The anatomy of dogs varies tremendously from breed to breed, more than in any other animal species, wild or domesticated. And yet there are basic physical characteristics that are identical among all dogs, from the tiny Chihuahua to the giant Irish Wolfhound. Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domestic subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. ... This Chihuahua mix and Great Dane show the wide range of dog breed sizes. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Irish Wolfhound is a breed of dog (a sighthound) bred to hunt. ...

Physical characteristics

Like most predatory mammals, the dog has powerful muscles, a cardiovascular system that supports both sprinting and endurance, and teeth for catching, holding, and tearing. The circulatory system or cardiovascular system is the organ system which circulates blood around the body of most animals. ...

The dog's ancestral skeleton provided the ability to run and leap. Their legs are designed to propel them forward rapidly, leaping as necessary, to chase and overcome prey. Consequently, they have small, tight feet, walking on their toes; their rear legs are fairly rigid and sturdy; the front legs are loose and flexible, with only muscle attaching them to the torso.

Although selective breeding has changed the appearance of many breeds, all dogs retain the basic ingredients from their distant ancestors. Dogs have disconnected shoulder bones (lacking the collar bone of the human skeleton) that allow a greater stride length for running and leaping. They walk on four toes, front and back, and have vestigial dewclaws (dog thumbs) on their front legs and sometimes on their rear legs. In some cases these claws are missing due to surgery, the rear dewclaws sometimes being removed to prevent the possibility of them being ripped off, or catching on something and breaking, especially in dogs with loose dewclaws. This practice is illegal in some countries. The dogs front dewclaw grows on the side of the foot, above the other four toes but below the rear heelpad. ...

The dog's ancestor was about the size of a Dingo, and its skeleton took about 10 months to mature. Today's toy breeds have skeletons that mature in only a few months, while giant breeds such as the Mastiffs take 16 to 18 months for the skeleton to mature. Dwarfism has affected the proportions of some breeds' skeletons, as in the Basset Hound. Trinomial name Canis lupus dingo (Meyer, 1793) Dingo range Breed standards (external link) ANKC The dingo (plural dingoes or dingos) or warrigal, Canis lupus dingo, is a type of wild dog, probably descended from the Indian Wolf (Canis Indica). ... The Bichon Frisé is an example of a toy dog[1] that requires considerable grooming. ... Mastiffs are a group of large, solidly built breeds of dogs typically with heavy bones, pendant ears, a relatively short and well-muscled neck, and a short muzzle. ... see dwarf, and for insular dwarfism and other meanings see Dwarf (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

These characteristics and basic structure also help when competing in dog shows or contests.

Size

Researchers have identified a particular piece of DNA that is common to every small-dog breed and, in turn, is probably responsible for making them tiny. The discovery, reported in the journal Science, helps explain the vast diversity in dogs, from the pug to the massive mastiff. ^[1] The structure of part of a DNA double helix Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is a nucleic acid molecule that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms. ... Pug is also a common name for some smaller moths in the family Geometridae. ... Mastiffs are a group of large, solidly built breeds of dogs typically with heavy bones, pendant ears, a relatively short and well-muscled neck, and a short muzzle. ...

Dog coats

Coat colors range from pure white to solid black and many other variations.

For a complete detailed list of dog colors and patterns, see Coat (dog).

Dogs exhibit a diverse array of fur coats. They range from different coat textures, colors, and markings, and a specialized vocabulary has evolved to describe them. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1546x1213, 641 KB) I did not delete this image because there is information in the history of this file that cannot be deleted without violating the GFDL. – Quadell (talk) (bounties) 16:02, 9 February 2006 (UTC) Japanese Spitz (1546x1213 jpeg) - Image... Download high resolution version (600x660, 94 KB)Vanisticas Traveller at Depamead Photo by sannse at the City of Birmingham Championship Dog Show, 30th August 2003 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A dogs coat is its fur. ... Coat, or the nature and quality of a show animals fur, is an important conformation point in the hobby of animal fancy. ...

Originally, dogs all had dense fur with an undercoat and long muzzles and heads, although both of these features have been altered in some of the more extremely modified breeds, such as the Mexican Hairless Dog and the Bulldog. The Mexican Hairless Dog is a rare, (almost) hairless breed of dog which can be quite variable in size. ... A Bulldog, which is also known colloquially as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog, is a medium-size breed of dog that originated in England. ...

