ABSTRACT:  Most of the tribes of California had dogs, though there was considerable variation as to whether and how they were used in hunting, what prey they might find and pursue, whether they were given training, which was most common for dogs used in driving deer and elk, whether they were never eaten, eaten occasionally in certain ceremonies, or eaten regularly as a matter of course, whether they were fed or relegated to eating refuse and waste, if and how they were sheltered, whether they were sacrificed and buried on the death of their owners, whether they received separate burials with grave goods, and whether the tribe had a breeding population of dogs or received them in trade.  Although frequently compared to wolves, coyotes and even foxes by early travelers, interbreeding with other canids was likely far less frequent than initially supposed.  Both large and small dogs are found in archeological digs and during the historical period, with some tribes having dogs of both sizes.  Two different morphotypes of small dogs are attested for some areas.  They had roles in myths, and creation stories often indicate that they and humans descended from the first beings and that they could at one time talk with and even mate with humans.  After the arrival of European cultures they began to disappear as distinct types.

California Cultures : A Monograph Series v. 5. 2017
Oakland, CA: Land of Oaks Institute.
156 Pages. Includes bibliographical references, 10 illustrations.Design and layout by Timothy Jordan & Brian Gleeson.
CCMS editors, Timothy Jordan & Brian Gleeson.
ISSN 2333-9667 (electronic format) PDF version

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