Classification

Note that the subdivision of Canidae into "foxes" and "true dogs" may not be in accordance with the actual relations, and that the taxonomic classification of several canines is disputed. Recent DNA analysis has shown, however, that Canini (dogs) and Vulpini (foxes) are valid clades, which exclude two genera: Nyctereutes and Otocyon. These are basal canids and are not closely related to either vulpines or canines. (Some evidence also suggests the same for Urocyon.)

Speothos and Chrysocyon are primitive members of Canini, but might be placed in their own clade. Cuon and Lycaon may in fact belong in Canis, and there is evidence that Alopex and Fennecus are not valid clades, but are both part of Vulpes.

The Domestic Dog is listed by some authorities as Canis familiaris and others (including the Smithsonian Institution and the American Society of Mammalogists) as a subspecies of the Gray Wolf (i.e., Canis lupus familiaris); the Red Wolf may or may not be a full species; and the Dingo is variously classified as Canis dingo, Canis lupus dingo, Canis familiaris dingo and Canis lupus familiaris dingo. At least one subspecies of wolf has recently been listed as a separate species - the Eastern Canadian Wolf, Canis lycaon. This is, however, still a controversial classification; the precise relationships among the Gray Wolf, Red Wolf, Eastern Canadian Wolf, and Coyote have yet to be worked out satisfactorily.

• True dogs - Tribe Canini
• Genus Canis
• Coyote, Canis latrans (also called Prairie Wolf)
• Gray Wolf, Canis lupus
• Domestic Dog, Canis lupus familiaris
• Dingo, Canis lupus familiaris dingo or Canis lupus dingo.
• many other proposed subspecies
• Dire Wolf, Canis dirus †
• Red Wolf, Canis rufus or Canis lycaon
• Ethiopian Wolf, Canis simensis (also called Abyssinian Wolf, Simien Fox and Simien Jackal)
• Golden Jackal, Canis aureus
• Side-striped Jackal, Canis adustus
• Black-backed jackal, Canis mesomelas
• Genus Cuon
• Dhole, Cuon alpinus or Canis alpinus (also called Asian Wild Dog)
• Genus Cynotherium †
• Sardinian Dhole, Cynotherium sardous †
• Genus Lycaon
• African Wild Dog, Lycaon pictus (also called African Hunting Dog)
• Genus Atelocynus
• Short-eared Dog, Atelocynus microtis
• Genus Pseudalopex
• Culpeo, Pseudalopex culpaeus
• Darwin's Fox, Pseudalopex fulvipes
• Argentine Grey Fox, Pseudalopex griseus
• Pampas Fox, Pseudalopex gymnocercus
• Sechura Fox, Pseudalopex sechurae
• Hoary Fox, Pseudalopex vetulus
• Genus Cerdocyon
• Crab-eating Fox, Cerdocyon thous
• Genus Dusicyon †
• Falkland Island Fox, Dusicyon australis †
• Genus Dasycyon
• Hagenbeck wolf, Dasycyon hagenbecki
• Genus Speothos
• Bush Dog, Speothos venaticus
• Genus Chrysocyon
• Maned Wolf, Chrysocyon brachyurus
• Genus Theriodictis †
• Theriodictis platensis †
• Genus Protocyon †
• Protocyon orcesi †
• Protocyon scagliarum †
• Protocyon troglodytes †
• Genus Eucyon †
• Eucyon davisi †
• Eucyon minor †
• Eucyon zhoui †
• Eucyon monticinensis †
• Eucyon odessanus †
• Foxes - Tribe Vulpini
• Genus Vulpes
• Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes
• Swift Fox, Vulpes velox
• Kit Fox, Vulpes macrotis
• Corsac Fox (or Steppe Fox), Vulpes corsac
• Cape Fox, Vulpes chama
• Pale Fox, Vulpes pallida
• Bengal Fox, Vulpes bengalensis
• Tibetan Fox, Vulpes ferrilata
• Blanford's Fox, Vulpes cana
• Rueppell's Fox, Vulpes rueppelli
• Fennec, Vulpes zerda
• Genus Alopex
• Arctic Fox, Alopex lagopus
• Genus Urocyon
• Gray Fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus
• Island Fox, Urocyon littoralis
• Cozumel Fox, Urocyon sp.
• Basal canids
• Genus Nyctereutes
• Raccoon Dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides
• Genus Otocyon
• Bat-eared Fox, Otocyon megalotis

Dentition

Canines have 42 teeth - their dental formula is:

The deciduous or baby teeth formula is 3 1 3; molars are completely absent.