Alaskan Malamute

Named after the Mahlemut, an Inupiaq people of north-western Alaska, this heavy freighting dog shares substantial ancestry with the 9,500-year-old Zhokhov sled dog, according to the 2020 Arctic genome study. It also lands in the ancient group of every major breed survey since 2004. Built to haul loads rather than to race, it was only recognised by the American Kennel Club in 1935, long after the lineage itself was established.