Obviously, none of them have much to do with dogs, otherwise they wouldn't really bat an eye.
One letter writer to, hmm, National Geographic I think, suggested that the dog may have jumped in to save its owner, and thus drowned with him.Anchored in HistorySeveral human bones have been discovered around the site, and last August archaeologists unearthed a complete skeleton, along with that of a dog. The man may have been a stevedore. He was tall for the 1st century B.C.--170 cm--and probably not of Mediterranean origin. Scientists believe he may have been a slave from Scandinavia, and say he had a strong chest and muscular arms. His upper teeth are worn as though they had been used to grip twine or rope for closing sacks and crates... The skeleton was buried under a mass of cargo and debris, with a beam pinned against the neck. The right foot appears to have been wrenched off by a rope that had wrapped around his ankle, perhaps as he went overboard. Archaeologists think he had a pet: the skeleton of a long-bodied dog with short, twisted legs was found lying across his left hand. It is similar to a Basset hound, a breed welcomed on ships as rat catchers. Animal remains are among the most interesting discoveries from the "Port of Marvels," among them 16 dogs.
by Greg Burke
March 13, 2000