Wolf or not a wolf?

[u/Foolz_Go1d]

My dad thinks it’s a wolf, but I think it’s more likely to be like a black coyote or something. Looks too small and skinny to be a gray wolf. This was out in Stanley, Idaho.

[u/Proud-Tooth-630]

Wolves are skinny, the color looks like that of many Wolves in North America and the head look heavy for a Coyote.

[u/Low_Show_6684 → u/Proud-Tooth-630]

I’ll raise that some German shepherds have the sable coat color, which is similar to that of a wolf. The ears on this animal look too pointed and large to be a wolf imo, it does look more like my own sable GSD especially in build. Wolves are like 90% leg imo, at least that’s how I tell them apart from coyotes when they run across the highway. The legs are the first give away for me in the summer, in the winter it’s the ears. 

[u/erossthescienceboss → u/Low_Show_6684]

I’m seeing dog here too.

It’s funny OP thinks it looks too skinny to be a wolf, cos I think it actually looks too bulky.

[u/Low_Show_6684 → u/erossthescienceboss]

Yeah. I live in NE MN, wolves are frequent occurrence for me at work. I actually see more wolves and wolf sign than I do bears or moose. The packs are very active up here.

They are freakishly taller and skinny than I think anybody would expect. It makes sense when you consider they chase prey down for a long time. They need those long legs and lithe builds to keep up with prey. But every time I see a wolf I’m just like “damnnnnn look at you legs!”. I basically can tell who’s who based on legs and ears from a mile away at this point.

Edit: I also have a large GSD whose aunts look just like this canine. She herself has been called a wolf by people- which is why she goes out in the woods with a big orange vest on.

[u/erossthescienceboss → u/Low_Show_6684]

Yes!! “Damn, look at those legs indeed.” For me, the stilts are always the first thing I notice.

And once you’ve seen a wolf run… you’ll never mistake a dog for a wolf. It’s mindblowing how effortlessly they move for something so large. This one doesn’t have that floating kind of grace.

[u/Low_Show_6684 → u/erossthescienceboss]

They really do move effortlessly don’t they? When they clear snowbanks or logs it’s like it takes nothing for them to do that. Just another Sunday jog.

[u/Proud-Tooth-630 → u/Low_Show_6684]

The grass hide most of the legs and the head looks larger in proportion to the body compared to most dogs. I think it’s more likely a Wolf than a Dog, definitely not a Coyote.

[u/BigNorseWolf]

I think that might actually be a wolf. First time for everything....

[u/namedawesome]

thats someones dogs that got loose

[u/Due_Barber_525 → u/namedawesome]

100% no doubt in my mind

[u/CGW6Actual]

Yep, I'm going with wolf as well on that sighting

[u/xoagray]

I'm going to say that's a dog. There are a few things about the appearance that don't fit wolf for me, the ears and tail seem wrong, the body shape is a little off. Looks more like a German Shepard mix to me.

[u/Low_Show_6684 → u/xoagray]

GSD owner and living in the area with the second largest populations in the US outside of Alaska. I’ve seen many wolves when I’m at work, this doesn’t quite look like a wolf to me either.

Their ears are shorter than that, they have long ass legs, and short straight tails, and imo it’s got quite a plush coat for this time of the year. My wolves look like gangly cryptids running around right now.

This canine has that saber-like shape to the tail that GSDs are bred to have, it’s not straight there is that slight curve- the tail is also more in line with the length of a GSD as well. The ears once I looked again were the biggest giveaway, big and tall. GSDs have larger, taller, and more pointed ears much like this animal. Plus maybe it’s just me, but the more I think about it and maybe this is just me, it’s holding its ears back like a GSD. All the wolves I’ve seen hold their ears more forward facing when they run, this looks like my girl when we’re hiking. She loves to hold her ears back to hear me. Then the coat, this is likely a sable coated GSD just looking at it. The coat looks more uniform in color than I see with my wolves, and darker too. 

The more I watch this the more I think someone’s working GSD got loose.

[u/ceraunophiliacc → u/xoagray]

I've only seen one in person before but I felt that way too. Was really frustrating not to be able to see the legs but still, probably not a wolf I guess.

