Coyote vs Dog, Fox and Bobcat: How to Tell Them Apart

People often ask whether the animal in the yard was a coyote, a dog, a fox or a bobcat. Identification matters mainly because it changes what you do next, and the honest answer from the sources is that some distinctions are reliable and some are not. This is a supporting guide in our coyote information hub.

This is general information, not veterinary, medical or legal advice. For an injured or aggressive animal, a bite, a pet attack or a suspected rabies exposure, call your doctor, your vet, local animal control, or the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD).

Reviewed by the editorial desk against the cited sources. The desk holds no wildlife-biology, veterinary or medical credential; see our editorial policy. We use only agency and university extension sources, and we state clearly where those sources run out. We also do not include images here; if the owner supplies rights-held photographs, they will be added.

Start with the safest rule: do not get close

No identification feature is worth approaching a wild animal for. AZGFD says never to approach a coyote. The CDC advises keeping your distance from wild and unfamiliar animals, including dogs and cats. Observe from a distance, take a photo if safe, and call AZGFD or animal control if the animal is behaving oddly.

Coyote basics

What the sources say about coyote appearance:

• Body. University of California IPM says a coyote resembles a small German shepherd dog, but with a longer, narrower snout and a bushy black-tipped tail. It stands about 18 inches at the shoulder.
• Color. UC IPM says coloration is usually a blend of rust-colored to brown to gray. University of Florida IFAS says coyote fur varies from light brown, typical, to reddish to black.
• Weight and size. AZGFD’s current Living with Coyotes page says Arizona coyotes weigh about 20 to 30 pounds, with males larger, and stand about 2 feet at the shoulder; it gives a length of about 3.5 to 4 feet including the tail. (The 2015 brochure said 15 to 30 pounds.) UC IPM gives 20 to 35 pounds for males and 18 to 25 pounds for females, and UF IFAS gives 20 to 40 pounds for Florida coyotes. The sources differ by region and year (UC IPM is a 2007 note), so treat them as ranges.
• AZGFD description. The department describes a medium-sized doglike canid, grayish-brown to reddish-brown, with large pointed ears, a long narrow nose and a bushy black-tipped tail. It says coyotes are vocal, with howls, yelps and barks.
• Family. UF IFAS notes that coyotes are canids, members of the dog family, the same family as domestic dogs.

Behavior matters too. AZGFD says coyotes usually travel and hunt alone or in loose pairs, and UC IPM says they are most active after dusk and before daylight. See coyote behavior in Arizona neighborhoods.

Coyote vs dog

Because dogs and coyotes are both canids and some dogs resemble coyotes, extension sources are careful. NMSU Extension states that some dog tracks can be easily confused with coyote tracks, even when well defined.

What it and UC IPM do say:

Feature	Coyote	Dog
Track shape	More oval and compact (NMSU, UC IPM)	Less oval and compact than coyote (NMSU, UC IPM, “common dog breeds”)
Trail	Follows a straight line more closely (NMSU)	Wanders more from a straight line (NMSU)
Nail marks	Claws may not appear when the print is not in soft ground (NMSU)	Nail marks more prominent (NMSU)
Face and tail	Longer, narrower snout; bushy black-tipped tail (UC IPM)	Not described by the sources

The table says what the sources support and nothing more; there is no dog column for body size, since dogs vary widely. In practice, behavior is the better clue. A coyote that moves away when challenged is acting as AZGFD describes. A loose dog may approach people. If you are unsure whether an animal is a stray dog or a coyote, call animal control; CDC advises calling animal control to remove stray animals from the neighborhood.

Coyote vs bobcat

The best-sourced contrast is in the tracks. NMSU Extension says:

• A typical bobcat track is about 1 3/4 inches long by 1 7/8 inches wide, and rounder than coyote or dog tracks.
• Bobcat tracks show no claw marks.
• The front edge of the bobcat’s ball pad has two lobes, which distinguishes it from the coyote’s.
• Coyote front tracks in soft mud are 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 inches long and 1 3/4 to 2 3/8 inches wide, and are more oval.

For body description, none of the sources we opened describes a bobcat’s appearance, so we do not. We did not capture an AZGFD bobcat species page, so we do not cite one. If you need a bobcat description, check the department’s website directly.

Coyote vs fox

We could not source this one. The NMSU tracks circular states that fox is not covered, and none of the other agency or extension sources we opened compares foxes and coyotes. Common differences you may have read elsewhere, such as size or ear shape, come from sources we are not permitted to use on this site, so we leave them out. For an Arizona fox, check the AZGFD website or call the department. Rabies is a concern for any wild mammal; the CDC page we opened names foxes among species in which rabies is reported in wildlife.

What identification does not change

Whether the animal is a coyote, a fox or a bobcat, the steps that protect people and pets are mostly the same:

1. Keep your distance and do not approach, feed or corner it.
2. Bring small pets inside or pick them up. AZGFD says to pick up small pets and to protect small children so they do not panic and run.
3. Remove food sources, including pet food and unsecured garbage.
4. If a pet has had any contact with a wild animal, or anyone has been bitten or scratched, call your doctor or vet and local animal control. The CDC says to wash bites or scratches immediately with soap and water and urgently seek medical attention after possible rabies exposure.
5. Report aggressive or unafraid animals to AZGFD.

Tracks, scat and signs

If your identification rests on a print, read coyote tracks, scat and other signs for ranges and the University of Arizona’s cautions about scat. For pet safety, see keeping small dogs safe from coyotes and the pet and child safety hub.

What we could not source

• Coyote vs fox appearance or tracks.
• Bobcat appearance beyond tracks.
• Coyote vs dog size, ear or tail carriage beyond what is quoted above.
• Hybrids, or how to tell a coyote from a mixed-breed dog at a distance.
• Arizona-specific coloration of coyotes.

Related guides

• Coyote information hub
• How local coyotes act
• Coyote tracks, scat and other signs
• Coyote breeding and pup season in Arizona

Emergency numbers if an animal acts aggressively and what AZGFD will and will not do

AZGFD (current Living with Coyotes page and April 2023 news release, both accessed 2026-11-14) says that if a coyote attacks a person, you should report it to the department or call 911, and that anyone who is bitten should seek medical care immediately. Its 24-hour Communications Center for wildlife acting aggressively toward people is 623-236-7201 (confirm before relying on it). If a coyote is approaching or has bitten someone, call 911. For a pet that has been attacked, call your vet first.

AZGFD does not respond to calls to relocate or remove coyotes unless there is a public-safety concern; for removal on private property it points residents to a licensed wildlife-removal business. The news release says predators that attacked people or show predatory or aggressive behavior toward people are removed lethally only as a last resort and cannot be relocated for public-safety reasons, and that removal does not help if attractants remain. Pima Animal Care Center dispatch is 520-724-5900 ext. 4 (pima.gov; confirm before relying on it).

Feeding wildlife (except birds and tree squirrels) is unlawful in Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties under A.R.S. 13-2927, according to the AZGFD news release; some cities and counties have their own ordinances. Checked on 2026-11-14; confirm with AZGFD and your local animal control.