Small Dogs Originated In The Middle East

A single gene is responsible for the size of dogs -- big and small. Getty Images

From Discovery News:

These miniature mutts were the descendants of gray wolves, which also happen to be smaller than many other wolves.

* Small dogs originated in the Middle East 12,000 years ago, according to a new study.
* These dogs are related to the Middle Eastern gray wolf, which shares a particular version of the size gene.
* Reduction in body size is a common feature of domestication and has been observed in other animals.

Small dogs the world over can all trace their ancestry back to the Middle East, where the first diminutive canines emerged more than 12,000 years ago.

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