Help me identify this print/track

[opcHunter]

Hello all - I am a new user for this forum, hoping we could figure out this track...

Found these tracks in my backyard two nights in a row, animal had to clear a 5' fence to get in. Left two scrapes (one on lawn, one in garden). Stride length between prints is about 30-36". Print width is about 4" wide.

I live in Turner Valley near the edge of town, there have been cougars, foxes, and coyotes come through here before. Now I think this print looks like a wolf print and is the right size, but a single wolf in town??? Not likely - too big to be a bobcat or coyote - domestic dog? possibly but I've never seen a domestic dog jump a 5' fence just to sniff around, anyhow let me know what you think! thanks.

Neighbour's border collie!

[opcHunter]

Hopefully that is it - the wife is a little uneasy, just seemed strange as never had a neighbourhood dog come into the yard before, let alone jump the fence to get in

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by sheephunter

Neighbour's border collie!

Alberta must be gettin' close to needing a Collie cull.


OPC, 4" track? How did you measure that? From edge of toe to toe, or where the snow is displaced?


I'm Not saying the track is from a wolf. However, a wolf in High River would not surprise me at all.

There is a pack of 6-7 wolves that have made their home range the Priddis to Bragg Creek area. They will pass throught Priddis every three weeks. They showed up this spring, and have been doing their circuit on this timeline all year.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by sheephunter

Neighbour's border collie!

NO no no! It's the next door neighbor's next door neighbor's Black Lab.
Too big to be Daisy the Border Collie. LOL

Seriously, it is a domestic dog. The toe nails are too big and heavy and overgrown to be anything else.

Oh, and a 5 foot fence is no barrier to a determined dog.
The scrapes are a from a male dog leaving his mark. It's about time for dogs to start geting frisky and my guess is that there is a female coming in heat that spends time in your yard. Maybe your dog, or a friends dog.

You have probably seen them do this, they rake the ground with their hind feet. It's a territorial display, and it marks that territory as theirs.

[opcHunter]

4" from edge of pad to edge of pad. The heel pad is about 2" wide. Overall length is also about 4".

[opcHunter]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

NO no no! It's the next door neighbor's next door neighbor's Black Lab.
Too big to be Daisy the Border Collie. LOL

Seriously, it is a domestic dog. The toe nails are too big and heavy and overgrown to be anything else.

That's what I was orginally thinking, but the behavior of the tracks is not consistant with a domestic dog. Maybe there is a pack of wild black labs running amuck....

[opcHunter]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

NO no no! It's the next door neighbor's next door neighbor's Black Lab.
Too big to be Daisy the Border Collie. LOL

Seriously, it is a domestic dog. The toe nails are too big and heavy and overgrown to be anything else.

Oh, and a 5 foot fence is no barrier to a determined dog.
The scrapes are a from a male dog leaving his mark. It's about time for dogs to start geting frisky and my guess is that there is a female coming in heat that spends time in your yard. Maybe your dog, or a friends dog.

You have probably seen them do this, they rake the ground with their hind feet. It's a territorial display, and it marks that territory as theirs.

Makes sense, thanks.

[Speckle55]

Set up a camera(Trail cam). you will find out quick. borrow one of your hunting friends

[bigbuck19]

My dog is medium sized, his kennel has a 5' or so high fence.. We would come home and he'd be outside the fence. Turns out he could jump the fence, you'd be surprised.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by opcHunter

Hopefully that is it - the wife is a little uneasy, just seemed strange as never had a neighbourhood dog come into the yard before, let alone jump the fence to get in

My Brittany can and has jumped 5 foot fences before, much to the amusement of onlookers. The paw print size and stride seem a little large for most dogs though.