Canidae Dogs and foxes

Accompanied by her pup, this young Gurung woman supplies her income by selling apples to tourists, who pass through her village in the Marsyangdi Valley, Annapurna, central Nepal. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Canis aureus Golden jackal

This species is described on the page Animals – Mammals: Dog family.

The cunning of jackals is described below at the black-backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas).

Canis latrans Coyote, prairie wolf

The coyote is described on the page Animals – Mammals: Dog family.

The cleverness of the coyote is reflected in the mythologies of many indigenous peoples of North America. A wizard named Coyote is one of the characters that most often appears in myths and legends, often as a trickster. He is usually depicted as man-like, often with some coyote features, such as fur, pointed ears, yellow eyes, a tail, and claws.

According to one myth among certain Pacific peoples, Coyote was once playing with his eyes, throwing them up into the air and catching them again. However, he was surprised by the eagle god, who snatched the eyes and flew away with them. Being unable to see, Coyote created new eyes from buttercup flowers (Ranunculus), for which reason these flowers, among some tribes, were known as Coyote’s Eyes.

The following part of a Navajo legend was related by Louisa Wade Wetherill (1877-1945), who lived with Kayenta Navajos for most of her adult life. (Source: canyoncountryzephyr.com/2021/09/30/coyote-tales-of-the-kayenta-navajos-by-harvey-leake)

One day the first man, Utsay Hosteen, sat making the stars to put up into the heavens. He worked a long time and became very tired, so he went for a walk.

Shortly after, Coyote came up. He admired the stars and thought they were beautiful. He said, “I wonder where he got them.”

The Wind said, “They are the fire of the lightning. Utsay Hosteen made the lightning of fire and the sun, and he made the moon of live coals.”

Coyote looked at them for a long time and then stole the big star (the morning star), holding it between his toes. But suddenly a gust of wind scattered the other stars.

So, when Utsay Hosteen came back to resume his work, he found that it had been spoiled. He asked Coyote, who was still standing there, “Why did you spoil my work?”

Coyote replied, “Why did you leave your work before it was finished?”

Utsay Hosteen said, “Don’t you know that I have many other things to do besides making the stars? I have the rain to look after, and the seeds, and many other things. And when there are parts of the land that I don’t look after, no rain is falling in those parts. That is the reason it only rains in strips. But I must get to work.”

He then began to look for the stars and found all of them except the big one. He asked Coyote, “What did you do with the big star?”

Coyote became angry and said, “How should I know where your stars are? A big gust of wind came along and scattered all of the stars, so Wind must have taken the big one.”

Utsay Hosteen called Jaa Abani, the bat, and said, “My son, go to the house of the Little Wind and ask him if he has my star.”

Jaa Abani went and asked Nil-clue who became angry and said, “Why do you ask me for the star? I did pass by when Utsay Hosteen had his stars laid carelessly on the ground, but I did not take any of them. Why should I want any of them?”

Jaa Abani went back and told Utsay Hosteen what Nil-clue had said. Then Utsay Hosteen told Jaa Abani to get Coyote and bring him to him. Utsay Hosteen again asked Coyote where the big star was, and Coyote answered, in a doubtful tone, “I don’t know.”

Utsay Hosteen said, “Let us smoke, and then you can tell me where my star is. I need the star very much, so you must tell me.”

Coyote took the cigar and put it to his lips. He decided to break off a piece of the big star to light it with. He thought he could do it without being discovered, but when he tried to break it, it fell from his hand, and a great fog arose from it.

Utsay Hosteen discovered it and said, “See, you cannot deceive me.”

So he got his big star back, but a small piece fell on the wrist of Coyote, who said nothing about this and thought, “This I will leave on my wrist so I will always have a light of my own.”

That is what the little patch is on the foot of the coyote. [This refers to the paw of the coyote often having a pale patch.]

