Dogs are descended from wolves, jackals and coyotes. True or False?
False. Current theory says that the dog's primary ancestor is the wolf, Canis lupus.
The dog was the first animal to be domesticated by humans (first pet). True of False?
True. According to archaeological records, the dog was the first animal to be domesticated (from a wolf).
There are between 30-40 species in the dog family, Canidae. True or False?
True. There are 38 species in the dog family, Canidae, of which dogs and wolves only comprise a small percentage. Jackals and foxes make up the majority.
Less than 100 breeds of domesticated dogs exist today. True or False?
False. Because dogs have been bred for specific breed traits, there are 200-400 breeds!
An adult dog and wolf of the same weight will have different-sized heads. True or False?
True. A dog of the same weight as a wolf will have a head that is 20 percent smaller.
Dogs and wolves have the same number of teeth. True or False?
True. They have 42 teeth but wolves have longer canine teeth.
The gestation period (length of pregnancy) for wolves and dogs is 9 months. True or False?
False. The gestation period (length of pregnancy) for wolves and dogs is 63 days.
Wolves howl only when the moon is full. True or False?
False. Wolves howl to communicate for several reasons at various times.
An alpha wolf can be male or female. True or False?
True. A pack normally has an alpha male and female in it.
There are more gray wolves than red wolves in the world. True or False?
True, both are endangered but gray wolves are found in many places while red are just in NC.
