Wolves vs. Domestic Dogs
The controversy continues about the wolf and the domestic dogs; are they the same animal or are they different? The truth is they are both. The domestic dog and the wolf can trace their ancestry back to the same beginning. Through DNA testing of all the different species of domestic dog and wolves, scientist have proven that they come from the same ancestry. However, scientists greatly differ on where and when the wolf and man became the loyal companion of man. Some believe they were domesticated back in the Stone Age while others believe the domestication of wolves is a lot more recently, possibly as recent as 15,000 years ago.
The wolf and dog have a lot in common. They are both from the canine family, both have the same amount of teeth, they both come in a variety of colors, and they are susceptible to the same infections such as mange, heartworm, rabies, parvovirus and canine distemper.
The wolf, although similar to the domestic dog in many ways, differ dramatically. The wolf is larger than the domestic dog. The heaviest recorded wolf was in Alaska; it weighed 175
pounds. The tallest wolf recorded was measured at 38 inches at its shoulders. The female wolf is generally smaller by about 20% than their male counterpart.
Wolves are built for stamina they have a narrow chest, powerful backs and legs that allow efficient locomotion so that they are capable of covering several miles at a pace of 6 miles per hour. They can also reach speeds of 40 miles per hour and can cover up to 16 feet per bound while sprinting.
Unlike dog, wolves have no sweat glands on their paw pads instead they have scent glands that leave chemical markers that allow them to navigate and keep the pack informed of its whereabouts.
The wolf has a different coat for summer and winter unlike the domestic dog that keeps the same markings at all times. The wolves’ coats generally change in spring and fall to their summer or winter coats.
The wolf’s brain, paws are larger than the domestic dog and their legs and muzzles are longer. However the wolf’s orbital angles are smaller than the dog. The dog’s orbital angles are generally 55 degrees and the wolf’s only 45 degrees, but the wolves’ sense of smell is much more defined.
The wolf mates once a year and stays with the mate until one of them die. The wolves’ alpha male and alpha female of the pack are the only wolves allowed to mate because the pack can only support one litter. They do not mate with domestic dogs in the wild, unlike stories that have been told. The wolf will kill a domestic dog before it would mate with it. The wolf/dog is a product of captive wolves being bred with domestic dogs in captivity. However, the domestic dog breeds twice a year and rarely stay with the same mate at all times. Wolves generally have
smaller litters than dogs, but their pups are born, like the dog, mute and deaf. The pups eyes and
ears open usually within the second week.
Unlike dogs, the wolf prefers to avoid people and will generally run from them unless cornered or threatened in some way. Wolves only tend to bite if they are challenged for
dominance or they perceive they are in danger. The dog however, tends to gravitate toward people and show little fear; but dogs are much more aggressive than wolves and will bite for unknown reasons. Scientists believe this is because they do not have to fight for rank in a pack.
In conclusion I would say there are more differences in wolves and dogs than there are similarities. I believe that wolves, although harder to train than the domestic dog, would not be as apt to hurt someone as a domestic dog.
