This is Bits. He is a hybrid wolfdog. Or maybe some coyote, no one knows. He is drop-dead gorgeous and is flat out terrified of strangers. He has been living with Jayne and Mike Belskey at the Grey Wolf Central Wisconsin Rescue for two years now, having been rescued by them as a panicked, huddled, terrified mess from a shelter. It made me happier than I can say that after two hours after I arrived in the house he relaxed enough to lie down only a few feet away from me, albeit with a table between us. Maybe it was because I did lots of look aways, yawned a lot, avoided eye contact and kept my voice down. Maybe not, but I hereby admit to being thrilled to be in the same room with him, and was absolutely overwhelmed by his beauty. And heartbroken, because wolfdogs should break everyone’s heart.
I got to meet Bits only because it was the day of the annual veterinary visit at Grey Wolf Rescue. Jayne and Mike figured the wolfdogs would be stressed already by the veterinary work, and that one more person wouldn’t make a difference. Bits is on a leash only because he is about to be vaccinated and have blood drawn to check for tick-borne diseases, and for one brief moment he looked directly at me and I snapped the picture. I am positive that there is a message in his face, I just can’t say that I know what it is.
I’ve met a few wolfdog hybrids as a consultant. The two that I remember best were both adolescents: a four-month old living in an upstairs apartment with a young couple who got him because, well, they were idiots and didn’t have a clue what they had taken on. The wolfdog, 75% wolf reportedly, was gorgeous and brilliant and virtually unstoppable. While we talked, she climbed on the table, then the top of the couch, chewed on my hair, began eating my notebook, then played with the coffee cups, then squatted to pee, then lept at the blinds and pulled them down. Rinse and repeat. Of course we intervened whenever possible, but it was like trying to stop water coursing over a water fall. She had energy radiating out of her like mist rising from a lake, a jewel of a sparkle in her eyes and an overwhelming need to DO SOMETHING every single second. It did not end well. The couple eventually realized that there was no way they could manage a wolfdog and tried to find her a place to go. The breeder wouldn’t take her back. (I will refrain from expressing my reaction to that here. I’ll just mention that it is unprintable, and leave it at that.) I couldn’t find a rescue organization that had room, they were all bursting at the seams and exhausted from trying to take care of the misfits they already had. I don’t know what happened to her, but I’m sure it wasn’t pretty.
I remember the other wolfdog especially well because while he was sinking his teeth into my hand he looked me dead in the eye and clearly, oh oh ever-so-clearly, communicated “Don’t you EVER do that again.” I believe there was a curse word in there too, but I don’t know canine curses very well. He was also young, perhaps six-months old, but with a massive head and huge paws and his owner thought it a tad amusing that the animal was biting his wife and downright hysterical that he bit me after I traded the toy he had for a piece of chicken. The wolfdog ate the chicken while I picked up the toy, and then I offered the toy back to him. (“See? If you let me take your toy, then you get something better and you get the toy back too! ” This works beautifully with dogs. Not so with wolves, as I learned in my “Possession is the Law” training session with this particular individual, in which case I became the trainee and he the trainer.) The next week I heard that the wolfdog badly bit his male owner and was euthanized.
For years I struggled with what to call wolfdog hybrids. Should I call them wolves? Dogs? “Wolfdogs” doesn’t flow off the tongue, it is awkward to say. And yet, it is thus the perfect name, because they are not wolves, they are not dogs, and they are trapped in the awkardness of being neither. They can’t live in the wild, and many of them can’t live with us in our homes, and so they are trapped in a never-never land of never being comfortable in their surroundings. Yes, I know that some wolfdogs do well with their human family, and even get along with other dogs. Yes, I know that. I will no doubt get comments from wolfdog supporters and breeders who defend the practice of breeding wolves to dogs. When I testified as an expert witness in support of a woman who went to court to force her ex-husband to keep her young children away from the wolfdogs that her husband had purchased, I was put on the official Wolfdog Blacklist, and heard about it for years afterward. The fact is, it doesn’t matter that in some cases, some wolfdog hybrids are happy and safe to be around. It doesn’t matter because the practice of breeding a dog to a wolf creates a flood of suffering. Wolves simply are not designed to live in houses with people. They need to trot miles and miles every day. They do not, and will never, look to their human for guidance, or boundaries, or anything but to live together as equals. You do not, ever, tell a wolf what to do. If you need more evidence, read the beautifully written and heartbreaking book, Part Wild, by Ceiridwen Terrill. (I reviewed it in a previous blog.)
Here’s what Jayne Belskey, who has dedicated literally every minute of her life to wolfdogs since 1999, has to say about them:
I started our rescue in 1999 by default. It was never my intent to have a Wolfdog in my life, let alone open a sanctuary and rescue. But everyone involved in rescue can understand about those life changing moments when a certain animal points the way to a new life path. For me it started with one abandoned Wolfdog pup that had 2 choices, either come home with me or be euthanized and so the journey began. I will be the first to say that after sharing the last 14 years of my life with them, I fully understand the draw these magnificent animals can have on the human heart. I have loved each and every rescued animal unconditionally. I have met some very loving and committed owners who do a wonderful job accepting life with these animals and giving them the best life possible, I work with a national network of rescues and sanctuaries around the country that do a fantastic job and I have met some very happy and well-adjusted animals. But for some (many) there is such a bone crushing sadness. They don’t fit in our domestic world with our domestic expectations and they wouldn’t fit in the wild world either. So they are doomed to life at the end of a chain or stressing and fearful in a small pen out back where the owner can use them for a show & tell ego boost. When an owner realizes they are in over their head, there are few options for a happy ending. If I could build 20 new enclosures today, I could fill them all tomorrow with wolfdogs needing rescue.
The ethics of captive wildlife is a struggle for me. I view *Captive Wildlife* is an oxymoron, you can be one or the other but you cannot be both. Our wolves belong in the wild, not chained out in your back yard.
Grey Wolf Central Wisconsin Rescue is a testament to the power of commitment. Mike and Jayne have constructed huge, safe enclosures which each house a male/female pair of wolfdogs. Containing wolfdogs is no easy feat, and the work the two of them has done is no less than amazing. Every individual animal they have has a horrendous, heartbreaking story behind it, and every individual receives attention and care from them both every day, every hour. They do not travel. Their lives revolve, 24/7 around the animals in their care. It was an honor to be able to visit and spend time with them and the wolfdogs. Most of the time I merely observed while Jayne gently captured each wolfdog, muzzled it for safety sakes, and then DVM Pam Prochaska of Tomah WI gave it a once over, what vaccinations were needed and took blood to test for diseases. Please know that it is not a public facility; the wolfdogs are easily stressed by strangers, so although they accept and welcome contributions, they do not let visitors come “see the wolfdogs.” I felt honored and lucky to be there. I’ll be sending The Grey Wolf Rescue a contribution. If you are so inclined, it would be a wonderful thing if you would too. They deserve all the help they can get.
Here’s Flint, muzzled for safety sake and held by Jayne while the medical work is completed as fast and gently as possible.
I’m curious: Are wolfdog hybrids a problem in your area? I have heard that there are a lot out west in the states, but a surprising number in the midwest too. What about other countries? Is this an issue where you live?
On a related note: Anyone who wants to help the effort to disallow the use of free running packs of dogs in the wolf hunt in Wisconsin can check out the Ride for Wolves sponsored by the Dane County Humane Society in Madison, WI. “Bikers against using dogs to kill wolves”… gotta love it.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm. Willie’s check up at UW didn’t go well. After 3.5 weeks of extreme restriction and lots of adjunctive medicine and PT he was no better. A dark day for me. We’ve upped the restrictions (he’s crated so much that I just don’t even want to be home anymore, I take any excuse I can get to leave the house) and started laser therapy. I’d write more about it, but at the moment it is just best to say that I am doing everything I can and that, someday, this too shall pass.
Here’s something beautiful: A fawn who stopped to check me out while I was on my way to Grey Wolf Rescue. Lovely, yes?
And then, ah well, here’s something not so beautiful. We are doing major work in the backyard to better manage water flow (the house is at the bottom of a long, steep hill) and are having retaining wall built. Of course, once everything was ripped to shreds the company’s truck broke down so that the wall construction is now on hold until, well, until it begins raining again and then they won’t be able to work either…. You know how it goes. This is a bit rough on a woman who loves her plants and flowers (many precious native wildflowers I’ve been nurturing for years were dug up and are temporarily transplanted in another place) but I keep repeated trite phrases like “You have to break eggs to make omeletes” and deep breathing. Patience is not my virtue however. I’m just saying.
Terrie says
To me, it’s why I oppose is simple. Yes, when you get the best traits of both wolf and dog in one animal, it’s a wonderful creature, but it’s just as likely you will get the worst traits of both, which is a disaster for the animal and all the people around it. In theory, you could take the best wolfdogs and breed them to each other, increasing the chance of getting the desired traits, but after generations of this you get… a dog, because you’ve just redomesticated the wolf into a dog. So what do you do? Keep breeding wolves to dogs to get that portion of animals who are the best examples? But then there’s the question of what to do about the ones who don’t make the cut. And there’s no good answer there. You can euthanize them, or stick them with overloaded shelters and rescues, but that’s hardly doing right by the animals the breeders claim to love. For me, the downsides are too much to every be outweighed by the positives.
Dewitt Gimblet says
And here I was told by a certified trainer that socialization trumps genetics when it comes to wolfdogs. . . 🙁 Serious, she actually posted that to the Facebook page of a very well known trainer / television personality (not “Him”, but “Her” .)
Lori A. says
It’s alarming to see how many people in the US say they want a wolfdog, and just how many others are willing to sell one to them (or lie about a puppy being part wolf in order to get a sale).
My mother grew up migrant working in Montana (in the 50’s and 60’s). She and her family once had a girl dog with them on their stay, and the dog lived outside and roamed. The dog came home pregnant, even though there weren’t any other dogs around. They kept a puppy out of the litter and it supposedly looked very wolfish. Since it lived outside there wasn’t an issue with it destroying the home, but according to my mother, while it was very loyal to the family, it did not accept strangers at all. The wolfdog lived out its life with the family, but my mom said it was clear you could tell it was a wild animal.
Manuela Fritz says
Thanks for the excellent article!!
I live in South Africa and work in animal welfare (mainly with huskies) for almost 10 years now. Wolf dogs are also a huge problem in this country with mostly all the wrong people wanting a “cool” animal to show off :(( In addition we have to battle with “sanctuaries” that are basically hoarders and that can’t even provide for the physical needs of these magnificent creatures, basics like vaccinations and so on, and the places are run by people that have never even heard about the concept of mental stimulation :(((
Beautiful to look at, but wish people would stop breeding them…
Don Hudson says
I, like all your readers, am concerned about Willie. For physical working dog, his aliments are curious. Such disabling injuries for a breed built on speed, strength and stamina and for an individual animal whose character has always been to work, to play, and to please his owner makes me frustrated; I cannot imagine how difficult it is for you. Do you think Willie would tolerate retirement with sheep running around the farm?
I guess this has to be a rhetorical question. How is it we live in a state that allows hunting wolves with dog packs, yet thinks it’s some kind ofpositive environemtal strategy to breed wolves with dogs to create an “animal without a country”? Greed and arrogance are two of the original deadly sins!
Ps. congratulations on your marriage.
matthew says
I have just enough experience with wolf dogs to have learned they should not be breed or kept as pets. I have had maybe a half a dozen encounters with these animals since the early 1990s and while each and everyone of them has been magnificent animals to look at, I will NEVER agree to the concept of them being pets. I don’t care how many people step forward and claim they have a wolfdog that isn’t a problem.
The reason…in my opinion, it’s playing Russian Roulette with an animals life. how many tragedies are there compared to “successes”. I don’t have data, but I would confidently hypothesize the tragedies outweigh the “success”.
The one wolfdog I got the most time with (wasn’t mine) was great with the SMALL circle of people in his life on a fairly regular basis. But he could never over come that shyness towards strangers that lead to aggression issues and didn’t make his 2nd birthday as he was euthanized. this was in the 1990’s right after Dances with wolves came, out which influenced the owners decision to get such an animal.
I learned a lot from that experience, mostly what not to do and that these animals are not pets.
Years later I got to observe a wolfdog at the local dog park, this individual was under a year old, the owners would bring it to the park to “socialize”. This individual was physically HIGH content wolf. when you looked at it, there was no doubt about it’s genetic composition. it LOOKED like a wolf. The interesting things I observed, the dogs seemed to know something was different about this animal and would NOTHING to do with it. The park would clear out with in minutes of its’ arrival. at this stage, it was VERY much a puppy development wise, but physically looked like a wolf.
I haven’t seen this animal show up in a log time, I often wonder what happen to it. was it one of the lucky that behavioral was dog? or did it behaviorally match it’s physical appearance?
Alexandra says
I’m so sorry Willie is not doing well. My heart is heavy for you. Fingers and paws are all crossed here that his PT turns a corner soon and that the laser therapy is helpful.
I really appreciated your information on wolfdogs. I have never understood the mythology of these animals, that being “part wolf” somehow makes a dog better when clearly it does not. Our dogs are a unique subset of the wolf population that self-selected to live with us a long, long time ago. Remaining wild wolves have been relentlessly hunted for a long, long time which in my opinion probably selected for the ones who were most shy and reluctant to be around humans to survive – the opposite of our domestic dogs. Why would someone think mixing those two together is a good idea? There are several breeds that have a wolf-like look without actually being any time of wolf hybrid; I wish those people who want a piece of the wild in their house would just get one of those breeds instead.
Shirley Ann Redl says
I always had this romanticized view of a “wolfdog”. Saw a few and thought they were stunning. Then I had the privilege (and I do consider it a privilege as a trainer) to have one, supposedly 7/8 wolf and 1/8 husky or malamute, come into my agility classes. I worked with her and her owner for almost 2 years. She taught me so very much. As you stated, I became the student and she became the trainer. The very first thing she taught me is that she WASN’T a dog. She didn’t think like a dog, act like a dog, respond like a dog or relate to her owner like a dog. Yes, she was beautiful and heart stopping loveable. And in the setting I was dealing with her, she was relatively gentle. But when you looked in her eyes, you knew you could never trust her like you do your dog. I watched her watch things move. The reason I call it a privilege to be her trainer is because she taught me that she and her kind should not exist. Because you can’t establish that bond of trust. And I’m sad to say, she ended up bad. Her owner got a job in Europe. I heard she was shuffled around and shuffled around because no one could handle her and ended up living her life on a isolated and on a chain. Wolves are wild animals and should not be bred to dogs to create something that is supposed to be a pet. It is not fair to the animal. This is a great article!
Kris says
Wolf dogs are indeed a tragedy. I don’t understand the impulse to possess one at all. I can’t help thinking it comes from a very ugly and greedy place. If you love and admire the beauty and wildness of wolves, why destroy that very wildness by trying to own it? It’s wrong, and as you have noted, can be dangerous. It should be illegal.
Hoping for the best for Willie.
