Dingoes look adorable, don’t they? Their resemblance to your friendly neighborhood dogs is impossible to miss, so much so that if you squint, you could even mistake them for Shiba Inus.
So, do dingoes make good pets? Are you even allowed to own a pet dingo in the first place?
Here’s the thing: dingoes aren’t the same as domestic dogs. True, these two creatures are both canids. Unfortunately, dingoes are wild animals capable of unpredictable, potentially dangerous behaviors – not to mention they have special needs that can make them particularly difficult and costly to care for.
In short, dingoes don’t make good pets. Read on to find out why!
6 Reasons Why Dingoes Make Bad Pets
There are many reasons why dingoes make bad pets. Let’s examine them one by one!
1. Dingoes are wild animals
Dingoes may look like domestic dogs, but they’re quite different. The dogs we keep as pets are domesticated; we’ve had thousands upon thousands of years to mold them into the friendly, human-loving, obedient, loyal, and easily trainable canines that they are today.
On the other hand, dingoes are wild animals, which means they’re still highly influenced by their primal urges. Sure, a dingo is typically a skittish and even gentle animal. But whereas a dog will refrain from hurting a human they feel threatened by, a dingo won’t hesitate to bite. Dingoes will pee and poop wherever they want, destroy your possessions, and behave in other ways that will have you tearing your hair out in frustration and rage.
Thanks to their feral nature, dingoes are also less predictable than dogs; what a dog might consider normal human behavior, a dingo could perceive as a threat. And a threatened wild animal is a dangerous one.
2. Dingoes can seriously hurt you
Dingoes are shy creatures that would rather avoid humans than attack them. It’s for this reason attacks on humans are so rare.
However, this doesn’t mean dingoes are incapable of hurting you. They may not have the most impressive bite force (between 200 and 400 pounds per inch) in the animal kingdom, but, as mentioned above, they’re more willing than domestic dogs to use their long, sharp teeth when threatened.
The fact is, there have been several reported deaths caused by dingo attacks. Perhaps the most famous case is that of Azaria Chamberlain, the two-month-old daughter of Lindy and Michael Chamberlain. In 1980, the family was camping in Australia’s Northern Territory when Azaria was dragged out of the tent by a dingo, never to be seen again. Lindy was imprisoned for murder, only to be released more than three years following the discovery of Azaria’s jacket close to a dingo lair.
Interestingly enough, in a majority of these reports, the victims are usually children, with some of them getting savaged and an unfortunate few eaten. Under 100 cases of attacks were recorded between 2002 and 2012.
3. Dingoes need special housing
Dingoes thrive in the forests, grasslands, and deserts of the Australian outback. They generally make their homes in rabbit holes, dens, and hollowed-out logs, then roam the wilds in search of food.
In short, dingoes need lots of space. Neither an apartment nor an ordinary house will do; these are too small to allow these extremely energetic creatures to run around and enjoy the physical and mental stimulation they need to stay happy and healthy.
You’ll therefore need an enormous enclosure that’ll give them the same sense of freedom provided by their natural habitat – one that comes with hidey-holes that they can retreat into whenever they need to feel safe. Said enclosure will also need to come with a fence at least 2.2 meters tall, as dingoes can jump two meters high and can even climb trees.
Having such an enormous, specialized enclosure will cost you an exorbitant amount of money – likely thousands upon thousands of dollars. Don’t forget you’ll need expensive equipment and manpower to ensure such a structure is regularly maintained.
4. Dingoes have complex needs
As mentioned previously, dingoes are highly energetic creatures that need obscene levels of physical stimulation. A lack of activity can lead to boredom and unhappiness, which in turn can cause the development of behavioral problems such as aggression and destructiveness.
For these reasons, you’re going to have to walk your exotic pet up to 10 kilometers daily to mimic the kind of physical activity its natural habitat would provide it with. While this isn’t far off from the exercise a regular dog needs, remember that not letting a wild animal release pent-up energy can lead to more drastic consequences.
You should also give a pet dingo puzzle toys, Kongs, and large beef bones to gnaw on. In addition, you should provide it with activities that simulate hunting, so consider hiding food and treats in its enclosure. This will not only allow it to enjoy much-needed exercise but also stimulate and nourish its mind.
5. Dingoes are hard to train
Dingoes are smart canines and can be trained the same way you’d train a domestic dog.
