Do Coyotes & Domestic Dogs Crossbreed?

jrbhunter

New member
This is the question we've been bouncing around lately. Do coyotes and domestic dogs crossbreed? I've killed several coyotes that have subtle markings like that of a domestic dog such as white patches on their forhead, black feet or a ringless tail and was wondering if that was some sort of genetic impurity that came from domesticated bloodlines somewhere.

Are there any experts out there on this subject? I've heard them called coydogs but I've also seen pictures of these so called "coydogs" that look like a joke, half french poodle and half coyote. Thats not the kind of crazy mythical creatures I'm dealing with. We have a HUGE population of stray muts and wild dogs around here and it has often been rumored that they crossbreed with coyotes. Is this true?
 
jrb- they can and do occasionally cross-breed. It is possible just as wolves and domestic dogs can cross-breed. If you do a search on the subject in either the biology or predator hunting forums, you should find several threads to read over.

"Coyotes readily breed with domestic dogs and bear fertile offspring (coydogs), who also can breed with either dogs or coyotes. While all members of the Canis genus can (and do) interbreed (dogs, wolves, and coyotes), due to the size difference, male wolves are known to breed with female coyotes or dogs, but not typically the other way around. Before the advent of Man, geographic isolating mechanisms kept the various species from interbreeding. With coyotes coming into heat only once a year in late winter, and dogs twice a year, overlapping breeding periods are not common (male coyotes are only able to breed when females are in estrus – males can only produce viable sperm for a period of 3 to 4 months). With male dogs capable of mating year-round, most coydogs are from male dogs and female coyotes. Since male coyotes help in pup-rearing, while male dogs do not, this lessens the likelihood of successful coydog raising. Additionally, estrus in coydogs comes especially early, producing young in January or February; a time unfavorable for survival. For these reasons, the amount of domestic dog genes in coyote bloodline is probably extremely low"
http://www.bobpickett.org/order_carnivora.htm

http://www.coyotes-coyotes.com/coyotes-general-information.htm
 
Jrb, no offense but I'm going to close this thread up and move it over to the "Predator Biology " forum. I think you'll receive a lot more replies over there. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
jrbhunter,
I have seen a few photo's here on the predator masters board that have convinced me that cross breeding between domestic dogs and coyotes does occasionally happen. I have never seen any evidence of it in real live animals, so my belief is that this cross breeding you mention is pretty rare.
 
What do you think of the strange and unique markings I'm finding on my coyotes? It seems pretty strange that they would carry such characteristics here but not in Texas or Montana. I could understand one coyote having a larger throat patch than others but I mean a white diamond on the forhead is pretty unique.

I've killed deer with white feet before but that is VERY rare... how is it that it becomes so common for coyotes to have strange markings?
 
jrbhunter,
I would be interested in seeing a photo or two of these strange color markings you are finding. Maybe you do in fact have some cross breeding going on in that area.
 
Okay, I'll take a look when I go to my parents farm this weekend... mom saves pictures forever so I'm sure there are a couple there. All I have digitally are the ones I've taken this summer... they've all been pretty typical thus far. I'll see what I can dig up and get scanned for you, if that doesn't work out I'll hit the calls and see if I can pop a unique one! Well, okay... he'll be dead even if he's plain jane! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I'm heading out in about ten minutes to go take a final look at a new gun. I'm like a kid waiting to blow out birthday candles... can't hardly sit still. I just hope they have one in stock so I can get a good up close look and feel before I put my order in with my gunsmith!
 
Loose dogs / feral dogs are bound to have encounters with predators. But I would think they would be more of a lunch item.
 
Additional info (copied):

Yes, in some situations, but the breeding behavior of the coyote is much different than that of the dog, therefore instances of this would be rare. If a female coyote is in estrus and chooses a male dog as her mate, the pups would not survive because the domestic dog will not feed and care for the female when the pups are born as a male coyote would. For a female dog to mate with a male coyote, she would have to be in estrus at the same time the male coyote is fertile. As stated above, the male coyote is not fertile all the time like the male dog. The female dog would also have to give the same social and breeding signals to the male coyote as a female coyote would, which is unlikely that the dog could produce. In coyotes, the female chooses her mate, and both male and female are selective in their mates. Immediately prior to breeding, the relationship between male and female coyotes is very aggressive. Therefore, without the breeding behavior, the male coyote would not respond to the female dog for breeding, and may even kill it. Also, unlike dogs, coyotes create lifelong pair bonds, inhabiting and defending the same territory.
 
Very interesting topic. I've seen a 1/2 dozen "coydogs" over the years, since the late 60's in Iowa. I shot one that was gold (as in Golden-Retriever). He was large, looked just like a "wolf". He was paired up with a small coyote. I hit him on a 100yrd running shot with a .223 Mini-14 55gr SN, in the chest. Knocked him down(took out a hand-full of lung..coming out). He got back up. Kicked in the after-burner. Couldn't tag him again. Tracked him 3/4 mile. He went under an old barn.

Also shot a 50lb coyote(I weighed him, on a mechanical scale) male-yote 25yrs ago. He had a cream colored face, with a dark blue ring around his cream mask. Other than his size and face, he looked "all" coyote.
 
They had a problem with wolf and or coyote domestic dog crosses up near the Spooner WIsconsin Research station about 15 years ago or so causing a lot of problem with the sheep herd there.

They used some dead sheep carcasses as bait and shot a couple of them. They had a write up and pictures in the local paper. They photos i saw were of pretty ugly looking critters

I don't have any photos of them, I saw a few as one of my buddies was working there at the time, actually still does but in a different (higher up) role.

He said they would sit on the edge of a field a watch the field hads drive tractors etc and do field work.
 


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