Information Sources for Native Dogs
One of my lifelong fascinations has
been with dogs and their relationships with humans. In March of
2003, we adopted Misty, a 2-year old "Yaller Dog", who fits the
Long Term Pariah Morphotype (LTPM) that Native dogs, and many primitive
dog breeds, fall into. Here's a photo of Misty:
"The remains of at least four domesticated dogs were buried by
Early Archaic people at the Koster site [Green Co, Illinois] more than
eight-thousand years ago. Each dog was laid on its side in a shallow grave
and then covered with dirt. None of the graves appear to have been marked.
The dogs were buried in an area of the village where residents also buried
the remains of adults and children." http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/nat_amer/pre/htmls/a_animals.html
The general type
of southeastern "Indian dog" is a medium-sized, long-legged, prick eared dog, with
a racy body and a narrow, fox or wolf-like appearance. They are
often yellow or ginger colored. They are/were primarily hunting and
warning dogs, not used for pulling sleds or travois, nor for wool as some
dogs in the Pacific Northwest were. You've seen dogs like this in photos
from many parts of the world. The pariah dogs of India, the dingo of
Australia, the New Guinea Singing Dog, even the Alaskan and Siberian
Huskies have similar appearance, but a build appropriate for their use and
climate and a color appropriate for their genetic makeup.
Native breeds had widely divergent appearance and use in the different
tribal groups across North and South America. The resources here are
a good start towards understanding more about them.
Periodical Resources:
Bino, R. 1996. "Notes on Behaviour of New Guinea Singing Dogs" (Canis
lupus dingo). Science in New Guinea 22:1: 43-47.
Brisbin, I.R.,R.P. Coppinger, M.H. Feinstein, S.N. Austad, and J.J.
Mayer. 1994. "The New Guinea Singing Dog: Taxonomy, Captive Studies
and Conservation Priorities". Science in New Guinea 20:1:
27-38.
Brisbin, I.R., and T.S. Risch 1997. "Primitive Dogs, Their Ecology
and Behavior: Unique oppurtunities to study the early development of
the human-canine bond". Journal of the American Veterinary Medical
Association 210:8: 1122-1126.Mlot, C. 1997. "Stalking the Ancient
Dog". Science News 151: 400-401.
Morehead, E. 1992. "The Carolina Dog: Making a Comeback".
DogWorld May: 50-51.
Pferd, William, 1987. Dogs of the American Indians. Fairfax,
Virginia, Denlinger's Publishers Limited (very little on Southeastern
dogs)
Schwartz M. 1997. A History of Dogs in the Early Americas.
Boston, Yale University Press
Vila,C., P. Savolainen, J.E. Maldonado, I. R. Amorim, and J.E. Rice.
1997. "Multiple and Ancient Origins of the Domestic Dog". Science
276: 1687-1689
Books
(click the link for access to WorldCat, which will give library
availability:
Allen, Glover Morrill.
Dogs of the American Aborigines. With Twelve Plates. Cambridge,
Mass: Printed for the Museum [of Comparative Zoology], 1920.
Pferd, William, William Watson Denlinger, and
R. Annabel Rathman.
Dogs of the American Indians. Fairfax, Va: Denlinger's, 1987.
Schwartz, Marion.
A History of Dogs in the Early Americas. New Haven, Conn: Yale
University Press, 1997.
Online Links to information on Native-type Dogs
The New
Guinea Singing dog article from UGA's SREL
The Carolina Dog:
http://www.carolinadogs.org/
- An organization dedicated to the type.
http://www.carolinadogs.com/
Another online group of Carolina Dog fanciers.
Smithsonian article on Carolina Dogs:
http://www.carolinadogs.com/smithsonian.html
National Geographic television show including info on
Carolina and other North American Native Dogs titled Search for the
First Dog. (site currently offline)
Native American Dogs
International
Indian Dog Owners and Breeders Association History Page
Song Dog Kennels,
American Indian Dogs Native
American Indian Dogs'
history page
from Majestic View Kennels Their own kennel's photos are worth a look too.
Print articles:
Stalking the Ancient Dog by Mlot, C. Science News 151:
400-401.1997. The Carolina Dog: Making a Comeback by
Morehead, E.. DogWorld May: 50-51. 1992. Multiple and Ancient
Origins of the Domestic Dog, by Vila,C., P. Savolainen, J.E. Maldonado, I.
R. Amorim, and J.E. Rice. Science 276: 1687-1689. 1997.
Molecular Evolution of the Dog Family by Wayne, R.K.. Trends
In Genetics 9:6: 218-224.1993 The New Guinea Singing Dog:
Taxonomy, Captive Studies and Conservation Priorities. by Brisbin, I.R.,R.P.
Coppinger, M.H. Feinstein, S.N. Austad, and J.J. Mayer.. Science in New
Guinea 20:1: 27-38.1994. Notes on Behaviour of New Guinea
Singing Dogs (Canis lupus dingo) by Bino, R. Science in New Guinea 22:1:
43-47. 1996. Primitive Dogs, Their Ecology and Behavior:
Unique oppurtunities to study the early development of the human-canine
bond. Brisbin, I.R., and T.S. Risch. Journal of the American
Veterinary Medical Association 210:8: 1122-1126.1997. A
Celebration of Rare Breeds Volume II, by Flamholtz, C.J. Centreville,
Alabama: OTR Publications, 1991. . |
