Red Indians used the hair of a dog
THEY may lay claim to being man’s best friend, but research has now revealed that dogs were bred for a more unusual use in America.
The animals have a long history of interaction with humans, from companionship to guarding and hunting, but it appears that dogs were raised to produce wool in the Pacific North-West. Researchers from York University have studied garments from leading museums in the USA to produce the first clear evidence that textiles made by the indigenous population of the Pacific coast of North America contained dog hair.
The study concluded dog hair appears to have been used to supplement mountain goat hair up until the mid-19th century.