When my companion Lars Skipper and I were driving along a road in Death Valley National Park, California, this coyote pair were standing in the middle of the road, waiting for someone to stop and feed them. This habit is unfortunately only too common in the United States, as many people find these dogs cute. As we are opposed to feeding wild animals, we didn’t give them anything, and soon they retreated to the shade under a bush. (Photos copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

The wizard Coyote, canoeing. (Illustration from Indian Days of Long Ago (1915), by Edward S. Curtis, public domain)

Canis lupus Grey wolf

The wolf is described on the page Animals – Mammals: Dog family.

Despite being a subject of hatred throughout the world, the wolf is an iconic animal, which is often depicted. This truck in Cariari, Costa Rica, is decorated with a painting, depicting a wolf, a sun, and – a truck. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

In this former wolf trap in Ladakh, north-western India, a goat or a sheep would be tied as bait. Once the wolf jumped inside to kill the animal, it was unable to climb out again, whereupon the villagers would stone it to death. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Canis lupus ssp. familiaris Domestic dog

The origin of the domestic dog is a complicated matter. DNA evidence indicates that the dog, the grey wolf (above), as well as the now extinct Taimyr wolf (C. lupus cf. lupus), all diverged from a now extinct wolf that once lived in Europe. The dog and the present grey wolf form two sister clades, and modern wolves are not very closely related to the wolves that were first domesticated.

Domestication of wolves

According to some archaeologists, the first burial of dogs along with humans took place c. 14,700 years ago, while others maintain that it took place long before that, namely c. 36,000 years ago. Under all circumstances, the archaeological evidence shows that the wolves, which were domesticated by hunter-gatherers, were the first domesticated animal species of all.

This domestication took place at different locations simultaneously, probably in Western Europe, Central Asia, and East Asia. New genetic research points out that an initial wolf population split into East and West Eurasian groups, both of which, before going extinct, were domesticated independently into two distinct dog populations, between 14,000 and 6,400 years ago. The Western Eurasian dog population was partially replaced by East Asian dogs, introduced by humans at least 6,400 years ago.

Two types of dogs, which descended from the ancestral dog, are so different from other dogs that they have been given subspecific status: the Australian Dingo (C. l. dingo) and the African Basenji (C. l. basenji). They differ from other dogs in that they cannot bark, and they come into oestrus only once a year, as opposed to twice or more annually in other dogs. They also both lack a distinctive body odour.

Genetic evidence indicates that the Dingo originated from East Asian domestic dogs. It was introduced to Australia about 4,000 years ago by seafaring tribes, and today feral populations live in most of the continent, barred from access to the south-eastern part of the country by a so-called ‘dingo fence’. Today, it is the largest terrestrial predator in Australia, as the indigenous thylacine, or Tasmanian wolf (Thylacinus cynocephalus), was extirpated by farmers in the 1900s. Dingos are often a threat to livestock, but at the same time they benefit farmers, as they mainly prey on rabbits, kangaroos, and rats – three major pests in Australian farming.

The Basenji is said to have originated in the Congo Basin in West Africa. Dogs, resembling modern Basenjis are depicted in Egyptian tombs, sitting with pricked ears and tightly curled tails, just as they do today. Dogs of this type were originally kept in Egypt for hunting small game (Dollman 1937).

Through their long relationship with humans, dogs have become uniquely attuned to human behaviour, and they are able to thrive on a starch-rich diet that would be inadequate for wild members of the dog family. At least 200 dog breeds are known, varying immensely in size, shape, and colours, from the 300-pound English mastiff to the Chihuahua, which weighs only 1-2 kilograms. Dogs are utilized in countless activities, ranging from companionship and protection to hunting, herding, racing, pulling sledges, rescuing, assisting police and customs, and aiding handicapped people, to mention but a few. No wonder, the dog has been given the sobriquet ‘man’s best friend’.

