Are wolves and dogs realy the same species?

Question

The scientific definition of a species is if 2 animals mate and their offspring is viable (ie. not a mule/infertile) then they are the same species - then are not dog and wolf hybrids fertile? Does this not make them the same species? Biologists/Zoologists???

(what would happen with a chimp and human?!? -eewww)

The reason I ask is we see a lot of dingo/dog hybrids here and the dingo is meant to be an Asiatic wolf (the cannot bark- only howl). They can be very dangerous- esp. to livestock.

WOW- great answers - It will be hard for me to choose!

Answer 1

There is an argument on that issue. Accepted public lore is that dogs came from wolves who were tamed by man.

A few biologists think that the original dog was a very wolf like creature that was easier to tame. So wolves are only related to dogs not the parents of dogs.

Dogs have been manipulated by mankind for thousands of years creating a whole range of new varieties, which could be why wolves and dogs don't breed well. However, there have been successful breeding programs to try and bring the wolf back into the dog. So some dogs can breed with wolves.

If a chimp and a human mated, yes eewww, the result would be like a very short Neanderthal. Chimps and humans do share over 95% of their DNA, but I don't think the two species could successfully breed. If anyone has tried it, I haven't heard about it and I am not sure I want to.

According to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog
"The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domestic subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term encompasses both feral and pet varieties and is also sometimes used to describe wild canids of other subspecies or species. The domestic dog has been (and continues to be) one of the most widely-kept working and companion animals in human history, as well as being a food source in some cultures. The dog is also the first animal from Earth to enter into space and fly into orbit."

According to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_the_domestic_dog
"Prior to the use of DNA researchers were divided into two schools of thought:

most supposed that these early dogs were descendants of tamed wolves, which interbred and evolved into a domesticated species.

other scientists, whilst believing wolves were the chief contributor, suspected that jackals or coyotes contributed to the dog's ancestry.

Caries Vilà of UCLA, who has conducted the most extensive study to date, has shown that DNA evidence has ruled out any ancestor canine species except the wolf. Vila's team analyzed 162 different examples of wolf DNA from 27 populations in Europe, Asia, and North America. These results were compared with DNA from 140 individual dogs from 67 breeds gathered from around the world. Using blood or hair samples, DNA was extracted and genetic distance for mitochondrial DNA was estimated between individuals."

Answer 2

The dogs are probably subspecies of Grey wolf and hence the hybrids are fertile and hence the status as subspecies.

Chimp and human beings are two separate species and are reproductively isolated and hence no hybrid offspring can be formed.


This is what Wickipedia says about dogs:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canidae

Note that the subdivision of Canidae into "foxes" and "true dogs" may not be in accordance with the actual relations, and that the taxonomic classification of several canines is disputed. Recent DNA analysis has shown, however, that Canini (dogs) and Vulpini (foxes) are valid clades, which exclude two genera: Nyctereutes and Otocyon. These are basal canids and are not closely related to either vulpines or canines. (Some evidence also suggests the same for Urocyon.)

Speothos and Chrysocyon are primitive members of Canini, but might be placed in their own clade. Cuon and Lycaon may in fact belong in Canis, and there is evidence that Alopex and Fennecus are not valid clades, but are both part of Vulpes.

The Domestic Dog is listed by some authorities as Canis familiaris and others (including the Smithsonian Institution and the American Society of Mammalogists) as a subspecies of the Gray Wolf (i.e., Canis lupus familiaris); the Red Wolf, Eastern canadian wolf, and Indian wolf may or may not be full species; and the Dingo is variously classified as Canis dingo, Canis lupus dingo, Canis familiaris dingo and Canis lupus familiaris dingo.

Answer 3

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There is some debate over whether dogs should be considered their own species, Canis familiaris, or a subspecies of the grey wolf, Canis lupus (this would make dogs Canis lupus familiaris). Some authorities suggest that dogs should be considered a subspecies of wolf because they are directly descended from the grey wolf, and the two can still interbreed and produce fertile young. However, others consider this a too simplistic approach - after all, wolves and coyotes (Canis latrans) can interbreed and produce fertile offspring, and it's obvious they are not the same species. Personally, I consider dogs different enough from wolves to be considered a separate species. The two are not genetically identical - dogs share around 98-99% of their DNA with wolves (bear in mind that chimpanzees share around 98% of their DNA with us, so if dogs are wolves, are chimps human?). There are often vast physical differences between dogs and wolves - to my mind, it is ludicrous to suggest that a Pekingese or a Dachshund is a wolf. There are also behavioural differences - dogs retain juvenile characteristics into adulthood, which wolves lose as they grow up. Male dogs are fertile all year round, male wolves only during the breeding season. Female dogs come into season twice a year, female wolves only once. Wolves are monogamous, whilst dogs will mate with multiple partners. Dingoes are something of an enigma also. They are believed to be descended from dogs brought to Australia by humans - dogs which were themselves descended from wolves. Dingoes have been classified variously as Canis dingo, their own species, Canis familiaris dingo, a subspecies of dog, or Canis lupus dingo, a subspecies of wolf. They can interbreed with dogs and wolves and produce fertile young, but this does not necessarily mean anything, since most species of the genus Canis can interbreed and produce fertile young. Hyenas do not belong to the dog family, Canidae, but to their own family, Hyaenidae, which is actually more closely related to cats than to dogs.

