Last night I was watching Pilgrims: American Experience on PBS, when the narrator made a profound statement.  After arriving at Cape Cod, the Pilgrims set out to explore the area.  Walking farther away on the beach they saw 6 men and a dog.  The Native Inhabitants stood and watched the Pilgrims for a moment, then “whistled for the dog” and disappeared into the woods.  How could the noted scholars not comment further on this profound moment?  This is perhaps one of the first documented use of the dog recall command in America!

Put yourself in that moment:  Here is a dog, obviously playing on the beach, when he sees new friends.  But he (or she?) was so well trained that rather than run up and greet his new friends, he obediently heeded the command and retreated into the woods.   I know dogs who see people all the time, yet still can’t resist running toward new friends on the beach.  I can’t even begin to fathom what that dog was thinking!  More importantly, what about the two dogs that traveled on the Mayflower with the Pilgrims?  Did the Spaniel and Mastiff accompany them on this first exploration of the area and see this dog too?  What was their reaction?  Sadly William Bradford is silent on the contributions of dogs to the new colony.

Also, I would like to note that this dog was allowed on the beach.  Here’s another historical first that the scholars missed.  At the time the Pilgrims arrived there were no signs banning dogs from beaches!  Maybe it was the Pilgrims who put up the first “No Dogs Allowed” signs?!  An interesting theory that I would like to research further…