Coyote VS Dog Tracks: Easy Ways to Tell the Difference

[@ForestFound]

Many people requested more tracking videos, here they are COUGAR vs Dog - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJenqY2Mgs2Dp6M BOBCAT vs Dog - kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqCopJ-tnbGHf6c Hopefully wolf and others in the future. Keep tracking...

[@sjb3460]

Domestic dogs should have long nails as they don't do much digging or running around the neighborhood.

[@jolkraeremeark6949]

I know that track, that's from my Labrador, Mauser.

[@kfelix2934]

@@jolkraeremeark6949 That's funny back like 30 years ago one of my neighbor had labs and their names where Mauser, Enfield, & Remington . They all were water duck dogs. We killed plenty of ducks and these dog did a great job retrieved them and when bored would bring back other things out of the flood rice marsh.

[@zekethefishgeek8690]

That is a little fox track...

[@modelenginerding6996]

Hard to say with those smaller tracks it could be a fox or similar animal. I've never been sharp enough to tell differences on those. I saw 12 sets of fresh tracks last winter when ice fishing. They were as wide as my shoe, so I knew they weren't yotes but a wolf pack. If you see no claws that size it's likely a cougar in our neck of the woods.

[@northerniltree]

Usually coyote tracks are directly behind roadrunner tracks.

[@sdnlawrence5640]

If you spot an anvil ahead, you don't need to track coyote😢

[@artmosley3337]

If we track the Coyote’s purchases, they have many from the ACME Corporation… and the Coyote is involved in multiple Class Action lawsuits against Acme .. News Flash!!! Documents reveal the Road Runner is a major stock holder of ACME corporation

[@charleshairston4853]

Wonder how many people got that? 😅

[@BrokenBarBox]

Ok. If you want to be childish about this, fine, but you’re not helping other people. Did it ever occur to you that more often than not the coyote is usually wearing rocket powered roller skates? Totally different tracks. Or how about when he’s wearing his ACME flying bat suit? No tracks! Someone is going to end up falling into a dynamite trap because they didn’t know to look for roller skate tracks, and do you know whose fault it’s gonna be? That’s right bucko…..you!

[@이이-n4z8y]

And you find lots of empty Acme boxes laying around.

[@jodiebristow3210]

Your 3:21 video taught me more about how domesticated dogs and coyote tracks than I have learned in 61 years of life. I'm not sure why your video showed up on my feed, but I'm so happy it did. Thank you for the awesome information.

[@7hilladelphia]

Same here. Australia.

[@deanhoward4128]

You are correct, I have been tracking for a lot of years & you got all the basics right!

[@grt49er]

Same here. I subscribed before 2 minutes.

[@paulorientetheluffaranch]

Same here in North Carolina. We like to keep an eye on what's around the sheep pastures.

[@robgrey6183]

I've been tracking, trapping, and hunting in the US and Canada for decades. Very good explanation of the difference between wild and domestic dogs. One other salient feature you should mention is the track pattern. Wild canids (wolves, foxes, coyotes) move with purpose. Domestic dogs mostly follow their noses.

[@ForestFound]

yes thank you. great addition. The track pattern and trail can reveal so much.

[@tmacmi9095]

Definitely. In my dog’s case, you will track it back and forth across our dirt road stopping at anything on the road including horse dung😅

[@stevenschwartz4882]

A dog and unc house cat were walking together 1 day

[@holleyman1970]

Laughed pretty hard at the "couch potato" and looked over to see my four retrievers laid out on the love seat, chair and dog bed. Haha Good tips, I will be looking for this now.

[@dizzysdoings]

I'm sitting on my couch with my dog sprawled on my lap. 😂 I need to get up and do firewood, so she's going to have to move.

[@veemaxx]

Thank you for educating me

[@ForestFound]

you're welcome!

[@johno7149]

Tracking is a great skill, anything that keeps us in tune with our woodlands is a worthy effort. Thanks for the video!