Tekopp says
In Norway, where I live, wolfdogs are banned (along with pit bull terrier, amerikansk staffordshire terrier (amstaff), fila brasileiro ,toso inu and dogo argentino).
We don’t realy have a problem with them here because of that. And as much as oppose breed spesific legislation, I tend to agree with the law on the part of wolfdogs. The struggle for/against wolves is constantly in the news though. Since people let their sheep just wander freely in the mountains without protection, and demand that every wolf that eats one should be shot 🙁
Kathy Stepp says
I ended up in puppy kindergarten with my Samoyed and a wolf dog. Some of the other dogs reacted to it as if it were a dog, but my boy would not get anywhere near the “dog” or it’s owner. Even without the dog, he wouldn’t get anywhere near the owner. A couple of years later I saw the grown animal competing in an agility trial (I have no idea how that was allowed.) That was the most frightening animal I think I’ve ever seen. He was beautiful, but every part of him was NOT a dog. He had a stare that was almost mesmerizing and he watched everything very carefully. I was afraid he was going to grab a small dog and eat it. He certainly appeared to be thinking about it. Even the way he moved was not like the dogs. He ran the agility courses and no one got hurt, but I was one of the people who took her dog outside when he was loose. He did tolerate strangers, but tolerate is the word. He seemed so far above it all that he allowed us to exist. At one point I was accidentally standing next to him. The feeling from him was always that I had better behave or I would be very sorry. I’ve never been so in awe or so saddened by an animal. I don’t know what became of these dogs, but the owner was arrested for an unrelated crime. Not sure how anyone got in the house to arrest her. This animal was able to coexist with people and even compete in agility, but it was not a pet. It was just allowing these things to happen. I cannot imagine how badly things would go it it got annoyed.
Alicia says
I was very excited to finally find a good read about “wolfdogs” I was raised around one. I live in a rural county on the Eastern Shore of MD. I do agree with everything said in this forum. Let me tell you the story of my Grandmothers wolfdog named Meatloaf. Yes, my grandmother was a Meatloaf fan! She purchased Meat (what we called him for short) when I was about 3 or 4 years old when he was a young puppy. My grandmother always told me he was about 75% Wolf and German Shepard mix. He was an extremely energetic puppy. I was always playing with him. I even fell asleep on the floor with him multiple times. As he got older my family noticed he became extremely protective of me. If I ever hurt myself he was right by my side to make sure I was ok. The two of us grew up together you could say. Over the years we started to notice some extreme changes however. Especially in his behavior. He was extremely vicious towards anyone he didn’t know. Also very strong. He did not like new people period! He would bark and growl and it got to the point that my family made sure to tell everyone he didnt know to stay far from him. He absolutely loved our family though especially my grandmother and myself. I was about 6 or 7 when tragedy struck. I will never forgot it for as long as I live. A very young friend of mine Ryan and I were playing in his backyard when he got stung by a bee, he was beside himself crying and in pain. His parents at the time were not home. So I walked him down the road to my grandmothers house. As you know kids will be kids I joked around calling him a “baby”by the time we got outside of my grandmothers house. Meanwhile Meat was on his chain outside under a tree tied to a tire full of air with the rim. Like I said before he was a very strong dog and full size at this point. After continuing to tease Ryan he got fed up and pushed me to the ground. That’s when it happened it was like a flash before my eyes. Meat stood up right away seeing what Ryan had done to me, took off in a sprint, snapped the chain, and attacked Ryan! I was terrified I didn’t know what to do! I screamed for my grandmother and she came outside with my grandfather and they restrained him.
Meat did not kill Ryan but he did severely hurt him. He had to get 132 stitches. I had to talk to police officers and explain to them that the dog only did it out of defense for me. He saw that Ryan had hurt me and reacted. I tried to take complete blame for what had happened because I was aware that the dog did not like new, unfamiliar people. Ryan’s family came after us for hospital costs and it was a wonder they didn’t call for the dog to get uthanized. They gave my grandmother an option. Either put the dog down, or move out of the neighborhood. So my grandmother picked up everything and left. We loved that dog severely! Especially my grandmother. He was a great dog behind closed doors. He was extremely smart too almost unbelievebly smart! He loved me unconditionally. He saved me from being bitten by a water moccasin! We were on the beach my Grandmother, Meat and I walking along the waters edge. We didn’t even see the snake! But it was almost under my feet. As soon as he saw it he attacked it and killed it. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen a dog do!
Im now 22 years old. Meat died a few years ago. I’ve never missed an animal so much. He did however live a long, happy, secluded life. Which is something I believe a wolfdog like him needed greatly. Although I’m sure that not all wolfdogs are like Meat. It was very clear how aggressive he could be. However I always felt safe with him 🙂
Jen says
Part Wild did indeed break my heart.
I myself have never come into contact with a wolfdog, and I hope I never do. I wouldn’t be able to keep my mouth shut if it seemed to me the owner was woefully over his or her head, and I’m already sometimes not so good at making friends. It seems I’ve heard somewhere (and this is friend of a friend, I’ve neither seen nor sought out information backing it up) that somebody somewhere is looking into putting more “domesticated” traits into wolves, or more “wolvish” traits into dogs, perhaps via a breeding method such as the Belyaev study with foxes.
I’d really like it if we could just leave wolves alone.
Betsy Copeland says
Over the last 18 months I have been dealing with a bloodhound with damaged iliopsoas muscles….so I completely understand your frustration! Although breed activity levels are WAY different, our therapy regimes seem to be radically different as well! I was told to minimize crate rest…instead limit her to a single room with a lot of things strewn across the floor so that she had to pick up her feet. It allowed her to change position often, but not run wildly. (she was a year old when she damaged her hips). They actually did not want crate rest since the therapist felt it encouraged the dogs to go crazy and overdo it when they are let out. Also were lots of wide weave poles (turns got narrower as he got better), stand-to-sit-to-stand exercises, and cookie crunches and, 18 months later, she is back to work trailing and leaping on the bed again. Would have been several months sooner but I am a lax trainer and wasn’t diligent with her PT…a problem that I know you don’t have! LOL Poor Willie!! I was told that this is a common agility issue with dogs that don’t stretch out before running…..maybe, due to his other issues, he hasn’t been stretching on his own before running out to do his Willie chores?
D.C. says
A tragedy is right! How terribly unfair to be trapped between two worlds, belonging to neither. Thankfully, we don’t seem to have too many wolf hybrids in Southern Ontario. I have heard of a few coy dogs (equally sad) and there are the people who claim that their dog is part wolf. Possibly, they think it makes them seem cool and elevates their status. Usually you meet the dog and it is obviously a yellow lab mix or shepherd collie cross with the most submissive demeanor. Humans are interesting.
Janine says
‘Maybe not, but I hereby admit to being thrilled to be in the same room with him, and was absolutely overwhelmed by his beauty. And heartbroken, because wolfdogs should break everyone’s heart. ‘
I’ve never met a wolf or a wolfdog but I understand exactly what you are saying here. I’ve read a few books about wolves and I admire them very much and yes, there is a heartbreak that goes with them.
We don’t have wolves here in Australia, we have wild dogs called dingoes – they breed with dogs sometimes, some manage to live with man but most do not. They also have a wild, keep your distance beauty. Wild dogs should lived in the wild and the heartbreak is that the day will come when there is not enough wild space. Thank you for your blog. I’m just a dog owner, not a trainer but I enjoy learning about dogs, especially about communicating with dogs. I was delighted when my profile yawn calmed a strange dog who had been agitated by my presence.
TLH says
Thank you for posting about this subject! When I was growing up my family had a boarding kennel, and animals were often abandoned there. One such animal was a male wolfdog – I think there was very little dog in him. He looked like a wolf and was very shy around strangers. One of the kennel workers adopted him, and he seemed to be doing OK (affectionate toward his owner but avoided everyone else). He never displayed any aggression, even when he was very scared, until the incident that lead to his death. One weekend the wolfdog and his owner stayed over at a friend’s house (the kennel manager, who knew the wolfdog). This friend and his wife had a six-month old baby. In the middle of the night the animal went upstairs, pushed open the door to the nursery, and tried to pull the baby out of her crib. He was pulling her by her head and hadn’t gotten her out before the adults woke up and saved the baby (who had some injuries but turned out OK). Needless to say, the animal was euthanized. Obviously, there was some bad judgement that led to this incident (NEVER trust a hybrid or wild animal around small or young creatures) – but these were people who had a lot of experience with dogs, and had been lulled into thinking the wolfdog’s shyness was his “wolfiest” feature. This poor animal was just doing what his instincts told him to do, and he was in an environment that was totally inappropriate for him. I truly hope that more awareness grows about the problems and dangers of hybrids, and that people stop breeding them.
Jeff Porter says
I’m very curious as to how exactly they breed wolves to dogs. I have always been very skeptical about breeder’s claims that they have a “wolf/dog” hybrid. Usually, it turns out to be a husky/german shepherd, or some other odd combination of large dog with wolflike features. In other words, most of the time, it’s a scam.
I would think that most of the time, if you put a dog in a pen with a male wolf, the wolf would simply kill the dog. Is there some sort of black market for wolf semen? Do they accomplish this operation in stupidity artificially?
Cynann says
My live-in boyfriend wanted a dog and came home with a Husky/Wolf . I asked him to return him, but it was “so cool”, he refused. He had two teenage sons, I had two cats. The dog was not overly aggressive as a puppy but became so protective over the boys, he bit one of them because he had taken a ball away from the other one. The cats became prey and I insisted he find the dog another home, which he did. It was a home in the country, and while I wish I could say there was a happy ending, there is not. He killed two other dogs and was euthanized. This beautiful animal was doomed the moment he was conceived, he was a dog one moment and wolf the next. It broke my heart.
Gordon says
Trisha,
I will leave the subject of wolfdogs to others, for now. I came close. But opted out at the last minute.
It’s heart breaking to”hear” (read) the hurt and disappointment in your voice when you talk about Willie. I can relate. The road for all of us, and especially Atka, to get to this point in time was incredibly difficult. But, we arrived here. So, there is hope, undoubtedly, for all of you and especially Willie.
All of us send our best to all of you.
em says
I’m very relieved to say that here in the northeast, I have never seen a wolfdog or known anyone who has owned one. There are third-hand stories, of course, of somebody’s uncle or friend or friend’s uncle, but I’ve never seen it. I’m always so saddened by hearing about them elsewhere in the US- Surely it must be possible to breed a fully domesticated dog that LOOKS like a wolf, and avoid creating hybrids that will almost surely suffer almost constant anxiety and boredom in human society. I suppose that’s not the point though- people want to brag that their pet is a REAL wolf, not a look-a-like, for the same reason that they want to keep big cats, or other exotics, to be cool.
Sharon Denison says
As a kid it was always my dream to have a wolf-dog. I`ve had the opportunity to pet sit for one. Great with the other dogs and cats,shy with strangers but when he did get loose, went out to play with the local kids. Never had a problem with him,but always respected him and didn`t push. Turned down one other job for a female (young) that was caged in the back yard. Didn`t feel safe with the system thay had set up and would not take responsibility for her while they were gone. Always wondered what ultimatly happened to her. Today,I would not advocate for keeping a hybred. I agree, you don`t always get the best of the mix – too often the opposite. Thank you for a great article.
LisaW says
Careful what you wish for. I think that’s more than true in terms of wolfdogs, and I have to say, true in the case of this week’s blog. I look forward to each new posting from you, and so I took a break from Saturday chores to read emails and see if you had a new topic.
But now I am just very sad and somewhat mad. Wolfdogs are a tragic example of human’s “because we can” attitude. We muck about with things for no real purpose and then wonder why it all goes haywire. Unfortunately, the animals are the recipients of the story not ending well. We move on, they are either stuck in never-never land or killed.
I am also so disheartened to read about Willie’s ongoing health issues. I, too, have a dog with issues that isn’t “put together so well” and it is a constant challenge. Unlike you, my dog isn’t made to herd sheep nor does she have an official job to do, so it must be incredibly difficult. But, like Willie, the more physical restrictions there are, the more her mental health takes a slide. I’m glad to hear you’re getting out of the house. As someone very wise told me, be kind to yourself, take care of yourself every once in a while. It will allow us to take better care of our dogs (if that’s possible in your case). Don’t forget chocolate isn’t a cure but it sure is a good distraction 🙂
Monique Feyrecilde says
Yes, there are plenty out west. People like them for the novelty or a status symbol or to compensate for something it seems. Coydogs are a big problem out here also.
These animals can never fulfill either of their destinies to the fullest, and that is terribly sad and often frighteningly unsafe as well. Taming and domestication are not the same thing for the animal or the humans sharing the world with it.
Beth with the Corgis says
I had a recent encounter with an alleged wolf-dog recently and have more to discuss but am pressed for time now.
However, I wanted to add to the excellent comment above that dogs evolved from a line of wolves that self-selected to live near us and so already had a set of traits that made them more accepting of humans.
The opposite is also true; after centuries of persecution, the remaining grey/timber wolves have been forcibly selected to be the ones most wary of human activity. And so from what was once a probably larger genetic variation of tolerance of humans (from extremely tolerant to intolerant to aggressive towards humans and everything in between) we now have left the two extremes: dogs who generally love people, and wolves who are generally afraid of people. Most of those in the middle have been removed from the gene pool.
Mixing those two extremes can only lead to behavioral stress and confusion the vast majority of time. Natural mutation means that yes, there are likely some wolf genes out there that crop up as being more tolerant of human activity. But most of that genetic line is gone.
John says
A very interesting article. I had no idea that people were actively crossbreeding wolves and dogs. My personal experience with “wolfdogs” goes back forty years when my family was dog-sitting for a friend’s “dog” that was actually ¾ German Shepard and ¼ Wolf. We knew the dog so things went well until I was escorting the dog into the kitchen to get its leash for a walk. It was a large dog, its shoulder was just below my chest and its head was just under my chin. Somehow I tripped and landed near his food bowl and when I turned to get up he lunged at me, quickly biting me three times, right forehead, left shoulder, and right upper leg. Fortunately I was not alone in the kitchen. My “sister” Thelma (long time family friend that lived with us) was there doing dishes and when she heard me cry out she scooped me up and started yelling that the dog had gone crazy and attacked me. Other family members grabbed the dog and locked him in my mother’s bedroom while my wounds were looked to. The bite to my head went clear to the bone so a visit to the local hospital was decided upon (where we lived in NYC at the time meant the world famous Bellevue Hospital). I was given a clean wet washcloth and told to keep pressure on the head wound while we went to catch a cab. A neighbor spotted us and noticed the look on my sister’s face (mom was at work and would meet us at the hospital) and asked what happened and she said I was attacked by a dog, at which point I removed the washcloth and brightly chimed in with “Look, you can see my skull!” (her reaction was priceless). Several hours of waiting at Bellevue later (they wanted a plastic surgeon to sew the wound so it would scar less) I had seven stitches in my forehead and bandages on the other wounds (for some reason they chose not to stitch them and I have a nice pair of scars on my arm where the fangs sank into my shoulder, I can barely find the three scars on my leg however). The dog was passed on to another mutual friend while I was at the hospital and I never saw it again, though I understand that it lived out its life with the owner. I still love both dogs and wolves but they really need to be kept from interbreeding, no good comes from it. An exciting story for a (forty) seven year old to tell until you get to the most embarrassing part of the story of my “wolf” attack, the name of the dog, Crayon :-/ Such an innocent name for an animal that literally scarred me for life.
