The domestic dog is one of the best examples of domestication by humans dating several tens of thousands of years ago. Domestication often results in a species increasing their phenotypic variation and geographical distribution. However, as dog breeds have such a high degree of phenotypic variation an insight into their origins based on shared traits is complicated. This is also true for genetic inferences as there is such a long history of trading and mixing between dogs of different geographical location and inbreeding of some lineages. Whilst some research has suggested origins in the Middle East and East Asia the oldest dog remains have been discovered in Western Europe and Siberia, dating from15, 000 to 36,000 years ago. However, it is important to note that the species of these remains is contentious. When the remains from the Middle East and East Asia were dated they were found to be older than 13,000 years old. All of this information combined still leaves a very confusing and unclear view of the origins and date of dog domestication.