Canis lupus familiaris
Domestic Dog
The dog is the most behaviourally varied domestic species on earth. Choosing well means matching the individual dog's energy, sociability and handling needs to your own daily life.
CanidaeLifespan 8–16 years, shorter in giant breedsCare complexity 3/5Suitable for beginners
At a glance
- Scientific name
- Canis lupus familiaris
- Family
- Canidae
- Origin
- Domesticated from grey wolves in Eurasia at least 15,000 years ago
- Lifespan
- 8–16 years, shorter in giant breeds
- Adult size
- 15–90 cm at the shoulder
- Weight
- 1.5–90 kg
- Temperament
- Highly social, cooperative and strongly bonded to human family groups
- Activity level
- Moderate to very high depending on breed and age
- Social needs
- High — dogs should not be left alone for long routine periods
- Intelligence
- Excellent associative learning and social cognition; reads human gestures well
- Noise
- Barking varies by breed from rare to frequent
Housing and environment
- Housing
- Indoor family living with secure outdoor access
- Space requirement
- Adequate indoor space plus daily access to safe walking areas
- Temperature
- Comfortable 10–25°C; flat-faced and thick-coated breeds overheat easily
- Humidity
- Not critical; high humidity worsens heat stress
- Exercise
- 30 minutes to 3 hours daily including sniffing and problem-solving
- Grooming
- Weekly to daily depending on coat type; nails, ears and teeth need routine care
Diet and feeding
Omnivorous with a high protein requirement; complete commercial or vet-formulated diets
Behaviour and compatibility
Play, scent exploration, chewing, social contact and predictable routine
- With children
- Generally good with supervision and taught handling
- With other animals
- Varies with prey drive and socialisation history
- Training difficulty
- Low to moderate with reward-based methods
Health
- Dental disease
- Obesity
- Osteoarthritis
- Ear infections
- Breed-specific inherited conditions
Annual health checks, core vaccinations, parasite control and dental assessment
Special care requirements
Needs daily companionship, not just food and exercise