Lauren Jacenty says
Once a month, our rescue holds an adoption event at a tractor and feed store in an area, just between where farms and urban living meet. We have quite the following and usually get a few adoptions every month. One month, I was not able to attend, but our group posted about a man who brought in his pregnant wolf-hybrid to the store. Everyone from the rescue was fascinated by her, and while our rescue supports only RESPONSIBLE breeding and we do everything we can to discourage backyard breeders, there was a lot of intrigue about her.
I never knew much about the wolfdog, not something we have too much of to my knowledge here in Ohio, but it never seemed right to me. Wolves are majestic, amazing creatures, and dogs vary from breed to breed. Your article shed light on it for me and really helped me settle my stance on what I believe, which is that it is wrong and in a sense, messing with nature. A tragic story, these poor creatures, and I can only hope that if the public becomes educated enough, the breeding will stop.
Sara says
I am going to print this out and keep at least one copy in the file box in my car. I groom and train dogs in San Diego and, yes, I have seen enough of these dogs come and go from my area being paraded around by what I would consider to be reckless owners. The last one either ended up as one of my blog posts, a facebook tirade, or an email to my best friends where I was freaking out. It has inspired a piece I’m currently working on a piece titled, “Tough Guys. Tough Dogs” to be put into a bookmark sized handout that I can give to the endless # of guys I come into contact with who are obviously trying to create protection dogs. I can pick these types from a crowd and when they discover I train dogs they can’t wait to tell me about the brutal and stupid concepts they embrace.
My last experience was of a young wanna-be tough guy who swaggered into the dog wash with his wolfdog where I was filling in for the day. Of course it was a wolfdog just by looking at it, but he also needed to have social ‘credit’ by also bragging about it.
The dog was not on a leash because…guys like this think they have it all under control. I was ‘muzzled’ myself by what I am and am not allowed to say while working at this place. Sometimes I have to follow rules. I am in dire need of rent money. In this case, I wasn’t sure of my place, so I opted for silence. He allowed the dog to roam freely in the store and in the area of the tubs.
Another couple with their child wanted to enter the dog wash area. All I could envision was the precious soft skin of a child being permanently mutilated and this dude never having the funds or way to ever make it right. The dog came right up to the fence with the child–same exact height. I held my breath. I have personally seen (and experienced) multiple extreme, near death dog-child bites. (Mine wasn’t a skin breaker, but a lab did get up from his bed and walk over to me as a guest at a dinner table and took my entire face in his mouth. He was the ‘good’ dog. Just wasn’t used to children maybe? My parents and I had been invited to dinner on the lake by their workplace friends. )
The dog was remarkably calm with both child and family’s dog. A true miracle. He called out, “She’s fine. Don’t worry.” He didn’t even bother to monitor his dog as he prepped a tub for use. Ugh. The parents were equally as clueless and trusting.
When he came to check out at the register, I heard his dog cry. I thought maybe he had accidentally stepped on her foot and was on the floor to comfort her. Of course not. This is a ‘tough guy.’ He was holding her on the floor and talking to her through gritted teeth, “Don’t you EVER do that again!” I quickly asked if she was all right. He answered, “Yes, but she just grabbed my fingers while I was giving her a treat.” What he did/said next almost knocked me into a psych ward…He slammed her into the cash register cabinet and semi-yelled “YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN AND I WILL PUNCH YOU STRAIGHT IN THE FACE!”
It was like I was involved as a participant in some type of Milgram’s study. I felt I had to stifle a scream (I have issued a full-out, horror film scream as an interrupter when ‘nice’ wouldn’t stop a cruel beating I saw) being in somebody else’s store. I could only manage, “Please don’t do that or I might scream.” The whole thing probably put me into some type of PTSD state. He stopped and managed to leave the store. I cried silently. I was walking around in circles after he left not knowing what to do. People say what they would do, what I should have done, etc., but in reality you just do what you do when you only have seconds to react. Sometimes it’s big and loud; sometimes I find an effective way to educate; sometimes I go crazy in silence.
Later, I learned from the store owner that this same owner had previously owned a husky (who knows what happened to it?). She said that it did the same thing–took a treat too harshly from his fingers. His reaction? He bit his own dog on the nose. Yep. Hard until she cried. She told him, “Hey, Hey…we don’t allow that kind of thing in here.” She said I could say something like this if anything like that happens again. I hardly wish someone an injury, but I would imagine that this might go seriously wrong with a wolfdog (at least I hope? Oh maybe I don’t. I don’t know.), but the wolfdog will never, ever be the victor. The whole thing is beyond heartbreaking to me. Thanks for the blog.
Bethany says
Great article, I really appreciate you tackling such a complex problem. I completely agree and am always saddened when people brag about their (status symbol) wolf-dog hybrid.
Amanda says
another tragedy is hybrids are illegal to own in some places, which doesn’t stop people from buying them and either abandoning them or having them confiscated by shelters that kill immediately without exception. I have met many amazing hybred pets, but it can’t be worth the pain and suffering left to those that are not house pets. Breeders of hybrid dogs and cats sell to whoever buys without any regard for these animals or their unique needs, which I find to be truly disgusting.
Nic1 says
Goodness…what a heart stoppingly beautiful post Trisha. So sorry to hear that Willie is still not yet fit. Keeping all paws crossed because this too will pass…..
The wolf hybrids are at the mercy of human stupidity. They really should not exist and wouldn’t if we didn’t try to control nature like we do. Same for some pedigree dogs too such as Pekes and Pugs who can’t even breathe properly. Wolf hybrids are socially crippled. What a price they pay for our egotism…death and suffering.
Kat says
I met what the owner claimed was a wolf hybrid once at the pet supply store. He looked like a magnificent black wolf. He acted like a big teddy bear. His owner was clearly afraid of him, buried in his ruff were three collars, a prong collar, choke chain, and a flat collar. The leash looked like a boat mooring line and any time the animal did anything the owner would over react. I wondered why on earth anyone would own an animal that clearly frightened them much less take it out in public. I didn’t see any behavior that wasn’t typically dog so I suspect that the owner was sold a bill of goods except for the appearance.
I also know a coydog (coyote and Aussie) that did seem to get the best of both parents. He’s built like a coyote with the tawny pelt to which has been added some red dappling. He’s a pretty thing, good natured, friendly, social, and totally indefatigable. He played well with the dogs at the dog park and loved people and kids he just couldn’t ever be still and never got tired. Not having to hunt his meals he had no outlet for that drive except movement and he was always in motion. I couldn’t have lived with him but the people who owned him had five fenced acres and simply let him roam their property. They were also retired and avid hiker so he spent a lot of time on trails and a lot of time at the dog park.
Personally, I prefer to have my domestic dogs with me and their wild cousins to be admired from afar.
All paws crossed for you and Willie. I’m learning just how heartbreaking it is to have an unsound dog. We still don’t have a firm diagnosis on Finna. Some days she goes on three legs, some days on four. Of course if she wasn’t convinced that bouncing up on her back legs/leg was essential she might have a better chance at healing. I wish I knew how to persuade her that this superstition that bouncing up is responsible for her getting what she wants is a superstition and has no basis in reality. Unfortunately, in her crazy little head bouncing up is strongly associated with getting what she wants even just a trip outside to relieve herself. She seldom actually jumps on me she just bounces–rush to the door, look to see that I’m coming, bounce, and sit politely for the door to open and permission to exit be given. Leashed or unleashed doesn’t matter that bounce needs to be in there, if I get to the door first and circumvent the bounce then sit she’ll exit the house then bounce. I didn’t worry about it when she was sound but now I wish I could put an end to it since I’m sure it doesn’t aid in healing. All good wishes that Willy respond to treatment and is back on active duty soon.
Mike Ulman says
I’ve met some alleged wolfdogs and seen photos of others who showed no signs of wolf in appearance or behavior, and I’ve heard of breeders mixing various dog breeds to produce fake wolfdogs. I’ve wondered how many wolfdogs who are successful pets actually have any wolf in them, and how much fake wolfdogs give a false impression of real wolfdog behavior. There certainly are a number of movies and television shows using Siberian huskies or Alaskan malamutes as wolves to confuse people’s ideas of how wolves look and behave.
In addition, the number of real dogs dumped at shelters because their owners can’t handle them makes me wonder how much anyone needs to create something which is harder to handle.
I find the tameness of my malamutes their most appealing quality and am grateful to benefit from millennia of adaption to life with humans.
Trisha says
Betsy: Very interesting about the difference in therapeutic approaches to a strained iliopsoas! I suspect one difference though is that Willie is 1) On his way to doing the kind of exercises you describe (and he is doing several exercises now already) and 2) The problem with Willie is that when he is loose one never knows when he will leap-spin-rocket forward, no matter how much exercise he gets. And he is actually quieter the more he is crated. I’ve got to run now, but I’ll describe his current exercises when I get a chance. Thanks for responding, very interesting to compare notes!
Re whether wolves and dogs can truly be interbred: Yup, no question. A wolf may kill a dog that wanders into its territory, but not if the dog is in estrus and the wolf who finds her is a male. I’m sure it is true that some hybrids have less wolf than advertised, but wolves and coyotes can interbreed freely.
Margaret McLaughlin says
There are wolfdogs in my part of the Midwest; I saw a few when grooming at a vet clinic a few years ago. I’ve only known one at all well–this was in the mid 1990s. He belonged to a co-worker & her police officer (!!!) husband. He was about 160 lbs, & truth to tell, looked more like an oversize Malamute. He was fairly tractable, & they had taken him to obedience. He was about 4 when I know him. Lost contact with the owner, 7 don’t know what finally happened.
We also had a dog (?) in our obedience/agility club for many years that most of us secretly thought was actually a wolfdog. She was a rescue, & the owner thought she was a Siberian from working lines, & was able to get an LP registration from the AKC. With the amount of work & love & training that her owner put in over the years she should have had an OTCH/MACH, but I don’t know if she ever qualified in anything. She was very predatory, but also carefully managed.
Incidentally, the UKC, that bastion of breed tolerance, will not give you an ILP number to compete with your unregistered or mixed-breed dog unless you swear it is not a wolf hybrid. I think that about says it.
Cindy says
When I started my private obedience training business I had an experience with a wolf-dog puppy. He was about 12 weeks old and we were trying to leash train him. Luring with treats did not work, and when I gave gentle tugs on the lead he reached over fast as a wink and sliced my ankle open. I had never had experience with a wolf-dog before nor since. I own a boarding kennel and refuse service to any wolf-dogs.
Emily says
Oh dear, wolfdogs, one of the thorns in my sheltering hat, or something like that 🙂 We have a large New Age community where I live and “wolfdogs” are considered super cool by a certain segment of them… What gets everyone into trouble out here is–they really aren’t “wolfdogs.” They’re mostly Husky/Mal/Shepherd crosses with maybe a splash of wolf content, and they hang out in town wearing bandanas and love beads–dogs acting like dogs. The owners insist that they are “75% Timber wolves” or what have you, and uniformed folks (including the owners) get the idea that “wolfdogs” are like that. Then folks think it would be cool to own a wolfdog, or get another wolfdog, and they go out looking for one “just like” the one they met or have–another “75% Timber wolf.”
Sometimes they end up, much to their shock, with the Real Deal. Fortunately for most–though a disaster for educating the public–we have here in Northern CA and Oregon what seems to be a cottage industry of people breeding “wolves” and “wolf-dogs” that really don’t have much content–Husky/Mal/Shepherd mixes that I call movie-quality faux. (We had one local businessman scammed into buying an entire litter of 7 white shepherd mixes advertized as “95% Artic wolves…” Long story, we got the pups and it ended well for them.)
Three things I’ve learned are 1) never try to tell someone with a Northern breed mix that it’s NOT a “wolfdog”–they got scammed good money for the dog and will never believe that it’s not their spiritual connection to Nature that has Wildheart be so friendly to strangers, 2) trying to figure out “content” in wolfdogs is as utterly hopeless as trying to figure out breed in “pit bulls”–but behavior is behavior: if it acts like a dog (listens well, can go off leash, likes strangers and doesn’t try to eat the cat) it’s a dog; if it acts like wolf, it’s a wolf and 3) sometimes a good, clear explanation of the difference between “genotype” (the DNA from Mom and Dad) and “phenotype” (how that genes express) can help thinking-about-getting-a-wolfdog folks understand that even with known parental content, it’s Russian Roulette with which genes get passed along and how and which of those genes express.
Kelsie says
Very well said! I completely agree.
Being in Montana, there are wolf hybrids everywhere. You can get them out of the paper. I’ve met 2 while at the local chain pet supply store. Very striking animals, you can just tell even before the person they’re attached to starts to boast about their “wolf dog”.
My best childhood friend’s family had one chained to the shed in her backyard for 15 years. I got too close one day on accident and he bit my arm. Just a few stitches, but I never blamed the animal. I was pained for him. Still pained for the rest.
PetsWeekly says
Excellent article! I’m so happy to see someone address this side of hybrids! We have been involved in wolf hybrid rescue for years and its never easy. At one point, I lived with two low percentage hybrids, and at another time, a wolf-coyote hybrid. It meant adding footers to the fenceline, increasing height of block walls, tons of exercise and trying (unsuccessfully) to outsmart them. They are not pets. They are closer to being qualified as out-of-control, rebellious, shy pre-teens. I love them deeply, and will also always do what I can for them, but I would never recommend them as pets – they are a lifestyle unto themselves… Thanks for writing this… I will be sharing with my “pack”!
Peter says
Having 2 wolfdogs myself, they are mostly outdoor animals and very happy. They do come into the house when supervised and they were trained not to destroy things. I can do anything, I can eat dinner, they know not to jump on the table, to steal food, etc. We also go on walks, on city streets, in the park, they even go into stores like Petsmart. I do agree that too many wolf dog breeders give puppies to just anyone and most people are not prepared for these beautiful animals. They are not like normal dogs and people buy them thinking they are, then they realize they can’t handle them, take them back to the breeder (if lucky) or animal shelter. It’s very sad.
So I am rather torn… on the one hand I know they can be trained and live happily with a human pack. On the other hand, I hate to see irresponsible breeders just trying to make money, not thinking about these animals. So should they be bred? Maybe, maybe not.
Laceyh says
I’ve been lucky: the only two ‘wolf-dogs’ I’ve met were a probably German Shepherd mix (mildly shy and predatory but not anything unmanageable) and a very sociable, aging Aussie. The latter I met in a shopping center parking lot, walked on a flat collar and light lead, by a proud owner who loved to boast of the hybrid. I just feel glad he didn’t get what he wanted but was happy.
