Extinct woolly dog was carefully bred for weaving, ancient DNA confirms
Ancient DNA from the pelt of a fluffy white dog named Mutton is revealing new details about the woolly dog, an extinct breed that was cared for and raised by the women of the Coast Salish tribal nations in the Pacific Northwest. The small dogs — called “sqwemá:y,” “ske’-ha,” “sqw?méy” and “sqwbaý” in some Coast Salish languages — were fed a special diet of fish or elk, and they were shorn like sheep, their wool woven into special blankets and textiles.
For thousands of years, woolly dogs were cherished as family members and raised on islands or kept in pens to ensure they didn’t interbreed with other dogs. Continue reading the complete article on The Washington Post.
Source: The Washington Post
Short URL: https://caninechronicle.com/?p=278567
Posted by Liz
on Dec 24 2023. Filed under Current Articles, Featured, The Buzz.
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