Color

One often refers to a specific dog first by coat color rather than by breed; for example, "a blue merle Aussie" or "a chocolate Lab". Coat colors include: The Australian Shepherd is a breed of working dog that was developed in the United States in the 19th century. ... Stds AKC: Sporting Stds ANKC: Group 3 (Gun dogs) Stds CKC: Group 1 — Sporting Dogs Stds KC (UK): Gun dog Stds NZKC: Gun dog Stds UKC: Gun Dog Stds The Labrador Retriever (Labrador or Lab for short), is one of several kinds of retriever, and is the most popular breed...

• Black: Usually pure black but sometimes grizzled.
• Brown: From mahogany through very dark brown.
• Red: Reminiscent of reddish woods such as cherry or mahogany; also tawny, chestnut, orange, rusty, liver, and red-gold.
• Yellow: From pale cream to a deep yellowish-gold tan.
• Gold: From pale apricot to rich reddish-yellow.
• Gray: Pale to dark gray, including silver; can be mixed with other colors or various shades to create sandy pepper, pepper, grizzle, blue-black gray, or silver-fawn.
• Blue: A dark metallic gray, often as a blue merle or speckled (with black).
• Sable: Black-tipped hairs; the background color can be gold, silver, gray, or tan.
• White: Distinct from albino dogs.

Black cat, thought by some to cause bad luck (see superstition) Black is the shade of objects that do not reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum. ... The brown and orange disks of color are objectively identical, in identical gray surrounds, in this image; their perceived color categories depend on what white they are compared to. ... Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 625–750 nm. ... “Cherry tree” redirects here. ... An example of Mahogany The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored wood, originally the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, sometimes referred to as Spanish or Cuban Mahogany. ... Blue merle Border Collie puppy Merle is a colour combination in dogs’ coats. ... Binomial name Martes zibellina Linnaeus, 1758 The Sable (Martes zibellina) is a small mammal, closely akin to the martens, living in southern Russia near the Ural Mountains through Siberia and Mongolia to Hokkaidō in Japan. ... White is the combination of all the colors of the visible light spectrum. ... Albinism (from Latin albus; extended etymology), more technically hypomelanism or hypomelanosis, is a form of hypopigmentary congenital disorder, characterized by a lack of melanin pigment in the eyes, skin and hair (or more rarely the eyes alone). ...

Pattern

The Dalmatian's coat is one of the more widely recognized markings.

Coat patterns include: Black spotted dalmatian - 6 y. ... Black spotted dalmatian - 6 y. ... The Dalmatian is a breed of dog, noted for its white coat with either black or liver spots. ...

• Two-color coats, such as Black and tan, red and white. The coat has both colors but in clearly defined and separated areas; usually the top and sides are darker and lower legs and underside are the lighter color.
• Tricolor: Consisting of three colors, usually black, tan, and white or liver, tan, and white.
• Brindle: A mixture of black with brown, tan, or gold, usually in a "tiger stripe" pattern.
• Harlequin: "Torn" patches of black on white.
• Merle: Marbled coat with darker patches and spots of the specified color.
• Particolor: Two-colored coat with the colors appearing in patches in roughly equal quantities.
• Tuxedo: Solid (usually black) with a white patch (shirt front) on the chest, and white on some or all of the feet (spats.) This pattern is sometimes called Irish Spotting, Flashy, or Boston.

Galgo Español with light brindle coat This article concerns animal colour. ... “Arlecchino” redirects here. ...

Texture

Coat textures vary tremendously. Some coats make the dogs more cuddly and others make them impervious to cold water. Densely furred breeds such as most sled dogs and Spitz types can have up to 600 hairs per inch, while fine-haired breeds such as the Yorkshire Terrier can have as few as 100, and the "hairless" breeds such as the Mexican Hairless have none on parts of their bodies. The texture of the coat often depends on the distribution and the length of the two parts of a dog's coat, its thick, warm undercoat (or down) and its rougher, somewhat weather-resistant outer coat (topcoat, also referred to as guard hairs). Breeds with soft coats often have more or longer undercoat hairs than guard hairs; rough-textured coats often have more or longer guard hairs. Textures include: Sled dogs, known also as sleigh dogs, sledge dogs or sleddogs are a group of dogs that are used to pull a wheel-less vehicle on runners (a sled or sleigh) over snow or ice, by means of harnesses and lines. ... Spitz-type breeds of dog (the correct German plural is Spitze, though Spitzen is commonly used in the United States) are characterized by long, thick, and often white fur, and pointed ears and muzzles. ... The Yorkshire Terrier, (often called simply the Yorkie), is a breed of small dog in the toy category. ... Common nicknames Xolo Country of origin Mexico Classification and breed standards Notes The AKC foundation stock service (FSS) is a registration service for breeds not yet recognised by the AKC. A Xoloitzcuintli or Xoloitzcuintle (the initial x is pronounced as an sh), also known as Tepeizeuintli or Mexican Hairless, is... Guard hairs are the longest, thickest hairs in a mammals coat, forming the topcoat (or outer coat). ...

