Salish Wool Dog

Salish Wool Dog
Salish Wool Dog
	A Salish Wool Dog in a 19th-century painting of Coast Salish weaving
Origin	Washington state and British Columbia
Breed status	Extinct
	Dog (domestic dog)

The Salish Wool Dog or Comox dog is an extinct breed of white, long-haired, Spitz-type dog that was developed and bred by the Coast Salish peoples of what is now Washington state and British Columbia.^[1] The small, long-haired wool dog and the coyote-like village dogs were deliberately maintained as separate populations. The dogs were kept in packs of about 12 to 20 animals, and fed primarily raw and cooked salmon. To keep the breed true to type and the preferred white color, Salish Wool Dogs were confined on islands and in gated caves.

The fur of the Salish Wool Dog was prized for making the famous and rare "Salish" blankets, as the Salish peoples did not have sheep and wild mountain goat wool was difficult to gather. The dogs were sheared like sheep in May or June. The sheared fur was so thick that Captain George Vancouver could pick up a corner and the whole fleece would hold together. Ceremonial blankets were prized items in the pre-contact potlatch distribution economic system, almost as valuable as slaves. The dog hair was frequently mixed with mountain goat wool, feathers, and plant fibers to change the yarn quality and to extend the supply of fiber.

The National Museum of Natural History received a specimen of the Salish Wool Dog in 1859, which remains in their collection after being rediscovered in 2003.^[2]

Osteometry[]

Skull total length: 162.0 mm (6.38 in)
Condylobasal skull length: 154.6 mm (6.09 in)
Femur GL: 154.3 mm (6.07 in)
Tibia GL: 150.0 mm (5.91 in)
Humerus GL: 143.5 mm (5.65 in)
Radius GL: 136.0 mm (5.35 in)
Ulna GL: 157.5 mm (6.20 in)
Shoulder height of standing dog: 44 cm (17 in) ^[3]

References[]

^ "World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress Proceedings, 2005". VIN.com. 30 March 2015.
^ Brash, Russel (June 22, 2016). "Coast Salish Woolly Dogs". HistoryLink. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
^ Crockford, S.J. (1997). "Osteometry of Makah and Coast Salish dogs". Burnaby, British Columbia: Archaeology Press 22, Simon Fraser University.

External links[]

[1] "World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress Proceedings, 2005". VIN.com. 30 March 2015.

[2] Brash, Russel (June 22, 2016). "Coast Salish Woolly Dogs". HistoryLink. Retrieved April 18, 2019.

[3] Crockford, S.J. (1997). "Osteometry of Makah and Coast Salish dogs". Burnaby, British Columbia: Archaeology Press 22, Simon Fraser University.

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v t Spitz-type dogs
Sled dogs	Alaskan husky Alaskan Malamute Canadian Eskimo Dog Chinook Chukotka Sled Dog Greenland Dog Mackenzie River husky Samoyed Siberian Husky Yakutian Laika
Hunting dogs	Black Norwegian Elkhound East Siberian Laika Finnish Spitz Hällefors Elkhound Hokkaido Jindo Kai Ken Karelian Bear Dog Karelo-Finnish Laika Kishu Ken Norrbottenspets Norwegian Elkhound Norwegian Lundehund Pungsan Dog Russo-European Laika Shiba Inu Shikoku Swedish Elkhound Swedish White Elkhound Taiwan Dog West Siberian Laika Zerdava
Herding dogs	Finnish Lapphund Icelandic Sheepdog Lapponian Herder Nenets Herding Laika Norwegian Buhund Swedish Lapphund Swedish Vallhund
Asian breeds	Akita Chow Chow Donggyeongi Indian Spitz Japanese Spitz Jeju dog Kintamani dog Nureongi Shar Pei Thai Bangkaew Dog
Companion dogs	Alaskan Klee Kai American Eskimo Dog Danish Spitz Eurasier German Spitz Keeshond (Wolfspitz) Pomeranian (Zwergspitz) Northern Inuit Dog Schipperke Tonya Finosu Volpino Italiano
Extinct breeds	Hare Indian Dog Sakhalin Husky Salish Wool Dog Tahltan Bear Dog
Types: Husky, Laika

v t Dogs originating in the United States
Extant	Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog Alaskan husky Alaskan Klee Kai Alaskan Malamute American Bulldog American Bully American Cocker Spaniel American English Coonhound American Eskimo Dog American Foxhound American Hairless Terrier American Leopard Hound American Pit Bull Terrier American Staffordshire Terrier American Staghound American Water Spaniel Australian Shepherd Black and Tan Coonhound Black Mouth Cur Blue Lacy Bluetick Coonhound Boston Terrier Boykin Spaniel Carolina Dog Catahoula Leopard Dog Chesapeake Bay Retriever Chinook English Shepherd Mackenzie River husky Majestic Tree Hound McNab Miniature American Shepherd Mountain Cur Mountain Feist Olde English Bulldogge Plott Hound Rat Terrier Redbone Coonhound Silken Windhound Stephens Stock Teddy Roosevelt Terrier Toy Fox Terrier Toy Manchester Terrier Treeing Cur Treeing Feist Treeing Tennessee Brindle Treeing Walker Coonhound Trigg Hound White Shepherd
Extinct	Hare Indian Dog Hawaiian Poi Dog Salish Wool Dog
Types: Coonhounds, Curs, Feists

v t Dogs originating in Canada
Extant	Canadian Eskimo Dog Landseer Newfoundland Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Extinct	Hare Indian dog Tahltan Bear Dog Salish Wool Dog St. John's water dog