What is the difference between Dog and Coyote?
Dog and coyote belong to the same family. They both belong to the Canis genus which is used to mean barking animals.
Dogs were domesticated from wolves and are kept by humans for various reasons. Some are kept as pets, some for security, hunting, companion, or herding. Coyotes are versatile animals.
The two have many in common but they are slightly different from each other at a keen and closer observation.
The main difference between dogs and coyotes is that dogs are domesticated while coyotes live in the wild.
Comparison Table (Dog vs Coyote)
| Characteristics | Dog | Coyote |
| Habitat | They are domesticated. | They live in the wild. |
| Geographical location | They are found worldwide. | They are found in North America, Mexico, and South America. |
| Appearance | They have shorter legs, deeper chest. | They look sleeker, with more pointed muzzles, flatter foreheads, and bushy tails. |
| What they feed on | Though they are carnivores, they can even eat plant-based food. | They feed on anything found around. |
| Behavior | They are faithful, intelligent and offer protection to their master. | They are known for hunting at night, howling at moonlight, and being smart. |
| Skull | The skull has a pronounced bulge over the optical orbits where the sinuses are located. | Their skull is thinner, crest longer, and lighter in weight. |
What is a Dog?
The dog is an animal in the canine family and Canis genus. It is believed to have evolved from wolves many years ago hence shares some similarities with wolves.
They are found all over the world and they are domesticated and live close to human beings who serve as their masters.
They come in a wide range of shapes and colors. There are very many breeds of dogs that farmers keep because of their needs. The breeds are genetically the same.
They have hair on their whole body but they shed seasonally. As they are found all over the world, the temperature of the area influences the amount of hair found on the body. Those in cold areas will have a lot of hair while those in hot areas will have little hair.
Dogs come in a variety of colors depending on the breed. As they live close to humans, they are known for their faithfulness, protective, adorable, and friendly nature.
They are used for tracking missing persons, digging underground, detecting drugs, explosives, toxic substances that humans are unable to detect.
They are mostly carnivores but as they are domesticated, they can also feed on plant-based materials.
What is a Coyote?
Coyote is an animal that belongs to a canine family and Canis genus. They are found in Mexico, South America, and North America.
They also originated from wolves like dogs. Their skull almost forms a convex curve from the back of the skull to the middle of the nasal bone.
They have narrow, elongated, lean bodies with yellow eyes. Their bodies are covered with thick fur which protects them during the winter season.
As they live in the wild, they do not live long. They live up to 8 years. They cause damage to fields of ripe watermelons, honeydew, and other market fruits.
They feed on almost anything available. They hunt on rabbits, rodents, fish, frogs, and even deer. They may also eat insects, fruits, snakes, and carrions.
The females are infertile for ten months and males are sterile for eight months in a year hence this makes their reproduction to be very delicate.
Their gestation period lasts between 58 to 63 days. Both parents take care of the young ones until they reach the age where they can survive on their own.
Main Differences between Dog and Coyote
- A dog is domesticated while a coyote is wild.
- Dogs are found all over the world while coyotes are found in North America, South America, and Morocco.
- Dogs are carnivores but may also feed on plant-based materials while coyotes can feed on anything that is available.
- Dogs tend to have shorter legs while coyotes have longer legs.
- Dogs are known to be friendly, protective, and trustworthy animals while coyotes are known for hunting, cunning, smart, and night howlers.
Similarities between Dog and Coyote
- They both belong to the same genus.
- They are both carnivores.
- Both originated from wolves.
In Conclusion
Dogs and coyotes belong to the same family and genus. They both originated from wolves and this makes them have a lot of features in common.
However, the two are slightly different from each other. Dogs are domesticated and live in close contact with humans because of their faithfulness and protective nature while coyotes live in the wild hence, they are cunning and smart and known for their howling behavior at moonlight.
The main feature that makes dogs appear different from coyotes is where they live.
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