Carolina Dog
🖊️ 📸 101 Dog Breeds
The Carolina Dog, also known as American Dingo due to its resemblance to the Australian Dingo, is a breed of medium sized dogs that have been living in the forests and swamps of the Southeastern US for hundreds of years. Despite being a free roaming breed, many Carolina Dogs are now domesticated and have become popular as pets. They come with a straight back, well tucked-up belly, well-developed chest, wedge-shaped head, long neck, almond-shaped eyes, large, erect ears, and a fish-hook-like tail.
The Carolina Dog, believed to be the first domesticated breed in the Americas, probably evolved from Asian Pariah dogs about 8,000 years ago. Recently in the 20th century, a University of Georgia Research Ecologist Dr. Lehr Brisbin Jr. found these Dingo-like dogs in a remote location in South Carolina. Earlier, several scientists and researchers including Cope, Moore, and Glover Morrill Allen excavated dog skeletons from native Indian burial sites. The dog bones found from these mounds have a similarity with the bone structure of Carolina Dogs.
Since the Carolina Dogs are a free-roaming ancient breed, they tend to retain some of their “wild dog” nature, blending it with their protective, cooperative, and loving personality. They are devoted, independent, and pack oriented, and they enjoy spending time with their family.
Aside from their working and herding abilities, they are also known for their playful nature. Although they are initially shy and aloof around unfamiliar people, they become comfortable in interactions over time.
They enjoy digging holes in the yard for hunting insects and rodents while the free-ranging females are known to dig up dens during pregnancy. Their keen sense of smell and hearing help them in hunting prey in the wild.