Wolf vs dog size comparison
Pick any breed, or enter your own dog's height and weight. You see it next to an average gray wolf, drawn to scale, with the difference in height and weight.
Tim de JongOr pick 'My own dog' to enter its size
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Uses the male or female averages for both the wolf and the breed.
German Shepherd Dog vs an average male gray wolf
78%of the wolf's height
At the shoulder the male wolf averages 31.9 in and 110 lb. An average male German Shepherd Dog is 6.9 in shorter and 33 lb lighter.
- Height vs wolf
- 78%
- Weight vs wolf
- 70%
- Wolf height range
- 26–33 in
- Wolf weight range (males)
- 70–145 lb
Wolf averages: Yellowstone wolves (National Park Service). Ranges: gray wolves in general (National Wildlife Federation). Breed figures: midpoint of the German Shepherd Dog standard for males.
Wolf figures are averages for Yellowstone gray wolves; wolves elsewhere can be smaller or larger. Breed figures are midpoints of the breed standard.
How big is a gray wolf?
Yellowstone's wolves have been studied closely since they were reintroduced to the park in the mid-1990s. The National Park Service gives these averages for them:
| Gray wolf | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| Average height at the shoulder | 31.9 in (81 cm) | 30.3 in (77 cm) |
| Average weight | 110 lb (50 kg) | 90 lb (41 kg) |
| Typical weight range (NWF) | 70–145 lb | 60–100 lb |
| Typical shoulder height (NWF) | 26–33 in (66–84 cm) | |
The National Wildlife Federation's ranges cover gray wolves more broadly, and size depends on where a wolf lives: in general, wolves in northern regions are larger than those farther south. The tool uses the Yellowstone averages because they are measured figures for one well-studied population.
How do wolves compare with dogs in general?
Most dogs are much smaller than wolves. Of the 162 breeds in our database, 161 have average females that are shorter at the shoulder than an average female wolf (30.3 in). Even breeds that look wolfish, like huskies and malamutes, are well short of a wolf.
Height and weight don't always go together. Sighthounds can come close to a wolf's shoulder height while weighing far less, and mastiff-type breeds can outweigh a wolf without being taller. That's why the tool shows both numbers and draws the dog to scale. Our wolf vs dog article covers the other differences, from behavior to whether a wolf can be a pet.
Which dog breeds are as tall as a wolf?
These breeds have an average male shoulder height of at least 26 in, the bottom of the gray wolf's typical range. The percentages compare them with an average male Yellowstone wolf.
| Breed | Height | Weight | Height vs wolf | Weight vs wolf |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Wolfhound | 33.5 in (85 cm) | 138 lb (62 kg) | 105% | 125% |
| Mastiff | 31.5 in (80 cm) | 195 lb (88 kg) | 99% | 177% |
| Great Dane | 31 in (79 cm) | 158 lb (71 kg) | 97% | 143% |
| Kangal Shepherd Dog | 31 in (79 cm) | 128 lb (58 kg) | 97% | 116% |
| Anatolian Shepherd Dog | 30.5 in (77 cm) | 130 lb (59 kg) | 96% | 118% |
| Borzoi | 30 in (76 cm) | 90 lb (41 kg) | 94% | 82% |
| Leonberger | 29.8 in (76 cm) | 140 lb (64 kg) | 93% | 127% |
| Great Pyrenees | 29.5 in (75 cm) | 115 lb (52 kg) | 93% | 105% |
| Greyhound | 29 in (74 cm) | 68 lb (31 kg) | 91% | 61% |
| Saint Bernard | 29 in (74 cm) | 160 lb (73 kg) | 91% | 145% |
| Neapolitan Mastiff | 28.5 in (72 cm) | 143 lb (65 kg) | 89% | 130% |
| Newfoundland | 28 in (71 cm) | 140 lb (64 kg) | 88% | 127% |
| Tibetan Mastiff | 28 in (71 cm) | 120 lb (54 kg) | 88% | 109% |
| Akita | 27 in (69 cm) | 115 lb (52 kg) | 85% | 105% |
| Doberman Pinscher | 27 in (69 cm) | 88 lb (40 kg) | 85% | 80% |
| Greater Swiss Mountain Dog | 27 in (69 cm) | 128 lb (58 kg) | 85% | 116% |
| Irish Setter | 27 in (69 cm) | 70 lb (32 kg) | 85% | 64% |
| Beauceron | 26.5 in (67 cm) | 90 lb (41 kg) | 83% | 82% |
| Bernedoodle | 26.5 in (67 cm) | 80 lb (36 kg) | 83% | 73% |
| Caucasian Shepherd Dog | 26.5 in (67 cm) | 135 lb (61 kg) | 83% | 122% |
| Giant Schnauzer | 26.5 in (67 cm) | 85 lb (39 kg) | 83% | 77% |
| Pointer | 26.5 in (67 cm) | 65 lb (29 kg) | 83% | 59% |
| Bernese Mountain Dog | 26.3 in (67 cm) | 98 lb (44 kg) | 82% | 89% |
| Cane Corso | 26.3 in (67 cm) | 105 lb (47 kg) | 82% | 95% |
| Afghan Hound | 26 in (66 cm) | 55 lb (25 kg) | 82% | 50% |
| Bloodhound | 26 in (66 cm) | 100 lb (45 kg) | 82% | 91% |
| Bouvier des Flandres | 26 in (66 cm) | 90 lb (41 kg) | 82% | 82% |
| Bullmastiff | 26 in (66 cm) | 120 lb (54 kg) | 82% | 109% |
| English Setter | 26 in (66 cm) | 73 lb (33 kg) | 82% | 66% |
| Rhodesian Ridgeback | 26 in (66 cm) | 85 lb (39 kg) | 82% | 77% |
| Weimaraner | 26 in (66 cm) | 80 lb (36 kg) | 82% | 73% |
Which dog breeds are heavier than a wolf?
