Size
These are the size ranges of wolves. These are shown for red and ethiopian wolves, and some grey wolf subspecies, but not all. Female wolves are generally 20% smaller than males or less, and wolves in the north are bigger than those in the south.
They stand at 24-36 inches at the shoulder, 60-72 inches long from head to tail, and weigh from 60-130 pounds in general. Small wolves can weigh much less, and large wolves up to 175 lb.

Coloration
Wolves' coats come in a variety of colors; from white to black, various shades of grey, brown, cinnamon and many others. Each wolf usually has a mix of colors on its coat. The top parts of the wolf are darker; the underside lighter. The area around their eyes is also a lighter color.
The coat of a wolf grows lighter as it gets older. They also change shades due to change of seasons. In the summer, they take on a greyish coat; in the winter, their coat is more a bold color. Some species change color when they emerge from puphood; for example, the brown pups of an artic wolf change from brown to white, and the timber from brown to grey and white.

When young, the eyes of a wolf are light blue, and when they grown older, it changes to a yellow, green, or goldenrod color, which may be light or dark, to the extent of looking almost brown. However, the eyes of some wolves are not light blue at birth. The top part of a wolf's eye is darker than the lower part, just like its coat. Wolves with light coats usually have dark eyes, and those with dark coats, light eyes.

Fur
The fur on a wolf is made up of two layers; the upper guard hairs, and the layer of soft fur under it, similar to down feathers on a bird. Coloration takes place on the guard hairs. The thick layer ensures that minimum heat escapes from the wolf's body.
The hair on a wolf also has varied lengths. Wolves that live in cold climates have long hairs, and those in warmer countries have shorter hairs. Long hairs occur on the mane, ruff, body and tail of the wolf, and short ones on the limbs and muzzle. Its bushy tail also has a purpose: In winter, the wolf uses its tail to cover its nose so that the warm air that it exhales will be reflected back to its nose, keeping it warm.

Senses
A wolf's nose is very delicate, and many more times more accurate than that of man. Wolves have scent glands on many parts of their body which are used, among others, to mark territory. The nose of a wolf must be able detect even faint scents or traces of prey, which is why it is always kept damp.
Wolves also have very sharp hearing, being able to hear the howl of another wolf up to twelve miles away. They have a large range of hearing, and their ears can swivel around almost 180 degrees to try and hear the faint rustle of grass caused by the hooves of a deer, or a pack member approaching.
The eyesight of a wolf is also good, though they are not as dependant on it as smell or hearing. Since their eyes are set in the front of their face, they can see depth, but also have a large range of sight, about 270 degrees. They can also see in color, unlike most of their prey, though their sense of color is not as well developed as that of humans.

Misc.
The claws of wolves cannot be retracted, unlike those of most cats.

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