Answer 4

I'm answering the 2nd part of your question since several other responses have answered the first part sufficiently.

A dingo is a *subspecies* of the asiatic wolf - Indian wolf

A dingo's taxonomy is Canis lupus dingo and domestic dog's taxonomy is Canis lupus familaris. Both species are lupus -hence they can interbreed fertile hybrids.

But sometimes even different species interbreed producing fertile hybrids too.
Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis) can and do crossbreed with dogs.In a study done by Gottelli et al (1994) hybridization with domestic dogs was identified as one of the main threats to the genetic integrity of the canids [Ethiopian wolves] in this area.
http://bcb705.blogspot.com/2007/04/loss-of-genetic-integrity-hybridization.html

What you should reference are these wikipedia pages on canid hybrids and wolfdog hybrids to more thoroughly understand this subject.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canid_hybrid
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf-dog_hybrid

Answer 5

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The first is simple; you must win your dogs mind. If you don’t achieve this first then you will be struggling the all the way. When I talk about winning your dogs mind what I really mean is that your dog looks to you for all the decisions. Before you do anything else watch one of the amazing video sites that show you the 5 Golden rules to establishing yourself as the pack leader. If you aren’t putting these in place then you are setting yourself up to fail. Just at the crucial point where you really want your dog to listen they will go and do their own thing. For sure your dog may play ball occasionally or even most of the time, you may even have a dog that is obedient 99% of the time, however if you want a dog who always listens to you and does as you ask then you need to win your dogs mind.

The second key to success is to motivate your dog. It is really important that you discover what it is that your dog enjoys both in terms of exercise and play but also in terms of a reward. If you can make the experience enjoyable then you will both achieve more and look forward to training.

Some dogs love to fetch, others love agility, and other dogs simply love obedience training, or swimming out into water and retrieve. At least to start with find out what your dogs love is and help them develop this, what I am saying is work with your dog. The other point to recognize is to make training enjoyable reward your dog.

Answer 6

Are Wolves Dogs

Answer 7

The owner of the dog needs to know how to "operate" the dog, same way you can get into a car that's in perfect running order but if you don't know how to drive you won't have much luck making the car go anywhere. If the owner doesn't know how to maintain the training, the dog will soon become untrained again. Read more here https://tinyurl.im/cN3j5

People seem to think that once a dog is trained, that's it. Not true. You must reinforce the dog's training every single day in some way. It's best if the owner and the dog go together to get trained. As a professional trainer once said to me "We can train any dog in 2 days. It takes longer to train the owners

Answer 8

Types Of Wolf Dogs

Answer 9

Peregrine Falcons and Praire Falcons can interbreed resulting in a hybrid as well, however they are not the same species. Even a Harris hawk can be hybridized with a Red Tailed hawk, and they are from a different genus. Domestic dogs are not wolves. Wolves will readily kill and eat domestic dogs. They do not recognize dogs as wolves , they do not welcome them into a pack and view them as another prey animal. The animal dogs were domesticated from went extinct 34,000 years ago.

Answer 10

Poppycock! A dog was created a dog...a wolf a wolf. How did two wolves produce a coyote, a jackal, a dingo...or a dog? This reasoning is absurd. What turned into the dog? Then a jackal! Where are all the species in between. Similar DNA does not mean one species came from another. 13.8 billion years is simply not enough time for 100 million species to evolve into different species. IF their analogy were correct, any species could mate with another species. Every species on earth...plant animal insect would be able to mate since they all had the same DNA part. Adaptation is NOT evolution. Their explanations carry to adaptation...not a different species...Try mating a dog and a cat? A cat and a bird? Evolution fails on its own merit. Take the Acacia Tree, the Acacia Ant and the Giraffe. If evolution is to be believed. All three species would have to evolve simultaneously. At the precise moment in time. Why? Symbiosis, that's why. The Giraffe elongated its neck to eat the top fruit...to keep it away from the lower fruit...out comes the Acacia ant to sting the giraffe on its nose. But wait! The ant has no place to live...ahhh! The tree decides that it will provide the ant a home...if the ant allows the giraffe to eat the top fruit...and not the lower fruit (the tree will die if the giraffe does not eat the top fruit or if the giraffe eats the bottom fruit) The odds these three species...plant...animal...insect evolving at the precise point in time is 10 to the googolplex to one against. In other words...if you do not know what googolplex is it is 1 followed by as many zeros as time will allow to infinity. 13.8 billion years is not enough time. Here is the problem. It didn't happen...every living 'species' not sub-species...was created according to its kind.