Are wolves and dogs related?
Wolves are members of the scientific family Canidae, or the dog family, which also includes coyotes, foxes, jackals and domestic dogs. Wolves are very closely related to domestic dogs and it is believed that wolves are the direct ancestors of domestic dogs. The two are so closely related that they can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. It may be hard to believe that some dogs, such as the tiny chihuahua or the Mexican hairless dog, are very closely related to wolves, but they have many physical and behavioural traits in common. One important difference between wolves and domestic dogs is that dogs can breed twice a year and wolves can only breed once a year. The wolf was given the scientific name Canis lupus by Carolus Linnaeus in the 1700’s, and it is still referred to as that today. Wolves closely resemble German shepherd or malamute dogs physically. However, wolves have longer legs and bigger feet than do similar sized dogs. Most male wolves weigh between 32 and 45 kilograms
Dogs did not come from wolves, even the more sled type northern dogs. They both, however, descended from the same common ancestor. That’s all that genetics can tell us. The reason that some dogs like the malamutes and huskies look like wolves has more to do with Phenotype. The definition of Phenotype is “the genetically and environmentally determined physical appearance of an organism.” In other words, the parents and the conditions create the appearance. As one study says: “Malamutes & Siberians LOOK like wolves, and in certain instances, ACT like wolves, because: All dogs and wolves descended from a common ancestor (or primitive version of the wolf, the debate rages); and, The phenotype of the Northern Breeds is the best solution to the problem of the Arctic weather and conditions. The Northern breeds did not evolve MUCH past that phenotype, as other breeds have because most variations to the phenotype would be killed off. A boxer would not survive because he wasn’t built for the sit
