Dingos in Arizona???

3018 Views 4 Replies 4 Participants Last post by DaySleepers, 5 mo ago

Pdandy

Discussion Starter · Mar 11, 2020

Hello and thanks for taking a peek at my thread!

Towards the end of January, I happened across a very young pup (6 weeks old max) roaming a vast desert area of Southern Arizona; I live in an extremely rural town with little human activity - basically farm land and open desert with a small housing division on the edge of town. I had initially thought maybe someone lost or dumped her, but now I believe she had been born in the wild and according to some of the locals, there is a “pack” of these type of dogs living right in the area where I picked her up!
Here’s the thing... she is unlike any dog I have ever had!!! She has very unique and distinct behaviours - she has rather large ears that seem to rotate almost completely around, she is very reactive to sounds and movement much like a hound and her ears will turn completely towards wherever the sound comes from. She also has attached herself to me and whenever I come home she greets me sort of like a wolf - she will nuzzle and be very close to me, this ritual only lasts about 5 minutes but she’ll go crazy until I participate in it with her. She also digs holes with her nose - I’ve had dogs dig holes before but not like this; she’ll use the tip of her nose to make little indentations in the dirt, there are tiny little nose holes all over my yard lol. She is also somewhat guarded and can be weary of new people, but warms up once she sees me interact for a little. She is the same way with other dogs and has barked at some while at the vet (her bark is more like a yodel, very very loud and startling).
She is very wild-looking, a few of my friends and family think she has some coyote in her but I don’t think so; she sort of resembles a Dingo to me, and I was wondering if it’s possible for there to be Dingos in Arizona? She is mostly tan that fades to a cream around her mouth and chest, and has a sickle-like tail (her tail curves but is not curly, sort of like a hook). She is about 4 months old now and weighs about 22 lbs, I’ve attached a few images

of her. ?

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RonE

· #2 · Mar 11, 2020

Within a very few generations, feral dogs begin to look very much like dingoes, with optimal body-type for survival in the wild. Dingos, in fact, started out as imported domestic dogs that went feral. They are not native to Australia or Arizona.

So what you may have there, while not technically a dingo, may be the product of multiple generations of feral dogs. If so, I'm not confident that he will remain reliably domestic when he reaches maturity. Honestly, I don't know much about that process, but I have to imagine it can be really challenging.

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Pdandy

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 11, 2020

RonE said:
Within a very few generations, feral dogs begin to look very much like dingoes, with optimal body-type for survival in the wild. Dingos, in fact, started out as imported domestic dogs that went feral. They are not native to Australia or Arizona.

So what you may have there, while not technically a dingo, may be the product of multiple generations of feral dogs. If so, I'm not confident that he will remain reliably domestic when he reaches maturity. Honestly, I don't know much about that process, but I have to imagine it can be really challenging.

Thank you for your response! I do have some experience working with Pariah-type dogs and yes she will most definitely be a challenge, she’s unlike your average domesticated dog or even street dog, her behaviours almost resemble those of a wolf-hybrid I knew when I was younger; she has an extreme prey drive and tries to “hunt” things in the house. I currently have her on a “no free lunch” policy with avid mental stimulation mixed with obedience training, she is incredibly intelligent

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T_Stephens

· #4 · 5 mo ago

I got one from a rescue 2-3 months ago, same type of behavior and at night or sometimes during the day if I hide my face under something he will charge and bite at my arms and hand.. Its never hard but working to stop it as he also will bite at the head and neck..

I was blown away to walk outside after he was in the yard for only an hour or so and found so many dents in the ground and looked at the cameras and it was done with his nose.

He will also go crazy when I get home and if I go from room to room he almost always will follow me. Great dog just loves to play a little rough and that is being nipped quick but so observant. they said he came off the reservation in southern Arizona when found in a rain storm.

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DaySleepers

· #5 · 5 mo ago

This thread is two years old and the original poster is no longer active, so I'm closing it to further replies. Feel free to start your own thread about your pup, or join in any of our current discussions.

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