John says
I grew up with a German Shepherd who was brought over from Germany and trained to find rockets for NASA. Rex was an amazing dog who slept outside my door and woke up my grandparents when I cried. I spent nearly every weekend out on their 75 acres. Rex would greet strangers and gently but firmly grab their hands until he was told they were OK. I have loved that arc of the canine world ever since.
After college I lived in a group house with four other people. The couple were long time friends of mine who had attended grad school in the northwest where they acquired a magnificent half-wolf female. I guess she was about 2 when I met her. I agree that these critters are a life-style choice. We would go for five mile runs together or her couple would ride their bikes with her. She was an amazingly good judge of character. But one needed to be able to differentiate whether she was reacting to fear or character flaws in the person she growled at. She loved her pack, and we would all howl together at the Star-trek theme music each evening on TV. Seeing how she slept under snow drifts was amazing. I lived with her for about a year. She later had puppies, but I was not in close contact with her couple. I fear she died of a broken heart after they divorced.
After I got married, we had two malamutes, a 110 pound female and a 130 pound male. The female arrived first and was a handful from about 2 to 4. We had knock-down-drag-out fights to establish who was in charge. They would end with me hanging her from her collar, great exercise picking up a dog like that. I routinely had cuts on my hands or at least large indentations from her teeth. Sometimes I would force her into the on-your-back submissive position. Regular training was done with treats. The fights diminished from every-other-day to once-a-week and then ended. When I later took the male to puppy school (he was about 4 or 5 years younger), the trainer would go on about how the dog was such a handful alpha-male. I had to laugh as she did not get to see how cowed he was at home. We had for about six months to divide the house into two sections to keep it from being destroyed by their in-door rough-housing. I learned more about unconditional love from that female Malamute than I had in the 30-some years before she became part of my life. Hearing them howl when one left the house is a feeling of belonging.
Certain breeds are not pets but family members, and have to interact with a pack. Others can be treated like servants or toys, but they deserve more. My son now has a Samoyed.
MelF says
Thank you for writing about this topic. My college roommate had a wolf/dog hybrid who seemed to do well with her and he family, but I suspect it was because the dog had a lot of space (they lived out on the North Dakota prairie) and she was a biologist in the making, specializing in the study of wolves. But I have heard horror stories.
One other side to the wolf/dog hybrid issue is one I came across while helping in a beginner dog training class, city and local government laws that specifically forbid owning a wolf/dog within their city or county limits. I know of two families whose dogs were labeled wolf/dog hybrids based on looks alone. Neither dog acted like the wolf/dogs I have heard and read about, but because they looked like wolves they were banned from many a training facility and both families ended up paying for DNA tests done to prove they were not wolves or a hybrid of a wolf. They had to get it certified by the state in order to keep their dogs.
So even if you were to chose to get one, chances are that dog may be doomed because of local laws. Not fair to the animal. They have no chance at all in that circumstance, unless a rescue or sanctuary takes them in.
Sue says
I have working lines Siberians from Scandanavia and old Siberian bloodlines from the US. They are also large for Siberians, at the top of the breed standard. One is a dirty face. I’m constantly getting comments that my boys look like wolves. I was even at a CKC obedience trial where dogs must be purebreds to compete and someone competing (who should have known better) there asked in my male Siberian was a wolf. When people make such comments, regardless of the venue, I jump right on it and tell them no, my dogs are purebred Siberian huskies, one, registered in 4 purebred registries. I explain that hybrids are a VERY BAD idea and that a male wolf would weigh about 80-100# more than my Siberian does and have huge paws and jaws and teeth that can crush bone. By the time I’m done, most of those people wouldn’t even think about a wolf hybrid. I also take the opportunity to explain a few facts about Siberians as well; that they can NEVER be off leash, they are independent and VERY smart and have high prey drive. Most people shouldn’t own a Siberian, let alone a wolf dog. But, in the words of Forrest Gump, “Stupid is as stupid does.” It’s a shame that the hybrids pay the price for human vanity and egotism.
cj says
Nice to see a Montana poster, Kelsie. I have no experience with wolf hybrids. I’m a domestic-cat person who was seduced to the dog side 28 years ago by a Shepherd Lab cross and have been idiotically in love with her and her two successor Labs and current 80 lb Pit-Terrier. My two children grew up with the first three dogs as their protectors. The Pit-Terrier is now my protector and burglar alarm. The wolf cross hits close to home. More than a decade ago and a few miles away, a local family’s pre-school girl reached out to pet the family’s caged wolf hybrid. She left the hospital with part of her arm gone. I’m betting the dog did not live 48 hours, paying the price for a fool’s need for an ego-boosting wolfdog. I cannot imagine the grief and guilt her parents must feel decades later try though they might to blame the wolfdog. The wolf-dog cross is a perfect example of fools with feelings of inadequacy and delusions of grandeur, a lousy combo bound that likely leads to another paying the price. The wolfdog you own today was just one generation ago and thousand generations before that a highly feared predator. Until last year someone bred its mom or dad to a domesticated canine, whose own heritage a few hundred years ago to feral. Ever seen Ol’ Blue asleep on the lawn awaken with a start at a neighbors free-range chicken? It does not rise up on its haunch, scrunch its monocle into place, and intone, “Jeeves, I do believe we might have poultry on the lawns.” Fat chance. It rebel-yells “Hot damn! Lunch!” and leaves 20 feet of scorched rubber. A card-carrying kennel club graduate will return with a slobber-sodden floppy-necked chicken, proud as it can be, and expect you to serve a platter of Martha Stewart fried chicken for its dinner. This is the mentality of a neighbor decades ago, that ‘rational’ human, who purchased a mannerly Arab stallion and ended with a broken pelvis when he fell off an excited stud who smells a mare in season just over … there! Ego will not only damage the owner, it will cause the death of, well, really an innocent animal doing just what God intended him to do.
If we need legislation, it’s not so much to promote human safety as to protect animals from human ego-driven stupidity. Collectively we can draft proposals our legislators to introduce law that prevents humans from purchasing wolf-cross pups and adult dogs from an seller except entities licensed to breed, train, and sell that particular feral/semi-feral animal (for instance, and granting that they can’t be sold — an eagle rehab facility has a licenses to house and rehab eagles, hawks, etc.) — and the canine’s buyer must be licensed to own, train, handle and sell or adopt out feral and semi-feral canines to licensed potential owners. Owning both a certain bird and a certain canine requires a separate license for each animal.
Or we can wait until Natural Selection evens things out slowly and messily.
Nicola says
As an aussie, we don’t have wolves, though some fool was looking to import some wolf semen to breed wolfdogs here. I haven’t heard anything about it for several years, so I imagine the request was refused. I hope s/he never succeeds.
As for dingos, I have had them in a class of mine . The person who wrote “The very first thing she taught me is that she WASN’T a dog. She didn’t think like a dog, act like a dog, respond like a dog or relate to her owner like a dog.” could have been describing these dingos. These dingos were 18months when they left training – dingos mature at 2 years, and we never saw them again. They had committed owners, but even they admitted they were having trouble keeping the dingos contained.
Unfortunately dingoes are one of three native Australian animals allowed to be kept as pets in NSW. I suspect the success rate is slightly higher than wolfdogs as dingos are dogs gone wild, but also because there are very few pure bred dingos left on the mainland – mostly they have interbred with dogs. A large proportion dingo is still a wild animal, and doesn’t belong in suburbia.
I’m really sorry for you and Willie – it is heartbreaking to keep a dog crated long term due to injury. I’ve had to do it twice, with the same dog (a kelpie x), and while I learnt many ways to keep her occupied, it still breaks my heart to see the dog which once seemed to fly hobble around with difficulty. Of course, she is now 14 years old, and she is starting to show her age in other ways, but those two injuries continue to cause most of her veterinary difficulties. I so hope you can get Willie sound again (“Will he, won’t he” may be been a bad omen for a name). A working dog is never the same when they lose the work they love. Tricks are great, but my kelpie x knows the difference between tricks and WORK, which for her was competition obedience. When rallyo started last year in NSW and she could go in the ring again, she was so happy and happy for days afterwards. I hope you and Willie share that happiness again soon.
Patti G says
I have been a trainer for close to 50 years. In our part of VA there are a number of morons who breed wolf x dog crosses. Then we get the Walt Disney fanatics who buy them…most are dead by the age of 4, (when they mature and eat the neighbor’s pets). The owners love them sooooo much,in truth ,most are terrified of them. When I explain IF they bite anyone they will be euthanized and their brains tested for rabies they whine and cry…(there is NO valid Rabies vaccine for a hybrid…) These animals are sad examples of humans doing stupid things to animals for their own egos.
The ones I have seen actually get trained are probably Malamute crosses w/ no wolf at all.
A totally sad waste of time and dog food….
Maureen P. Farrington says
HUMAN’S BEHAVING BADLY,,,,,, a comment that was made to me once a long time ago which I have never forgot,,,,
Frances says
In the UK a Wild Animal Licence is needed to keep a wolf or a first generation wolf hybrid. The process (in theory at least!) assesses the suitability of the owner, as well as the premises – so although it is legal to own a second generation hybrid without a licence, very few are bred, and the interviewing of prospective owners is liable to be extremely stringent. There are “wolf-dogs” for sale, but these are European breeds that are wolf like in appearance, with possibly some wolf many generations back. Even these are by reputation only suitable for very experienced, very committed owners – I can just imagine the dangers of having true wolf hybrids available to the sort of people who would consider them “cool” or evidence of machismo!
I am so sorry to hear of Willy’s injury – my Papillon Sophy is just out of crate rest for a trapped nerve, and although she seems absolutely fine I now wince every time she jumps, twists, body slams another dog, tries to play with the neighbour’s Great Dane (I vetoed that – confidence is a wonderful thing in dogs, but there are limits!), or does any of the other risky things that for her are part of what makes life joyful. With Willy’s history you must be on a permanent knife edge…
LisaW says
I, too, live in the northeast (northern part of the northeast), and I have seen “wolfdogs.” There used to be an ad in the local paper 5 or 6 times a year for wolfdog puppies for sale. A woman had a pack, and her dogs had several litters a year. Again, just like breeds and breed guesses, who knows if they were part wolf but they were advertised as such.
I did know someone who had what she thought was a wolfdog. She got him from a rescue that took in dogs who were thought to be wolf hybrids. He had some trickster-like behaviors and lived to be 17. His story did end well, but who knows if he was a wolfdog or not.
I’ve seen ads for Wolamute pups, a designer cross. Good Lord.
Mireille says
Interesting post. We do not havy many problems with wolf-dog hybrids in the Netherlands that I know of. There is a Dutch dog breed, the Saarloos wolfdog, which are decendants originally from sheperd-wolf crosses and there are some Czechoslowakian wolfdogs. When we were looking for a dog, we looked at the Saarloos. They are beautifull dogs, but since we both work and the dogs do have to spend some time by themselves, we would not even be allowed to buy one from a respected breeder 🙂 they have very strict rules. More info
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saarloos_wolfdog . However, they are dogs, they requier very good socialisation but they are not ‘semi wolves’.
I was a bi sceptic about why this ‘breed’ is started; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamaskan_Dog since in my view they are mixing breeds with the purpose of getting a ‘look’ and the problem is that the dogs are advertised as very versatile dogs but.. If the Siberian husky prey drive is high, then you have a large sleddog with an almost untrainable tendency to go hunting & roaming. And if you then get people wh buy this dog for it’s looks I can also see trouble brewing…
@trish: our entire backyard is going to be changed, an eufemism for dug up, paved and then we get some new green spots, a little pond, an olive tree… No current plants will be rescued (most of them were dug up last year by the pups anyway) and silently I apologize to the few that are still standing… I feel for you!
And for Willy, what a disappoitment for both of you, I hope things will get better soon…
(Sideline: an animal was killed in a road accicent last week, it is either a wolf or a wolf dog hybrid. If it is a wolf, then it is the first official sighting of a wolf in this country in 150 years. Sadly illustrating why being a wolf in this country is not a good idea; too much traffic…
Kim Welch says
Great article. I read an article somewhere recently that touched on the fact that a lot of so called “wolfdogs” had no wolf in them at all these days. I guess that’s not a bad thing! I will be so glad when people realize that dogs are not wolves and wolves are not dogs and start respecting each one for what they truly are!
liz says
I probably stared at the picture of Bits for one whole minute. There is enough familiarity to entice me to guess his emotional state. However that disappears when I recognize that part of the familiarity isn’t because of his doggedness, but because of his wildness. All of my wild animal encounters gave me the impression that their interest was deeply, exclusively in survival, my presence just complicated the issue, and the foremost decision we both faced was who was going to go away first!
Kudos to Grey Wolf Rescue for taking on this extraordinary task. I believe their solution best honors these animals, whereas the alternatives have the wolfdogs pay the price for what can mostly be classified as a variety of “oops, we screwed up” human decisions. Giving the wolfdogs a place to be safe, comfortable, and to accept the human world on their terms is the best I could hope for them. Thanks for all you do!
Rebecca Rice says
I have no experience with wolf-dogs, but was on a shy-dog mailing list, where there was a woman working with a dog that had been a feral pup. As the dog got older, she got suspicious, and did some DNA testing, to confirm that this dog was actually a coydog. She has altered her expectations and is still working with him, but is pretty sure a light of his avoidant/shy/fearful behavior is actually a result of the coyote in him. If he had been properly socialized, instead of born wild to a stray dog, would he have had a better future? Who can say? But the reason I bring this up is this: what do you do or say to owners who get a dog, and then, after working with it and bonding with it, find out it is a wolf-dog hybrid, or a coydog? It’s easy to not get one, but once you have an animal, and have bonded with it, just getting rid of it is much much harder to do.
Rebecca Rice says
And as bad of an idea as “wolfdogs as pets” is, Nicole Wilde did a blog about a prison that wants to use them as guard dogs! Given that most wolfdogs are fearful, maybe fearful aggressive, this is just a bad move all around. And yes, the prison is breeding them.
http://wildewmn.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/guard-wolves/
Diana W says
As a child I was deep into wolves so my mom took me to see a lecture put on by Pat Tucker and Bruce Weide of Wild Sentry. Do you know of them? They traveled the country with their dog, Indy, and ambassador wolf Koani and educated children on wolves. The animals have since passed but I’ll never forget them. Bruce and Pat used the two side by side to highlight the differences between a domestic animal and a wild one. Wild Sentry fought for the rights of wolves and showed how special the human/dog relationship is. I really, really miss Koani and Indy.
When I signed up for some dog forums and saw people posting about buying hybrid puppies I was stunned stupid…
triangle says
This just helps confirm for me that dogs are NOT wolves, and shouldn’t be trained based on out-dated methods of what a wolf pack would do. First, we get it wrong (wolf alphas are not constantly fighting for position!), but even if we understood wolves better it wouldn’t matter because wolves and dogs are not the same in their social needs!
