8,000 years ago: The basenji arrives

The experts at Alaska Dog Works share this moment in dog history: 

Around 8,000 years ago, the original dog that had diverged from a common ancestor with the gray wolf had gone extinct. Around that time, the basenji emerged as the first and oldest modern dog species. Smart and independent, the so-called African “barkless dog” is still recognized by the American Kennel Club today.