Is a Feral Dog the Same as a Stray Dog?
The term Feral and Stray refer to animals that at some point in life are not domesticated or under human care and supervision. Following this train of thought implies both feral and stray seem to mean the same thing. That’s why so many people use these two terms “interchangeably”.
However, the true meanings of each term have very distinct characteristics that make them different. When referring to Feral Dogs, you can expect to see dogs that are totally non-human dependent, with extraordinary skills for survival such as any other wild animal. Strays, on the other hand, have had human contact at some point in their life and have formed a distinct symbiosis with humans.
The following article further explains these two concepts.
I have heard the words “stray” and “feral” used interchangeably. Let me be clear, there is a distinct difference between the two terms.
A feral animal is one that is untamed or wild. Think of a feral dog as one that was born in the wild, not unlike a wolf or skunk. Feral dogs have never had contact with humans, or if they have, they have learned that humans are no more than a component of their environment. They do not depend on humans, and have no need for them as they have learned to become self-sufficient and adaptive to our world, not unlike other wild animals.
Feral dogs typically have excellent dog skills and are confident with being a dog. They are not necessarily afraid of humans, but will often stay away from them as, again, humans are not advantageous to them or are not part of their pack. You will often find feral dogs with one or more other dogs. Like any other wild animal, feral dogs are not always aggressive, but will protect themselves if confronted. They are extremely intelligent in regards to survival; they are very adaptive and know no other way of life.
…These feral dogs are often born in the “wild” and have never had human contact. Feral dogs do not typically live as long as their domesticated counterparts, however, they also do not necessarily lead unfulfilled lives. This is because they live as any other wild creature, and do not know the life of a domesticated pet dog. …. A truly feral dog should be left alone as any other wild animal, except in the case of organized capture for alteration and release.
Strays have at one point had contact or some socialization with humans. …Strays may have been raised with humans for months or even years, and may have become stray due to natural disaster, neglect and abandonment, becoming lost or a number of other reasons. Many will try to acclimate to their environment but often times their lives are much shorter than a feral dog as they have not been equipped with the skills to survive on their own. …Strays are often more fearful than feral dogs, and are more likely to show symptoms of fear such as fleeing, biting, snapping and submissive urination. You may also find the opposite is true in that a stray has been well socialized with humans, and is happy to jump into your car or to come into your home. The severity of the behavioral issues a stray has will depend not only on its social skills prior to becoming stray, but also how long it has been a stray. Once caught, a lot of training must take place to re-acclimate a stray to humans.
Dog Speak Admin
(source: dogspeak101.com)
To fully understand how feral dogs act and react to certain situations, we recommend you read an exciting story about a Feral Dog that mysteriously falls over a Retaining Wall in Japan.
