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The Wolf and Dog

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Submitted By stomczak
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The wolf has had an influence on the culture, art, and lore of human society since before historical times. The wolf is one of the most misunderstood animals in all of history. Theirs is a proud, yet sad, history.
The wolf and dog are different species but yet have so much in common. Dogs were originally classified as “Canis familiaris”, in 1758. However, in 1993, dogs were reclassified as a subspecies of the gray wolf and renamed “canis lupus familiaris.”While it is true that there have been speculations that dogs may have descended from several species of canines, the wolf appears to ultimately be the ancestor of man’s best friend. The dog and wolf both share the same number of chromosomes (78, arranged in 39 pairs).The dog and the wolf can mate and give life to offspring. There are good chances indeed, that in the past the two species may have interbred, whether because of feral dogs may have escaped from being domesticated or because some wolves may have separated from their pack and started looking for a soul mate. At the same time, the outward appearance of wolves and dogs is markedly different. The wolf’s skeleton is higher and has a more arched spine. The wolf’s legs are heavier in build and are usually longer. Dogs and wolves run differently. A dog runs with a loping, almost casual gait, while wolves run in a springing motion with force from the hind legs propelling them forward. One main difference between the wolf and the dog is the mating; a dog can come into heat twice a year while the wolf comes into heat only once a year, usually in the spring. This might be to allow ample time for the pups to grow and flourish before the winter season comes. There is one exception: the Bensenji dog breed comes into heat only once a year. Physically, wolves and dogs today appear as almost different species, if we think about the diversity in dogs we

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