LittleJane says
I’ve never met a wolf dog, or even a supposed wolf dog, in my area of the Midwest, but my grandparents in upstate New York had a pair of supposedly wolf dogs. And, I would believe it. They looked a great deal German Shepherd, but had the body shape of a wolf and the ability to long-stare. However, these were the gentlest, quietest, most submissive animals I have ever met, and I think it all has to do with the way they were raised. They lived on 30+ acres of woodland, were brother and sister, neutered early, well-exercised, and rarely in contact with anyone outside the family. Sometimes they would take off together for weeks, hunting. They never showed aggression, never tried to challenge my grandparents for dominance … and again, I think a lot of it had to do with the way they were raised, and the fact that they were probably quite low wolf content. Also, my grandfather is an extremely dominant, my-way-or-the-highway sort of man, and his wife is much the same, and I’m sure those wolf dogs knew he was boss, and there was no challenging that.
That being said, I find it heartbreaking when I hear of people owning and breeding these confused animals. Not many people are able to give them the secluded, free-roaming sort of life my grandparents could, and I’m sure they need that to be as happy as they can in their conflicting bodies. Those two wolf dogs had the best of both worlds: a hearth to sleep on at night, and a vast woodland full of game.
Nan Arthur says
I spoke to the director of our local Animal Control and she said that the big issue for hybrids is that they can’t be given rabies vaccines. So, if a hybrid bites someone or another dog, they would be impounded and should be euthanized to check for rabies.
We have people that bring them to dog parks in San Diego, and that puts the hybrid at risk, as well as the people and other dogs.
To me, those that keep them as pets, seem to want them for all the wrong reasons. They are something akin to a “trophy wife,” when I see people strutting around with them in public,
Robert Hudson says
There is a big misconception about wolfdogs. The fact is that it is very hard to determine exactly how much wolf is in the breeding line. There is no documentation, or papers, and even DNA tests may not be that specific. When you purchase a wolf dog, you basically go by the word of whoever you are buying it from. Even the wolfdog sanctuaries do not know. I interviewed a wolfdog sanctuary for my radio show and was told they do not even bother to do DNA tests, and just make a guess based on appearance, but appearances can be deceiving.
These dogs are primarily bred with husky or malamute mixes to retain the wolf like appearance, and may have german shepard and other breeds mixed in to further enhance the wolf appearance, but they can just as easily be bred with any breed of dog and end up looking nothing like a wolf. Imagine a poodle wolf, a pit wolf, a great dane wolf, lab…whatever. They are still just as much wolf, but they sure don’t look like a wolf. Most of these wolf dogs are most likely less than 20%. Some are misrepresented and have no wolf at all.
This is not the only example of intentional breeding of domestic and wild breeds. Jackals have been bred with dogs, some Russian native dog, and several cats have been cross bred.
Robert Hudson says
The existence of coyote-dog hybrids is actually highly debated in scientific circles, with very few actual documented living examples. In most cases it is people believing they have such a dog but no way of proving it. There were experiments done in Germany with hybrid breeding, but a natural occurring hybrid in North America has not been proven, despite some news reports to the contrary. There have been reports of wolf/coyote hybrids on the east coast, but that is highly debated by scientists as well.
Addi Longley-Taylor says
I am the animal manager/handler and head guide at the wolf sanctuary where I work in South Africa, and I agree absolutely with the article above – We do have a big problem with wolf-dogs in South Africa. They are bred and sold as ‘watchdogs’ (what a joke) and they are bought pretty much as status symbols.
Nan Arthur, there is absolutely no reason why wolf-dogs and wolves cannot get rabies vaccines. All of our 20 wolves and 3 wolf-dogs are routinely vaccinated against rabies and other canid diseases with no side-effects whatsoever.
Wolves – (CAnis lupus lupus), and domestic dogs (CAnis lupus familiaris) have almost identical DNA and thus cannot be called hybrids, so their classification is actually very simple…it’s like crossing a LAbrador with a GErman Shepherd, except that in this case you are crossing a wild canid with a domestic one.
matthew says
Addi, I believe the belief that the rabies shot does not work on wolf/dog mixes is because it is an off label, non manufacture approved or tested use. At least here in the US.
LunaGrace says
Like “Gordon” who feels unable to post to this subject, I felt unable to post to the last one on neutering without going into a rant. Having had Siberian Huskies for many years that I showed in both conformation and obedience as well as ran in my sled team, I have stong opinions on both subjects.
However, I will say on this subject that when I was living and showing the dogs in Washington state, I was contacted quite a few times by wolf and wolf hybrid owners who wanted to use one or another of my purebred males at stud. My “cop out” line of reasoning is that I ascribed to the Siberian Husky club’s code of ethics that recommended only dogs whose hips had been ceritifed free of displaysia, whose eyes had been certified free of inherited abnormalities, and who were registered through a recognized canine registry be bred to each other. That was my line of reasoning and I stuck to it no matter how persuasive the wolf owner sounded on the phone.
At that time, there had been many, many incidences of people (particularly children) being mauled and killed in the Idaho-Washington-Canada area and I just could not, in all good conscience, contribute in any way to something like that happening.
Ironically, I bought my first Siberian Husky because I was so attracted to the looks and social interactions of wolves — but decided that they were best left to and enjoyed “in the wild”. Siberians were domesticated a long time ago and, no matter how much they physically resemble wolves (like all canines from the Northern geographical areas), they are still meant to live with and be cared for by people.
Both pictures of the wolves ……. look how big their pupils are! Stressed? Frightened? Only one word comes to my mind when I think of wolfdogs ………. unpredictable. Somehow, I don’t find that charming or intriguing.
Emily says
The Rabies issue may vary from state to state, but my understanding in California is that the rabies vaccination hasn’t been FDA approved for use in wolves and wolf-dogs because the manufacturers of the vaccines haven’t spent the money to have the formal test studies done to get the necessary FDA approvals. Consequently, giving a rabies vaccination to a wolf is technically “off-label” usage and may not be legally valid. That said, every vet I’ve ever talked to sees no reason why the vaccination shouldn’t “work”–as in conferring immunity to rabies as it does with a dog. Folks with “wolf-dogs” of undetermined content, or low content, who may very well have a critter that’s more “dog” than “wolf”–who’s to say and how can it be proven one way or another?–can and should easily have their Malamute, Husky, Shepherd etc. mixes vaccinated for rabies according to law for all dogs. A 20-50% content wolf-dog is, after all, 80-50% domestic dog.
Pat Younkin says
The term for these animals is “HEART BREAK.” You have only to look into those deep eyes to see the confusion and unhappiness. I love wolves, I always have and the continuing war being waged out west makes me furious BUT I would never try to make a “pet” of one. I have two rescue Alaskan Malamutes and while I can see their ancestors in their gorgeous faces and , yes, in their belief that it is their right to discuss decisions (mainly whether or not I am actually not going to share the last bite of the sandwich) I also do not see the confusion and unhappiness that I see in these pictures. Bless the folk who have offered them sanctuary, a pox on breeders of any animal who won’t take them back and the twits who firmly believe they can handle these animals. And FYI to wolf dog “breeders”? Get over yourselves. Real breeders care about their animals always. They have a take back clause in their contracts, they insist on a spay neuter clause, thye research their buyers and oh, one more thing—- THEY DON’T CROSSBREED!
Norm Mackey says
I’m rather conflicted on this issue. Not to encourage naive, usually well meaning people trying to keep wolves or mixing them with dog for the purpose, but I’ve seen innumerable questionable attempts at distancing our domesticated pets from their wild relatives other than simply pointing out the vast majority of wolves are very ill suited as being household pets, and why. Russian fox experiments show domestication was not as imposing a challenge as thought, if you consider that prehistoric humans’ canines could just leave and lead their own packs (or die) as well as get what exercise they pleased, no restraint technology. Submissive wolves bred that never would in the wild.
In the new world, studies of partly fossilized canine skulls near tribal villages indicate wolf and dog genes flowed in both directions for thousands of years; the black color phase spread through North American wolves came from domesticated dogs brought here, and that is just the trait that couldn’t be more obvious and figuratively slaps you in the face and yells, “hey, dummy, the whole animal’s black”. I would argue there should be proof they haven’t retained useful traits like “treat humans with respect, not as prey” and others even cherished in dogs too, before treating them as if we know they haven’t.
An old book about the history of German Shepherd Dogs who proved a lack of wolf ancestry with a claim wolves and dogs could not interbreed despite extensive attempts, and by the years of selection to assure GSDs had unwolflike sloping rumps the author admired (plus hip dysplasia they didn’t acknowledge). Read that as a kid. Claims like coyotes and wolves not having dewclaws and noise like “Dogs have puppies and wolves have cubs. This is significant.” No it isn’t. It just means the dictionary says “young of the domestic dog” and wolves aren’t domestic dogs; sometimes an alternate is “pup” which includes seals, rats, wolves, and others. At what percentage dog does a high or miniscule percentage baby wolf hybrid go from “puppy” to “cub”?
It becomes insignificant because canine blood banks don’t need classes like “50% wolf hybrid” etc, just canine blood groups they all share. The CDC reversed progress towards approving vaccines for wolves and hybrids because of lobbying by state officials who did not want people associating wolves and dogs and shelters and animal advocates (CDC reporting this), both of which approved of the combination of there being no rabies vaccine approved and state laws requiring an approved vaccine for pets as a prophylactic measure against people keeping hybrids, as opposed to the vaccine approved as a prophylactic measure against rabies.
Also these fictional differences ending up serving as a prophylactic measure against people allowing wolves to survive where they might occasionally be seen by chance, or look at the first person they had ever seen without being killed. The behaviors of dogs and wolves are generally identical, simply shifted in emphasis. Those reported in dogs are present in some form in wolves, often exaggerated by breeding; dogs will learn a trick opening a box with food much quicker from a human than a wolf, in turn larger-brained wolves will superbly copy the dog watching it and learn the trick while other dogs won’t learn from another canine.
Jennifer says
This is a topic that just fries me. I worked in animal control in Alaska for four years and we often dealt with hybrids. Wolf hybrids are illegal in AK – there are prohibitions on owning and buying/selling them, and they have to be euthanized or sent to sanctuaries unless they were grandfathered in under the 2002 tightening of the law. Alaska has the strictest laws on the books about wolf hybrids, but enforcement is a nightmare. Hybrids are about ego, plain and simple. Hybrids are bad for people, bad for dogs, and bad for wolf populations. There is absolutely no excusable reason for owning a hybrid.
Jack Parker says
7.10.2013
I believe that I saw “Bits” last week, on a pontoon boat full of people at Twin Lakes MI.
I was in a rowboat and we passed in a narrow channel – a close -up. Head down he looked through the railings straight into my eyes – as you say – as an equal.
I wish he would come again. He is beautiful! I will never forget that brief encounter.
Thank you Lord!
cj
Laura says
Hi Tricia and all,
I couldn’t agree more with what has been said above regarding wolf-dogs. They break my heart too and we as humans have screwed up so many things in nature and science because of our “Just because we can,” attitude. I hate this attitude. Just because we can do something, does not mean we should do it. Sigh… sometimes, we as a whole are such idiots. but enough about that. tricia, I’m so sorry for Willy’s condition. My heart sank when you wrote that he wasn’t getting any better and I can’t imagine how it must feel. All I can say is, I know what it’s like to have a dog who wants to work, and can’t anymore and he doesn’t understand why. I hope, your situation improves so that Willi-boy can get back to doing what he loves best.
Jennifer Holdcroft says
A fiend called and said they had a sick husky that was about to be euthanized at the animal shelter, she stood outside holding him for a hour . When we got there here was a emaciated wolfdog , he had lost 15 lbs and wouldnt eat , his head all cut up and knotted fur around his neck . Since then he has gained weight but is completely untrustworthy with men walking towards us . We moved to a house with a 8 foot fence and he has a freind , but Im afraid he will get out . We love him but I worry he will get out and hurt someone someday. We are torn.
Nic1 says
Jennifer – your post has moved me to tears. Is there no one
you can consult who perhaps has some experience with these
dogs?
NancyF says
There’s a woman in the Canadian prairies that’s breeding border collie/coyote hybrids as the best choice for competitive agility.
Jason says
I have shared time with 3 different animals of this nature, i say shared time because i dont beleive that you can own one of these animals, any one who has ever dealt with one for real will tell you “Those animals shared their lives with me not because i was there master, but because the wanted too, and thats it, end of story.” All three had more than a enough chances over the course of their lives to bolt while we were hiking or biking never to return but they didnt. They are not dogs, they are not wolves, they need more dedication, guidance and hard work then most children. Maybe even comparable to a special needs child. breeding them is irresponsible in every way especially when its done for profit. A wolf dog cant be treated like a normal domestic animal, they will become a destructive force endangering them selves and those around them by no fault of their own. These animals need to be free to run hard for hours everyday, and they are not for the faint of heart either, they will bring animals home to you, like pieces of rabbit, skunk, racoon, or the worst one is when they out run and bring down the little baby fawn that was in the picture! it happens for real. plain and simple IF YOU ARE NOT READY TO CHANGE YOUR ENTIRE LIFE AND DEDICATE IT TO AN ANIMAL YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS BREEDING OR KEEPING A WOLF DOG!!
Ingrid Bock says
This post and its comments are so heartbreaking I can’t finish reading.
Sadie Brunskill says
Very well said.
I met two “wolfdogs” in the middle of our busy market town… they were offering so many calming signals and looked terrified of everything (“normal” stuff that well socialised pet dogs take in their stride: people, traffic, shop windows).
Their owner was obviously concerned too as he had them on very short leads (choke chains. Grrr) and pinned between himself and a wall, body blocking as best he could…
I was concerned for children walking past. Young children, unsupervised (their parents assume that these animals are safe… otherwise why would they be in a public place without a muzzle…?) often don’t see any danger and reach out a sticky, grabby hand. A lot of damage can be done before anyone can react – canines are much, much faster than us humans.
Why were they there?
They were stressed, he was stressed and it was a dangerous situation.
I believe the human ego plays a big part here… as usual :/
They used to be bred for films and have ended up, tragically, in pet homes.
You only have to look at the experiments using litters of domestic dogs (different breeds) and grey wolf litters to know that you can never really “tame” a wolf or hybrid, even when you socialise them to the greatest extend possible at the critical socialisation period and beyond.
When they get to adolescence they are often doomed to either euthanasia or a life of fear; unable to adjust to life as a pet.
The tragedies far outweigh the success stories.
So sad 🙁
Craig says
Good article.
I personally have had two Wolf Hybrids. Long story short they were the best pets i have had yet. One of the lucky ones I suppose.
Cathy H says
Hey Trisha, It has been a long time. Sorry to hear about Willie…sending calming thoughts his way and hoping for a complete recovery.
Wolf Hybrids…the epitome of hubris when done intentionally! All those centuries to establish enough breeds, with mixed breeds left for good measure, to satisfy any need for a companion canine a person could have. But wait…we must have it too good and owning a domestic dog is just too passe. Let’s take a giant step backwards and breed a dog to a wolf….making an animal that does not belong in the wild nor will it thrive in most human households. Great idea!!!
