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Dogs

Canis lupus familiaris

Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are domesticated canids (family Canidae), widely treated as a subspecies of the gray wolf (Canis lupus). “Wild canids” are the non-domesticated members of Canidae, such as wolves, coyotes, jackals, and foxes. In zoology, “wild dog” may refer to distinct species like the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) or the dhole (Cuon alpinus), which are not domestic dogs. The phrase can also mean free-ranging domestic dogs and their hybrids (for example, Australian agencies use it as an umbrella term that includes dingoes).

The domestic dog was likely the earliest animal domesticated by humans and has long been kept as a working partner, hunting aid, and companion. Recent estimates place the worldwide domestic dog population at roughly 700 million.

Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are domesticated canids (family Canidae), widely treated as a subspecies of the gray wolf (Canis lupus). “Wild canids” are the non-domesticated members of Canidae, such as wolves, coyotes, jackals, and foxes. In zoology, “wild dog” may refer to distinct species like the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) or the dhole (Cuon alpinus), which are not domestic dogs. The phrase can also mean free-ranging domestic dogs and their hybrids (for example, Australian agencies use it as an umbrella term that includes dingoes).

The domestic dog was likely the earliest animal domesticated by humans and has long been kept as a working partner, hunting aid, and companion. Recent estimates place the worldwide domestic dog population at roughly 700 million.