What we know today about the old dogs of the Native Americans is for a big part from Kim Laflamme and his research. As a child, he grew up with the dogs of his grandfather. He was fascinated by all the different versatile abilities and the special character of his unusual companions. Inspired by stories of his ancestors, he begun his quest to save & bring the A.I.Dog into our modern world & teach people about the American Indian Dog and their history and to keep this breed as authentic as possible.

The history of the American Indian Dog goes back to over 30'000 years. First written references were left by Francisco Coronado who was travelling through the old America looking for treasures. What he discovered were native people, buffalos and the Plains Indian dogs.

Research has shown that the old dogs show differences according to geographical areas where they lived. The slightly larger, thicker haired dogs, found in the northern parts of America (North of Canada and in Alaska ), had a slightly larger body (not over 75 lbs before the Europeans started increasing the size) and were especially bred for their endurance in pulling sleds and travois. Because of their use, these dogs developed a more pulling, hunting, loyal character. Not as much so as the Huskys of today, but more collie like, than modern Husky like. But they are very resistant to cold, can run long distances, are very strong and of a really sweet nature.

In the middle regions of North America , The Plains, the A. I. Dogs developed smaller and lighter build then the northern types. These, more coyote-like dogs were kept especially by the plains native groups. However, the same plains type dogs were found also in other parts of North and South America . These were very versatile working, dogs, which could handle any kind of job like pulling a sled or a travois, hunting, herding, guarding, bed-warming, babysitting, fishing, etc. Also these dogs differ slightly in appearance according to their geographical areas and living conditions, for example the hairless dogs in South America or the little Tohltan Bear dogs in British Columbia , Canada .

The Native People of North America did a lot of trading at their gatherings by which the different tribes from north and south came together. They were sharing their experience, knowledge and rituals, but also material things like salt, tools, horses and also dogs. This trading has been supported through findings of dog skeletons not genetically matching the areas in which they were found, but attributed to other areas populated by Native People. Through this trading, all different old dog types from separated tribes and bands got mixed together and created the Plains Indian Dog. This mixture of many different dogs from North, South, East and the West of the American continent, the Plains Indian Dog, is a melting of all diverse working types and their various abilities from all America . The Plains Indian Dog was again traded back into all geographical areas and directions to be bred with the local dog types. Thus the cycle was closed and the genetic variations were secured. Because of their knowledge of nature and their understanding of animals, the natural and selective breeding was the only way of breeding practiced by the native people.

Based on the records of European discoverers and conquerors, most of these dogs lived in the plains areas. Their first descriptions portrait the old dogs as something between a wolf and a fox, this probably because the Europeans didn't know any coyote at that time. Later descriptions of wild Indian Dogs point more towards coyotes. According to Mr. La Flamme & other more modern anthropologists, the dogs of the Native Americans were descendants of coyotes, jackals and dingoes. The A.I.Dog might have developed from those three species (especially from coyotes) under the influence of the Native People. This could have been done in some similar way: An Indian village, like all human dwellings, is producing waste. The animals use it as a food source. Shy animals escape very early from danger, less shy ones stay longer. Those who escape later are taking higher risk, but are rewarded by getting more food and having more time to eat it. Thus, they get closer to humans. This goes on for generations until the contact with humans is established and the people could start to work with the naturally less shy, 'tame' animals. Wolfs escape very early by coming danger (approaching humans) compared to other similar animals. Even if raised by humans from birth, they will still be very wild and of an unpredictable nature and will not get attached to humans. It is very improbable that in the modern American Indian Dog is flowing a lot of wolf blood if any at all. It is known however, that tens of thousands of years ago Indians used to cross their dogs occasionally with coyotes (to introduce new bloodlines and to keep them natural).