[@oldretireddude]

Thanks for the education. A few years ago I had a bloodhound for the previous 10yrs. Something I found unique about him, his toe nails were retractable much like a cat. Unlike other dogs that I've had, the toe nails hinged upward out of the way until he wanted to hold on to something, then they would deploy.

[@IdahoSewing]

The thing I noticed instantly about those tracks, is the one animal was very light and the other one was fat. Thanks for sharing your observations. And the coyote is very much concerned with food and security, whereas the domestic dog could care less, in most cases. This different mindset creates a totally different aura that shows in the tracks.

[@ElJeffe40]

This was helpful. I hike with my "domestic" dog every day in the foothills of a high desert Arizona mountain, so I'm constantly seeing tracks from all sorts of local animals. This info helps make sense of some of the tracks I see.

[@ForestFound]

glad to help! Studying dog tracks is helpful as well. It helps you notice a wild canine when you do come across one because it looks different

[@MA_808]

You even have lion, bobcat, bear, ocelot, and even jaguar tracks to be on the look out for, too, El Jeffe!

[@jimreadey4837]

@@MA_808 Your sentence has two _evens_ -- but I'm not sure if that makes it *odd.*

[@woodspirit98]

I used to go everywhere with my domestic dog but got really tired of the nagging

[@billhamilton5949]

Thanks, simple and concise.

[@bowdeer5074]

Good video, just to add coyotes tracks will be in more of a straight or tight line where dogs tend to flop to the sides. Also coyotes typically direct register. Meaning hind foot steps into front track, or very close to it.

[@mtngrammy6953]

Many dog breeds are "single trackers", as you describe of the coyote's "direct register". There are many varieties in the structures of different breeds of dogs. for example, the bulldog will never show a single track where the back foot tracks in the front foot. They will always have parallel tracks.

[@ForestFound]

great addition thank you

[@katheyjberry]

Thanks for a great video

[@krazmokramer]

My border collies are "straight trackers" and "direct register."

[@jackriley5974]

NOT a good video! Don't encourage another example of GenZ intelligence?

[@IngridBrydolf]

So helpful! Showing me yet again that I made a bad ID this a.m. Your nail explanation will help me improve!

[@ForestFound]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jacquelinemarie1078]

Thank you, I'm a hiker and sometimes I can't determine what the tracts actually are, and we have a lot of coyotes where we are. I often get the tracks mixed, but now I don't think I will. You have been so helpful.

[@ForestFound]

glad to help! Even with lots of practice coyote and dog tracks can still be confused

[@jamesivie5717]

Excellent! Too few people get out into nature and become familiar with these types of things.

[@1982rrose]

This was great. I'm in a suburban neighborhood, lots of different dogs & coyotes & foxes. I'm always looking at tracks in snow or on ball diamonds or school yards. This was very helpful, thank you.

[@QuantumMech_88]

From an old hunter and tracker - Respect sent.

[@sarenab7856]

I’m a beginner taxidermist and this is really helpful with how to properly pose the feet

[@horseygurl143]

Gross!

[@gregawallace]

Nice! That was concise, informative and accurate. My favorite type of video.

[@timcoolican459]

I remember the way I was taught to tell the difference, when I was a kid. Domesticated dogs have 'lazy' feet, while wild dogs (coyotes, wolves, foxes) have 'taught' or tighter feet. Depending on the surface they are walking, whether muddy or sandy surfaces, also changes the characteristics of the tracks. Good description. Thanks for sharing this.

[@auroraborealis6009]

I remember that from a book my uncle gave me 50 years ago!

[@LiamRappaport]

Probably “taut” was the word the person was using, fyi.

[@jimreadey4837]

@@LiamRappaport Thanks... you saved me offering this correction and risking being called a "grammar nazi" yet again.

[@willong1000]

@@jimreadey4837 Ditto!

[@mtngrammy6953]

Very interesting and informative. Thanks. Look forward to more tracking hints.

[@ForestFound]

You're welcome!

[@stickman-1]

Well done. Perfect video: Title reflects what is actually in the video, the video explains it very well, and no stupid intro, outro, or nonsense. Earned a sub.

