Wolves evolved into man’s best friend south of the Yangtze River in what is now China, according to a new study. These findings, which contradict a 2010 paper suggesting that wolves became dogs in the Middle East, represent the latest attempt to pinpoint the origins of our canine companions.

Most experts agree that prehistoric humans began taming wolves tens of thousands of years ago, transforming dangerous pack predators into loyal companions and creating specialized dog breeds for different tasks. (In another version of this story, wolves engineered their own domestication after tasting the bounty of campsite living.) But where exactly did dogs first diverge from their ancestors, undergoing the subtle genetic changes that made them social, submissive and, of course, snuggly?