Champion the REZ DOG as the Official State Dog of New Mexico

Nancy Bennett Albuquerque, NM

I respectfully suggest that we nominate the Rez Dog as the Official Dog Breed for the State of New Mexico.  New Mexico has a state reptile, state flower and even a state question among other officially declared symbols….the time is now to declare a state dog.

Rez Dogs (also called Pueblo Dogs) have been in New Mexico and the Southwest for thousands of years (earliest dog burials in the Southwest were dated to the San Pedro phase of the Early Agricultural period 1200-800 B.C.).  Today’s “Rez Dog” can be brown or black, tan and white, but they all share common ancestors and common needs.  Estimates of the number of Rez Dogs in New Mexico range from 20,000 to a 100,000 (and as many as 250,000 on the entire Navajo Reservation).  Their diverse genetic heritage creates a strong and resourceful animal, capable of surviving in harsh conditions.

To declare the Rez Dog the state dog of New Mexico would honor the aboriginal peoples and animals of not only New Mexico but of the entire country.  The Rez Dog is a free dog, oftentimes ignored but still a part of the community.  Establishing it as our official dog will bring state and national interest and awareness to them.