biostudies-literatureUnknown68(4)Ballard JWODogs were the first animal to become domesticated by humans, and they represent a classic model system for unraveling the processes of domestication. We compare Australian dingo eye contact and socialization with Basenji and German Shepherd dog (GSD) breeds. Australian dingoes arrived in Australia 5,000-8,000 BP, and there is debate whether they were domesticated before their arrival. The Basenji represents a primitive breed that diverged from the remaining breeds early in the domestication process, while GSDs are a breed dog selected from existing domestic dogs in the late 1800s. We conducted a 4-phase study with unfamiliar and familiar investigators either sitting passively or actively calling each canid. We found 75% of dingoes made eye contact in each phase. In contrast, 86% of BasenjiCurrent zoology423-432https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9450177biostudies-literatureEye contact and sociability data suggests that Australian dingoes were never domesticated.PMC9450177Ellem LGardner CKemp RIBallard JWOYadav SfalseEye contact and sociability data suggests that Australian dingoes were never domesticated.Dogs were the first animal to become domesticated by humans, and they represent a classic model system for unraveling the processes of domestication. We compare Australian dingo eye contact and socialization with Basenji and German Shepherd dog (GSD) breeds. Australian dingoes arrived in Australia 5,000-8,000 BP, and there is debate whether they were domesticated before their arrival. The Basenji represents a primitive breed that diverged from the remaining breeds early in the domestication process, while GSDs are a breed dog selected from existing domestic dogs in the late 1800s. We conducted a 4-phase study with unfamiliar and familiar investigators either sitting passively or actively calling each canid. We found 75% of dingoes made eye contact in each phase. In contrast, 86% of Basenji2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Aug2025-04-04T23:14:39.271Z2025-04-04T23:14:39.271ZS-EPMC94501773609014210.1093/cz/zoab024