Phylogenetic tree of extant grey wolf populations, with divergence times calculated, using an assumed mutation rate of Lindblad-Toh (2005) (1×10⁻⁸, shown in blue), and Skoglund (2015) (0.4×10⁻⁸, shown in green, in brackets). (Illustration borrowed from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_the_domestic_dog)

The dog’s sense of smell

The dog’s world is a world of smells that humans are in no precondition to understand at all. Their fantastic sense of smell makes them able to follow the route of a person that has merely walked through an area. The huge Saint Bernard dog is a famous breed, which originated in the western part of the Alps around the Great and Little St. Bernard Passes, where it was utilized to rescue people in need of help. Sometimes it is able to smell people who are buried under several feet of snow in avalanches.

This lengendaric sense of smell inspired English author Hugh Lofting (1886-1947), when he wrote his delightful children’s book The Story of Doctor Dolittle, Being the History of His Peculiar Life at Home and Astonishing Adventures in Foreign Parts (1920). One chapter deals with the dog Jip trying to find a little boy’s uncle who has been abducted by pirates who stole his ship and set him ashore on a rocky islet. Jip smells the wind from the north, mumbling to himself:

“Tar; Spanish onions; kerosene oil; wet raincoats; crushed laurel-leaves; rubber burning; lace-curtains being washed. No, my mistake, lace-curtains hanging out to dry; and foxes – hundreds of ’em – cubs; and –”

“Can you really smell all those different things in this one wind?” asked the Doctor.

“Why, of course!” said Jip. “And those are only a few of the easy smells – the strong ones. Any mongrel could smell those with a cold in the head. Wait now, and I’ll tell you some of the harder scents that are coming on this wind – a few of the dainty ones.”

Then the dog shut his eyes tight, poked his nose straight up in the air and sniffed hard with his mouth half-open.

(…)

“Bricks,” he whispered, very low, “old yellow bricks, crumbling with age in a garden-wall; the sweet breath of young cows standing in a mountain-stream; the lead roof of a dove-cote – or perhaps a granary – with the mid-day sun on it; black kid gloves lying in a bureau-drawer of walnut-wood; a dusty road with a horses’ drinking-trough beneath the sycamores; little mushrooms bursting through the rotting leaves; and – and –”

Jip, identifying smells, overseen by the pig Gub-Gub. Illustration by Danish artist Robert Storm Petersen (1882-1949) in the Danish edition of Doctor Dolittle (1954). (Public domain)

Gestation period

The gestation period of dogs varies between 58 and 68 days, depending on size. Humans often begin to wean pups, when they are ca. 8 weeks old, but if their mother allows them, pups will suckle much longer.

Hunting dogs

Neolithic people domesticated wolves to assist them when hunting, and possibly also during warfare. Since then, many dog breeds have been developed, especially as hunting dogs.

The English Springer Spaniel is a hunting dog breed, descended from Norfolk or Shropshire Spaniels in the mid-1800s. It was traditionally used for flushing out game, and for retrieving it. Today, it is also a popular family dog.

During a research trip to the Chukotka Peninsula, north-eastern Siberia, my companions and I visited the staff of a light house, situated at the tip of Kosa Ruskaya Koshka (‘Russian Cat’s Sandspit’). One of the dogs belonging to the staff was an English springer spaniel. Our trip to this area is related in depth on the page Travel episodes – Siberia 2011: Caterpillar trip in Chukotka.

Another hunting dog breed is the Golden Retriever, which was originally bred in Scotland in the mid-1800s to retrieve ducks and game birds, which were shot during hunting parties. It was called retriever due to its excellent ability to retrieve shot birds, which were undamaged because of the soft mouth of this breed. Today, due to its gentle demeanour, the Golden Retriever is a very popular family pet.

