History is filled with tales from around the world proving that the loyalty of dogs shows no bounds. In the ancient Americas, the unbreakable bond shared between humans and dogs solidified with the development of society. As agriculture spread across Central and South America, dogs began to tag along with their human pals.
A study recently published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B chronicles the journey of American dogs 7,000 to 5,000 years ago as they found new homes in farming communities. DNA evidence has revealed that these ancient dogs descended from a single lineage that has since been nearly blotted out by European dog lineages.
The humans that arrived in North America via the Bering Land Bridge around 15,000 years to 16,000 years ago weren’t alone. Walking by their sides were dogs that helped the ancient travelers sled across the cold tundra.
Humans proceeded to migrate down ...
