Genetic diversity of the Kazakh Tobet dog and comparison with free-ranging dog populations

Abstract

The Kazakh Tobet is a traditional livestock guardian dog (LGD) breed in Kazakhstan. A comparison of genetic diversity between the traditional breed and free-ranging (outbred) dogs makes it possible to better understand whether the genetic diversity of this breed is more similar to that of a structured breed population or an unstructured, free-ranging dog population. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the genetic diversity of the Kazakh Tobet and compare it with the genetic diversity of free-ranging dogs. A total of 107 Tobet samples from three regions of Kazakhstan and Mongolia and 55 free-ranging dogs were genotyped using 18 polymorphic microsatellite loci. The main parameters of genetic diversity — including mean number of alleles (Na), effective alleles (Ne), observed (Ho) and expected heterozygosity (He) and fixation index (F) — were evaluated. Tobet dogs showed a high level of genetic diversity (Na = 10.722, Ho = 0.781, He = 0.805 for the total populations), comparable to the values of outbred dogs (Na = 9.556, Ho = 0.776, He = 0.791). All four Tobet populations showed signs of internal diversity. Fixation index values were low or negative in most populations, suggesting that there is no strong inbreeding. These results confirm the position of the Kazakh Tobet as a genetically rich and structurally complex LGD breed that is maintained without strict reproductive isolation. They also illustrate a paradox in the conservation of the Kazakh Tobet: while the high genetic diversity and admixture reflect the breed’s adaptive success and functional selection history, formal recognition of the breed and long-term conservation require a strategic framework. In the case of the Kazakh Tobet, this does not mean imposing rigid reproductive isolation, but rather implementing a scientifically guided, open breeding system — that supports genetic monitoring, preserves functional traits, and protects against both genetic erosion and uncontrolled hybridization.