By average male weight, 18 breeds in our data outweigh an average male wolf (110 lb): Mastiff, Boerboel, Saint Bernard, Great Dane, Neapolitan Mastiff, Leonberger, Newfoundland, Irish Wolfhound, Caucasian Shepherd Dog, Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Kangal Shepherd Dog, Dogue de Bordeaux, Bullmastiff, Tibetan Mastiff, Akita, Great Pyrenees and Rottweiler. Most of them are mastiffs, mountain dogs and livestock guardians.
How big are the dog breeds that look like wolves?
Plenty of breeds have the wolf look: pricked ears, a thick double coat and gray or sable coloring. In our data that combination belongs to Akita, Alaskan Malamute, German Shepherd Dog, Dutch Shepherd, Siberian Husky, Border Collie, Norwegian Elkhound, Finnish Lapphund, Australian Cattle Dog, Keeshond and 5 more. None of them reaches the shoulder height of an average male Yellowstone wolf; the tallest, the Akita, averages about 27 in for males, 85% of the wolf.
The resemblance is mostly coat and ears. Size is where the wolf stands apart, and the difference between the sexes matters too: in Yellowstone, average females are about 18% lighter than males but only about 5% shorter at the shoulder. Switch between males and females in the tool to see both.
How to read the wolf and dog drawing
Both animals are drawn to the same scale, from the ground to the top of the shoulder blades, which is how both wolf researchers and breed standards measure height. The head rises above that line, so the drawing shows the full animal, but the scale lines refer to shoulder height. Body shapes are generic silhouettes: the dog is stretched a little for breeds that are heavy for their height, such as mastiffs and bassets, and the ears and tail follow the breed's standard where we have it. Weight isn't drawn, so check the numbers under the picture.
How to compare your own dog with a wolf
Choose "My own dog" in the breed list and enter its height and weight. Measure height at the withers, the top of the shoulder blades, with your dog standing square on a hard floor: lay a ruler flat across the shoulders and measure from the floor to the ruler. Weigh yourself holding your dog and subtract your own weight.
Want your dog next to a person instead? Try the dog vs human size comparison, or line up two or three breeds in the dog breed comparison.
Frequently asked questions
How big is a wolf compared to a German Shepherd?
An average male German Shepherd Dog stands about 25 in and weighs about 78 lb, which is 78% of the height and 70% of the weight of an average male Yellowstone wolf (32 in, 110 lb). So the wolf is noticeably taller and heavier, with longer legs.
Is a wolf bigger than a husky?
Yes, by a lot. An average male Siberian Husky stands about 22.3 in and weighs about 53 lb, which is 70% of the height and 48% of the weight of an average male Yellowstone wolf (32 in, 110 lb). Huskies look wolf-like because of their coat and ears, not their size.
Which dog breed is closest to a wolf in size?
Among the 162 breeds in our database, the Great Pyrenees is closest to an average male gray wolf in both height and weight. Several giant breeds are taller or heavier than a wolf, but few match it on both at once.
What is the heaviest wolf ever recorded in Yellowstone?
According to the National Park Service, the heaviest wolf recorded in Yellowstone weighed 148 lb (67 kg), and that was with an empty stomach. The average male there weighs 110 lb.
How long is a gray wolf?
The National Wildlife Federation gives a body length of 3 to 5 feet, with the tail adding another 1 to 2 feet. Yellowstone wolves average 181 cm (about 6 feet) in length.
Sources
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