Oldest Dog Remains in North America

Posted by NG Kids in News Bites on January 19, 2011
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Man’s best friend has been living in North America for over 9,000 years! Scientists recently discovered a small piece of domesticated dog’s skull in a cave in Texas and it’s about 9,400 years old. Early North Americans kept dogs not only for companionship or to help protect them, but they also probably ate dogs during ceremonies or during famines. This skull fragment was found in a piece of fossilized human poop.

Learn more about the bone fragment on National Geographic News.

How much do you know about different breeds of dogs? Quiz Your Noodle and find out!

Check out pictures of dogs with jobs on National Geographic Kids.

Photograph courtesy Samuel Belknap

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Categories: Early Humans

Comments

  1. Pinky Caine
    January 19, 2011, 6:16 pm

    Woah! That looks like it is REALLY old!

  2. Anonymous
    January 21, 2011, 9:08 am

    wow!!!!!!

  3. Doggie101
    January 21, 2011, 1:32 pm

    That I so instructing

  4. sparkyluna
    January 21, 2011, 5:41 pm

    this is a weird fossil but a kind of cool weird!! :) :)

  5. dragonblade135
    January 21, 2011, 10:08 pm

    That is so old it must be about 1,000,000 years old
    it is weird but cool.

  6. doodlegirl101
    January 22, 2011, 9:16 pm

    That’s really cool.And kinda gross to think that they found it in fossilized human poop!!!!!!!! :-x

  7. 104104
    January 25, 2011, 7:54 pm

    Wow that is so cool! I love seeing fossils from thoasands of years ago.

  8. 2whitie
    January 26, 2011, 11:33 am

    That is kind of revolting doodlegirl101….guess i ddnt catch that part. i thought it was really cool though

  9. jadefire
    January 26, 2011, 6:01 pm

    thats just gross and kinda cruel!!!!! just leave the animals alone!!! you dont know the out come of the future so DONT MESS WIT DA ANIMAILS!!!!!XD randomness. sorry i freaked out for a second…

  10. caliklein00
    January 26, 2011, 6:07 pm

    why was it in poop?

  11. Bambi234
    January 26, 2011, 7:01 pm

    Hello everyone!
    My name is Alison.
    In my opinion, this article is very interesting.
    I never thought there would be a 9,400 year old dog in this world! You know, anytime, anywhere things that are weird or discoveries are announced.Very cool and amazing.

    Thanks,

    Alison :) )

  12. pirana
    January 30, 2011, 11:44 pm

    That cool, freaky, and gross at the same time! It’s creaoss!

  13. log399
    February 2, 2011, 5:06 pm

    that is an awesome dog fossil, I love fossils !

  14. sparkle2601
    February 27, 2011, 8:31 pm

    right Pirana, it’s creaoss!!

  15. Animalsunite
    May 23, 2011, 4:32 pm

    pirana and sparkle are right it is kinda creaoss!!! And why people poop?

  16. barnowl24601
    February 15, 2012, 2:52 am

    Eeww!!! WHY DO THEY HAVE TO EAT THE POOR INICENT LITTLE DOGGIES?!?! :’(
    That is cruel!!!!!! But I guess we can not do anything to stop it, I mean that was 9,400 years old…..

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