Known for their loyal temperament, it’s no secret that dogs are man’s best friend.
But would this hold true for hybrids born to the parents of domestic and wild animals?
Just yesterday, the first ever fox-dog hybrid – called a ‘dogxim’ – was officially confirmed in Brazil.
But this isn’t the only case of a wild cross, with wolfdogs, jackal-dogs and even coydogs living among us.
So, take a look, as MailOnline lifts the lid on why many of these curious species exist.
1. Wolfdog
As the name suggests, this hybrid shares the bloodline of both wolves and domestic dogs.
These species can mate thanks to their ‘interfertility’, which means they share very similar physical characteristics and a not-so-different evolutionary past.
But don’t get it twisted, any ‘first generation wolfdog pup’ that has a direct wolf parent is illegal to own in the UK unless you have a special licence.
Czechoslovakians (pictured) and Saarloos are the two main types of wolfdog found in the UK
Two more distant ancestors of the wolf can be owned whether you have this licence or not (Pictured: European Grey Wolf)
READ MORE: How WOLVES can co-operate with humans just like dogs
However, you may be surprised to know that two more distant ancestors of the wolf can be owned whether you have this licence or not.
This includes the Czechoslovakian and Saarloos, which are usually the product of wolves and German Shepherds or Huskies.
Despite this, the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) warns that wolfdogs have an incredibly different temperament to typical dogs.
‘Wolfdogs need a lot of space to run and be able to fulfil all their wild behaviours – they need much more exercise and attention than a domestic dog,’ the veterinary charity said.
‘They can be difficult to train and crave the company of a “pack”, so are not a breed to be left home alone. Like their wild ancestors, you can expect Wolfdogs to be very vocal.’
It’s understood that a wolfdog is also far less likely to seek approval from their owner and may even be aggressive.
Only experienced handlers without families are therefore advised by the PDSA to own wolfdogs.
2. Fox-dog
This fox-dog hybrid – known as a ‘dogxim’ – was found in Brazil after being hit by a car
Just yesterday, the world’s first fox-dog hybrid was confirmed in Brazil.
The animal was discovered after being hit by a car around two years ago, but vets couldn’t figure out whether the young female was a dog or a fox.
Extensive genetic tests have since revealed that she was half-and-half, as her mother was a pampas fox and her father was a domestic dog.
Sadly, the pup has now died, but experts believe that many more ‘dogxims’ like this may exist in the wild.
‘She was an amazing animal, really a hybrid between a pampas fox and a dog,’ conservationist Flávia Ferrari told The Telegraph.
While the young hybrid moved like a fox and ate live rodents, she barked like a dog and even played with toys.
Ms Ferrari continued: ‘It was not as docile as a dog, but it also lacked the aggressiveness expected of a wild canid when handled.’
3. Jackal-dog
The Shalaika dog is a jackal and Reindeer Husky hybrid that was first bred by Klim Sulimov, a renowned Russian biologist.
These half-and-half species have inherited a unique set of characteristics, including an impressive sense of smell and a resilience in freezing climates.
As a result, more than 50 pups were deployed in 2019 to sniff out bombs in Moscow for Russia’s airline Aeroflot.
This jackal-dog hybrid has been deployed in Russia to sniff out explosives at a Moscow airport
The Russian Shalaika dog is a jackal and Reindeer Husky (pictured) hybrid
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‘Aeroflot’s dog handlers presented the dogs and showed videos about the training process as well as the Company’s own recent development – the olfactory monitoring system,’ the airline said.
‘Finding explosives is the key duty of the Shalaikas. Everyday dog handlers and dogs patrol the airport and inspect planes to ensure safety.
‘Due to their sharp sense of smell Shalaika sniffer dogs have proven to be much more reliable than any kind of equipment designed to detect explosives.’
While jackals bear similarities to wolves, they are often half the size with a body length of around 31 inches.
Some jackals also live off a mix of hunted prey and plants, while wolves are predominantly carnivorous.
‘Building on the successes of its dog service, Aeroflot introduced olfactory monitoring – a hardware and software system that includes special gear for dogs to help identify the nature of substances they detect and transmit information to an operator’s computer,’ the airline continued.
‘Olfactory monitoring also allows for remote analysis of an air environment.’
4. Dingo-dog
It’s believed that the Australian Cattle Dog (pictured) is distantly related to the dingo
The dingo is an ancient breed of wild dog that has lived in Australia for thousands of years
A dingo is an ancient breed of wild dog that may have lived in Australia from as far back as 4,000 years.
While it’s often disputed whether a dingo can be domesticated, the wild dog was interbred with a tame Blue Merle during the 1800s.
This produced what is now referred to as the Australian Cattle Dog, with the species often used to herd animals on farmland.
Unlike wolfdogs, these are widely known to be good with children but can be suspicious and even aggressive towards strangers.
In 2015, The Mail On Sunday’s Personal Finance Editor was mauled by a dog of this breed in an unprovoked attack that put him in hospital.
5. Coydog
In 1977, it was determined that two major coydog species exist, including the Canis latrans and C. familiaris
Typically, coyotes (pictured) are larger than jackals but smaller than wolves, with long brushy tails and light-coloured coats
Put simply, this hybrid is the offspring of both a coyote and a domestic dog which are generally found in the US.
But biologist Kent McFarland of the Vemont Centre, claims the true picture is often far murkier than this.
‘Depending on where you sample in the Northeast, it’s somewhere around 60 to 80 percent of their gene pool is made up of coyote genes, somewhere around 10 to 25 percent is wolf genes and something less than 10 percent ends up being domestic dog genes,’ he told Vermont Public.
‘So we’re talking about an animal that is mostly coyote, a bit wolf and a tiny bit domestic dog.’
Typically, coyotes are larger than jackals but smaller than wolves, with long brushy tails and light-coloured coats.
In 1977, it was determined that two major coydog species exist, including the Canis latrans and C. familiaris.
These have predominantly grown up in captivity, according to the Urban Coyote Research Project.
READ MORE: Meet the rare animals born without their iconic patterns
From leopards to zebras, many of the most distinctive creatures in the animal kingdom feature incredible stripes and spots.
But what if these completely vanished altogether?
Last month, a spotless baby giraffe was born at a zoo in Tennessee, making it the only known giraffe without its iconic patterns.
As it turns out, there are numerous rare examples of this occurring in nature – whether it be tigers without stripes or completely white pandas.
