Dingo facts: is a dingo a dog? | Animal Fact Files

Is a dingo a dog or not? There is a lot of debate over this question. Currently, dingoes are either classified as a subspecies of the grey wolf or as their own species in the Canis genus. It can be said with certainty that dingoes are definitely canids, but whether or not they are "dogs" is currently undecided - though we like to think they should be considered their own species and thus not called "dogs" (for conservation purposes). Dingo fossils in Australia date back to 3,500 years ago and it's unknown how they got there. Some speculate they traveled overseas with humans, which could suggest a pseudo domestication. Currently, because dingoes can breed with domestic dogs, there aren't many individuals alive today without dog DNA.

Scientific Name: Canis lupus dingo (Canis dingo also considered)
Range: Mainland Australia and Southeast Asia
Size: 2 feet (61cm) tall at the shoulder and up to 40 pounds (18kg) in weight
Diet: Kangaroos, wallabies, and other mammals (including invasives), fish, will also scavenge
Lifespan: 18+ years

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[skyislands]

As a dingo owner, there are some comparable traits, especially physically, but their behaviours show some very non dog or even reversed dog traits. Example, even with my dingo and others we know, a friendly hello is bared teach, puffed chest, raised heckles. With a dog, thses are commonly aggression markers.
also, Dingos are knows for their ability to climb trees, not a dog thing to do usually

[marvalice]

That would be some crazy fast speciation

[totonghiem]

Dingoes are most likely to be native to South East Asia and was brought to Australia later by boat.

[centsworth]

Had a dog half dingo and half shepherd. Best dog I ever had. Smart! She could read my mind.

[JayKimJr]

DNA analysis of Korean Jindo dogs shows that they are of the same lineage as Dingo. Isn't it amazing?

[SlapstickGenius]

Dingos are often stereotypical Aussie antagonists in cartoons featuring animals. One of them, a bounty hunter hired by Dr Robotnik, a much crueller relative of Dr Eggman, is from Sonic Underground.

[tekajikuyalkrul]

Dingos are found up in the mountains in my village, there is a legend of how thousands of Dingos came into my village at night wreaking havoc after one of their baby was taken by the hunters

[maxcat]

Dingos are dogs. The rest are just semantics.
Yes, you should respect their evolutionary differences, and place in nature.
They are just one of the possible outcomes of the wolf / human coexistence, the other end being "Muffy" in the show ring.
In between you have the range of dog experiences existing on the planet.
Are they innately aggressive to humans? No.
Can they produce fertile offspring with other member of the dog/wolf family? Yes.
Is it impossible, extremely difficult or dangerous to have them live with humans? No.

[izaiahbrown]

I will put these rumors to rest. A dingo is within the canine (dog) family. The main reason why people say they are not dogs is to avoid domestication or cross breeding of this dog. (Which unfortunately happens) and keep In mind that all members of the canine family dont share the same exact traits. For example, their are domestic breeds (such as the husky and malamute) that dont bark but instead howl. Yet they are a dog. A grey wolf barks but it's very rare. Barking was something that evolved along with the wolves that became our domestic dogs and has been a trait that our dogs share ever since. I dont claim to be an expert but I would definitely say that a dingo is related to the grey wolf which is in fact a wild dog. And like stated before they are not classified as dogs to try and avoid domestication and cross breeding of this canid.

[joclive]

Dingoes are dogs.If dogs and dingoes meeting i think they're companionship

[Unncle_Ruckus]

"You know that's a true story? Lady lost a kid. You about to cross some fuckin'

-Kirk Lazarus, _Tropic Thunder_

[_robustus_]

Maybe they were domesticated descendants of grey wolf too but not domesticated at the same time as our dogs. Horses were domesticated at multiple times with some breeds being extinct now. Przwalski’s horse were thought to be the last remnants of the original wild horse but were found to have been domesticated thousands of years ago and can interbreed with other horse breeds even though they are practically unrelated to any other of those domesticated breed of horse.

[fizz-x]

I love the the reference in its diet. Cold though lol

[Col]

I like canids. They all seem to be so capable in terms of their ability to survive. Now that I've typed that out, it occurs to me that I haven't really differentiated them from most of the rest of the animal world. Oh well. I just watched the Purple Sea Snail episode, so maybe that prompted my reaction.
Anyway, thanks for doing a video on these guys!

[GuitarMan]

What's the difference between snowman and snowwomen?





*snowballs*

[orangeziggy]

We will find out if they are dogs due to the new genome mapping that was just done of the dingo now scientists will have more information to be able to see how far apart they are from modern dogs.

[zebedeemadness]

They are semi domestic neolithic land breed of Dogs (Canis familiaris, ) just like the African Basenji (Canis familiaris) from the Congo, there are wall art of Basenjis dating back to around five thousand years, and was only known to European since 1895 and they are (Canis familiaris, ) so why would Australian Dingo be any different very similar life just one was Africa the other Australia. Humans has had influenced the way they look, they have lost there more Wolfie look and got there more Domestic Dog look via semi selective breeding, also they are Dogs literally scientifically, they sit in the genus (Canis) that is Latin for Dog, all the genus (Canis) are deemed true Dogs, Dingo came from a locality of Asian Pariah Dog and sit in the same class as the Asian Dog breed, being closely related to Dog Breeds such as Chow-chow, Akita inu, Shiba inu, etc 'etc. They are basically a Domestic Dog that has need allowed to run wild. That's not to say they shouldn't be in Australia, they are needed as a top predator. Unless Australia wants to reintroduce the Komodo Dragon, as based on fossil evidence found in Australia, the Komodo Dragon evolved in Australia before making it to Indonesia, so maybe they could be running around in the out back.

[Bronsons]

I appreciate the Evangelion reference.

[tinyGrim]

They look like a small, thinner bodied Akita, ?? Maybe an Akita & x made these. Always loved these. Sad they are going extinct. OMG...."baby". Unexpected, you guys have a wry sence of humor. 😂 I like it ! Sad that happened tho. But, in the wild, anything can go wrong for small children...

[kowalski]

I had to learn more about this after watching the movie Road Games (1981)