimes incorrectly African Hound.

#2. Akita Inu

The Akita is a large spitz breed of dog originating from the mountainous northern regions of Japan. There are two separate varieties of Akita: a Japanese strain, known as the “Akita Inu” or “Japanese Akita”; and an American strain, known as the “Akita” or “American Akita”. The Japanese strain comes in a small choice of colors, with all other colors considered atypical of the breed, while the American strain comes in all dog colors. The Akita has a short double coat, similar to that of many other northern spitz breeds such as the Siberian Husky, but long coated dogs can be found in many litters due to a recessive gene.

The Akita is a powerful, independent and dominant breed, commonly aloof with strangers but affectionate with family members.

#3. Alaskan Malamute

The Alaskan Malamute is a generally large breed of domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) originally bred for use hauling heavy freight because of their strength and endurance, and later an Alaskan sled dog. They are similar to other arctic breeds, like the Greenland dog, Canadian Eskimo Dog, the Siberian Husky and the Samoyed.

#4. Basenji

The Basenji is a breed of hunting dog that was bred from stock originating in central Africa. Most of the major kennel clubs in the English-speaking world place the breed in the Hound Group; more specifically, it may be classified as belonging to the sighthound type. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale places the breed in Group 5, Spitz and Primitive types, and the United Kennel Club (US) places the breed in the Sighthound & Pariah Group.

The Basenji produces an unusual yodel-like sound commonly called a “barroo”, due to its unusually shaped larynx. This trait also gives the Basenji the nickname “Barkless Dog”.

#5. Chow Chow

The Chow Chow (sometimes simply Chow) is a dog breed originally from northern China, where it is referred to as Songshi Quan, which means “puffy-lion dog”. The breed has also been called the Tang Quan, “Dog of the Tang Empire.” It is believed that the Chow Chow is one of the native dogs used as the model for the Foo dog, the traditional stone guardians found in front of Buddhist temples and palaces. It is one of the few ancient dog breeds still in existence in the world today.

#6. Lhasa Apso

The Lhasa Apso is a non-sporting dog breed originating in Tibet. It was bred as an interior sentinel in the Buddhist monasteries, to alert the monks to any intruders who entered. Lhasa is the capital city of Tibet and apso is a word in the Tibetan language meaning “bearded”, so, Lhasa Apso simply means “long-haired Lhasa dog”. There are, however, some who claim that the word “apso” is a corruption of the Tibetan word “rapso”, meaning “goat-like”, which would make the equivalent translation “wooly Lhasa dog.”

#7. Pekingese

The Pekingese (also known as the Lion-Dog, Pekingese Lion-Dog, Pelchie Dog, or Peke) is an ancient breed of toy dog, originating in China. They are called Lion-Dogs due to their resemblance to Chinese guardian lions (the Shih Tzu is also known as a Lion-Dog in Chinese). The breed was favored by royalty of the Chinese Imperial court as both a lap dog and companion dog, and its name refers to the city of Peking (Beijing) where the Forbidden City resides. The breed has several characteristics and health issues related to its unique appearance. Because of its desirable characteristics, the Pekingese has been part of the development of designer crossbreeds, such as the Peke-a-tese (crossed with Maltese).

The Pekingese, originating from Western China, were proud companions of the Chinese Buddhist Monks. These dogs are also found to be owned by Chinese princes.

#8. Saluki

The Saluki, Royal Dog of Egypt or Persian Greyhound is one of the oldest known breeds of domesticated dog. The Saluki is a sighthound and historically traveled throughout Iran and through Silk road with caravans and nomadic tribes over an area stretching from the Sahara to the Caspian Sea and China. They have been used to hunt quarry such as gazelles, hares and ibex (mostly in North Iran). Shaped like a typical sighthound, they come in two varieties, smooth and feathered. Though they are an independent breed that needs patient training, they are gentle and affectionate with their owners.

#9. Samoyed

The Samoyed is a breed of dog that takes its name from the Samoyedic peoples of Siberia. These nomadic reindeer herders bred the fluffy white dogs to help with the herding, and to pull sleds when they moved. An alternate name for the breed, especially in Europe, is Bjelkier.

Shar Pei

The Shar Pei, or Chinese Shar-Pei, is a breed of dog known for its distinctive features of deep wrinkles and a blue-black tongue. The breed comes from China. The name translates to “sand skin” and refers to the texture of its short, rough coat. As puppies, Shar Pei have numerous wrinkles, but as they mature, these wrinkles loosen and spread out as they “grow into their skin”. Shar Pei were named in 1978 as one of the world’s rarest dog breeds by TIME magazine and the Guinness World Records. The American Kennel Club did not recognize the breed until 1991.

Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu is the smallest of the six original and distinct spitz breeds of dog from Japan.

A small, agile dog that copes very well with mountainous terrain, the Shiba Inu was originally bred for hunting. It looks similar to and is often mistaken for other Japanese dog breeds like the Akita Inu or Hokkaido, but the Shiba Inu is a different breed with a distinct blood line, temperament and smaller size than other Japanese dog breeds. It is one of the few ancient dog breeds still in existence in the world today.

#12. Shih Tzu

A shih tzu is a toy dog breed weighing 5–7.25 kilograms (11.0–16.0 lb) with long silky hair. The breed originated in China. Shih Tzu were officially recognized by theAmerican Kennel Club in 1969. The name is both singular and plural.

Siberian Husky

The Siberian Husky is a medium to large, dense-coat working dog breed that originated in north-eastern Siberia. The breed belongs to the Spitz genetic family. It is recognizable by its thickly furred double coat, sickle tail, erect triangular ears, and distinctive markings.

Huskies are a very active, energetic, and resilient breed whose ancestors came from the extremely cold and harsh environment of the Siberian Arctic. Siberian Huskies were bred by the Chukchi of Northeastern Asia to pull heavy loads long distances through difficult conditions. The dogs were imported into Alaska during the Nome Gold Rush and later spread into the United States and Canada. They were initially sent to Alaska and Canada as sled dogs but rapidly acquired the status of family pets and show dogs.

#14. Tibetian Terrier

The Tibetan Terrier is a medium-size breed of dog originated in Tibet. Despite it’s name, it is not a member of the terrier group. The breed acquired its name from European travelers who first encountered the breed due to its resemblance to terriers.The Tibetan name for the breed, Tsang Apso, roughly translates to “shaggy or bearded (apso) dog, from the province of Tsang”. Some old travelers’ accounts give the name Dokhi Apso or “outdoor” Apso, indicating a working dog which lives outdoors.

Breed and raised in monasteries by lamas over 2000 years ago, Tibetan Terriers were kept as good luck charms, mascots, watchdogs, and companions. In addition to herding sheep, they were also used to retrieve articles that fell below mountain sides.

Known as the “Holy Dogs of Tibet”, they were never sold but only given as gifts by monks to promote good fortune. As such, the early history of the breed is linked to only a handful of foundation dogs. Recent DNA analysis has concluded that the Tibetan Terrier is descended from the most ancient dog breeds.