Researchers suggest that man’s best friend arrived in the Americas only about 10,000 years ago, thousands of years after humans first did. The study analyzed DNA from ancient dog remains and concluded that dogs arrived late in Americas. Scientists add that these findings might explain patterns of human migration to the New World. They also believe that the oldest dog burials found in Americas coincide with the time of their arrival. Further, experts believe that this is not a coincidence.

University of Illinois graduate student Kelsey Witt, who led the research with anthropology professor Ripan Malhi said that dogs can shed light on ancient human behavior because they have been people’s companions for thousands of years.

‘’Dogs are one of the earliest organisms to have migrated with humans to every continent, and I think that says a lot about the relationship dogs have had with humans. They can be a powerful tool when you’re looking at how human populations have moved around over time.’’

In a nutshell, dogs may have arrived late to North and South America, but they migrated to the New World because they followed their humans. Also, they may have arrived thousands of years after humans, but they were one of the first animal species to accompany humans wherever they went. And that says more than words can describe about the relationship ancient dogs have had with our ancestors.