The German Wirehaired Pointer's coat demonstrates a rough texture.

• Double-coated: Having a thick, warm, short undercoat (or down) that is usually dense enough to resist penetration by water and a stronger, rougher weather-resistant outer coat (topcoat), also referred to as guard hairs. Most other coat types are also double-coated.
• Single-coated: Lacking an undercoat.
• Smooth-coated: "Smooth" to the eye and touch.
• Wire-haired: Also called broken-coated. The harsh outer guard hairs are prominent, providing excellent weather protection for hunting dogs such as the Border Terrier or Wirehaired Pointing Griffon.
• Long-haired: Hair longer than an inch or so.
• Short-haired: Hair around an inch or so long.
• Corded coat: for example, see Puli

German Wirehaired Pointer Weidenhugel Sylvie v. ... German Wirehaired Pointer Weidenhugel Sylvie v. ... Country of origin Germany Classification Breed standards (external links) FCI, AKC, ANKC KC(UK), NZKC, UKC The German Wirehaired Pointer is a breed of dog developed in the 1800s in Germany for hunting. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is a breed of dog. ... Categories: Dog shows and showing | Stub ... For fruit, see tamarind. ...

Parts of the body

A special vocabulary has been developed to describe the shapes of various body parts including the ears and tail.

Ears

The Basset Hound's ears are extremely long drop ears.

Dogs' ears come in a variety of sizes, shapes, lengths, positions on the head, and amounts and types of droop. Every variation has a term, including: Basset Hound & Owner From: William Vollrath To: Elf Subject: RE: Wikipedia e-mail re bassett photo Date: Fri, 30 Jul 2004 14:28:11 -0700 I took the photo. ... Basset Hound & Owner From: William Vollrath To: Elf Subject: RE: Wikipedia e-mail re bassett photo Date: Fri, 30 Jul 2004 14:28:11 -0700 I took the photo. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

• Bat ear: Erect, broad next to the head and rounded at the tip, such as the ears on a Chihuahua.
• Button ear: A smaller ear where the tip folds forward nearly to the skull, forming a V, as in the Jack Russell Terrier.
• Cropped ear: Shaped by cutting; see docking.
• Drop ear: An ear that folds and droops close to the head, such as most scent hounds'and the little known Blue Lacy. Also called a pendant ear.
• Natural: Like a wolf's.
• Prick ear: Erect and pointed; also called pricked or erect.
• Rose ear: A very small drop ear that folds back; typical of many sight hounds, the Bulldog, and Australian Shepherd.
• Semiprick ear: A prick ear where the tip just begins to fold forward, as in the Rough Collie.

This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Jack Russell Terrier is a type of small, principally white-bodied, terrier that has its origins in fox hunting. ... Docking may refer to: the use of a Dock, e. ... Like most scent hounds, the Basset Hound has long ears, large nasal passages, and a sturdy body for endurance. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Wolf Wolf Man Mount Wolf Wolf Prizes Wolf Spider Wolf 424 Wolf 359 Wolf Point Wolf-herring Frank Wolf Friedrich Wolf Friedrich August Wolf Hugo Wolf Johannes Wolf Julius Wolf Max Franz Joseph Cornelius Wolf Maximilian Wolf Rudolf Wolf Thomas Wolf As Name Wolf Breidenbach Wolf Hirshorn Other The call... The Whippet shows the characteristic long legs, deep chest, and narrow waist of a sight hound. ... A Bulldog, which is also known colloquially as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog, is a medium-size breed of dog that originated in England. ... The Australian Shepherd is a breed of working dog that was developed in the United States in the 19th century. ... The Rough Collie is a breed of dog developed originally for herding in Scotland. ...

Tails

The Basenji's tail is tightly curled.

Like ears, tails come in a tremendous variety of shapes, lengths, amounts of fur, and tailsets (positions). Among them: Jiving Jasper (Jasper) owned by Jane Addis. ... Jiving Jasper (Jasper) owned by Jane Addis. ... The Basenji is a breed of hunting dog that originates in central Africa. ...