I have had experience with wolf hybrids in WA, VA and Germany. Suffice it to say even the “successes” were less than ideal. A few week ago, I stepped out of the local Safeway and saw a young man walking his hybrid in the parking lot…strolling up to a car of other young adults and bragging to them about his wolfdog. He was totally unaware of, or did not care about, his dog’s emotional state. The creature appeared to be about 8 months old, was continuously pacing, trying to avoid eye contact with every one…looking like it was about to crawl out of it’s skin. It did look my way once and the expression I saw left an ache in the pit of my stomach. Such beauty and sadness…..the loneliness was tangible.
Dezi says
I work at an independent pet store and we have a customer with two wolf pups. The first time I saw them I did a double take. The man denies that they have any wolf in them… but I can see it. Not to mention that their behavior is SO different. They spend their time climbing on everything in the store, yipping, peeing and being wolf puppies. It is amazing to spend time with them, but it’s also sad to know what their lives will be like.
Sokedai says
I’ve owned two wolf hybreds and they were the best animals I have ever had. Wolf-shepard is not a good bred as the animal will attach to one person and be jealous of anyone who comes near him/her; however, wolf-malmute is a good bred as they are quite smart and do not get overly attached to one person. If you get a hybred, get two as they are wolves and are a very social animal. They do not do well singly. They need the company of others.
Chris S says
Wolf Hybrids have a bad name like “pitbulls” when the reality is a little more complicated. If you have the correct wolf hybrid mix. (think Wolf / Alaskan Malamute) NOT Wolf/German Sheppard/Husky/Akita/Inuit Sled Dog/Coyote! And proper environment and socialization you will have without a doubt the most intelligent, obedient, majestic and soulful companion you could possibly imagine. I will stress you need the PROPER ENVIRONMENT. If you try to put a wolf hybrid in your 1200 sq ft apartment and give him a “30 minute walk” every day he will utterly destroy everything he can get to. However, if you live on a fenced in 6 acres with horses to play with, a pond to swim in and PLENTY of running room…. you can have a Wolf Hybrid living in your home just like any other dog. My wolf dog lives INSIDE with a pomeranian and a morkie, gets an incredible raw diet, and as much exercise as he can handle (with friends.) He is by far the most amazing animal I have ever owned, people who have bad experience with Wolfdogs, either don’t have the right environment, the right mix or lack the experience and energy. If you aren’t going to bo the Alpha… forget it. If you got what it takes, a wolf dog is heads and tails above and beyond any other dog breed.
Ruth says
To Dewitt Gimblett: For the large majority of “normal” dog breeds socialization can trump ALOT including some genetic factors. Most herding breeds (for example) can have that herding drive re-directed into other tasks or play. But for the primitive breeds, and for the wolf-dogs, socialization can only take it so far. I suspect that trainer/behaviorist has never spent any serious time around primitive breeds or high content wolf-dogs….
To Dezi: There are a couple breeds of dogs (yes DOGS) who have been breed to look as much like wolves as possible. Look up the Tamasikin for example. Even experienced wolf-dog people frequently have to stop and look twice before recognizing the dog.
Lovey says
I have what I was told is part wolf, part malemute. I took her because the couple who had her could not manage her. I fully appreciate the work involved in keeping one of these dogs. Even if she was just a dog, she is large and high strung. Having taken in wolf dogs before, I am fully aware of what is needed to keep her a reasonable member of my family, including hours of running time at a farm that belongs to a friend of mine. While she does have to spend quite a bit of time in a 10 x 20 x 20 enclosed with another large dog I give her as much running time and “pack” time as I can. The only set back I have had is that she did kill an outside cat that got into her encloser recently. It concerns me, and we’re watching her even with vaccinations (had to put a dog down once that ate a raccoon due to rabies even though he did have his shots). But all in all it’s a working relationship. This does not mean I endorse just anyone having one of these dogs. They are predators for the most part, and they are not really family dogs. Also, having rescued several of them before, I don’t think just anyone who wants bragging rights and is not prepared to invest a lot of time and energy into them should get one. They are not designed to be petted, then ignored. Too muck pack mentality, not enough dog mentality.
Dan says
I have had two “wolf-dogs”. One was a mid-content mix and the other was a high content mix. I had great experiences with both animals. I believe wolf/dog hybrids are more gentle and intelligent than dogs and that is why I prefer them. I currently have a Jack Russell terrier and he is far more aggressive and possessive than either of my hybrids were. The only drawback to the hybrids as far as I am concerned was the excessive shedding. I have looked into some of the “horror stories” I have heard about hybrids and I think that the common denominator is some human who cannot or will not properly care for a large canid. I also think that many people who claim to know how to care for these animals do not know what they are talking about. All I can say is that if you want one make sure you are able to give it plenty of time, exercise and a space outside but do not force it to stay outside against it’s will. These are highly sociable animals, they are canids after all, and need to be able to be with you. Anyone who gets a wolf-hybrid or a pitbull or a rotweiller because it makes them “tough” has some serious issues and shouldn’t even have a hamster.
Ethan says
I adopted a husky that was misrepresented as a wolfdog. I had him phenotyped by people who have owned many “woofers” as soon as I took him on. I wanted to know what I had on my hands and what I was getting into if he was indeed a woofer. Unfortunately, very few people are honest, and even fewer do their research. Misrepresentation is a huge problem. Just as we see with domestic dogs, new owners do not properly research/educate themselves, which leads to further tragedy.
The saying, “There are no bad (wolf)dogs, only bad owners.” comes to mind, because it is so true. Why do we see so many huskies, pit bulls, German Shepards, border collies, etc., in rescues? Because their humans didn’t study. Because their humans were ill-prepared for the dogs’ needs.
It’s the same with wolfdogs. The higher the wolf content, the more research you need to do. Otherwise, neither you nor the animal will be happy.
A very good friend has three woofers, all of whom are trained to be ambassador animals. I have met all three (they are all mid-content) and since I’m a regular volunteer for her ambassador project, I’ve gotten to know all three woofers pretty well. Aside from the collie I had growing up and my grandmother’s golden retriever, I’ve never met canines as well-behaved as these three woofers. They leave my friend’s cats alone, snuggle with said cats (the female, especially, snuggles them as though they are her babies), play “tag” with the dachshund mix, and go swimming. They also get their enrichment – every day is a car ride to a store, park, or other public place where they meet and greet strangers. But these animals are in the hands of an experienced owner.
If my living arrangements allowed for it, yes, I would have one. I would likely wind up with several, because I would, without a doubt, open a sanctuary, because as I already said, too many are victims of misrepresentation and owners who don’t do the proper research.
wolfycat says
We have had wolf dogs for about 15 years. I agree they should not be bred and sold and passed around and isolated, etc. We currently have three rescued wolf dogs. All were never socialized properly and all were abused. Two are extremely food aggressive, dog aggressive and mostly anti social. We have never lied to ourselves about these animals. They are what they are and will spend the rest of their lives with us. We protect them from people and animals because unfortunately, everybody wants to touch them. Our boys did not ask to be born, passed around or mistreated so we understand that they are what they are. The last one we took in from the rescue that we work with is a feral wolf dog puppy that showed up in someone’s yard after the Oklahoma tornadoes in 2013. He was about four months old, seriously underweight and covered with ticks. He has been an extreme challenge and will never be safe around cats or small animals. One thing I have learned is that these animals should not be bred, but unfortunately they are. We need more people who are willing to learn about them and help. If you cannot fathom keeping one then please donate to the wonderful rescues and sanctuaries that take these beautiful creatures in.
Lorraine says
Such a cool dog to have, or so we thought. But realizing we rescued her from going to an apartment in Chicago I was happy. It is a challenge, she has taught us so much about her needs. But she has 6 acres, a pond, she is friends with our horses, our old dog and tabby cat. when she potties on her papers I praise her, she yearns for those words “good girl”. She heards up the chickens at night. She is 90% timber wolfe and I am her alpha. Gentle, kind words and firm words and eye contact when naughty. It will be a long road but she will always be ours.
Becca says
I read this and as interesting as I find this to be I sadly disagree. I found out about Wolfdogs from a man who indeed had one and his Smokey instantly got me interested in them. I did research for two years before I even considered getting one. And I decided that she, Lupa, would be well taken care of. Now I’m not going to say Lupa doesn’t have her challenges because she does but with all that research I did before I got her I knew what to expect. I took her for long walks to the park to socialize her starting at 6 weeks old. She was nervous at first but by 10 weeks she was happily running alongside other pups and the kids. She did have a horrible chewing habit so I found other things that engrossed her curious mind and teeth. She is so smart and talks to me in her own way. Her body language and her noises let me know if she hears something, wants out or wants something to eat. Lupa was a year old and still one of the sweetest, kindest creatures I have ever seen. But I realized other dogs couldn’t keep up with her and she started acting kind of sad in her own way. I felt bad that she had no one to play with that could keep up with her, so I decided to look into getting a second. And I did, a male, Koga. He was a big pup for 6 weeks and the day I brought him home Lupa was so excited to see what I had been carrying in my arms. When I set him down in front of her and she at first just looked at him. He was scared of her and tried to hide behind me as she slowly approached him. She licked him and that was it, they have been inseparable since that day. Lupa now being a year and 6 months, Koga is 6 months. They both potty trained and know how to sit, shake and lay down. But I hardly ever make they preform any task besides sit so that I can get their leashes on them for their walks. They are both gentle, kind and sweet creatures that I love very much. Now I’m not going to say they are all this way because that would be a lie. But the way they are raised DOES have an impact on how they turn out. They require tons of attention, exercise and an understanding owner.
Tris says
I agree that wolf dogs shouldn’t be breed and then just sold to whomever. I have had the pleasure of two of these animals and they have been better companions than most people I have had to deal with.
I have to say that I hate it when people who know very little about wolf dogs assume that they know one on sight, when in fact most of the traits they say are wolf are actually dog traits. Dogs that are in stressful situations can get skidish, as well as turn aggressive for what may appear to be random reasons.
Both of my wolf dogs have been rescues because the original “owner” couldn’t handle them. There has to be an alpha. Even people who own multiple dogs will admit that a pack mentality works best with the way they handle their dogs. Establish yourself as the alpha and you don’t have a pet, you have a family member.
As I said before, I definitely agree that they shouldn’t be breed like they are and it is heartbreaking the way so many end up.
Larry Wayne Paul says
Please don’t jump to conclusions about hybrids from what you read, most hybrids are bred to be attack dogs and are raised in this manner, about 98% of Pit bulls are very nice family pets but some are raised as attack dogs and so the entire breed is condemned.
Chris Grant says
I had some friends from Canada that had a 60-40 Wolf/German Shepherd and a pure wolf. Both were absolutely beautiful and very docile. They were so smart. The first time I visited them Niki (the pure wolf) jumped up in my lap and stayed there the entire time I was in their house. Ben, the 60-40 laid at my feet. I was never afraid of either.
Kimberly says
I do have experience with wolfdogs and will be the first to say no they are not for everyone! But that doesn’t make them horrible creatures either! If trained PROPERLY they make excellent companions but you cannot take an animal that has not been taught anything and expect them to behave that goes for all dogs! I hate it when people try to make wolfdogs out to be vicious beats BC they are far from it. And to be honest most of the people who think they have met wolfdogs have not most are misrepped mutts! So if anyone truly wants to take the time to meet wolfdogs and actually see what they are truly like volunteer at a sanctuary then you will understand why we get so upset over people bashing wolfdogs! ITS NOT THE ANIMAL ITS THE OWNER!!!!
jules says
Cant tell you how many amazing wolf-dogs ive met. This article made me pissed, then sad, then i laughed.
People have no idea what thyere doing with hybrids, but un-proper training will turn ANY animal into a rescue situation.
Wolf-dogs are amazing companions, nurture out beats nature ten fold with them
I love my wolf and all the other ones ive met, they are common where i live. We love our wild animals
bferguson says
Growing up I was always fasinated with wolves. Not just the look of them but with their nature ,lifestyle, and pack mentality. As an adult I decided should the chance come I would have one. Enter “tango” now ten years old and having lived with me his entire life, I can truly say getting him was one of the best decisions I have ever made. As a puppy he was always full of fun and affection and was loved by everyone he met and ten years later that has not changed. Sure they are destructive to your property and the consumate escape artists but so were my children. But never once did he offer any aggression to anyone he ever met or to any dog either. I now have three wolf dogs and live in a local subdivision and never worry about them getting out and roaming the neighborhood lusting for blood and attacking everyone they encounter. Just quite the opposite the local kids sometimes brought them home. to be quite honest they have been the best friends a animal lover could ever have. I have owned other large breeds and with each if them I was always leery of their interaction with strangers. although I never had a bad incident, still I worried. Not so with my wolves, they have been to schools to educate children about wolves and they loved every minute of it. The children loved being able to touch an actual wolf dog and it respond with affection to them. So in closing I just wanted to let the world know not all wolf dogs are problems. My three are a joy for me and everyone who meets them.
ANN says
I FEEL THAT ANY DOG CAN BE TRAINED EVEN A WOLF DOG I KNOW BECAUSE,I RESCUED ONE FROM MORE ABUSE WHEN I FIRST MET DIXI SHE WAS TIED TO A TREE WITH NO FOOD,WATER SO THAT WAS THE FIRST SIGN OF ABUSE.I WENT THERE BECAUSE,WE HAD A MALE HUSKIE AT THAT TIME HR HAS SINCE PASSED AWAY SO WHEN THAT WOMEN LET DIXI LOSE SHE CAME RUNNING UP TO ME&JUMPED ON MY&STARTED KISSING ME&JUMPED IN MY TRUCK LIKE”LETS GO HOME MA.”THEN I ASKED WHAT KIND OF DOG SHE WAS&THE WOMEN TOLD ME DIXI WAS WOLF&HUSKIE&I WAS LIKE OH WOW THEN I GOT HER OUT OF MY TRUCK&LOOKED AT HER&SEEN THAT YOU COULD SEE HER RIBS THAT WAS RED FLAG NUMBER TWO THEN I KNEW SHE WAS BEING REALLY ABUSED SO I HAD ASKED THAT WOMEN AS I WAS GETTING REALLY MAD AT THIS POINT, WHY DIXI LOOKED LIKE THIS&ALL HER OTHER DOGS LOOK REALLY HEALTH SHE HAD THE NERVE TO BLAME HER DAUGHTHER FOR BEIN LAZY.I JUMPED HER ASS&TOLD HER IT’S YOUR JOB TO MAKE SURE SHE DOESE IT&IF SHE DON’T THEN YOU DO THESE ANIMALS SHOULD BE JUST LIKE YOU BABIES OR YOUR KIDS THEY HAVE TO EAT AS WELL&NEED WATER TOO SO I GOT IN MY TRUCK&CRIED LEAVING DIXIE THERE WHEN I GOT HOME THAT WOMEN CALLED ME&TOLD ME WHY DON’T I JUST COME GET DIXI IT TOOK ME ABOUT TWO SEC.TO GET BACK IN MY TRUCK&GO GET HER&BRING HER HOME OUR MALE GRETED HER AT THE DOOR THEN SHE FOUND THE FOOD&WATER SHE IN GOLFED TWO&A HALF BOWL OF DOG FOOD&DRANK WATER LIKE SHE NEVER HAD ANY THEN SHE GOT SICK&STARTED EATING IT,I HAD TO GET A HOLD OF A FRIEND OF MINE THAT HAD RAISED WOLF DOGS TOLD ME THAT WAS NORMAL EVEN THOUGH I CLEANED IT UP&STOPPED HER FROM EATING IT THEN SHE TOLD ME WHAT SHE DID IT TOOK A LONG TIME FOR DIXI TO GAIN MY HUSBAND’S TRUST BUT,NOW SHE’S HIS BABY GIRL SHE’S MY CHICKA-MO-CHICKA BABY MAMA&WHEN SHE HOWLS SHE HAS DIFFERENT ONES SHD HAS ONE WHEN WE ASK HER IS IT TIME THAT’S TO GET THE MAIL SHE’LL LET OUT A FULL WOLF HOWL THEN SHE TALKS BACK WITH CERTIN HOWLS SOME TIMES I TELL HER HEY MISSY YOU WATCH THAT LANGUE&SHE’LL LOOK AT ME&SHE DEMANDS ATTENTION BUT,NOW SHE’S SO LOVED&SPOILED&SHE KNOW IT TOO WE ARE GOING TO GET HER ANOTHER BABY I WANT A RESCUE DOG I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ANOTHER WOLF DOG BUT,GET ONE AS A PUP.I BELIEVE THAT OUR WOLVES SHOULD BE SAVED&PUT INTO A RESCUE PLACE WHERE THEY CAN RUN&KNOW THEIR SAFE.
