According to a study focusing on loyalty to their own species, a wolf is considered more loyal than a dog.
While the question of loyalty between dogs and wolves is complex and depends on the definition of loyalty, research suggests a key difference in how they relate to their own kind. The study conducted at the Wolf Science Centre of the Messerli Research Institute at the University of Vienna specifically looked at cooperation within the species.
Here's a breakdown:
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Wolves: Exhibit a high degree of cooperation and loyalty towards their pack. This is crucial for their survival, as they rely on coordinated hunting, raising pups, and defending their territory. Their social structure demands strong bonds and mutual support.
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Dogs: Domestication has significantly altered canine social behavior. While dogs form strong bonds with humans and can demonstrate loyalty to their human families, their loyalty to other dogs is often less pronounced than the loyalty wolves display to their pack members. This isn't to say dogs are not loyal to each other, but the intensity and nature of the loyalty differ due to domestication and selective breeding.
In essence, if we define loyalty in terms of cooperation and strong bonds within the species, wolves tend to demonstrate a more profound commitment to their own kind compared to dogs, which have adapted to focus their loyalty more towards humans. However, a dog's loyalty to its human companion is arguably stronger than a wolf's potential loyalty to a human. It really depends on how the term "loyal" is being used. This answer considers loyalty to "their own kind."
