The Size of African Wild Dogs

"Lycaon pictus," the scientific name for the African wild dog, means painted wolf. There are five subspecies: "L. pictus pictus," "L. pictus lupinus," "L. pictus manguensis," "L. pictus sharicus" and "L. pictus somalicus." Similar in size to a German Shepherd, these wild dogs have been clocked running at 35 miles per hour, a speed they can sustain for as long as 3 miles. In the wild, they live for 9 to 10 years. The African wild dog is one of the most endangered species in Africa.

  1. Adult African Wild Dogs

    • Adult African wild dogs weigh around 55 pounds, although some may reach a weight of 80 pounds. Their body length is about 40 inches, with a 12- to 16-inch tail. Little variation exists in size between the sexes and between the subspecies.

    Juvenile African Wild Dogs

    • The gestation period is about 72 days. The average litter size is 10 pups, but as many as 16 pups may be born at a time. The pups weigh around 11 oz. at birth. They are weaned at 6 weeks. The young join the hunt at 6 months, at which time they have grown to almost full adult size. However, they remain dependent until they are 12 to 14 months old.

    Pack Size

    • Pack size ranges from six to 50 individual dogs. All the adult dogs cooperate to help raise the alpha pair's litter from birth to when they join the hunt. Both the males and females hunt with the pack from 6 months on. After around 14 to 30 months, the females form wandering packs of sisters, and the young males stay with the pack.