Domestic Dog (Canis familiaris) is in the Canids family (Canidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,744 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in February.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Domestic Dog: observations by month (U.S.)
About Domestic Dog
The domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris or Canis familiaris) is a canid in the genus Canis, and is the most widely abundant terrestrial carnivore. The dog and the extant gray wolf are sister taxa as modern wolves are not closely related to the wolves that were first domesticated, which implies that the direct ancestor of the dog is extinct. The dog is the first species to be domesticated and has been selectively bred over millennia for...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Domestic Dog by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 366 | March | Feb–Jan |
| California | 211 | March | Feb–Jan |
| Oregon | 112 | February | Feb–Feb |
| Alabama | 72 | March | Oct–Jun |
| Florida | 71 | February | Nov–Sep |
| Arizona | 67 | August | Mar–Jan |
| Utah | 58 | February | Feb–Feb |
| New Mexico | 55 | August | Feb–Dec |
| Virginia | 51 | April | Nov–Jul |
| North Carolina | 50 | June | Feb–Aug |
| Georgia | 47 | February | Jan–May |
| Missouri | 41 | June | Mar–Jul |
| Colorado | 36 | August | May–Aug |
| Illinois | 36 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Louisiana | 32 | March | Feb–Apr |
| Nevada | 31 | May | May–May |
| Mississippi | 30 | March | Dec–Mar |
| South Carolina | 30 | February | Feb–Apr |
| Maryland | 29 | January | Dec–Feb |
| Oklahoma | 26 | March | Nov–Jun |
| Pennsylvania | 25 | June | May–Jun |
| Washington | 25 | March | Nov–May |
| Indiana | 24 | May | Mar–Jun |
| Ohio | 21 | May | May–May |
| Michigan | 18 | May | May–May |
| Arkansas | 17 | February | Jan–Mar |
| Kentucky | 17 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Tennessee | 17 | May | May–May |
| Hawaii | 16 | February | Sep–Jul |
| New York | 14 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Idaho | 13 | June | May–Jun |
| Wyoming | 9 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Alaska | 8 | May | May–Jun |
| Connecticut | 8 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Iowa | 8 | January | Jan–Mar |
| Minnesota | 8 | May | Feb–May |
| West Virginia | 8 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Kansas | 6 | January | Jan–Jan |
| South Dakota | 6 | May | Apr–May |
| Maine | 5 | February | Feb–Apr |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related mammals (Canids)
Photography tips
- Keep a legal and safe distance: 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from other large animals in national parks.
- Dawn and dusk are peak activity times for most mammals.
- Use your car as a blind on wildlife drives.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Domestic Dog?
Nationally, February has the most observations, with the main season from January to December.
Where is Domestic Dog most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, California, Oregon.