Dual Dispersal of Dogs and Humans into Americas

Dogs, our earliest companions, have been intertwined with human migrations. Ancient DNA studies show their close association with various human groups. Domestication likely occurred in Eurasia, but details are debated. The earliest accepted dog remains are from Bonn-Oberkassel, Germany, around 15,000 years ago. Dog lineages diverged at least 11,000 years ago, with distinct groups in Western Eurasia, East Asia, and the Arctic. Native American ancestry traces back 30,000 years, with a split around 24,000 years ago. The Beringian Standstill led to Ancient Beringians and Ancestral Native Americans, entering Alaska around 15,700 years ago. Dogs, following a similar timeline, likely accompanied humans into the Americas. Comparing timelines of dog and human populations reveals convergence. Mitochondrial data suggests dogs coalesced with Siberian lineages around 16.4 thousand years ago, aligning with the peopling of the Americas. Ancient DNA suggests dog domestication in Siberia during the Late Pleistocene. Researchers propose Ancient North Siberians initiated the process, with climatic conditions fostering human-wolf interactions. The evolving human-dog relationship facilitated their global spread, with ongoing insights from advancing archaeological and scientific techniques.