For a long time, this Golden Retriever, encountered in Reedsport, Oregon, was watching a confiding Townsend’s chipmunk (Neotamias townsendii), later sniffing it without harming it. – Chipmunks and many other squirrels are described on the page Animals – Mammals: Squirrels. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

The small Border terrier was bred to accompany fox hunters on horseback. It was big enough to keep up with the horses and small enough to enter burrows of foxes and chase them out for the hunters to shoot. The foxhounds, which also accompanied the hunters, were too large to enter fox dens.

The short-legged dachshund was also bred to chase foxes and badgers out of their dens, and in America it has been used to chase prairie dogs out of their burrows. This breed comes in three forms: smooth-coated, wire-haired, and long-haired.

These long-haired dachshunds are warmly dressed as a protection against the Taiwanese ‘winter cold’. The temperature was around 20 degrees Centigrade! – Taroko National Park. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

The Poodle likely originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It was the German ‘water dog’, originally used by wildfowl hunters to retrieve ducks that fell into the water. The name Pudel is of Germanic origin, derived from the old German word puddeln, meaning ‘to splash’. German art work from as early as the 17th Century depict Poodle-like dogs.

Several types of Poodles have evolved, including various colour forms, and dwarf forms which were previously much used as circus performers. Poodles are common at dog shows, where face and rear parts are clipped close, with tufts of hair on the hocks and tail tip.

Poodles, clad in jackets to withstand the ‘cold’ winter weather in Hanoi (c. 20 degrees Centigrade). Perhaps the owner of the dog in the lower picture is a fan of the New York Yankees (a baseball team). (Photos copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Shiba Inu is a Japanese breed, originally used for hunting. The name means ‘brushwood dog’.

The Formosan hunting dog originated in Taiwan, where it would accompany indigenous Malayan tribals on their hunting trips. Later, other peoples migrated to Taiwan from China and Japan, bringing other dog races with them, and today’s stray dogs on the island, called Taiwan dogs or Takasago dogs, are a result of the Formosan hunting dog interbreeding with these imported dog breeds. Today, most Taiwan dogs are black or brown, or a mixture of the two, but cream-coloured and yellowish-brown dogs are also seen, besides brindled individuals, which have more genes from the Formosan hunting dog.

The pattern on the coat of this brindled Taiwan dog, observed in Sheding Nature Park, Kenting National Park, indicates that it has many Formosan hunting dog genes. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Many Taiwan dogs are stray dogs, which roam the cities in search of food, like these in a garbage dump in Linyuan, a suburb of Kaohsiung. As Buddhists, many people feel that it is a good deed to feed these dogs, but the truth of the matter is that there are far to many stray dogs in Taiwan, littering the streets with their excreta, which may spread disease. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Despite barking ferociously at me, these Taiwan dogs in Taichung (top), and in Wushe Fishing Harbour, eastern Taiwan, show a friendly attitude by wagging their tail. (Photos copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

During Chinese New Year, a red scarf has been tied around the neck of this 12-week-old Taiwan pup. A red envelope, on which is written Wang-wang, is fastened to it. The red colour of the envelope, as well as the text, denotes well-wishing. Wang-wang is also an imitation of a dog’s barking. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Other dog breeds

One of the first dogs to be domesticated was the Indian pariah dog, also called Desi dog, which is native to the Indian subcontinent. This dog is medium-sized, with short coat, pointed muzzle, and often curved tail. Most pariah dogs are various shades of brown, ranging from dark-brown to reddish-brown, or sometimes black, and some are pied.

This breed was named by the British Raj, after the Pariah tribe near Chennai, derived from the Hindi word pahi (‘outsider’), which was Anglicized to pariah or pye. The alternative name Desi dog is derived from Urdu desi (‘native’).

Initially, the Labrador Retriever was bred as a working dog, assisting fishermen in Labrador to haul nets, fetch ropes, and retrieve fish from the chilly North Atlantic. Today, it is a popular family dog.

