Wildlifeof China
Domestic Dog
Bears, Dogs & Otters
Photo: Afsar Nayakkan · CC BY 4.0
Canis familiaris
Basic stats
Diet
Omnivorous; diet varies with human care and access to scavenged food
Habitat
Human settlements, agricultural land and feral habitats worldwide
Range
Worldwide in association with humans
Litter size
Usually 3–9 puppies
Gestation period
About 63 days
Weight
Under 1kg to more than 70kg, depending on breed
Domestic dogs display greater variation in size, proportions, coat and behaviour than any wild canid because people have selectively bred them for companionship and tasks such as guarding, hunting, herding and hauling. Despite this variety, their underlying anatomy remains recognisably wolf-like. Adult mass ranges from under 1kg in the smallest breeds to more than 70kg in large breeds, making a single representative size inappropriate. (Animal Diversity Web)
Dogs occur worldwide wherever people live, including cities, villages, farms and pastoral landscapes. Human-kept animals eat deliberately supplied foods, whereas free-ranging dogs often depend heavily on refuse and other human-derived resources. Behaviour varies with upbringing and environment: dogs may live individually with people, in managed working groups or in loosely organized feral packs. Pregnancy lasts about 63 days, and an average litter contains three to nine puppies. (Animal Diversity Web)
Quick answers
- What does the Domestic Dog eat?
- Omnivorous; diet varies with human care and access to scavenged food
- What habitat does the Domestic Dog live in?
- Human settlements, agricultural land and feral habitats worldwide
- Where is the Domestic Dog found?
- Worldwide in association with humans
- What is the litter size of the Domestic Dog?
- Usually 3–9 puppies
- How long is the gestation period of the Domestic Dog?
- About 63 days
- How much does the Domestic Dog weigh?
- Under 1kg to more than 70kg, depending on breed