Long ago, the Coast Salish peoples bred a dog with thick fur that they could use to spin into yarn. A few decades after colonizers arrived in the region, the Salish woolly dog became extinct.

Meet the Salish Wool Dog! Originally from the Pacific Northwest, these small, white dogs had a pretty unique woolly coat that was sheared and spun into yarn for weaving blankets and clothing.

A classic-style Coast Salish blanket, which includes a mixture of woolly dog and goat wool. The woolly dog wool is in the warp (vertical strands). Accessioned 1858.