Mutton, an Indigenous woolly dog, died in 1859 − analysis confirms precolonial lineage of this extinct breed, once kept for their wool

Dogs have lived with Indigenous Americans since before they came to the continent together 10,000 years ago. A new analysis reveals the lineage of one 1800s ‘woolly dog’ from the Pacific Northwest.

By: Audrey T. Lin, Smithsonian Institution; Chris Stantis, University of Utah, and Logan Kistler, Smithsonian Institution, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: May 30, 2026

Words: 1,655

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

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By Audrey T. Lin, Smithsonian Institution; Chris Stantis, University of Utah, and Logan Kistler, Smithsonian Institution

Dogs have been in the Americas for more than 10,000 years. They were already domesticated when they came from Eurasia with the first people to reach North America. In the coastal parts of present-day Washington state and southwestern British Columbia, archaeologists have found dog remains dating back as far as about 5,000 years ago.

Dogs performed many different …

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