homework

With this new retrovirus killing domestic dogs, I believe that in order to save the species, the breed that should receive the vaccine should be the basenji. The basenji is an African domestic dog breed. It is considered to be a basal breed, meaning it is genetically very similar to wild dogs like dingos and wolves. Its lineage is thought to have begun in Ancient Egypt, based on illustrations and dog mummies in tombs. Being a basal breed, it has not been modified to the extremes like many modern breeds today. Modifications ranging from the smushed face of the pug (which makes it hard for them to breath) to the dachshund whose legs are so short that sometimes they cannot support their own bodies. Those extreme modification also often include inbreeding or puppy mills which harms all the dogs involved. 

If the basenji were to be saved, dog breeding could essentially and eventually be re-done with better methods to insure that future breeds could face little to no health disorders. According to the cladogram on the Science Magazine website, the basenji eventually gave rise to the husky, malamute, shiba inu, chow chow, and more which then gave rise to others. The basenji, once numerous, could act as a template for new breeds. Overtime, based on environment (climate, human interaction, etc.) new breeds could begin to develop.