However, being feral animals, dingoes are more resistant to training. They also get distracted easily and tend to forget learned behaviors quickly. For this reason, you’ll have to be extra patient, persistent, and consistent with a pet dingo. Using proper training techniques such as positive reinforcement is a must; improper training that causes this creature anxiety, stress, or fear can lead to extremely destructive and dangerous behavior that only wild animals are capable of.
In addition, you should always exude dominance during and outside training sessions so that you can instill in your pet your status as the pack leader. Dingoes are highly competitive when it comes to dominance, so be consistent with your leadership lest you unintentionally convince it of your inferiority.
To make your life easier, it’s best to start training a dingo when it’s still a pup.
6. Dingoes are expensive
A dingo will cost you between AU$300 and AU$450 from organizations such as Dingo Den Animal Rescue and Sydney Dingo Rescue, which offer adoptions and rescues for displaced dingoes.
If the state you live in will only let you keep a pet dingo if you have a dingo license, you’ll need to shell out an additional AU$150.
Let’s not forget the expenses associated with having a special enclosure installed for your pet, keeping the enclosure well-maintained, and paying people to help you maintain said enclosure.
The Legality of Owning a Pet Dingo
In the states of Western Australia and New South Wales, you can own a dingo without a permit.
In the Northern Territory and Victoria, you’ll have to obtain a special permit before you can keep a pet dingo. Obtaining said permit will cost you.
Keeping pet dingoes is illegal in South Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania.
In the places where dingo ownership is legal, you must take a dingo from its litter before it’s 6 weeks old. Any dingo older than 6 weeks must undergo rigorous training to become as domesticated as it possibly can and prevent it from turning into a nightmare of a pet.
Unless you’re willing to participate in the illegal trade of exotic animals, you can’t get a pet dingo if you live anywhere other than Australia. Remember, though, that getting caught owning a prohibited creature will cost you dearly (i.e. steep fines and jail time).
Amazing Dingo Facts
If you’d like to know more about these fascinating animals, check out our list of dingo facts below!
- Australia is the only place in the world where dingoes can be found.
- Dingoes have a lifespan of between 15 and 20 years.
- As large as medium-sized dogs, dingoes can grow to more than 20 kg.
- Dingo coat colors come in several varieties, including light ginger, creamy white, brown, or black.
- Dingoes closely resemble domestic dogs with a few differences: dingoes have more muscle, a longer snout, a thicker neck, and a bushier tail.
- Dingoes mate for life. When an individual’s partner dies, the grief the surviving mate experiences can be deadly.
- The descendants of Asian wolves, dingoes were brought to Australia between five and ten millennia ago.
- Dingoes are pack animals, with each pack typically consisting of 10 members. The pack travels and hunts together. Every pack is led by a dominant male and dominant female, with the male serving as the true pack leader.
- Dingoes breed once yearly. In general, five pups make a litter. The dingo pack’s alpha female kills the other females’ pups. The pack takes care of the alpha female’s offspring.
- With the ability to rotate their wrists, dingoes can use their paws to open doors.
- Dingoes howl like wolves but don’t bark.
- Though territorial, dingoes, in general, don’t fight other packs for territory.
- Every day, dingoes can travel between 10 and 20 km (6 and 12.4 miles) within their territory searching for food.
- Dingoes play a crucial role in regulating the wild kangaroo, feral cat, fox, rabbit, and pig populations in Australia.
- Australia’s indigenous people hold wild dingoes in high esteem.
- Crossbreeding between dingoes and dogs is possible. For example, the Australian Cattle Dog has dingo DNA.
- The dingo is the largest land predator in Australia.
Should You Own a Pet Dingo?
You definitely can – as long as you’re willing to put up with all the hardships that come with owning a pet dingo. These animals are potentially dangerous, need lots of space to move around in, have complex needs that are challenging to meet, require special housing that costs an arm and a leg to build and maintain, and are exceptionally tough to train.
Also, remember that it’s illegal to own a pet dingo unless you’re staying in one of certain regions in Australia. In places where dingo ownership is illegal, the penalties for having such a pet are severe.
But if you can commit time, money, and effort to ensuring your exotic pet remains happy, healthy, and safe, and you live in an area where the keeping of this exotic animal is legal, then by all means, get yourself a dingo.
Conclusion
We don’t recommend keeping a dingo as a pet. These creatures can behave in ways that are difficult to predict, which means they can hurt anyone who isn’t prepared to deal with the complex needs of a wild animal.
Nevertheless, it isn’t impossible to have a pet dingo. Just make sure you have the means to care for one, and dingo ownership isn’t illegal in your location!