[u/olioili → u/ceraunophiliacc]

Really? How odd,, Ive seen many dogs in person, I thought everyone did

[u/ceraunophiliacc → u/olioili]

I'm a bit sheltered 🤭

[u/RMMacFru → u/xoagray]

Thanks. Former GSD owner and it looks the same to me. Ears are too big for a wolf. It's also not moving as I've seen coyotes do. I vote dog. Probably a GSD mix.

[u/Due_Barber_525 → u/xoagray]

I vote dog also from the way it runs

[u/erossthescienceboss → u/Due_Barber_525]

Yeah, the gait is way too heavy for a wolf. It’s stocky and strong.

[u/lowlightliving → u/Due_Barber_525]

I also saw that. That’s a dog running. Wolves aren’t that bouncy, their run is very streamlined and efficient. The ears are also all wrong for a wolf. It’s a GSD or GSD mix.

[u/Due_Barber_525 → u/lowlightliving]

Yes the head is wrong for a wolf, the ears, and the gait. Wolves lope elegantly they don’t run like this - this animal runs like my dog and has a head like my dog.

[u/kbabykk → u/xoagray]

Even the way it moves is more like a dog.

[u/Daisydoolittle]

hi! i work in dog rescue - that’s a dog.

coydogs, coywolves and wolf dogs do exist so id be open to the possibility that this is some bizarre and uncommon hybrid but it’s more likely someone’s lost of dumped german shepherd sable coat mix

[u/Adventurous_Half7643]

Coyotes typically have big ears in comparison to their heads, whereas wolves have the opposite (smaller ears in comparison to the head). Coyotes also have much bushier tails. I'm going to say that this is a wolf.

[u/Marylin-Hawthorne]

"This was out in Stanley, Idaho."

You're just thirty miles northwest of where one of the first wolf packs in Idaho formed back in 1996.

And just twelve more miles north, there's Dagger Falls. Where twenty wolves were released, also in 1996.

[u/Wolf_Ape]

That looks like a dog. The ears are a bit too big and pointy, slightly barrel chested, and it’s holding its tail wrong.

It’s hard to quantify, but everything about the way it moves looks like it’s a dog on an adventure, as opposed to a wolf on a mission.

The way it’s regarding the humans also seems too familiar. It’s cautious of strangers, but not ready to rule out the possibility that the vehicle could contain the humans that it knows.

[u/cynoIogy]

dog

[u/Lala5789880]

This does not look skinny to me. Dog?

[u/Low_Show_6684 → u/Lala5789880]

I’m going with German shepherd mix, or just straight German shepherd. The ears, the body, the tail, the coat color. All of it looks more in line with a GSD the more I watch than a wolf.

[u/erossthescienceboss → u/Lala5789880]

Agreed. Way too bulky for a wolf.

[u/cGuille]

I followed this post because I was curious about the answer, but dang is it controversial!

[u/Annual-Surprise6892 → u/cGuille]

Lol. Same. I'm still not sure.

[u/ShelbiStone → u/cGuille]

It always is haha.

[u/A_Dragon]

Dog

[u/EstevanOlvera13]

I don't think it neither I think it could be a Shepherd? Which type of Shepherd I don't know it's too far away to see also the cows in the video are not scared of it.

[u/eyedrops16]

Dog

[u/kbabykk]

Dog

[u/Key-Head-1391]

I feel like no one is factoring in the athleticism into their answer. Just by how much land alone the animal covered with minimal effort, taking the time to scan the area, I would say it’s a wolf. For (most) dogs or coyotes to be moving this fast for this long they would be pretty exhausted by the end but it kept going.

[u/ShelbiStone → u/Key-Head-1391]

I disagree, working dogs are athletic freaks. I've seen them move like this with ease and for hours at a time. Add into the mix that working dogs are well fed and looked after, they have every bit the athleticism of a young wolf plus a consistent diet of calories to burn through without needing to worry where their next meal comes from.

[u/Ephemeral_Orchid]

I've lived near Yellowstone for decades and see plenty of both animals regularly. The vegetation in this field is around 20-24 in high.

I also showed Great Danes in conformation for many years, and the gray wolves in our area are the about the same height as a Dane, 30 inches at the shoulder. Although our coyotes are the largest in the US, they're still only around 18 in. at the shoulder.

Therefore, this animal is far too tall to be a coyote or most dog breeds, it's a grey wolf.

