Some of the most common forms of Canine Confusion that don't fit any of the subtropes include:
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Dogs
- The idea that dogs rely more on smell than on sight or hearing, or as some put it, "see with their noses". While dogs do have an impressive sense of smell (about ten thousand to a hundred thousand times more acute than a human's), when it comes to finding their way, they tend to more rely on sight and hearing. Similarly, dogs being portrayed as seeing in greyscale or being half-blind: while dogs do have different eyesight to humans, they can see blue and yellow. They can't, however, see red, orange, or green.
- Dogs eating chocolate (whether through being fed it or just by stealing it) and being none the worse for wear — chocolate can make dogs throw up, have diarrhea, make them extremely thirsty, make them restless, or in severe cases give them seizures or even kill them. Luckily, some media is aware of chocolate being poisonous to dogs.
- Dogs being able to feel guilty. Most of the times when owners thought their dogs felt guilty, they were actually afraid, since most of the time, it happened when the owner was angry with them.
- All dogs being portrayed as able to swim. Some breeds can't swim due to being too skinny (e.g. greyhounds) or their legs being too short (e.g. bulldogs).
Wolves
- Wolves wagging their tails when happy, like dogs. Wolves do wag their tails, but only to express submission, not happiness.
- The idea that wolves kill a lot of livestock in America. While they do kill some, most American livestock losses are due to coyotes or untrained dogs, weather, disease, or birthing problems. Also, wolves can be prevented from killing livestock through other methods than killing the wolves or moving somewhere without wolves, but in fiction, those are often portrayed as the only two options.
- The idea that they have no natural enemies (except, perhaps, humans if the work is going for Humans Are Bastards or Humans Are the Real Monsters). Wolves are often attacked by other wolves, bears, and cougars.
- Some works try too hard to avert Savage Wolves and portray wolves as just as safe as dogs. In actuality, wolves do have a few instincts that dogs don't, which make them more dangerous. For instance, running can make a wolf see you as prey.
Coyotes
- Coyotes being portrayed as nocturnal. They're actually crepuscular (being awake through the twilight hours). This misconception has led to people mistaking coyotes who are awake in the daytime as being rabid.
- Sometimes, they're portrayed as hunting in large packs. A pack of coyotes typically has only one breeding pair and about three cubs.
- Coyotes are sometimes portrayed as eating deer, similar to wolves. Coyotes usually eat animals like mice, rats, and rabbits.
- The idea that they howl at the moon — that idea is inaccurate for the same reasons as Wolves Always Howl at the Moon.
- They're often portrayed as the size of wolves, when actually they're only about half the size.
Foxes
- Foxes are commonly portrayed as raiding farms or gardens. They do this occasionally, but not as often as some people think; they mainly kill wild animals like rabbits.
