What timeframe do sled and harness remains found alongside dog bones in Yakutia date back to?
7,800 to 8,000 years
Archaeological findings provide concrete evidence of the ancient working relationship between the Yakut people and their canines. Remains of sleds and harnesses discovered in association with dog bones within the Yakutia region date specifically to a range between 7,800 and 8,000 years ago. This evidence is significant because it represents some of the earliest tangible proof globally of humans actively utilizing dogs specifically for the purpose of transport over long distances. This deep historical context proves that the Laika’s role as a working animal, particularly for hauling freight, predates modern kennel club formalization by many thousands of years, establishing it as a true landrace shaped by environmental selection pressures.
