Dogs

are dogs and bears related


Are Dogs and Bears Related?

Humans have been asking this question ever since they first encountered both species. The short answer is: yes, but not as closely related as you might think.

Taxonomy of Dogs and Bears

Dogs and bears are both members of the mammal family, and both have a four-legged design. Dogs are classed as members of the Canidae family and bears are members of the Ursidae family – both enjoy a distant common ancestor, the carnivore Miacidae, which lived about 45 million years ago and is long extinct.

Common Ancestor

Humans and dogs, and humans and bears, are closer relatives than dogs and bears, due to our shared direct ancestor – hominins.

Although they are cousins of a sort, the evolutionary distance between dogs and bears is huge. Dogs and bears continue to diverge, with dogs showing a preference for hunting by sight, and bears preferring smell.

Physical Evidence

However, bears and dogs do share some common traits:

  • They both have a four-legged design.
  • They are both mammals.
  • They do have similar dietary requirements, preferring foraging for food to hunting complicated prey.
  • Their fur can have similar colors and patterns.
  • Their scent glands are similar in anatomy.

Conclusion

Although dogs and bears share a distant ancestor in evolutionary terms, the amount of shared characteristics between them is actually quite small. Dogs and bears must have evolved very differently to ensure their long-term survival in the animal kingdom.

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