Woolly dogs

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the Indigenous Coast Salish peoples of the Pacific Northwest had traditionally maintained a breed of long-haired dog for the purpose of harvesting their hair, or wool, for textile fibers. Along with alpacas and llamas, these woolly dogs are one of only a few known animals intentionally bred for their fleece in all of the Americas.

Today, the only confirmed woolly dog specimen is “Mutton,” whose pelt has been housed in the Smithsonian’s collection since his death in 1859. In death, Mutton offered the opportunity to learn more about woolly dog ancestry, selection and management.

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, there were several types of dogs in the Pacific Northwest: larger “village” dogs and hunting dogs and smaller woolly dogs, kept separately to prevent interbreeding. Woolly dogs were a little larger than the modern American Eskimo dog breed and had curled tails, pricked ears and a pointed foxlike face.

Historians and economists, looking back, first claimed the disappearance of the woolly dog breed was the result of simple capitalist forces: The availability of cheap manufactured blankets offered by businesses meant the Coast Salish didn’t need to make their own blankets. Repressive government policies also tried to control and subdue Indigenous cultural practices. Eventually, there were no more Coast Salish woolly dogs.

Info source: https://theconversation.com/mutton-an-indigenous-woolly-dog-died-in-1859-new-analysis-confirms-precolonial-lineage-of-this-extinct-breed-once-kept-for-their-wool-217868

Photo source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2023/12/14/woolly-dog-dna-coast-salish/




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