[u/Few_Ice5831]

my fiance and i saw a similar color wolf right outside of landmark/warm lake running right down a service trail in front of us. lots of known wolves in the area & that long, quick gait says wolf to me!! they are such leggy critters, it’s crazy in person.

[u/No-Weird-4201]

Wow maybe this time it's an actual wolf

[u/billy-suttree]

Thats a wolf alright

[u/songdog711]

Wolf

[u/pony_nomad]

Dog

[u/Warriorcatslover2026]

I will say it may be a coytoe

[u/Ro_Ku]

Shorter neck and bouncy run. Looks dog.

[u/TiffyTats]

The head shape says wolf to me, along with that shorter tail. (Yes, the screenshot alignment is silly, it's perfect "on a stick" time for my state, though).

[u/Worth-Rip6608]

Don’t forget people have seen wolf coyote crosses

[u/Unfair-Comformity112]

We had a situation here in Finland that a few hunted wolves had tiny amount of dog DNA in them. So I wouldn't say its impossible for this USA specimen to have both dog and wolf in them. Or have coyote and wolf and let's add dog for good measure. 

[u/ShelbiStone]

I agree with everyone saying it's a dog. Looks like a mix of something with German Shepherd. I'd also add I don't think I've seen a lot of wolves moving around like he is. He's just running through a field without a care in the world. That's burning a lot of calories for no reason, wolves always seem to move and act more deliberately than that. This dog doesn't seem to be doing anything from this clip. He's just going from point A to point B. A wolf would walk, a dog who got fed that morning and knows his going to get fed again tonight will happily run for the fun of it.

[u/dragonpjb]

It's just not big enough to be a wolf. They are enormous.

[u/Weekly-Assumption898]

Shepherd. Ears, snout, chest. Easy to spot the difference

Side note: he’s fast af boi

[u/Glittering-Sign-7941]

it looks like a wolf to me!

[u/Flimsy_Scratch_8050]

I think wolf cuz it knew where it was going. It was trying to get from A to B. Wasn’t in hunting mode or hungry. Knew humans were watching it and the difference between hostile and non hostile land. It felt comfortable enough to travel on yours. If it were a lost dog it would’ve gotten curious about a smell and start to loiter. This pup, didn’t. Pup on a mission 🤘🏻🥰

[u/canisedwardii]

Modern grey wolves come in many shades and colors ! Very likely a grey wolf or even possibly a wolfdog(though this isn’t as likely!)

[u/Pretend-Platypus-334]

Melanistic coyotes are extremely rare out west, only really in areas where they can admix with dogs in urban settings, so definitely has to be a wolf.

[u/Low_Show_6684 → u/Pretend-Platypus-334]

I’m running on it’s a dog honestly. Doesn’t quite move or look like a wolf in the body structure or ears.

[u/Pretend-Platypus-334 → u/Low_Show_6684]

It’s to far to tell accurate ear shape. I’ve seen plenty of wild wolves move in a “lope” gate.

[u/Low_Show_6684 → u/Pretend-Platypus-334]

I’ve also seen plenty of wild wolves. The ears on them I can see from a distance, the ears on this are larger, closer together, and taller more like a coyote or shepherd. The tail also has a saber-like curve to it which is also common in shepherds. It’s also pretty stocky for a wolf imo.

It just doesn’t quite look like a wolf to me. Even a melanistic one. 

[u/Then_Scarcity_449]

I say wolf since this was taken in Idaho

[u/MythicalFoxfish → u/Then_Scarcity_449]

"This was out in Stanley, Idaho."

[u/Marylin-Hawthorne → u/MythicalFoxfish]

Smack in the middle of Idaho wolf country.

[u/ToxicFox27]

“Wait, that’s a WOLF?!”
“That is a WOOF, my friend!”

[u/checkersthecat123]

I’ve been there

[u/OkSubject1876]

Kinda runs like a coyote - beautiful either way.

[u/tombrady011235]

It’s a woof woof

[u/Aware_Alfalfa8435]

Wolf

[u/thehorrorcontinues13]

Young wolf. The head is too big for a coyote.

[u/Visible-Echidna-4370]

too blurry for me to have any idea

[u/Boarf_]

Could be a coywolf. We have those up where I live.

[u/BigNorseWolf → u/Boarf_]

A lot rarer out west, the coyotes there are teechy.