This Labrador Retriever is accompanying his master on a pilgrimage hike during a Taiwanese Daoist festival, dedicated to the Mother Goddess Mazu. During this festival, pilgrims often walk for days, spending the night in temples on the way. Both man and dog are well equipped for the journey. Other Daoist festivals, as well as the origin of Daoism, are described on the page Religion: Daoism. (Photos copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Despite its name, the Tibetan Terrier is not a real terrier. The name originated from European travelers, to whom it resembled terrier breeds. The Tibetan name for this dog is Tsang Apso, which translates as ‘the bearded (or shaggy) one from (the province of) Tsang’. According to Tibetan sources, this breed evolved more than 2,000 years ago. Tibetan Terriers were kept as companions, good luck mascots, watchdogs, and herding dogs, and they were also trained to retrieve smaller items that had fallen down mountain sides. (Source: Tibetan Terrier Club of America, ttca-online.org/html/history)

The Samoyed originated among the nomadic Samoyed people in Siberia, to pull sledges and to assist in the herding of reindeer. Today, it is a very popular family dog in the West.

The Chinese pug is known to be a sociable and loving companion dog. As its name implies, it was developed in China, but arrived in Europe as early as the 16th Century.

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi originated in Pembrokeshire, Wales, and was originally a cattle herding dog.

The huge Tibetan mastiff was developed by Tibetan herders to protect their sheep and goats from being attacked by various predators, such as snow leopards and wolves.

The Doberman pinscher originated in Germany, developed around 1890. If well trained, they can become loving family dogs, but on the other hand, there has been a number of incidents, in which Dobermans were mauling children.

As its name implies, the Miniature Pinscher is small, resembling a very small edition of the Doberman. This breed, which originated from Germany, was the result of cross-breeding a number of breeds, including the German Pinscher, the Italian greyhound, and the dachshund.

In East Asia, when the temperature gets below 20 degrees Centigrade, people dress themselves (and their dogs) in warm clothes as a protection against the ‘winter cold’. These pictures show Miniature Pinschers, photographed in Hanoi, Vietnam (top), and in Taitung, Taiwan. (Photos copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

The Bichon Frisé, or, more correctly, Bichon à Poil Frisé (‘curly-haired small dog’) is a small, Franco-Belgian dog breed, about 30 cm tall and weighing up to 5 kg. It is an ancient breed, which became popular with European nobility in the 1300s, and today it is a popular pet dog.

The Chow-Chow evolved in northern China, or perhaps Central Asia, around 2,000 years ago. In Chinese, it is called 鬆獅犬, which means ‘puffy lion-dog’. This breed is famous for its blue tongue.

Other pictures of dogs

At Pamukkale, western Turkey, water, containing dissolved calcium bicarbonate, is running down a slope over a wide area, where the mineral is deposited, and, over millennia, has formed numerous bluish-white terraces, some dry, some containing ponds with shallow water. Pictures, depicting these gorgeous terraces, are shown on the page Nature: Nature’s patterns.

Well-dressed dog, sleeping on a sidewalk, Bangkok, Thailand. I don’t know what its owner has been thinking, because the temperature was around 30 degrees Centigrade! The snout is just protruding to the left. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

In the wake of the deadly 1998-hurricane ‘Mitch’, huge amounts of rain fell in Central America between October 29 and November 3 – unofficial reports say 1,900 mm.

Inside Tibetan Buddhist prayer wheels are sheets of paper with written mantras. When turned, the prayer wheel will disperse these mantras into the Universe, for the benefit of Mankind. – Prayer wheels and other aspects of Buddhism are described in depth on the page Religion: Buddhism.

In Taiwan, in late April or early May, the mu oil tree (Vernicia montana) displays an abundance of pretty white flowers. The slightest puff of wind makes flowers fall from the trees by the hundreds, gradually covering the ground as a delicate white carpet.

A number of pictures, depicting the gorgeous flower display of this tree, are shown on the page Plants: When the mu oil tree is flowering.