[@ForestFound]

Awesome!

[@MA_808]

good video, especially about the speed of the coyote....if your dog is off lead and looks like prey to a coyote and he sees a chance he can get to it faster than you can react....keep that in mind when in coyote country....

[@greyscout01]

Great detailed info. I appreciate it. Hope to see more tracking information.

[@ForestFound]

I'll go out scouting for more tracks soon and make another!

[@Navigator2166]

The coyote tracks resembled a little flower. .😂

[@adventurecreations3214]

Fascinating. Who knew? Now I do. Thanks!

[@jefffrayer8238]

Same here from the farm in mid Michigan with Coyotes around. Thought for sure the big print was Coyote, Lol. Great Video.

[@adventurecreations3214]

We have coyotes now in suburban Lexington Kentucky

[@WhiteCavendish]

Thanks! I've often wondered about this, as we have tons of coyotes and lots of domestic dogs around where I live.

[@SurfCityBill]

I hike a nature center here in Calif daily and I always see these tracks. This was the first explanation about the differences I've seen.

[@ForestFound]

Awesome! It can be tough at first but you can definitely learn to tell the difference

[@lindahamilton800]

Wow, thank you! I've only been trying to track for a few years, and never saw or heard such a succinct comparison. Very much appreciated! ❤

[@maybee...]

Wow, I once had a cat that lived to 23, she had arthritis and poor circulation, I adored her all her precious years.

[@hazcat640]

This was excellent! Clear, concise and I learned a lot. Thank you

[@randominternetguy5538]

Not sure how I ended up here, but I work outdoors in remote locations and will definetly use this info! This concise video was massively educational. Thanks!

[@uisqebaugh]

If the tracks stop at an anvil, they're coyote tracks

[@june5095]

😂

[@rickmorrow993]

That is interesting and obscure knowledge. Thanks for teaching us.

[@ForestFound]

you're welcome!

[@kevinkrochak2546]

Hey, thank you! Liked and subbed....sorry it took me so long to find your channel. All the best!

[@itzcaseykc]

Never considered the differences before. Thanks for providing an easy way to discern between the two. Also the pads on the Coyote are more distinctive.

[@TinaJenkins-i2o]

Interesting! I live in central rural area of Georgia and I didn’t know this. Plenty of coyotes around. Now I know what to look for! Thanks.

[@jfu5222]

Thanks from a first time viewer and new subscriber.

[@thehunter3386]

Great difitive video...Thanks!! This will also be helpful to those that casually explore the outdoors. Knowledge enhances enjoyment!

[@petes9878]

Good info. Noticed some this morning and initially hoped they'd be bobcat tracks because the central pad behind the toes was a bit washed out. But then there was that barely noticeable tiny prick of the claws.

[@ForestFound]

Oooh nice

[@HistoryOnTheLoose]

Very often dog tracks will also have supplemental cross trainer tracks next to them. One side will always be deeper due to the weight of the fit bit and watter bottle.

[@guardianminifarm8005]

Good stuff. Many thanks. I am watching this with a GSD on each side & one at my feet, 2 in the DR and the other 3 are laying around somewhere. "Couch potatoes" my daughters laughed when you said that and looked at me smiling. Thank you.

[@ForestFound]

Ha! Awesome

[@andreasissons7766]

Great video. I live in a city which has lots of coyotes roaming around but hang out in the local cemetery and ravine. I also do a lot of hiking on trails nearby so it's good to know what to look for.

[@stevehernandez20]

Another way to tell, is to look are a series of prints. Walking coyotes tracks are very much in line. Many times you can see the back foot almost lands where the front foot was as it picks up. A double tap if you will. Domestic dogs are more side by side. You can mostly account for all four paws in a walking track.

[@ForestFound]

great addition!

[@robgrey6183]

Overstep gait. As they walk faster wild dogs will cover the front track (larger in dogs) with the rear (smaller). Walk gets faster still the back foot prints before the front. Then they trot, four prints in a diagonal line.