Peter John stott says
I love love love my wolf dog and he seems really protective of me, nobody is allowed to close unless I show they are a friend by shaking hands etc. It would really hurt and affect me if I lost him which brings me to the question I wish help with. I dearly want to let him off the harness so he can have a nice big run but I have been told not to let him off because there is a major chance after feeling the freedom he will just keep on running and not come back, I take him in the sea which he likes quite a lot, I just want to give him as much freedom as possible without losing him. Can you advise please.
Sarah says
I own a wolfdog, Czechoslovakian from the Czech Republic. There is now about 30% wolf DNA in these dogs and I have to agree she is not a dog, she is faster, stronger, more agile, just more. She chews on you, she jumps on you, she runs round the house like a hurricane all day long. I don’t live in a massive house but I do live in the countryside. I didn’t buy her out of anything ugly or greedy as one person has stated I wanted a rescue dog as I am a supporter of a wolfdog rescue in the UK, however and here is a big however once someone has screwed a wolfdog up I am not sure I would trust the animal so I have my dog. I’m not sure why I have her the breeding program in Czech was very controlled in the 1950s and quite tragic, any animals that didn’t have certain traits were destroyed non of the dogs were suitable for the military work they were being bred for and now all dogs must go to Bonitation where they are scored for certain physical and temperament traits and if they do not pass they must not be bred from. Lunar is my guardian, they are not good guard dogs but she guards me, I had heard if you are sick a wolfdog might decide to kill you. I was awoken after having a haemorrhage in my sleep by her gently nudging me to let me know I was covered in blood (there was no attempt to kill me or eat etc). I was drawn to her like a moth to a flame and foolish or otherwise I stick by that decision, she lives in our house, she steals food and runs off with cushions and she was difficult to house train but I wouldn’t leave her out in a kennel or on a chain. I love animals even the dangerous ones and hate the devastation the human race has wrought on the wolf I don’t know if it does but I hope that by people meeting my dog and glimpsing maybe a little of those wolf traits they can see something to love in the wolf. Funnily kids know she is part wolf well before adults work it out and I hope she leaves the impression that wolves are worth our support in their pure and wild form. For the ill informed if wolves and dogs are able to meet in the wild they will sometimes mate naturally so although wolfdogs may be seen as an abomination they aren’t any more so than a mule. I know there are many in trouble and I have heard people make the most ludicrous comments like I would really like a timber wolf or I saw a 90% wolf advertised and considered buying it. I don’t lie or glamourise my dog I know people have less tolerance for ripped up cushions, grubby carpets and unhemmed curtains than me.
Pete H says
These wolf/dog hybrids should never have been created. They don’t fit in the wild. They don’t fit in domestication. They don’t fit anywhere. It isn’t unreasonable to assume these animals aren’t entirely happy ever. It isn’t the animal’s fault that they exist when they shouldn’t. But it is our fault that they are condemned to continue their unhappy and unsatisfying existence. And all the while they are photographed or people speak of their beauty. This creates demand and desire. The vein of hopeful optimism we share as humans throws out a false lifeline. We think, “All those people that have failed with wolf hybrids, they were stupid, they hadn’t done their homework. I will get it right. I won’t be like them. I care more.” It is a fantasy and a delusion. The rescue people help perpetuate the belief that the potential owner just needs to be better educated and to care more. For the individual animal, rescue, is “good”. Rescue doesn’t close down demand. It seems unkind and hardhearted to suggest that it would simply be better to euthanase unsuccessful domestic hybrids. Few people would claim that predators in zoos, including wolves any big cats, are enjoying life. We know they would be happier in the wild but there is a genetic burden for society to ensure the individuals’ survival for the genetic health of the numerically dwindling species. This ” raison d’etre” for zoos does not apply to wolf/dog hybrids. The unhappiness of the individual hybrid is in no way countered by any need to preserve their genes. If the people who create the demand for these hybrids were forced to face up to the fact that the only fair solution is euthanasia if “it doesn’t work out” then perhaps the message would get across to society that if you create an animal that hasn’t evolved to exist somewhere then it might never be happy anywhere. If you take responsibility for the human creation of an animal. Then you must, as that human, take responsibility to end its suffering AND prevent other humans repeating the same mistake.
Shela says
The tragedy is that people don’t take into account that pets be them wolf dogs or regular dogs are a huge commitment. My family recently had to put down our 10 year old wolf dog. He was a gentle giant who loved his pack. Multiple cats, one brother dog, and humans. From the beginning we showed him who was Alfa, taught him to be gentle and kind. I could plant his 116 lb rear end to the ground and hold him by the neck if he was acting a fool because I ranked higher. He loved kittens and children. The best most loving smart dog we ever had. A real owner has a relationship with a pet, let’s face it anyone can chain a dog up outside. Pets are not for show and anyone who gets a wolf dog or any other kind of dog to be cool is a problem.
Martin Mitchell says
My daughter bought a wolf dog, 75% wolf, the vet said,” I would not trust this its more wolf than dog”. My daughter could not cope with it and as it howled when I left her house to go home, she gave it to me and I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS AT ALL IT IS GOOD WITH DOGS so long as they are well mannered. However, some dogs are so scared of her that they whine and are clearly agitated. I realise that the truth is that domesticated dogs are the problem because they are stupid and so inbred as to be brain damaged. My wolf dog is very wary of going in other people’s houses but she loves children and talks ( in her language) to them. I also have a horse no one else could ride and off lead my wolf dog runs ahead of the horse. She, the wolf dog, gets off the road when cars come past whilst grinning at them and sometimes I see the drivers looking in disbelief at her road sense. I know all animals communicate mentally and perhaps that is why I get on with even wolfs and Tigers in Zoos. A tiger I winked at winked back at me and when I mentioned it to the Keeper he said, tigers cant wink. I did not bother to tell him he was wrong and that my granddaughter witnessed it. I have heard of animal communicators but, I can tell you all its not the wolf dogs, its the people who are the problem not communicating properly with their canine friends treating them as inferior when in reality they are superior and humans are the mad apes polluting the planet, our minds and our bodies. When the selfish ape is destroyed by its own global warming pollution the animals will survive and those of us who love them but, the dogs of dogma, the mad apes, will not survive.
Trisha says
To Martin: I considered not posting your comment but thought it good for people to see all perspectives. However, I’m going to push back hard on “domestic dogs are the problem because they are so stupid as to be brain damaged.” What a sad perspective to have. I’m sorry the world looks so very grim to you.
Lea says
I have a German Shepard wolf mix we THINK. He does not bark, ever. He has the most amazing howl and the cutest yip when he is upset. He has huge webbed feet and beautiful almond shaped Amber eyes. Like mentioned by others, he is in constant motion and drives me insane! I love him more than words can say. He is a rescue. His previous owner kept him tied to a tree the first year of his life. He is an indoor/outdoor dog at my house. He loves the outdoors but lives to try to sit in my lap. It hurts my heart that so many wolf hybrids find less than wonderful homes. They are DEFINATELY diferrent to raise than non Wolf breeds, but I have no regrets that I brought this baby to my home.
gayna mccanis says
I have worked with dogs my entire life.I have rescued,groomed,trained them. Having worked with military dogs,I decided to adopt a rescue Malinois,knowing how challenging they can be.I wanted to be a chance of rescue for that type of breed. I have and after 12 months training he is as perfect as they come. Now to wolfdogs, my mali needed a buddy.so scanning rescue sites I came across wolfdog pups.Being obsessed with wolves from a young age,my heart skipped a beat!We met the parents who were brother& sister (an unfortunate coupling) Their parents had been husky female and Iberian wolf male,as we are in Spain. There had been 9 pups. 5 died within weeks. We chose a small female,figuring she was runt and would have better chance with us. They all had parvo,and all but her died. She also has Leishmaniasis. These life threatening diseases have stunted her,but boy, is she a handful! Howling to communicate is virtually constant,she took 12 months to house train,she shows aggression to the mali when he returns from walks,she has killed two cats and has taught my mali to hunt,but she hasnt hunted alone,only when they are together.Now they are not allowed off leash together. She can and does open any door and my husband swears she is disturbed! However,on the up,she is incredibly loving to all the family,including my teen children ,shows promise with agility and is so adorable you cannot help but love her.I realise her stunted growth has made it easier to cope with her antics, and I would NEVER recommend anyone buying from a breeder. Having said this, I believe every animal deserve the chance of life. Its our responsibility to clear up this human mess, (and yes she is spayed) We need,as dog lovers,to support each other and offer help to those who need it, not turn on someone because they made a rescue choice that hasn’t worked out. I love my wolfdog and will do all it takes to make her happy, and so will her adopted family.
Zach says
I am a wolfdog owner, and I have contradictory opinions on breeding them. I have 2 sisters, one of which I raised from a puppy, and the other I adopted as an adult when her owner couldn’t care for her anymore. The one I raised is a bubbly, silly, friendly girl who will run and jump in my truck and be happy to ride around all day and was best friends with a kitten…until her sister killed it. The one I didn’t raise is very friendly, but is afraid of the world, has a high prey drive,and seems beyond repair in that regard. A lot of the comments here criticise wolfdog owners as egomaniacs, and some may be, but the same could be said for the owner of any particular dog breed purchased for a certain reason. I got mine out of my curiosity about them, and raised a loving, gentle dog and feel she has abandoned her “prey drive”, at least compared to her sister. They are a good example of what environmental impacts can have on them, because they are twin sisters, and one would assume they should’t be all that different.
All that isn’t to say that even in the right element that they aren’t more challenging to raise and entertain than a dog, which is what I tell people when they ask “where can I get one?” I tell them that they are no substitute for a dog. Get a dog. I don’t agree with breeding them haphazardly. True- many end up on a chain, or in a crate, where they should bever be. But I say the same thing about ANY dog.
Maybe the egomaniacs the commenters have encountered have aided in the misconception of wolfdogs. No different that the mass-persecution of pitbulls,of which I have never encountered a mean one. If a thread was started to gather begative opinions on any given dog breed, it would also be flooded with stories about bites and attacks, etc.
With all that said, I agree with these comments stating hybrids shouldn’t be breed, because they do draw people wanting them for the wrong reasons, and aren’t willing to give them the attention they need, and expect them to react to them like a dog does. There are breeders out there who screen and educate, and even that probably isn’t enough to counteract those who just don’t care, because in the end, they don’t want a companion animal, and don’t care about the animal’s happiness, they want to simply “have it”. To show off, or draw attention, which they do.. Mine will greet strangers on the street with a lick to the face.
I understand the general consensus here is about the wellbeing of the animals, but what about the other (nearly all, or all) dogs in a shelter with its life on the line? What are their reasons for being there? …And is ANY dog happy on a chain? No. Some of the points made here are irrelavant or fabricated, directing attention to wolf hybrid owners, when it should be directed to dog owners in general, as the problems I have read about on this thread pertain to all dogs, not just hybrids.
But, to reiterate, I never recommend people getting hybrids, although I own them myself.
Rebecca Correa says
A friend bought a hybrid pup that ended up with me. The pup bonded with me and my Queensland who was a week older. However, he (hybrid) showed signs of aggression early and I had him neutered. it helped, but at six months he began attacking my daughter Queensland, a smaller male. My daughter moved out taking her dog. my dogs are now two and get along well unless guests are over and make a fuss. then my hybrid gets jealous and turns on his sister. I separated them by grabbing his back legs. My grown daughters are concerned even though he has been quite loving. I have three cats that hang out on the back patio with both dogs. I don’t let the dogs inside (as this is cat territory) unless the cats are in bedroom and I closely supervise.
We are concerned since I remarried and my husband has two young children who will be joining us soon. I would never allow the children to play alone in the back yard with the dogs. But I admit I share my daughters concern. I feel a responsibility to my hybrid and would never allow just anyone to have him or buy him. I know there are sanctuaries although I haven’t inquired if theres room…and I am concerned what this would do to him since he is clealrly bonded with me. I am so torn. I want to do what is right for everyone involved. Any advice or suggestions?
mathew H. says
They are not dogs but at the same time not wolves i have had three hybrids im my life and im 26 one low content and two extreme high content all of which were rescues. there is middle ground if you respect who they are and give them space but at the same time show them dominance much like wolf behavior which takes time and people give up and get bit at 11 i took in the neighbors female high content after he beat her and she bit him over the 12 years i had her not a single growl. my male was starved shot at and beaten now he is happy house trained sleeps in my bed and gets along with small animals and swims with small children at the lake . just found out he has cancer real shame .
problems with bad temperament is a dominance issue males are males they want to be boss you need to be the boss rough playing put them on their back to show position if they try teeth you have em to -yes i have bitten a wolf before however in 16 years of having them i have never been bitten by them just a dalmation
now i get asked to test his dna for wolf content by vet and twra TN but local pit bulls kill someone nothing is said
Joe Briar says
It is my expressed opinion that anyone breeding dogs and wolves are doing a diservice to dogs and wolves. There is no such thing as a wolf dog hybrid, or dog coyote hybrid or coyote wolf hybrid. They are all subspecies of canis lupus. A hybrid is a breeding between ex: lions and tigers. These breedings are not legal.Men has done great harm to nature be doing all kinds of breedings. These wolves and dogs cross breeding is wrong. It happens in nature with dogs and wolves breeding by chance meeting. Most times wolves will kill any dog or coyote they meet.In
order to presrve the pact and hunting territory.Lone wolves can and will breed on a chance meeting with a lone dog or coyote.That is very rare.Any wolves with black fur is a cross breed. It is not a true natural color in pure wolves.The dominant genes in wolves will erradicate this color over a couple of generations. Unethical bredings by men is wrong and should be reported to the authorities.My hunting and trapping club eradicate all wild dogs we come across.We also hunt coyotes in farm country where people keep sheep.They just go for the kill and do kill more then they would eat.We never kill grey wolves and they seem to know this when I have met a large pack . I just leaned against a tree and watch them from a distance. A large bold wolf came up to me no more them 30 feet. He sat down and look me over. I tailk softly to it and after a few minutes it returned to the pack.Quite the moment.Anyway, please dont buy wolf – dog cross breeds or any other animals you are not sure of.Report these breeders to the authorities.Let them prove they are real breeders and that they dont mess up in this type of cross breeding.