By September, this herding dog, living near Lake Tso Kar, Ladakh, India, had still not shed its fur from the previous winter, giving it a rather ragged appearance. (Photos copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

A metal collar has been attached around the neck of this dog in Uttarakhand, India, to protect it from being killed by a leopard (Panthera pardus). Leopards most often kill their prey by suffocation by biting it in the neck. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

These dogs hope to get tidbits from pilgrims, who visit the huge Kumbum Stupa in Gyantse, Tibet. This great stupa is described on the page Travel episodes – Tibet 1987: Tibetan summer. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

In many places, dogs are treated cruelly. This poor dog was chained to a dog house, consisting of corrugated iron sheets, at the road north of Palaiochora, southern Crete. One must hope that the owner does not chain the dog to this house in the summer time, when the temperature inside must be red-hot.

When I knelt down and tried to call the dog, it was utterly delighted and came creeping along the ground, with its tail between the legs. Obviously, it enjoyed being scratched on the head, but when my companion joined us, it immediately got scared and ran as far away, as the chain permitted.

Sarcoptic mange is a disease among dogs, caused by mites of the species Sarcoptes scabiei, which tunnel through the skin, causing intense itching. The hair loss mainly stems from the dog scratching itself to relieve the irritation.

Many dogs are quite intelligent and can learn many tricks.

Dipávali, or Tihar, popularly called Festival of Lights, is a very important Hindu festival, which lasts five days. The second day, Kukur Puja, is dedicated to the dog, which plays an important role in Hinduism, as it guides the souls of the deceased to the god of death, Yama, for judgement. In the morning, the family places a red tika mark on the forehead of the dog, and a malla (a garland of marigolds) is draped around its neck. The dog is worshipped with incense, whereupon huge amounts of food are presented to it, before the family itself eat breakfast.

Many dog owners around the world bring their dogs to special dog restaurants, or to shops for dog bathing, pedicure, fur cutting etc.

In many cities around the world, it is now the law that you must clean up after your dog. For this purpose, plastic bags are often provided.

Erosion from sea and wind has shaped the soft Daliao Sandstone rocks in Yeliou Geopark, northern Taiwan, creating fantastic formations. Other pictures from this area are presented on the page Nature: Nature’s art.

Dogs in art

It is no wonder that the dog is often depicted in art, and elsewhere. Below is a selection of pictures, showing various depictions of dogs.

Wall painting in a tribal village near Dongshih, Taichung, depicting a hunter with a Formosan hunting dog and a bagged wild boar (Sus scrofa). It is created by people from the indigenous Atayal tribe Tian Gou (‘Heavenly Dog’). – Other pictures depicting Taiwanese indigenous art are shown on the page Culture: Tribal art of Taiwan. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

This house wall in the village of Saint Rhémy, Aosta Valley, northern Italy, has been adorned with a relief, depicting a Saint Bernard dog and an edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum). This beloved plant is described on the page Plants: Flora of the Alps and the Pyrenees. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

A kitschy Saint Bernard dog, made from gypsum or concrete, displayed at the Lesser St. Bernard Pass, on the border between Italy and France. In the background, another sculpture depicts a French police officer, complete with the red cap, the kepi. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It was bred as a companion dog from the Old English Bulldog, a now-extinct breed used for bull-baiting, a sport, which involved a bull that was attacked by dogs, which tried to subdue the bull by biting and holding onto its nose or neck, which often resulted in the death of the bull. This sport was outlawed under the Cruelty to Animals Act of 1835.

Previously, on the Danish island of Fanø, the majority of the male population were fishermen or sailors. The sailors often brought home two porcelain dogs – originally English artwork from the 1800s. The wives placed the dogs on a window sill, and, as the story goes, they were facing outwards when the husband was at sea, and inwards when he was home.

