Discover the Legacy of Native American Dogs: America’s First Canine Companions
As we celebrate American Indian History Month, let’s journey back over 10,000 years and you’ll find the paw prints of America’s first dogs—faithful companions to the indigenous peoples. From the snow-swept terrains where the Alaskan Malamute thrived to the arid lands housing the Peruvian Hairless Dog, these Native American dogs are the enduring legacy of pre-Columbian times.
Unearthing Canine Origins in the New World
Dogs trotted alongside Paleoindians, arriving in the Americas and leaving their earliest known mark in Utah’s Danger Cave. Here, archaeological finds date back up to 10,000 years BC, tracing these canines back to Eurasian grey wolves.
A 2018 study shed more light, comparing ancient North American and Siberian dog fossils with today’s breeds:
- It found a common ancestor dating back 14,600 years, suggesting dogs followed humans to North America by about 4,500 years.
- These pre-contact dogs developed a unique genetic makeup now only faintly echoed in breeds like the Greenland Dog and Siberian Husky.
Four Waves, Five Lineages: The Canine Diversity of Yesteryear
Over millennia, dogs didn’t just wander into the Americas once but possibly arrived in four distinct waves, creating five unique lineages. These original Native American dogs bore a strong resemblance to wolves, so much so that some, like the Hare Indian dog, were even thought to be domesticated coyotes.
Cultural Companions: The Xoloitzcuintle and Beyond
The ancient Xoloitzcuintle trotted alongside the earliest Asian migrants, evolving into the noble breed we see in Mexico today. South America saw its first dogs between 7,500 and 4,500 years before the present, with evidence of their presence growing denser by 3,500 years before the present, particularly among agricultural Andean societies.
The Fading Paw Prints of Pre-Columbian Pooches
While these ancient companions roamed freely across the Americas, their lineages have largely been supplanted by European breeds post-contact. However, the spirit of these first dogs lives on in archaeological findings, historical accounts, and the remaining native breeds that trace their lineage back to America’s original canine residents.
Join Marley’s Medicinals in honoring these four-legged pieces of history and American Indian History Month and check out our online shop today!