Editing Dog breed (section)

===Ancient dog breeds===
"Ancient breed" is a term formerly, but no longer used for a particular group of dog breeds by the American Kennel Club.<ref name="American Kennel Club 2006"/><ref>{{cite web|author=American Kennel Club|title=Dog breed groups|url=http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/groups/}}</ref> These breeds were referred to as "ancient", as opposed to modern, breeds because historically it was believed their origins dated back more than 500 years. 

In 2004, a study looked at the [[Microsatellite#Analysis|microsatellite]]s of 414 purebred dogs representing 85 breeds. The study found that dog breeds were so genetically distinct that 99% of individual dogs could be correctly assigned to their breed based on their [[genotype]], indicating that breeding barriers (purebred breeding) have led to distinct genetic units. The study identified 9 breeds that could be represented on the branches of a [[phylogenetic tree]] which grouped together with strong statistical support and could be separated from the other breeds with a modern European origin. These 9 breeds had been referred to as "ancient breeds". The study found that the [[Pharaoh Hound]] and [[Ibizan Hound]] were not as old as once believed; rather, they had been recreated from combinations of other breeds, and that the [[Norwegian Elkhound]] grouped with the other European dogs despite reports of direct Scandinavian origins dating back 5,000 years.<ref name=parker2004/>