Difference Between Wolf and Dog

Wolf and Dogs are a member of the Canis lupus species. Wolf and Dogs can be considered similar at first sight, considering their looks and physical traits.

However, both are different and possess distinct features if observed further.

Key Takeaways

1. Wolves are wild carnivorous animals belonging to the Canis lupus species, with a complex social structure and a natural hunting instinct.
2. Dogs are domesticated animals descended from wolves, selectively bred for various traits and purposes, such as companionship, work, or sport.
3. The primary difference between wolves and dogs is their level of domestication, with wolves being wild animals and dogs being domesticated pets with a wide range of breeds and traits.

Wolf vs Dog

The difference between Wolf and Dog lies in bodily appearance and anatomy. Wolf is a giant with long tails, legs, and a mouth, while a Dog will be smaller in size with a short tails, legs, and jaw.

However, the above is not the only difference. A comparison between both the terms on specific parameters can shed light on subtle aspects:

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Comparison Table

Parameter of Comparison	Wolf	Dog
Description	Wolf is a non-domesticated carnivorous animal.	A dog is a domesticated four-legged animal with different breeds.
Family Name	Canis Lupus	Canis familiaris
Is it possible to tame or domesticate?	No	Yes
Adaptability to Training	No or less adaptability	Yes, they can be trained
Which is stronger?	Wolf is more vital and has a tremendous force for biting	A dog is less strong
Which is faster?	Wolf is faster	Less fast
Which one is larger?	Wolf is larger	A dog is smaller in size
Which one is heavier?	Wolf is heavier; the smallest one may weigh around 75 pounds	A dog is not so heavy; its average weight can be around 50 pounds
Which one is taller?	Wolf is taller	A dog is shorter in height
Eyes	Smaller	Larger
Ears	Pointed	Floppy
Teeth	Very strong and adapted to hunting environment	Not suited to hunting
Molars	Stronger	Less strong
Tails	Long	Short
Legs	Long legs	Short legs
Jaws and Mouth	Large/Long	Short
How is the sound made?	Howling	Barking
Socialization with other species	No, or less	Yes
Frequency of breeding	Once a year	Many times a year
Dependency on Males after breeding	Yes	No
How much time does it take for little ones/puppies to mature?	Less time is taken	More time
How much time do puppies take to learn?	Take less time to learn	More time to learn
Dependency on Humans	No	Yes
Feeds on	Raw meats, large animals, plants, deer,	Whatever humans provide, but not large mammals
Quantity of Feed	More compared to Dogs	Less
Are they great hunters?	Yes	No
Who is cleverer?	Wolf is cleverer	Less clever
Whether they like staying in groups?	Yes	No
The technique employed for preying	Eye stalking, followed by chasing, obtaining the prey, biting with teeth with a strong killer force so that prey is dead (known as killer bite)	Don’t follow a killer bite
Who leads a more leisurely life?	Wolf will not have an easy life as it will have to find prey on its own	A dog will have an easy life as it depends on humans.

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What is Wolf?

Wolf is the most prominent dog family member of a family known as Canis lupus, but it is a wild animal. Wolf is also known as a Gray Wolf.

The average lifespan of a Wolf is around 6 to 8 years. Wolf will weigh around 40 to 175 pounds.

Wolf, though does not tend to attack humans, but Wolf will feed on large mammals such as deer and goats. Wolf can survive for more than a week without eating.

Wolf is a wild animal that cannot be tamed and is even trained to live with humans.

Wolf has two common species, viz., the red Wolf and Gray Wolf. The red Wolf is smaller than the grey Wolf.

Gray Wolf staying in the forest is called a “timber Wolf”. Wolf is considered a brilliant creature because of its physical attributes and ability to be self-reliant and hunt with great planning.

Wolf will live in groups. Also, the hunting will be done in groups travelling considerable distances.

Wolf can consume around 20 pounds of meat at a single time. Wolf can survive in diverse and even unwelcoming climates due to their physical characteristics.

 

What is Dog?

The dog is a domesticated animal and, in fact, can be considered the first one in this category. The dog belongs to the family of Canis familiaris.

The dog will have four legs, make a barking sound, and have shaggy tails.

The dog will usually weigh from 3 to 175 pounds. The dog is an omnivorous animal eating a variety of food of plant and animal origin.

The height of a Dog can vary from 6 to 33 inches.

Dogs are great friends of humans and depend on humans for their continuous existence. A well-trained dog can hear, smell and see better than humans and is hence tamed either for fun or as a safety mechanism for protection against intruders.

However, dogs will still feature certain wild behaviours, such as marking their territories.

The dog has been descended from Wolf and possesses some attributes of a Wolf. There are different breeds of dogs, such as German shepherds, bulldog, Labradors, boxers, greyhounds, Pomeranians, and others.

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Main Differences Between Wolf and Dog

1. Wolf is a wild animal and a carnivore. A dog is a tamed or domesticated animal and is an omnivore.
2. Wolf is not suited to living with humans and is self-reliant and not dependent on humans for survival. A dog is suitable for living with humans and is dependent on humans for survival.
3. Wolf is robust and extensive with more prominent teeth, jaw, and skull. A dog with smaller teeth, jaw, and skull is not so strong and not so prominent.
4. Wolf is faster and kills the prey with one bite. A dog is less fast and will not have a killer bite.
5. Wolf will breed at a specific time in a year, and that too once. A dog will breed multiple times.
6. Wolf cannot be trained to perform certain things. A dog can be trained.

References

1. https://academic.oup.com/icb/article-abstract/7/2/319/105658
2. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?type=printable&id=10.1371/journal.pone.0086409
3. https://www.jwildlifedis.org/doi/abs/10.7589/0090-3558-17.3.343