Why were dogs used to pull travois before Plains peoples had horses?

Before the introduction of the horse to the Great Plains, dogs were the only domesticated animals available to Indigenous peoples, serving as their primary draft animals.1

Because Plains residents relied on human and canine labor to transport their belongings, they were limited in the weight and volume of goods they could carry, which restricted extensive travel. Dogs were used to pull the travois—a simple vehicle consisting of two trailing poles that formed a V-shape, with a platform between them to hold burdens.12

While horses eventually revolutionized transportation, hunting, and warfare upon their arrival in the late 17th century, dogs remained in use for smaller, mundane tasks, such as hauling firewood or water, as horses were considered too valuable for such labor.3