🏺 Dog trade
Learn how the Maya traded dogs, what middening is and what new laws dog owners have to follow in an Italian city.
👋 Hi, and welcome back to my free newsletter where I share hand-selected dog research, news, and tips every week.
In this week's edition, you’ll learn how the Maya traded dogs, what middening is and what new laws dog owners have to follow in an Italian city.
Enjoy reading! ✨
📑 STUDY
Maya dogs
Researchers investigating ancient Maya cities in the Chiapas highlands of Mexico have uncovered evidence that live dogs were transported across vast distances more than a millennium ago.
The discovery highlights the existence of trade and exchange networks linking the northern Yucatán Peninsula with western Maya regions during the Classic period, roughly 400–800 CE.
The research centered on animal remains recovered from the Maya sites of Moxviquil and Tenam Puente.
Scientists analyzed the bones and teeth of dogs and deer using isotope analysis, a technique that identifies chemical signatures tied to diet, water sources, and local geology.
To support the study, the team created a new strontium isotope map of the Maya region. They used plant samples collected throughout central Chiapas and combined them with previously gathered isotope data from North America.
Because strontium signatures become fixed in tooth enamel during early development and remain unchanged throughout life, researchers can use them to determine where an animal spent its youth.
Bones, meanwhile, reflect later movement and dietary changes. Comparing these chemical markers with the regional map allowed the team to estimate the animals’ origins.
The deer remains from both archaeological sites matched local isotope signatures, indicating the animals were likely hunted nearby. The dogs, however, showed a very different pattern. Most carried isotope values that did not match the Chiapas highlands, suggesting they originated in distant lowland regions.
Dogs from Tenam Puente appeared to come from a common external source, possibly near Becan or Balamku in the Central Karstic Uplands.
The dogs discovered at Moxviquil showed more varied origins, with some isotopic signatures corresponding to regions associated with major Maya centers such as Palenque, Tonina, Calakmul, Tikal, and coastal areas of Yucatán.
Researchers also examined carbon and nitrogen isotopes to reconstruct the animals’ diets.
Many of the imported dogs appeared to consume large amounts of maize and meat, diets unlike those of wild animals and more consistent with food prepared for humans. This suggests the dogs were intentionally fed and cared for rather than simply scavenging for scraps.
The findings indicate that these animals may have held social, political, or symbolic importance.
Moving live dogs across hundreds of miles would have required organized transport, established trade relationships, and access to the extensive exchange routes already known to have connected the Maya world.
According to archaeologist Elizabeth Paris of the University of Calgary, the study provides additional evidence for broad trade networks across ancient Mesoamerica.
Highland Chiapas was already recognized as a center of overland commerce and merchant activity, and the imported dogs appear closely tied to those long-distance connections.
The precise type of dogs involved remains uncertain. Some skeletal characteristics resemble those of the Xoloitzcuintli, the hairless breed later associated with the Aztecs.
Genetic mutations linked to hairlessness can also affect tooth structure, and several of the Chiapas dogs displayed similar dental traits. Researchers hope future DNA testing will clarify whether these animals belonged to related lineages.
Ancient Maya artwork from lowland cities occasionally portrays rulers accompanied by small dogs resting beneath hammocks. Archaeologists speculate that elite families may have exchanged specialized dogs as gifts or status symbols.
The isotope evidence now offers direct confirmation that live animals were moved between distant Maya cities, deepening understanding of trade, diplomacy, and political relationships throughout the ancient Maya world.
🧠 BEHAVIOR
Middening
Poop-marking refers to dogs strategically defecating in visible or elevated spots as a form of scent communication. While scent-marking is usually associated with urination, dogs can also use feces to send signals to other animals.
Elevated locations such as hills, fences, or tree bases help scents spread farther and remain noticeable for longer periods.
Experts explain that dogs often treat bathroom areas like social communication hubs, leaving behind information for other dogs to detect.
The behavior may serve several purposes, including marking territory, signaling confidence, or communicating identity and status.
The strongest scent connected to dog feces actually comes from secretions released by the anal glands during defecation.
These scents can carry information about a dog’s identity, sex, physical condition, and social standing. Placing waste in prominent locations increases the likelihood that other dogs will notice it.
Higher placement may also create the impression of a larger or more dominant animal. Some researchers believe that dogs use elevated scent placement to appear bigger or more important within their environment.
Dogs may repeatedly return to the same locations to reinforce their own scent or cover the scent of other dogs.
Although scent-marking behavior is often more common in male dogs and in dogs that have not been neutered or spayed, female dogs can display the behavior as well. Personality and confidence levels may influence it more than breed or sex.
Dogs may also increase marking behavior when entering unfamiliar environments or when encountering new dogs nearby. In these situations, leaving visible scent markers may help them establish familiarity or social presence.
As for whether elevated pooping helps dogs physically, experts say there is no evidence that dogs intentionally seek certain angles to make defecation easier.
However, physical issues such as arthritis or injuries could influence posture or positioning in some cases.
So while a dog choosing to poop on top of a snowbank, hill, or tree may look bizarre to humans, the behavior is actually a normal form of canine communication.
📰 NEWS
Washed away
Authorities in the Italian port city of Livorno have introduced new rules requiring dog owners to clean up after their pets’ urine in public areas or risk fines of up to €500.
The regulation, announced by Mayor Luca Salvetti, follows complaints from residents about persistent smells caused by dog urine, especially in parks and children’s playgrounds across the Tuscan coastal city.
Under the new policy, anyone walking a dog, whether the owner or a caretaker, must carry water bottles or spray containers to rinse affected areas such as pavements, benches, and even the wheels of parked vehicles.
Dogs will also be prohibited from urinating near entrances, windows, shops, offices, and residential buildings.
In a statement, Livorno’s council said public spaces must be safeguarded to maintain cleanliness, hygiene, and quality of life for residents.
Officials added that the decision came after repeated reports about unpleasant odours and sanitation concerns linked to liquid animal waste in shared community spaces.
The rules will be enforced from 20 May to 31 October, a period considered particularly problematic because warmer temperatures and limited rainfall can intensify smells.
Anyone caught violating the regulation could face penalties ranging from €25 to €500.
Livorno already enforces regulations requiring dog walkers to carry equipment for collecting pet excrement, with local authorities permitted to conduct spot checks.
The announcement follows similar debates elsewhere in Italy. Last year, officials in the northern province of Bolzano drew criticism from animal rights groups after proposing a nightly tax for visiting dogs and an annual fee for local dog owners to help fund street-cleaning efforts related to pet waste.