raccoon dog

noun

1. a small wild dog of the genus Nyctereutes, common in Asia, resembling a raccoon in coat and coloration.

raccoon dog

noun

1. a canine mammal, Nyctereutes procyonoides , inhabiting woods and forests near rivers in E Asia. It has long yellowish-brown black-tipped hair and facial markings resembling those of a raccoon
2. Also calledcoonhound an American breed of dog having a short smooth black coat with tan markings, bred to hunt raccoons

Word History and Origins

Origin of raccoon dog¹

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

The most abundant DNA was from raccoon dogs, and some was detected in a nearby garbage cart that also tested positive for the virus.

From Los Angeles Times

The animal which came up most frequently in the samples was the common raccoon dog.

From BBC

The presence of the coronavirus in samples from the market containing genetic material linked to raccoon dogs, they have said, is consistent with that scenario.

From New York Times

A virus in civets and raccoon dogs sold in marketplaces in southern China matched the one that sickened humans, and a virus later found in bats looked like its ancestor.

From Science Magazine

Malayan porcupine DNA and Amur hedgehog DNA were also found near the virus, but raccoon dogs were of special interest because of their proven susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2.

From New York Times