i asked Google if dingoes are dogs, here's the answer
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Everything Else
Celestia Bloodshed — 6 months ago(September 22, 2025 12:07 AM)
Yes, dingoes are a subspecies of the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris), considered an ancient breed of dog that was introduced to Australia by humans thousands of years ago and subsequently became wild. While they are wild animals and are genetically distinct from modern domestic dogs, they are not a separate species and can breed with domestic dogs.
Dingoes as Ancient Dogs
Ancient origins: Dingoes arrived in Australia with humans from Asia about 4,000 years ago, representing an early stage of domestic dog evolution.
Domesticated but wild: They are essentially an "original domestic dog" that adapted to a wild, untamed existence, rather than being feral dogs that reverted to the wild.
Dingoes and Domestic Dogs
Shared lineage: Both dingoes and modern domestic dogs are descended from the same canine ancestors, making them the same species (Canis lupus familiaris).
Hybridization: Dingoes can interbreed with domestic dogs, creating hybrid animals known as wild dogs, a situation that threatens the genetic purity of dingo populations.
Dingoes in the Modern World
Ecological role: In Australia, dingoes are protected native animals and act as apex predators, playing a vital role in the ecosystem.
"Wild dogs": The term "wild dog" is used to refer to dingoes, feral domestic dogs, and their hybrids collectively.
does New Zealand have dingoes,
@NZer
?
cursed, scarred & forever possessed -
Celestia Bloodshed — 6 months ago(September 22, 2025 12:19 AM)
you can't fool me!
Can dingoes swim for hundreds of miles?
No, dingoes cannot swim for hundreds of miles; while they are capable swimmers and enjoy the water, they are not built for long-distance aquatic travel. They are native to Australia's wild lands, but their primary hunting grounds and habitats do not involve extensive ocean swimming.
Here's a breakdown of why they can't swim for hundreds of miles:
Physiological limitations: Dingoes are adapted for terrestrial life, not long-distance aquatic endurance. They are roughly the size of a medium-sized domestic dog.
Behavioral patterns: While they have been documented swimming and spending time at beaches, this is in specific contexts, such as on islands like K'gari, not for traversing hundreds of miles of open ocean.
Habitat and diet: Dingoes are wild canines found in Australia's varied habitats, including forests, deserts, and grasslands, and are known to hunt prey on land. Their diet includes fish, which they catch in rivers and other water sources, but this is a part of their broader diet, not a primary means of long-distance travel.
No known record of long-distance swimming: There are no scientific accounts or observations of dingoes undertaking journeys across vast expanses of water.
cursed, scarred & forever possessed -
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ZolotoyRetriever — 6 months ago(September 22, 2025 01:05 AM)
I asked Google if wild dingoes can be domesticated. Here's the answer:
No, wild dingoes cannot be truly domesticated; while they can be tamed to some extent if raised from puppyhood, they retain their wild traits and are not fully adapted to living with humans like domesticated dogs. The process of domestication involves continuous selective breeding over generations to adapt an animal to living with humans, a process that has not occurred with dingoes.
Why dingoes are not truly domesticated
Lack of long-term adaptation to humans:
While some dingoes may become accustomed to humans, they retain strong independence and predatory instincts, a characteristic absent in domestic dogs.
Taming vs. domestication:
Taming is an individual process where a single animal learns to tolerate or even bond with humans, while domestication is a species-wide, genetic adaptation through centuries of selective breeding.
Different evolutionary path:
Dingoes are a wild canid that evolved in Australia as the "wolf of Australia," a species that was never fully domesticated in the way dogs are.
Limited human-directed breeding:
Unlike domestic dogs, indigenous Australians did not engage in the selective breeding necessary for domestication.
Dingoes in human society
Historical interactions:
Dingoes were brought to Australia as tamed animals and lived in a symbiotic relationship with indigenous peoples, but this relationship was not domestication.
Present-day relationships:
While some dingoes can be socialized and cared for by humans, especially if raised from pups, they remain wild animals with different needs and behaviors than dogs.
Risks and dangers:
A dingo is not a pet and poses potential dangers due to its wild nature; attempting to treat it as such can be dangerous for both the dingo and humans.