• Corkscrew: Short and twisted, such as a Pug's
• Docked: Shortened by surgery or other method, usually two or three days after birth; see docking
• Odd: Twisted, but not short. Uncommon. Tibetan Terriers have odd tails.
• Saber: Carried in a slight curve like a saber
• Sickle: Carried out and up in a semicircle like a sickle
• Squirrel: Carried high and towards the head, often with the tip curving even further towards the head.
• Wheel: Carried up and over the back in a broad curve, resembling a wheel.

Pug is also a common name for some smaller moths in the family Geometridae. ... Docking is used as a term for the intentional removal of part of an animals tail or ears. ... // / The Tibetan Terrier is not a member of the terrier group, the name being given to it by European travelers to Tibet who were reminded of terriers from back home when they first encountered the breed. ... The Saber (spanish/portuguese: knowledge) currency is an educational sectoral currency in Brazil that is handed out by the ministry of education. ... Using a sickle A Adam is a curved, hand-held agricultural tool typically used for harvesting grain crops before the advent of modern harvesting machinery. ...

Puppy characteristics

Puppies often have characteristics that do not last beyond early puppyhood. Eye color often changes from blue to its adult color as the puppy matures. The coat color may change: Kerry Blue Terrier puppies have black coats at birth and change to blue with maturity, and Dalmatians are white and gain their spots with age. The ear shape will also often change, especially with erect-eared breeds such as the German Shepherd Dog which have soft ears at birth, but the cartilage strengthens with age. Blue Lacy Dogs and Labrador Retrievers, however, stay very much the same through life. This article cites very few or no references or sources. ... The Dalmatian is a breed of dog, noted for its white coat with either black or liver spots. ... The German Shepherd Dog or Alsatian (see Breed names), is a popular breed of dog. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... The Labrador Retriever (Labrador or Lab for short), is one of several kinds of retriever, and is the most popular breed of dog (by registered ownership) in both the United States and the United Kingdom. ...

It is not uncommon for puppies to have their ears cropped or straightened, tails docked, or in the case of the Chow Chow, to have their eyefolds stitched back so that they can see. Many of these are done in accordance with breed standards for many Kennel Clubs. Some countries like Italy have banned this practice as an act of animal cruelty. Chow-chow is a combination of different vegetables: cabbage, carrots, beans, asparagus, cauliflower, and peas which are pickled in a jar and served cold. ...

Temperature regulation

A common misconception is that dogs do not sweat. Primarily, dogs regulate their body temperature in a completely different way, through their tongue. That is why after a dog has been running or on a hot day, its mouth will be seen wide open with the tongue hanging out. This form of cooling maximizes heat loss while conserving moisture, because it carries heat from the hottest part of the body, the interior core of the thorax, unlike sweating, which cools the already coolest part of the body, the skin—or in less intuitive, more scientific terms, this higher efficiency of thermal loss relative to moisture conservation arises because heat flow is proportional to temperature gradient. In addition, dogs effectively sweat through the pads of their feet, since they are not furred. On a warm day and after exercise, a dog's naturally wet footprints might be visible on a smooth floor. Sweating (also called perspiration or sometimes transpiration) is the loss of a watery fluid, consisting mainly of sodium chloride and urea in solution, that is secreted by the sweat glands in the skin of mammals. ... Diagram of a tsetse fly, showing the head, thorax and abdomen The thorax is a division of an animals body that lies between the head and the abdomen. ... In physics, thermal conductivity, k, is the intensive property of a material that indicates its ability to conduct heat. ...

Dogs possess a rete mirabile in the carotid sinus at the base of their neck, a complex of intermingled small arteries and veins which acts as a heat exchanger to thermally isolate the head, containing the brain, the most temperature-sensitive organ, from the body, containing the muscles, where most of the heat is generated. The result is that dogs can sustain intense physical exertion over a prolonged time in a hot environment, compared to animals which lack this apparatus; thus, a dog chasing a jackrabbit through the desert may not be able to outrun the rabbit, but it can continue the chase until the rabbit literally drops dead from overheating. A rete mirabile (Latin for wonderful net) is a complex of arteries and veins lying very close to each other, found in a number of vertebrates, and serving different purposes. ... Arteries of the neck. ... A heat exchanger is a device built for efficient heat transfer from one fluid to another, whether the fluids are separated by a solid wall so that they never mix, or the fluids are directly contacted. ... “Human Head” redirects here. ... In animals, the brain or encephalon (Greek for in the head), is the control center of the central nervous system, responsible for behaviour. ... With regard to living things, a body is the integral physical material of an individual. ... A top-down view of skeletal muscle Muscle (from Latin musculus little mouse [1]) is contractile tissue of the body and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. ... Jack rabbit and Jackrabbit redirect here. ... This article is about arid terrain. ...

Citations