Is the Pharaoh Hound the direct descendant of Ancient Egyptian hunting dogs?

** #8 Calling all dog lovers (the slow news day is working in your favor). The case of the Maltese dog of Egyptian origins: If the name hasn’t clued you in by now, the Pharaoh Hound is a dog breed suspected to have genetic ties to the Ancient Egyptian hunting dogs depicted on the walls of tombs. They are prevalent in the island of Malta, but their “yoda type” look have led many to believe that they are descendants of the oldest domesticated “Tesem” hunting hounds of ancient Egypt, who made it to Malta on board Phoenician trade ships. However, genetic verification has been hard to come by with many scientists and dog breeders thinking the link a myth (all you need to know about the Pharaoh Hound, runtime: 15:27).