[@robgrey6183]

Bears' natural gait is an overstep.

[@paulorientetheluffaranch]

Really nice job explaining the difference. Thank you!

[@ForestFound]

You’re welcome!

[@13c11a]

I just happened upon your channel and have subscribed. I enjoyed the detail of your observations and your thoroughness. Thank you and best of luck.

[@ForestFound]

thank you!

[@backwoodstrails]

Excellent - This is how it was taught to me by Jim Lowery at Earth Skills in California.

[@ForestFound]

awesome! Glad the knowledge is being passed down well

[@ejp9921]

Thks! Great photos and great explanation without any superfluous babble…

[@PixelSchnitzel]

That is truly interesting and practical! I'm saving this for reference and sharing it.

[@justindeming3553]

I would like a comparison of dog and wolf. My guess is similar characteristics as coyote.

[@bhatkat]

Likely not so much as they are the same lineage while coyotes diverged millions of years ago.

[@kfelix2934]

@t Not really , a dog is more closer to a wolf IMHO. The tracks on a wolve are mucher bigger , more oval shape and the fronts are always bigger than the backs. For the wolve the center space is much more prounce also, same with the pad.

[@markgoostree6334]

I really enjoyed your video. Good, clear info. Now I'm going to the farm to find some tracks!

[@ForestFound]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@GodlyAtheist]

Not sure why I was recommended this video, but I'm going to subscribe because I love the straight matter of fact methodology you represent your info with.

[@Mesenteric]

I’m all in on a tracking series. I’d love to see a video on determining the age of the track. Great video.

[@ForestFound]

good idea!

[@jamesquinn3414]

that was great ! Thanks! I know they are everywhere and I always wonder when I see tracks in out of the way places.

[@ForestFound]

You’re welcome, happy tracking!

[@stevenmccrickard1401]

New Sub, Thanks for the content. I found your video Interesting, Informative and Entertaining. I look forward to seeing more from your channel.

[@ForestFound]

Thanks so much! We'll keep putting stuff out :)

[@Goobie77]

Very interesting. I’m near a reservoir lake in Georgia and have seen coyotes and fox nearby. On my daily walks with our dogs I’ve often wondered if I’m seeing any coyote or fox tracks vs domestic dog tracks. This helps.

[@zenpig6605]

I take my puppies off trail here in northern Colorado. While they do display a lot of claw markings that domestic dogs do, my rottweiler seems to be a mix of having claws pointed forward and also having his toenails break which he chews off to allow him to chase rabbits to his hearts content. Thanks for the tracking education.

[@Aridzonan13]

Excellent explanation. In Aridzona identifying coyote tracks can be very useful..

[@SamhainBe]

Well done and very helpful info - Thank you!

[@elizabethannegrey6285]

Very interesting. A new discovery, and I’ve subscribed. Thanks for the video.🐶

[@ForestFound]

Awesome!

[@donjoiner3322]

I agree with your observations. I do a lot of hiking in an area of Florida that has lots of tracks and I have discovered a lot about tracking.it is very interesting. We also have a number of black bear in our area. They have a very distinctive track. I often come out of a trail and find black bear tracks crossing my trail and sometimes mulling over my tracks before moving on. I have only had one that stayed in my trail for awhile and I didn’t particularly appreciate it. I think it only broke away when it detected me coming back through.

[@ForestFound]

Awesome!

[@Alaska610ish]

Great video! Lots of knowledge

[@ForestFound]

Thanks!

[@red_light_3937]

This was a great find & very educational! Thank you so much!

[@ForestFound]

You’re welcome!

[@gbrown9273]

the coyote track is much older than the dog track, therefor the nails are not as visible as the dog track.. If you see NO nails it is not a canine, but feline , ..that said I have a stray cat that makes the rounds almost every night, and his one toenail has been injured and he cannot retract that one nail...and he leaves a very distinctive track in the snow..