Lupulella mesomelas Black-backed jackal

In 2017, genetic research concluded that this species and the side-striped jackal (L. adusta) were only distantly related to members of the genus Canis (above), and, consequently, they were moved to a separate genus, Lupulella (meaning ‘a very small wolf’ in the Latin).

The black-backed jackal is described on the page Animals – Mammals: Dog family.

In African folklore, the jackal is a prominent trickster, known for its cunning, intelligence, and adaptability. It is often portrayed, outsmarting larger or more powerful animals like the lion, and it features in many stories as a clever, wily creature that outmaneuvers its opponents through wit rather than strength. The following story is from South Africa:

Once upon a time the jackal saw a wagon returning from the sea, laden with fish. He tried to jump into the wagon from behind, but couldn’t. He then ran far in front of the wagon and lay in the road as if dead. The wagon came up to him, and the leader cried to the driver: “Here is a fine kaross for your wife!” [A kaross is a cloak, made from an animal’s hide.]

“Throw it into the wagon,” said the driver, and the jackal was thrown in.

The wagon now continued through a moonlight night, and all the while the jackal was throwing out fish into the road. He then jumped out and secured a great prize.

But the hyaena, coming by, ate more than his share, for which the jackal owed him a grudge, and he said to him: “You can get plenty of fish, too, if you lie in the way of a wagon as I did, but you must lie still whatever happens.”

“Is that so!” mumbled the hyaena. When the next wagon came from the sea, he stretched himself out in the road.

“What ugly thing is this?” cried the leader, kicking the hyaena. He then took a stick and thrashed him till he was almost dead. But the hyaena, according to the directions of the jackal, lay quiet as long as he could. He then got up and dragged himself off and told his misfortune to the jackal, who pretended to comfort him.

“What a pity,” said the hyaena, “I haven’t got such a handsome skin as you have!”

The following story, told by Chrigi, a ranger of the San people of southern Africa, relates how the black-backed jackal got his black back:

The jackal was very much in love with the sun and would follow it all day along. Then one day, he noticed that the sun was not moving in the sky, so he began to search for her.

After looking for her nearly all day, he found her stuck in the thorny branches of an acacia tree. Worried that the thorns would hurt her, he called up to the sun: “Love of my heart, let me help you from the tree, and take you to your home!”

The sun answered: “My dearest friend, that is not a good idea. You are not strong and tall enough to carry me. You must call the strong elephant. And also I am very hot! I will burn you.”

But the jackal was very much in love with the sun and didn’t want to listen. So he jumped up into the tree and grabbed the sun by her leg to pull her free. As he grabbed her, she burned his paws black. Yelping with pain, he pulled her free and quickly put her on his back.

Running as fast as he could, he took her to the edge of the world, where she lived. All the time the sun was burning his back. She got of the jackal’s back and went to sleep, as she was tired from the long stressful day.

And the poor jackal? You will see that the bottom of a jackal’s feet and his back are black from where the sun burned him.

But as the sun goes to sleep at night, and also early in the morning before she rises, you will hear the jackal call: “Where’s my love, where’s is my love, I miss you, miss you!”

Vulpes vulpes Red fox

This species is described on the page Animals – Mammals: Dog family.

Most foxes are elusive, cautious, and intelligent hunters.

In European folklore, the fox is often depicted as outsmarting other animals through deceit, but sometimes the fox itself is outwitted by another creature.

One example is the tale about the fox and the stork, a fable by Aesop, in which a fox plays a trick on a stork. He invites the stork for dinner, but serves soup in a shallow dish, allowing him to lap it up easily, whereas the stork, with its long beak, cannot eat a single drop. However, the stork gets revenge by inviting the fox to dinner, serving a meal in a tall, narrow jar, which the stork can easily eat from, but the fox cannot. The moral of the story is that you should not treat others in a way that you wouldn’t want to be treated yourself.

