Coyote, Wolf or Dog

[ELR LVR]

View attachment 1083131
Humm, just comparing

See if it can wag its tail. I saw a TV thing that stated only a dog can wag its' tail.

I would say that is a Wolf track, or one of these Hybrids maybe, 3rd pic you can see even a Hybrids paws are not dainty. 4th pic just for fun, is the Paw of a 1-1/2 month old Wolf Cub, it's nearly as big as my hand
Lol their paws always def look too big for their body... never really growing into them.
Now the thing to realize is when they step into something soft, and make a good print like the Op posted
their paws splay out pretty good and make a much larger print than if just hanging loose.
I have seen my Hybrids prints in the mud or sand and had to stop and take a double take wondering if a 100%er had come around. Only to realized that was the path we walked earlier.
One sure way to tell is if you can also see their rear paw prints, A Wolf will print more in a straight line, their rear paws staying in line with the front, almost stepping into their own front prints
Whereas a Dogs print will be staggered outward, they dont step onto their own prints. They loose some stealth through domestication.


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Not Wagging Tails is true, These are a few pics of my Wolf/Hybrid, her percentage is high enough she does not ever wag her tail, Wolves may stick it out straight behind them, puff it up, but never wags, it always hangs down.
I believe she could if she wanted to, but they do not communicate their emotions that way to humans,
It is also one method of what is called "phenotyping" the percentage if you have a hybrid.
Using characteristics and behaviors and the different anatomy to determine a rough guestimate.
60%ers, will still wag its tail like a dog. Or even hold it up curled like a Samoyed
Above that they pretty much stop wagging. Hers always hangs down low for the most part, even when we interact, no matter what we're doing.
However I have seen her sort of, wag it to a potential mate when being playful and trying to attract.

 

[kyotekiller25]

I've got a couple 150# female Malamutes that have huuuuge paws. They could easily be mistaken for wolves if a guy didn't know what he was looking at.

I think those are from a juvenile wolf.

 

[Bojo]

I lives north western PA so I wouldn’t know areal wolf track if I seen one. What I do know for sure thought is that I have had the blessing to share my time here with quite a few different breeds of dogs.

Beagles , Healers, German Shepherd, Welsh Corgis, plenty of beagle mixes and I finally settled down to German Shepherds.

In just those that I’ve listed they all make a vastly different track on the ground. Trying to differentiate between a half grown German Shepherd and a coyote can be tough. Beagle and coyote not so much.

That track in the OP’s pic is far bigger than my 80 pound Shepherd leaves for sure.

 

[blades]

there are cross breeds of wolf and coyote . I know they are around in Pa and NY don't know if they have stated popping up in Mich or WI

 

[TonyinKY]

From a pack of wolves leading up a small basin in the Wind River Range, WY.



I’ve always said three most astonishing things in nature to me are the size of a wolf, the size of a bull moose and the speed of a grizzly. The size of a wolf is so out of proportion looking to this country boy!

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Fox, coyote,wolf tracks width narrower than length. Domestic canine wider than length.

 

[284winner]

Here's is a track we encountered in northern Michigan during late doe season. Whats your opinion, large Coyote, small wolf or domestic? The tracks were in a straight line like it was on a mission not lolly gagging through the woods. The round next to it is a 6-06

I live in northern Mi also. I have these huge canine tracks in my yard on occasion. We often have deer in our yard feeding and this is when I see the tracks the most. I think it's a large dog that are making these tracks in my case. If you live it the UP, I'd really consider them being wolf tracks. Not many wolves in NLP or even the LP in general. Few sightings noted but seeing tracks would be rare but certainly possible.