[@robertsolomielke5134]

TY FF, new sub for your sharing of the useful knowledge. Here on Van Isle we don't get ALL the flagship critters, but cougars are my favorite, in abundance some spots. TY the dog-coyote one was easy, with couch spud has nails. It's the ones like Martin vs. Mink, or sea otters and Martins mix on the beach, the prints never last long yet I always wondered. * Yes cougars purr, the biggest cats to still do so.

[@ForestFound]

Ya tracking on the beach is the best!

[@AnnaBrown-h4e]

Interesting, thank you. We live in the country and have been told theres coyote in our area, but I've never seen any, now I'll watch for tracks😊.

[@RobnPhx1]

I live in Arizona and hike a lot. I've often mistaken the two sets of tracks. Thank you.

[@Stranglewood]

Subbed. I always look at the track width; coyotes tend to have a much narrower chest than dogs (so do wolves for that matter) and their prints tend to be laterally closer. I look forward to your other videos!

[@TheCharleseye]

Depends on the dog, really. Labs, GSDs, etc? True. Border Collies, Dobermans (traditional lines), Weimaraners, etc? Not so much. We've bred dogs for every purpose a dog could possibly fulfill. A good many of them were bred to be quick, fast, and/or nimble. They typically have a narrower build. Combine that with the sheer number of mutts in the world and you've got an insane variety of chest to paw ratios.

[@Stranglewood]

@@TheCharleseye Good point!

[@jamesmoore9511]

Thanks - learned something new today. We get both here in Seattle.

[@ForestFound]

awesome! Ya plenty of both there in and around the city

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Good video. Great explimations. I just found you and I subscribed. Very cool. ❤. Regards frim South Central Indiana.. USA.

[@philipmastroeni6789]

Thank you that was something I always wanted to learn

[@scottc346]

This is cool. I'm going to compare domestic dog print to our working LGD prints. Ours are not couch potatoes, they are outside 100% of the time running on packed clay dirt and digging wherever they want to.

[@learnphoto]

Well done! Concise and informative.

[@deltabloo]

Thanks. I always wonder if I’m looking at dog or coyote tracks. I have a sandy stream bed behind my house I’m going to start looking more closely.

[@mastercylinder1939]

Thanks, very informative, I walk my dog everyday, seeing coyotes occasionally. Now I may see evidence of their passing.

[@TrailHiker52]

I can't believe this popped up, I was just thinking about it on my walk this morning. Fresh snow and lots of rabbit and possible coyote tracks. The only thing I had to go on was the fact the tracks were alone (no human tracks with them), and were both in the street and leading into the bushes near the rabbit tracks. I will keep an eye out for the nails and the direction in the future.

[@ForestFound]

keep looking! Even without human tracks around, dog is still a possibility. I'm always amazed at the random and remote places I find domestic dog tracks

[@TrailHiker52]

Thanks, and will do@@ForestFound. I recently moved to Bend, Oregon, and I do lots of hiking. I also see lots of tracks, so I'll be back for more education.

[@BBQDad463]

Thank you for this video. Fascinating information!

[@joanncall1525]

Had some tracks in my back yard and didn't know if it was a coyote or a dog. The only other thing was some cactus pear seeds left in a poop pile. That lead my husband to believe that it was a coyote. I have been interested in tracking and so thanks for the video.

[@ForestFound]

Nice! Seeds are definitely a good indicator of canine, whether wild or domestic

[@elizabethparkhurst2824]

Thank you! I live in So Cal wine country and coyotes are howling every night on my property! I have two little dogs who can NEVER be out alone! I am always trying to figure out whos paw prints are whos. Now I will know. We also have bobcats prints here.

[@ForestFound]

happy tracking!

[@raygilliss2519]

Thank you for the comparison

[@ForestFound]

You’re welcome!