The fox and the stork, painting by French artist Jean-Baptiste Oudry (1686-1755). (Public domain)

Kuma Lisa (‘Godmother Fox’) is a female fox in Slavic folklore, which usually plays the role of a trickster. Another character is the dim-witted wolf Kumcho Vulcho, which very often suffers from her tricks.

Here is the story of Kuma Lisa and the hedgehog Ezhko Bezhko, who were as close as sister and brother, going everywhere together. One day the fox said: “Ezhko Bezhko, will you come with me to the farmer’s grapevines? We can feast on sweet grapes.”

“I’ll come, Kuma Lisa, but I have to tell you, I’m scared that we’ll come to grief over it. Last night I had very bad dreams,” said the hedgehog.

“Oh, what’s wrong with you? When I’m with you, there’s no reason to be scared. I know many clever schemes, and we’ll always find a way out!” boasted the fox, adding: “But do you have any tricks yourself?”

“I know only 3 small tricks, but they are good ones, and I save them for a rainy day,” answered the hedgehog. “Well, let’s go.”

They now set off for the grapevines, crawled under the fence, and started to eat the sweet grapes. But suddenly Kuma Lisa got caught in a trap.

“Help! Quick, Ezhko,” she yelled, “tell me one of your little tricks. I’m so scared that I can’t remember any of mine.”

“All right, Lisa. Pretend that you are dead, and when the farmer frees you, run for your life!”

Kuma Lisa stopped yelling, closed her eyes and lay very still. She breathed so softly that nobody could tell she was just pretending. Soon the farmer came and noticed Kuma Lisa lying on the ground with one leg in his trap. He freed her, and she jumped up, ran like the wind, and crawled back under the fence to where Ezhko Bezhko was waiting for her on the other side.

Not many days passed, and Kuma Lisa again suggested, “Let’s go, Ezhko, to eat sweet grapes from the farmer’s vines.”

“Did you forget, Lisa, that the last time you barely escaped with your fur still on you?” Ezhko asked.

“Come on, hurry up. Whatever happens, I’ll take the responsibility and think up some clever escape,” Kuma Lisa reassured him.

Ezhko Bezhko agreed to go, and once again they set off for the grapevines. Soon they were enjoying the sweet grapes, but suddenly the hedgehog fell into a pit!

“Help! Quick, Lisa, help me,” he called out. “How can I fool the farmer? You have a whole bagful of schemes and tricks, don’t you?”

“Oh, Ezhko,” sighed the fox, “I did know a lot, but I’ve forgotten them all. You’ll have to figure it out yourself as best you can.”

“Well then, Lisa,” Ezhko shrugged calmly, “it’s clear that there is no escape for me. But come closer now, and we’ll kiss each other goodbye to seal our friendship.”

Kuma Lisa bent down over the edge of the pit, but instead of kissing her, Ezhko Bezhko jumped as high as his little legs could carry him and caught hold of her nose!

Just then the farmer appeared. As soon as Kuma Lisa saw him, she dashed away at top speed, and Ezhko Bezhko with her, as he was still clinging to her nose.

And that’s how Ezhko Bezhko used two of his good little tricks. And he still has one left, just in case.

Russian stamp, depicting Kuma Lisa stealing grapes. (Public domain)

Other members of the dog family are described on the pages Animals – Mammals: Dog family, and Animals – Mammals: Hunting dogs – nomads of the savanna.

References

Dollman, G. 1937. The Basenji Dog. Journal of the Royal African Society 36 (143): 148-149.

Lindblad-Toh, K. et al. 2005. Genome sequence, comparative analysis and haplotype structure of the domestic dog. Nature 438 (7069): 803-819.

Skoglund, P. 2015. Ancient wolf genome reveals an early divergence of domestic dog ancestors and admixture into high-latitude breeds. Current Biology 25 (11): 1515-19.

(Uploaded September 2017)

(Latest update December 2025)

Kaj Halberg - writer & photographer

Travels ‐ Landscapes ‐ Wildlife ‐ People

Canidae Dogs and foxes