Tahltan Bear Dog

This article by W.G. Crisp was originally printed in The Beaver, Summer 1956, Outfit 287, on pages 38-41, with accompanying photos and drawings by Clarence Tillenius. In it, we learn of the early domesticated dogs of North America and in particular what became know as the Tahltan Bear Dog.

The dog was developed by the Tahltan natives of British Columbia to hunt black bears. Crisp describes the breed as “quick-moving, alert little dogs,” that were a common site when he was at Telegraph Creek in 1931. Crisp soon acquired one from the Tahltan as a family pet. Known by the aboriginals as Bear Dogs, the canine was predominately black and white, weighing ten to fifteen pounds. The breed was about the size of a large fox terrier with a bushy tail that stood up like a bottlebrush. They were said to be so well adapted to their environment that they would die when taken further south. The Tahltan Bear Dog was recognized as a distinct breed by the Canadian Kennel Club in 1939.

The author speculates as to whether this particular breed was actually a domesticated coyote, just as the Eskimo dog was believed to originate from the great grey wolf family. Or, whether all aboriginal dogs originated from the Old World.

Sadly, whatever their origin, the small hunting dogs is now believed to be extinct. However, historians and dog fanciers alike will be able to revisit the small, energetic animal with the delightful photos and drawings that appear in the article.