Dog or Wolf? [ID, USA]

[u/dkblazy2]

My father got this on his trail camera yesterday. He thinks it’s a wolf, I say dog. Could also be the Chupacabra but not sure. What do you all think?

[u/thesleepingdog]

I'd have to say domestic dog.

It's definitely not a coyote, not that anyone was asking.

What's making up my mind is the narrowness of its tail. Wolves this time a year are usually a lot fluffier, and their tail especially appears many times larger than it actually is; more comparable to the thickness of its neck than it's lower leg.

One grainy trail cam image, though, could easily be pretty deceptive.

[u/underthehedgewego → u/thesleepingdog]

The the chest is to wide and front legs are far too far apart to be a wolf. This is a doggy.

[u/dkblazy2 → u/thesleepingdog]

Agreed, definitely not coyote. The tail and hips are what throw me off. Not to say wolves don’t get mange on their tails though.

[u/thesleepingdog → u/dkblazy2]

Totally could be mange or an injury of some kind. Now that I'm thinking of it, a strong wind could change its shape, or any movement when the camera flashed.

The coat coloration keeps making me second guess myself. That looks so much like wolf, that some kind of husky type dog is the only thing coming to mind it could be. Maybe a lightly colored German shepherd? (I'm reaching)

I'd be tempted to head right out there and look at track patterns. If it was alone, where it came from, what it did, etc.

[u/Mcgarnicle_]

It’s clearly a dog because not a single thing looks at all wolf about it

[u/Artistic-Helicopter3 → u/Mcgarnicle_]

It has 4 legs

[u/Mcgarnicle_ → u/Artistic-Helicopter3]

Good point 😂

[u/MiserableAmbition550 → u/Artistic-Helicopter3]

And fur

[u/Woodbear05 → u/Mcgarnicle_]

It snoot

[u/Cyaral]

Look at that tail (especially in the first picture)! Dog

[u/UntidyVenus]

My first instinct is this is a hound dog

[u/Antivirusforus]

Dog

[u/etchlings]

The ears are floppy. It’s got a hound/lab tail. Obviously a dog.

[u/bowlingforzoot]

Looks an awful lot like a hound dog to me

[u/Borderline-Feral86]

floppy ears and skinny tail, that's someone's hound dog

[u/TamaraHensonDragon]

Someone lost a hound dog.

[u/rockerdoc65]

Looks like a hound-breed dog

[u/nexter2nd]

Looks more dog

[u/JingleDjango13]

This is someone’s dog

[u/AlabamAlum]

Looks like a hounddog.

[u/bunjywunjy]

Domestic dog, the coat and tail are totally wrong for wolf

[u/SoccerPhilly]

Ya like dags?

[u/Rollercoasterfixerer]

Dog

[u/Holiday-Medium-256]

4 long legs, and a long body suggest wolf.

But...The coat is not correct for a winter wolf. Maybe wolf, sick or old and alone?

I think about my pointing lab when he was in his prime compared to when he was 14. This pic looks like an old dog in photo 1 with the curved up tail and white face.

[u/TransportationOk6302]

I’d guess a coyote, but I don’t think it would be home in the snow.

We’ll, guess I did some research, and I guess they do.