[@mikeizzano172]

Good job , I had to smile on size. (Of track) upstate ny or most of the northeast US. the dogs are much bigger but all your points still apply , it’s not hard to find 45 or even 50 lb coyote here they say it’s got to do with lineage to the red wolf way back in the day

[@ForestFound]

I have heard that east coast coyotes are much bigger! Good to keep in mind

[@mikeizzano172]

@@ForestFound glad I cought you …thanks for the reply , we’re just ending our season here ,farther north we have a couple weeks yet .I don’t push as hard as I used to (I’ll be 74 in July) but I still get out. Our trouble here is they really get after the fawns in the summer so most deer hunters will try to take a few when we can .We had a good fur market before , but that hasn’t been good so there’s less pressure on the dogs .nobody around here likes to waste our resources or animals , so there’s no hunts just to reduce the population . Sorry for the rant , but it’s always good to chat with another sportsman ! I’m located a few miles south of the Adirondack park and a few miles above Mohawk River . 20 minutes west of Saratoga,You may know it’s a horse racing spot in the summer.good luck to you , enjoy the outdoors every chance you get !

[@ChildlesskatLady]

Very helpful explanation. Thank you.

[@crispy9175]

What a great video. Thanks man, keep sharing! +1 subscriber

[@ForestFound]

Thanks, will do!

[@thumper2k174]

That was very interesting. Thank you for the knowledge.

[@ForestFound]

You’re welcome!

[@dreadogastusf3548]

Thanks for the lesson. subscribed

[@solson6845]

Thank you for the great explanation.

[@krazmokramer]

HA! Great timing. I had tracks in my back yard (mostly dirt/mud) a few days ago that weren't my border collies'. I wondered if another dog had jumped the fence or if it was a coyote. Based on your video, it looks like a stray domestic dog. Larger paw prints than my dogs' with connected nails. Thanks for this informative video!!

[@ForestFound]

you're welcome!

[@don2deliver]

A Coyote paw print should be just a bit smaller than a 20" border collie even if they both max out at about 45#. Although I Did see a large probably 60# eastern coyote in the mid-Atlantic

[@akawireguy1197]

Excellent tutorial. Thank you.

[@GatorLife57]

Just subbed, liked, and commented. Greetings from west central Florida.

[@fishgolfguy]

Good video!. I noticed because of the depth and difference in size the dog was probably twice the size of the coyote

[@ForestFound]

ya i think so!

[@suehamblin9652]

Thank you! I often wonder what tracks I’m looking at. I also wonder what animal has left the scat that I see.

[@jensenchavez265]

Super cool, do you have a video about locating abimal trails? Like where to look in the landscape?

[@ForestFound]

Not yet! That's a goo idea though

[@PraiseGodFirst]

Thank you for sharing. Very good.

[@ForestFound]

Glad you liked it!

[@pt2575]

Thank you! Excellent teaching.

[@ForestFound]

you're welcome!

[@ellellbee]

Thank you for this. I checked all the photos of wolf tracks that I have taken while hunting and all the outer toes point forward. Wish I could post them here as some are very clear shots. I would like to see a cat comparison. Domestic; Bobcat; Lynx & Cougar. Obviously hard to find them in the same area. a ruler beside them may help. I have read that those go from small to biggest, but they can overlap. A large cat in one species is the same size as a small cat in the next species up in size.

[@ForestFound]

yes, similar features for all of them and increasing size as you mentioned. There will be more subtle differences in each species as well

[@Forevertrue]

Hey thanks for this. I have always been curious if there even was a difference.

[@maddhatter3564]

thank you. This can be helpfull in my area.

[@motrock93b]

Excellent. We also have mountain lions ion our area. They’re very stealthy. Can you do a video on their tracks, please?

[@WILDJaeger]

Thanks for sharing

[@rhensontollhouse]

Excellent! However tracks of my 40lb Border Collie who runs all day every day, are pretty much identical to some of our local coyotes. We have plenty. But your description of domestic dog tracks are spot on for our old Catahoula who lays around most of the day. Subscribing to your channel. Hiker who grew up in the Cascades of Oregon tracking all kinds of animals.

[@ForestFound]

Awesome! Good call on the fit dogs, they can definitely look really similar

[@lorettanericcio-bohlman567]

Catahoula’s rock 💜