10 Things You Didn’t Know about the Native American Indian Dog

The Native American Indian Dog refers to a very specific kind of dog that can be found in the wilderness of the Southeastern United States. Although it has seen interbreeding with other breeds, it is recognized as a particular breed in its own right. Moreover, it should be mentioned that there is an ongoing effort to turn it into a standardized breed, which is having a fair amount of success because of the dog’s good qualities. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about the Native American Indian Dog:

1. Has Numerous Names

Given that the Native American Indian Dog is a rather clunky name, it should come as no surprise to learn that this breed has a number of other names as well. Examples range from the Carolina Dog to the Dixie Dingo, which reveal much about the places where the breed could be found as well as its status as a feral breed.

2. Is a Landrace

The Native American Indian Dog is considered to be a landrace. For those who are curious, a landrace is a variety of a domesticated animal that has come into existence over time via a process of adaptation to its habitat as well as the circumstances of said habitat. As a result, the members of a landrace tend to be relatively uniform but are nonetheless more genetically diverse than the members of standardized breeds.

3. Found in Southeastern United States

It is no coincidence that the Native American Indian Dog is sometimes called either the Carolina Dog or the Dixie Dingo, seeing as how it can be found in the Southeastern United States. In particular, it can be found in isolated places, with examples ranging from cypress swamps to longleaf pine forests.

4. Has Become Popular Target of Re-domestication

The Native American Indian Dog has become a popular target of re-domestication in recent times. In part, this is happening because they are supposed to make excellent pets upon completion, though they need more training from an earlier age than other breeds for the best results.

5. Has Shown Admixture with Other Breeds

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the populations of the Native American Indian Dog have shown signs of admixture with other dog breeds, including some that come from Europe as well as other far-off places. After all, feral dogs are still dogs, meaning that they have no problem breeding with other dog breeds that they come into contact with.

6. Might Have Come from Asia

Currently, the exact origins of the Native American Indian Dog remain unknown. However, one popular line of speculation is that they came over to North America from Asia. To be exact, the speculation is that their distant ancestors came over with the people who crossed over from Asia to the Americas, meaning that their origins could be very old indeed.

7. Is Being Established as a Standardized Breed

There are a number of standardized breeds that have come about because of enthusiasts’ efforts to cement what they see as the characteristic qualities of a landrace. This process is happening with the Native American Indian Dog in the present, as shown by the fact that it is now recognized by a major kennel club as well as a couple of other kennel clubs in the United States.

8. Will Dig Dens

Out in the wild, female Native American Indian Dogs have been seen digging dens when they are about to give birth, which is a rather unusual behavior that can’t be found in either other domesticated dogs or even wolves and coyotes. Likewise, they will cover up their excrement by using their snouts to push sand onto it, which serves to conceal them from potential predators.

9. Adapted for Concealment

Speaking of which, there is one other way that the Native American Indian Dog will conceal signs of its presence, which is urinating as well as defecating in rivers as well as other bodies of water. While unpleasant, this serves to conceal its scent, which is important because dogs can be attacked by both wolves and coyotes.

10. Excellent Hunters

Naturally, the Native American Indian Dog is a good hunter. This can be seen in how its long ears provide it with an excellent sense of hearing, which often proves useful in this regard. However, it should also be noted that the Native American Indian Dog will pounce in a manner similar to foxes as well as dig small holes using their snouts for the purpose of uncovering food buried in the earth.

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