Dingo Care

The Dingo, also called the Warrigal, is a close cousin to the dog, but is in fact a separate animal species. Though Dingoes usually live in the wild, some are domesticated--but even when raised in a home from birth, Dingoes are very unpredictable, and they'll require constant supervision when in public. Overall Warrigal care will take a lot of work, and will need to include lots of daily exercise, some early training and socialization, and basically nonstop supervision once they're mature.

Below you'll find plenty of details on caring for a Dingo, including info about puppy development, exercise needs, general Dingo maintenance, diet and nutrition, and more. Find answers to your questions about raising a Dingo in the following sections!

As a pack hunting animal, Dingo exercise requirements are pretty extensive. Dingoes are intelligent and cunning, and even when raised in a home, their natural instincts are to live in the wild--so they'll need close, constant supervision at all times when outdoors, and using a leash is an absolute must. That said, Dingoes can enjoy a variety of activities including walking (or jogging and bicycling), fetch, general romps in the yard, and hiking.

Adult Dingoes will need 60-90 minutes of dedicated exercise per day. You can start exercising your Dingo puppy when it's three months old by taking it on short leashed walks, then you can increase the walks' length as the pup grows.

Precautions with Dingo exercise:

• Don't exercise puppies too hard before they're nine months old
• A leash must be used at all times when exercising in public
• Leash training during puppyhood is highly recommended
• Extremely high wandering and escape tendencies; yards must be securely fenced to keep the Dingo from running away

Exercising your Dingo every day is a must. These animals are used to high activity levels when hunting prey, so without that activity they're sure to be disobedient, anxious, and even aggressive--and they may just try to escape for good! Regular exercise will be great for both the Dingo and its owners. A few Dingo exercise ideas:

• Walking/Jogging/Bicycling: Two 30-minute walks (or 20-minute jogs or bike rides) per day is a good target
• Fetch/Frisbee: If properly trained, a Dingo can learn to love chasing a ball, stick, or Frisbee
• Yard Romp: A Dingo will enjoy running on its own in a large, fenced yard; owners must supervise
• Hiking: Great bonding activity; always, always use a leash!

When indoors, balls or toys will help your Dingo burn excess energy. It's also good to have a regular exercise schedule for your Dingo, such as walks, jogs, or bike rides after breakfast and dinner and playtime in the afternoon.

Overall, Dingoes will need moderate maintenance. For the most part, Dingo shedding is pretty light, and drooling probably isn't much of an issue.

Dingoes usually have short, smooth coats that don't shed too much. (A few may have double-layered coats that are a bit longer in length, and those Dingoes will shed more heavily when they lose their winter coats in the spring--but those Dingoes are relatively few in number.) Owners can brush their Dingoes weekly with a bristle brush or grooming glove to keep the shedding low, and hair cleanup--vacuuming the floors, and lint rollers on clothes and furniture--will only be required occasionally.

Not much info exists about a Dingo's drooling tendencies, but conventional wisdom suggests that these animals don't do it often--perhaps in anticipation of food, but that's about it. If your Dingo is drooling excessively, it might be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care is needed.

Dingoes' diet, like that of domesticated dogs, will need to include animal proteins and healthy carbs, vitamins and minerals, and omega fatty acids. Just what do Dingoes eat, then? In the wild, they prey on small animals, so some owners feed the Dingo a "raw" diet consisting of fresh meats, fruits and veggies, eggs, and other protein sources. Many owners, though, find the best Dingo food to be premium dry kibble, as it has balanced portions of the above-listed nutrients. Some owners like to give their Dingo bones to chew on as well.

Some recommended brands of premium dry kibble for Dingoes' food: Blue Buffalo, Royal Canin, and Taste of the Wild.

Now that we know what Dingoes eat, the next question is: how much to feed a Dingo? Adults will need about 2½ cups of dry food (or 1½ cups of "raw" food) per day, divided into two meals. Puppies will need a bit less: depending on their age, about 1¾ cups per day (or one cup of "raw"), divided into three meals (not two) until six months old.

For more info on Dingo eating and feeding, see this Dingo feeding chart:

(For dry food only:)
*--Around this time, transition to adult food by mixing in adult formula with the puppy formula, in slowly increasing amounts with each meal, for one week.

Try if possible to stick to the above-listed portions. Though not prone to obesity, if Dingoes are constantly overfed they certainly can become overweight--and a fat Dingo will have numerous health problems and a shortened lifespan. You can help control your Dingo's weight by having consistent feeding and exercise schedules, by not feeding a Dingo table scraps, and by not leaving food out all the time.

If you're worried your Dingo is overweight, try this test: run a hand along the Dingo's side, and if you can't feel any ribs, it's Dingo diet time--which means less food and more exercise!

Depending on its temperament, the Dingo might be either an inside or outside animal--but both need precautions taken. If your Dingo is to live indoors with you, make sure it gets plenty of outdoor exercise; otherwise the Dingo may turn destructive and aggressive. If the Dingo lives outside, the area must be extremely well-secured with a tall, sturdy fence, because these animals are exceptional escape artists. And a Dingo in an apartment is not a good idea, as the animal is just too energetic for such confined spaces.

Also: for the Dingo, climate isn't an issue. Since these animals normally live in the wild, they can adapt to both hot and cold weather with no problems.