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The abysmal size difference between wolves and dogs that you didn’t know about (and that has gone viral)

Dogs are descended from wolves, this fact is and nobody disputes it. The domestication of Canis gave birth to Canis familiaris or Canis lupus familiaris, our dogs of today. Even the Chihuahua, as incredible as it may seem, is descended from the wolf and from a thousand-year-old process of domestication.

On the other hand, some breeders are looking for breed purity and breed the famous wolfdogs, dogs that are more wolves than dogs, but are still domestic and can live with humans. Nevertheless, a wolfdog is not a wolf, neither in its behavior nor in its physical features.

user TodayYearsOld shared a photo of a wolf and a Siberian Husky together. What caught the attention of the internet users was the huge difference in size. Many people were not aware of the size of wolves until they saw this comparison. Indeed, when we think of a Husky, we imagine a domesticated wolf, which likes snow and howls to communicate, like wolves. But these are the only similarities between Canis lupus and Canis lupus familiaris.

Physical and cognitive differences

An adult Husky weighs between 16 and 27 kilograms, and its length, from muzzle to base of tail, is between 50 and 60 centimeters, depending on whether it is a male or a female. An adult gray wolf weighs between 23 and 80 kilos, for a length of between one and one and a half meters, the males being larger and heavier than the females. These characteristics are very similar to those of their cousins, the Iberian wolves.

In addition, as pointed out by the National Geographicwolves have larger skulls and legs than domestic dogs. Of course, their personalities are also different, the result of centuries of domestication. While wolves are more independent and reject human contact, dogs seek help from humans and are able to read their expressions.

Finally, given these facts, it should be noted that there are dogs smaller than the Husky, but also larger dogs, which can reach the size of a wolf. These include the Newfoundland, the Irish Wolfhound, the English Mastiff or the St. Bernard.

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