Class and instance access
Input
Dog.species
Output
Canis familiaris
The species attribute is defined at the class level and should be accessible directly from the class.
Full lesson preview
Define Class Attributes
Learn to create class-level attributes shared by all instances.
Python practice8 minClasses & Objects FundamentalsBeginnerLast updated April 7, 2026
Problem statement
Create a class named Dog. Define a class attribute species set to the string 'Canis familiaris'. Implement an __init__ that accepts name and age and sets them as instance attributes (self.name and self.age). Confirm that accessing species from the class or from instances returns the class attribute value, and that assigning a new species to an instance does not change the class attribute.
Task
Define a class attribute and confirm it is accessible from both the class and instances while remaining shared unless overridden on an instance.
Examples
Input format
Use class attribute access (Dog.species) or instance access (Dog('Fido', 3).species).
Output format
Return the class attribute value or instance attribute values as appropriate.
Constraints
Name is a string. Age is an integer.
Samples
Sample 1
Input
Dog('Rex', 2).name
Output
Rex
Instance attribute name should be set by the constructor.