Man’s best friend since . . . 8000BC

THE remains of a 10,000-year-old dog could prove man’s best friend followed humans across to the Americas.

Scientists now believe an ancient piece of bone could show canines loyally followed their “owners” across the globe. The fragment discovered in Southeast Alaska has revealed dogs may have travelled to the Americas with humans along coastal routes after the last Ice Age.

Researchers from the University at Buffalo in the US, say it could help solve the mystery of how hounds managed to cross the ocean. Author Dr Charlotte Lindqvist said: “Because dogs are a proxy for human occupation, our data help provide not only a timing but also a location for the entry of dogs and people into the Americas.”