Archaeological findings in Alaska indicate that humans had a close bond with canines at least 12,000 years ago, predating previous evidence by about 2,000 years.
In 2018, a tibia from an adult canine was excavated at Swan Point, located southeast of Fairbanks. Radiocarbon dating confirmed the bone's age at around 12,000 years.
Subsequent excavations in June 2023 uncovered an 8,100-year-old canine jawbone at Hollembaek Hill, near Delta Junction.
Chemical analyses of both specimens revealed significant levels of salmon proteins, suggesting these canines relied on humans for food rather than hunting independently.
Ben Potter, co-author of the study and archaeologist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, remarked, "This is the smoking gun because they're not really going after salmon in the wild."
Previous genetic studies indicated that dogs spread across the Americas starting around 15,000 years ago, likely accompanying the first migrants from Eurasia. However, physical evidence of ancient canids remains scarce.
François Lanoë, lead author and assistant research professor at the University of Arizona, stated, "We now have evidence that canids and people had close relationships earlier than we knew they did in the Americas."
He emphasized that the identified canids were not modern breeds but a mix of species, including ancient wolves and coyotes. Lanoë noted, "Behaviorally, they seem to be like dogs, as they ate salmon provided by people, but genetically, they're not related to anything we know."
This research illustrates that dog domestication was a complex process involving various canid species over time.