Course estimates suggest that the global domestic dog population comprises nearly 1 billion animals. While the potential for these animals to have an impact on global wildlife conservation efforts are increasingly recognized, often this recognition lack nuance. As such, there is the potential for generalizations about dogs that are, at best, unfounded, and at worst, lead to harmful policy and welfare (for wildlife and for dogs) decisions. Here I examine patterns of variance in dog population sizes and in how humans interact with dogs. I then briefly review four ways in which dogs are believed to influence wildlife: as predators, as prey, as competitors for resources (including mates), and as potential reservoirs for pathogens. I then identify common generalizations about the need for dog management: the need to increase veterinary care, the need for enhanced nutritional husbandry, the need to limit free-ranging behaviors, and the need for population reductions. Each of these management approaches involve potentially significant fiscal and non-fiscal costs, some of which may also negatively affect wildlife.