The human bond with dogs may have begun in the Americas as early as 12,000 years ago. Archaeological remains uncovered in Alaska push the timeline of our canine companionship back about 2,000 years earlier than previously recorded in North or South America. The findings are detailed in a study published December 4 in the journal Science Advances.

A University of Arizona study reveals that human-dog companionship in the Americas dates back 12,000 years, 2,000 years earlier than thought.

Humanity’s longstanding friendship with dogs may be even deeper than previously realized. Archaeological remains of a well-loved hound in Alaska suggest that people in the Americas had a close relationship with canine companions at least 12,

"Dog is man's best friend" may be an ancient cliché, but when that friendship began is a longstanding question among scientists. A study led by a University of Arizona researcher is one step closer to an answer to how Indigenous people in the Americas interacted with early dogs and wolves.