The wild dog, or the Dingo, is considered one of the last living and known species of wild dog that freely roams. They are very aggressive, yet look like a shaggy version of your family pet. The Dingo could also resemble a hyena, and since they are distant cousins, that would make sense. Wolves are also of the canine family, but dogs are a much smaller and a much more domesticated version. However, the Dingo could almost be regarded as feral dogs, in that they look like they could be domesticated, but they are far from it. There are cases every year in Australia, their native home, where a Dingo has taken small child, and he or she was never seen again. The spread of Dingos is relatively steady, and the actual infestation tends to be a normal number every year. The population growth of the Dingo is not like that of some other species that are growing insatiably.
The Dingo is not a protected species, and land owners in the Aussie outback are given carte blanche rights to shoot if they come onto the land. This has been especially the case since many of the Dingo packs have been making their way towards areas that have more human populations including many small towns, and even towards major cities. There have been sitings, much like a pack of coyotes, in suburban neighborhoods. The difference with Dingo’s and a coyote pack is that coyotes tend to be relatively shy, and only look for prey no bigger than a large cat. When Dingo’s are seen, residents take cover because the are very confident, and extremely aggressive. The odd fact is though, that this is truly the last of the wild dog, and seeing them reminds people of the primitive nature dogs initially had.