How to Draw an African Wild Dog

In this step-by-step tutorial, we will show you how to draw an African wild dog – a rather interesting animal that looks like a dog, a wolf, and a hyena at the same time.

This tutorial will be similar to the guides about drawing a dog and drawing wolf, since they have some similar features.

This animal is distinguished by its interesting coat pattern. We will not draw this pattern, since it is quite different among individuals, and you can easily draw it yourself using pictures of African wild dogs from the Internet.

How to draw an African wild dog step by step

Step 1: Sketch the basic skeleton

Let’s start drawing an African wild dog by creating a simple skeleton of its body. The skeleton consists of circles for the head, chest, and pelvis, as well as simple lines for the neck, spine, and limbs.

Step 2: Outline the muzzle and neck

Now sketch the short muzzle with a few short lines. Next, use two slightly longer lines to outline the neck. Note that the neck should be thick enough.

Step 3: Sketch the front limbs

Now use simple, light lines to sketch the African wild dog’s front limbs. Here we only outline their volume and position, so do not press too hard on the pencil.

Step 4: Draw the torso and tail

Use a couple of lines to sketch the torso of the wild dog, connecting the ribcage and pelvis. Note that the torso should taper slightly at the abdomen. Finish by sketching the fluffy tail.

Step 5: Add the hind legs

Following the same approach as with the front limbs, draw the animal’s hind legs. Remember that their shape is quite different from that of the front legs.

Step 6: Draw the large ears

Now let’s start drawing the details of the African wild dog. Begin with the head and carefully draw the ears. Note that the ears of this animal are quite large and rounded and somewhat resemble those of a fox.

Step 7: Add the eyes and nose

Draw the African wild dog’s eyes and nose. Gently add the small nostrils. To draw the facial details more accurately, visit our tutorial on drawing a dog’s head.

Step 8: Draw the mouth and teeth

To draw the African wild dog’s mouth, trace the outlines of the jaws, then carefully construct the bottom row of teeth. The upper teeth are not visible because they are covered by the upper lip.

Step 9: Refine the front limbs

Now make the body of the African wild dog more detailed. Start with the front limbs, carefully refining their contours and details.

Step 10: Refine the legs and tail

Now, with the same smooth movements, carefully draw the hind limbs. Don’t forget to draw the toes with claws. At the same time, detail the tail with lots of short strokes.

Step 11: Erase the guidelines

Carefully and smoothly erase all unnecessary guidelines from the African wild dog drawing. Check the sketch for any mistakes and correct them if necessary.

Step 12: Add shadows with hatching

To give the African wild dog drawing a more complete look, add shadows. Find the light source and use light lines to separate the illuminated areas from the shadowed ones. Then fill in the shadow areas with light hatching.

You can make your African wild dog drawing more interesting and expressive. To begin with, you can draw a pattern on its fur. As we said at the beginning of the drawing tutorial, you can use photographs of these animals as references.

You can also make the shading denser and more varied, as well as depict the background. This will give your dog drawing a more dimensional and lively look.

Also, be sure to practice sketching similar animals, for example drawing a hyena or a jackal.