10 Difference Between Dog and Fox (With Table)

What is the difference between Dog and Fox?

Dog and fox are animals found in canine families. They both belong to the family Canidae. They split off from the family level and they take different dimensions.

Dogs are domesticated members of the Canis genus. Foxes belong to the genus Vulpes which contains true fox species.

The main difference between dog and fox is that dog is a domesticated animal and provides a companion to humans while the fox is a wild animal.

Difference Between Dog and Fox

Comparison Table (Dog vs Fox)

Characteristics Dog Fox
Classification They belong to canis genus. They belong to the genus Vulpes.
Habitat They are domesticated animals. They are wild animals.
Size They are large in body size. They are comparatively smaller in body size.
Females They are referred to as bitch. They are referred to as vixen.
Tails They have light tails. They have thick bushy tails.
Social behavior They live in groups. They live a solitary life.
What they feed on They feed on meat but include a few vegetable materials. They hunt on very small animals like rabbits and rats.
Life span They live between 10 to 15 years. They live for 10 years.
Training They are easy to train. They are difficult to train.
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What is a Dog?

A dog is an animal in the family Canidae. It belongs to canis genus. The term dog describes domesticated species although they are very much related to wolves.

Domesticated dogs belong to two main subspecies. Due to human needs and preferences, they have evolved into hundreds of different breeds.

Dogs have been working for humans as well as providing companions for several years. Once they are trained, they can provide the service that the human need.

They majorly feed on meat. However, domesticated dogs may include plant-based food in their diet although they are majorly carnivores.

They reproduce sexually. The males mate with females and thereafter it will take between 58 to 68 days for the female to give birth. The females will take care of the young ones for two months.

What is a Fox?

Fox is an animal in the Canidae family but belongs to the Vulpes genus. There are about 12 species of fox and they are wild animals.

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They are small to medium-sized animals. They have a flattened skull, upright triangular ears, slightly upturned snout, and long bushy tail.

They differ in fur color, length, and density depending on the species. Coat colors range from pearly white to black flecked with white or grey on the underside.

They live in small family groups but the majority live a solitary life. They only come together during mating and the males walk away thereafter.

They are majorly carnivores. They hunt on small animals such as rabbits and rats. They have a set of teeth that enable them to tear up the flesh of animals.

The red foxes breed from late December to the end of March with most mating taking place in January and February. They bear their litter in the grass-lined chamber of the den. The size of the litter varies from 1 to 11 but the average number is 6.

Main Differences between Dog and Fox

  1. The dog belongs to the genus Canis while the fox belongs to the genus Vulpes.
  2. The dog is large in body size while the fox is comparatively small in body size.
  3. The dog is a domesticated animal while the fox is a wild animal.
  4. Dog live in groups while the fox is a solitary animal.
  5. Female dogs are referred to as bitch while the female fox is referred to as vixens.
  6. Dogs have light tails while foxes have long bushy tails.
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Similarities between Dog and Fox

  1. They belong to the same family.
  2. Both are carnivores.
  3. They both have a set of canines that they use to tear flesh.

In Conclusion

Dogs and foxes belong to the same family. The two separates at the family level. The dog is a domesticated animal while the fox is a wild animal.

Many have had difficulty in differentiating the two although with a keen look one can tell the difference between them.

The dog is large in body size although it depends on the breed as some of the breeds have small bodies. Foxes are generally small in body size.

The main feature that makes dogs different from foxes is the body size.

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