Wolf or Big Dog?

[Captain Ahab Jr]

While out walking in the forest, we come across several strange footprints. We are unsure if they are from a wolf or just a big dog. The print is about 4 to 4.5" inches long

Can you identify it?

It also looks like a deer print underneath as it looked like a well used cut through for animals.

[redstrosekNic]

How big is the hand in the photo? Looks to be a younger girl's hand. I'm thinking it could be a large dog. My Basset Hound has huge feet.

[HardDrive]

I think you are spot on, large dog and deer print. Near impossible to distinguish a large domestic dogs print from a wolf.

[porsche4life]

Looks like a wolf..... Where is this?

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Yes, hand is from a young girl, my daughter. For scale from tip of longest finger to her sleeve is 5.5 inches

We found it in north western Slovenia in Europe.

While driving back in the dark about 3 miles away the night before finding the print we spotted a large dog like animal in a field. It looked too big to be a fox, wasn't a deer, badger, racoon, sheep etc but as we didn't think there were wolves around we assumed it must have been a fox.

That was until we found the print in the photo.

[GWN7]

Wolf and dog prints and almost the same. Wolf prints usually show the claws and domestic dogs don't but a large dog that grew up outdoors will have the same claw/paw prints.

[Gretch]

A wolf print is longer and narrower with the two middle toes and claws quite prominent. The print you pictured is a large domestic dog (in my opinion), based on the width vs length of the pad and the somewhat uniform toe sizes.

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr

We found it in north western Slovenia in Europe.

About 300 miles from Transylvania.

Ian

[stealthn]

Cougar

[varmint]

full moon the other night

that is when the weredeer prowl.

[nota]

Originally Posted by stealthn

Cougar

no she is way too young

O !! the cat no they don't show claws


and the euro's lack big cats

[vash]

no..not a cat.

big dog. very big dog.

[cantdrv55]

Lycan

[slakjaw]

Chupacabra or a bukakki

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by nota

and the euro's lack big cats

Wwrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrong..


up to 60 lbs worth of kitteh


You forgot that, though rare, the Lynx does live in certain parts of Europe

[tharbert]

Agree, big dog chasing a deer scent. Just guessing here... Don't wolves normally hunt in packs? So, there should have been several sets of tracks?

[yazhound]

Smaller than big Irish Wolfhound paw print. The softness of the mud when stepped in may also have affect of making seem larger depending how long sunk in...

[scottmandue]

Dunno about the paw print but the blue finger polish isn't working for you... I would stick with the more traditional red tones

[RWebb]

there are lone wolves - lots

no one can reliably distinguish a wolf print from a large dog print, despite what tracker types will claim

the claw marks say canine to me...

[ShakinJoe]

I googled cougar tracks. Looks like a cougar.