Hope some of you have the good sense to heed my words. Wolves and coyotes belong in nature and not in someones backyard.There are enough dog breeds to satisfy all.
So be good. Leave these unscupulous breeders where the should belong.in a JAIL.
Joe Briar hunter and trapper. Lover of nature and wolves.
Carin says
This is the link I’ve been reading: https://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/the-tragedy-of-wolf-dogs
The flow of this page is lost on me. Who the heck is Willy? Out of nowhere the subject switches to other topics w/out acknowledging the switch. No need to respond, as a writer and copyeditor I just wanted to alert you that the page flow is confusing.
sharon tomme says
I have a German Shepherd/wolf mix and he is lovely with people; loves all people. Different story when it comes to dogs; cannot stand any other dog! BUT many dogs cannot stand other dogs either. I love my dog; he is a big baby, and I mean BIG. lol
robert rose says
I have a wolfdog.His name is Jacob.He has to turn back to help Bella.We love him dearly and he us.We now have ruined linoleum flooring in both bathrooms and kitchen.All carpet ruined.I was always going to install tile in baths and kitchens.And there are hardwoods where carpets use to be.I have neutered Jacob.His life has great value.He makes us better humans.I recieved Jacob from a young couple in Madison Wi.I was driving and pulled up next to them at a stoplight.I said what a beautiful dog he was.They replied “Do you want him.”They just could not handle his energy especially the digging.Jacob was bred with a pure red husky and a wolf husky was his father.You can see it in his face ,legs,paws,tail,and coat.Exercise is a problem I run him everynight still not enough.And if you want a yard forget about that.He digs constantly. Two large burrow’s large enough to sleep in and fifty to a hundred smaller holes on twenty-five foot tie out. I just move him to another section and start repairing whete he was still we have patches everywhere in different stages of repair.Anyone trying to take this on better know how to be the alpha he likes to challenge me daily and his energy is limitless.When i come home and he comes out of his latest giant hole.I just smile and go love hin.After supper i get my gear tennis balls tools to launch them some notted rope for tug of war and his water bowl and we go to the park for a hour or so.He was allready on planet earth I just share my home with him.He can be very aggressive and I need to be close to give him verbal commands when he starts with other dogs and we do not let him freely interact with strangers.I have three children and he can get rough with my to young daughters no bites but has k ocked my six year old over a number of times.And tried same with ny eight year old she stands her ground and gets him to submit.Anyway we love him.
Chloe says
I have a 4 month old husky (dad) mixed with a German shepherd wolf hybrid (mom) and the only true problem I have with him is getting him house broken and “talking back.” Besides that, he’s the most lovable dog/not dog I’ve had. He’s a sweetheart and I can tell he’s going to be a forever lap dog. He sleeps in my bed, he goes to dog parks and not only shows no aggression, but actually submits to other dogs, even smaller ones. He’s beautiful and no I didn’t get him for bragging rights. I didn’t know he was wolf hybrid until a week or so after I got him. Although, in hindsight I should have known the second I saw his pacing mom when I picked him up. He’s a sweet, big, boy but he is a handful that likes to tell me exactly what he wants exactly when he wants it. I’ve never had a stronger bond with a dog and I love him like I birthed him myself.
JD Kraaikamp says
The only (suspected) hybrids I ever knew of in my area were coydogs–but these were wild through and through. The dog parent (not sure if the dog was male or female) was a Great Pyrenees that–after the sheep it looked after were sold–wandered off and took to roaming the countryside. The story goes it and a coyote took a shine to each other, and some mighty big coyotes were the result.
Alexandra says
I understand the frustration people are voicing but I don’t necessarily agree. I will say however that you should never adopt a high content mix unless you are opening a sanctuary. I adopted my first wolfdog ‘Kai’ from a county shelter when he was almost 2. He was the most amazing animal I have ever had the privilege to know unfortunately he died of bone cancer at 14. It took 4 years of training and socialising before he could be considered a well behaved family member. I however was able and willing to put in the time, money and most importantly patience to make that happen.
I think all breeders of all animals designed to be a pet should be illegal but that would be like putting the jack back in the box! There’s no point whining about what should and shouldn’t be when nothing can be done to change it – unless of course suggestions are to kill the thousands of wolfdogs that need homes? Instead we should work on a solution. For example: laws should be put in place to restrict puppy mills from opening – breeders should have added tax as should buyers that go toward shelters – actual policies should be in place that limit breeding and examine any and all breeders of any type of creatures. The solutions are there the question is what are we going to do about it? The fact is there should be real laws preventing unscrupulous characters from making huge profits on the idea of designing and creating a life – then be willing to accept the pain and suffering of that life – in order to make a quick buck.
Alexandra says
I forgot to add – there should be a required educational program for breeders and if you do not pass you cannot be a breeder, after all I can’t tell you how many breeders complain about ignorance in the industry… maybe you should be qualified. When it’s not so easy to be a breeder maybe we’ll all end up with the perfect pet.
Sarah says
To all the people that want, think its cool and amazing, or any other reason to have a wolfdog, your extremely ignorent in my opinion. They should not be legal to own, should never have been bred in the first place. Its cruel and not very respectful to take something that belongs in the wild and ask it to conform to human living. Given the point 90% people can’t even control there domestic dogs. Having Studied wolves in the wild, not in a sanctuary, not desensitized to being around people. Wolves belong in the wild. For the people that have 6 acres and think that’s enough, its really not. People should not be doing this and playing god. Respect them enough to leave them were they should be. The wild. Yes they are known to be loyal and protective. I agree with a sanctuary for the ones that are already living its not there fault they were bred. But personally and professionaly its not nor ever will be a good idea. Every time I see someone I have to kinda keep my mouth shut cuz I don’t understand why people think it’s OK. I don’t think it is too much an actual issue where I live but it should 100% be illegal to breed, sell and own them.
Katrina Richter says
I am NOT a long time rescuer for any particular animal. Except canines, where I have spent most my time with over a thousand canines. All before I turn 16. All my experience was from a nice couple who rescued all types of farm animals, and wild animals. Since we didn’t have animal Protection Agency in our area. And personally I have rescued probably over a hundred different types of animals. Including a wolf, and friends partnered with Wolves. #1 all wolves should be in the wild. #2 people don’t want wolves in the wild cuz, I they think they’re going to kill their animals. In my experience. I seen people dump off dogs. Then, because they have been fed by humans in the past. I watch them attack the ankles of cattle, and not eat the cattle. But kill cattle, and torture for it for pleasure. Fact not fiction. #3 the size of the dog needs a lot of running space. Weather is the dog, or wolf no matter what. #4 You should treat all dogs like a pack. There needs to be an alpha, and that is usually the head of the household. Whoever its. #5 When you’re dealing with wolves it seems. They do better with an older dog. So they can learn how to deal with being around humans. #6 you should treat a wolf like a hyper dog. They need plenty of activities. #7 when buying a chew toy use old pair of jeans, and a big thick rope. #8 you should treat them like an over size child, and childproofing your house. #9 You need to take them out to run. Not once a week, but every single day.#10 wolf like to feel with their mouth. That’s how they test things. And then until they get to be 5 plus years. And then trained for at least over a year. You should treat them like they’re teething. Because we lived out in the country. For wolves, and partial wolf. A farm is the ideal place for them to Rome around. I am NOT saying half breed wolves cannot be trained. But with Wolves you have to give special attention. Whether to fish, a bird ,or wolf. When you spend enough time with them all of them can become a fantastic pet. I’ve trained dogs, and cats. That previously bit ,or damage children other smaller animals. To be a fantastic pet. All you need to do is spend time with them. Me the constant animal lover. Doesn’t matter if they have fins, hooves, pause, or wings. I love them all. Katy
Cynthia says
I would like to direct you to a breed called the Czechoslovakian wolf dog, This is a recognized domestic breed that was bred back to the Carpathian wolf in 1940s.
B says
I’ve raised 2 wolfdogs. One possessed the best qualities possible, and the other the worst. Those dangerous qualities mentioned previously are not what I’m referring to, and are in fact present in all breeds. The negatives of a wolf are anxious tendencies. The negative traits you can’t overcome sometimes include pacing incessantly at fairly high speeds, constant weird looks and noises every time they pass, and a desire and ability to escape all but the most impenetrable of confines. The dog I consider the ideal of the two some people may have deemed violent and abandoned. I realized there was a great deal of order to his outburst and taught him to use more appropriate logic. He would attack any man who approached me while I was seated (dicey situation the first time a cop pulled me over with him in the car). If someone jokingly thumped me or slapped my leg he would go from seemingly asleep across the room to airborne over a table intent on their face and neck. With the help of some brave friends we repeated these situations many times and I caught him restrained him and explained his overreaction until he learned to assess potential dangers as logically as a human would. He actually broke up a fight between two people without resorting to biting them. He stood with his paws on the counter between shoving men with a “girl problem” and snarled and snapped back and forth and then growled softly and approached them any time they raised there voices the rest of the evening. There is an intelligence with hybrids I’ve never seen in other dogs. They learn to predict and adapt to people and situations in a human like manner. You have to be physically capable of stopping them and smart/patient enough to understand their perceptions. If so their is no danger of some hidden instinct taking over. They are not werewolves. They’re just powerful animals that can do damage if they believe it’s necessary. You have to make them look to you for the help in making the determination of what’s necessary. On a side note he only growled at women or children in situations where he initially attacked men.
Sally St.Clair says
We adopted a Malamute about six months ago. They told us he was 25% wolf. Neither of us had ever really wanted a wolfdog, but we met Thor and fell in love. We were told he was two years old, he was incredibly friendly, he was healthy, and so many other things. Everything they said turned out to be lies. He’s at least six. About three weeks in, he started to become aggressive. We took him to the vet. He had a staph infection, an ear infection, a bladder infection. That would all make me be pretty mean, too. We got all of that taken care of. We got him fixed. The vet said that would resolve the aggression. It’s only getting worse.
He’s a strange mix of food and resource aggression. He loves to eat out of your hand; he’ll wait to eat the treat until you say it’s okay. The problem is that once it’s “his,” it’s his. We’ve been trying to teach him to drop. It’s been months, and it still only works if we have a treat of higher value than whatever it is he has. He likes to get into the sink to lick off any dirty dishes. Last week, I pulled back on his harness and said “NO.” He responded by biting my arm and my stomach.
He’s bitten me twice. He’s bitten my husband at least four times. He’s tried to bite us far more often than that. He’s bitten a couple of our friends. At this point, we just don’t know what to do.
We can’t find a trainer in our area. We have tried everything that we can find online to help. I don’t want him to be put down at a humane society, but we really think we may have to give him up. If anyone has some advice, anything you know would be greatly appreciated. He’s six; I think his bad habits are just too ingrained. I don’t know that we can do anything more. I’m afraid to be alone with him. The last time he bit me, he got me several times. My entire forearm is one single bruise, mixed in with cuts from his teeth. If you have any ideas at all about how we should proceed, please let me know. We’re getting desperate.
Outlawzero says
Wolf dogs are cool and yes the should not be intentionally bred for all the obvious reasons. I am only commenting as they are not hybrids not technically. Wolves canis lupus and dogs canis lupus familiaris are closely related so closely in fact that with the turn of the new millennium when DNA testing was done to verify some of the typing we have done solely on phenotype over the years it was discovered that wolves share too much in common with wolves and are not a separate species they are a sub-specie which is why they share the canis lupus part there cannot be a wolf dog hybrid as dogs are wolves.
Markus Climons says
I lived on a farm as a kid and one day two pups were found by my brother and I. We each took one and while my brothers was extremely aggressive he died shortly after we adopted them, he was bit by a rattlesnake. My pup, Dodger, Dod for short, on the other hand was a definite handful. He was always a bundle of energy and even thought was 14 at the time Dod was my best friend. He was protective of me and my best friend who spent more time at our house than his own. Dod was so protective in fact that even when I went out riding horses he would follow me, even tracking us if we left his sight.
Dod always looked like a German shepherd and it wasn’t until many years later that a vet mentioned how similar he looked like a wolf as he got older. We always had to make sure he didn’t get a hold of smaller animals like chickens, rabbits, squirrels, or even kittens, because he’d kill them. Still I tried training him and I’m not sure how but I actually got him to listen to me, I was the only one he’d listen to. There was one time when in high school my best friend came over. Dodger was already on edge since a repairman had come earlier and although I’d kept him out of the house, he could smell the intruder. So when my best friend simply walked in, having a key to the house, Dod started growling and stalking towards him. I was able to stop him from attacking by standing between them but that was the first time I really saw the wolf side come out.
A few months ago a man approached my son at the dog park while I was playing with Dod. Dod immediately went after the man barking and growling. He nearly jumped the dog park fence to get to the man if I hadn’t called him off.
My point is, every wolf dog is different. Dod has seemed to fallen into making a heir archy in our house. He listens to me when he wants to, knowing he could easily over take me if he wanted. Followed then by my husband and son. He protects them and us, but unlike with me, he won’t listen to them. But Dod is a special case and even then there is a VERY thin line I have to walk between making sure I have control over him without overstepping and having him decide to knock me down a peg. Living with these beautiful animals is both a privilege and a danger. I don’t think Dod would ever hurt me, I’ve fallen asleep using him as a pillow more than I can count. He views me and my family as his pack, but we always have to be extremely careful of anyone new who comes over.
I’m sure Dod and his brother were bred to be wolf dogs only to be discovered how difficult raising them is and dumped on the side of the road near our farm. Wolf dogs need very certain habitats and people who know how to interact with them to lives good life. Despite my love for Dodger, these animals more times than not don’t have a good life being bred by incompetent people who want exotic animals and should therefor not be legal to breed.
Rick says
I have a 4 year old wolfdog, and she has been the most amazing, intelligent, and loving animal I have raised. She is very different from a dog, and wolfdogs are not for most people or home situations. We work at home so we are usually with her, and she gets lots of socialization with our clients. Evenso, we have learned that she must be closely monitored with new adults (she is wonderful with all children), but that nobody should enter her yard or house without us controlling the situation. If I I call her over to the stranger at the door she comes in submission and let’s the person in after greeting them. But if I fail to introduce her before inviting them in, she can be ultra protective and challenging to the person. She is very intelligent though because after she knows them and my schedule, she doesn’t mind when they come and go as long as they come at their usual time. If they come at a different time, she will bark to alert me that they are there. Additionally I have to be careful about what I am doing around her, because her curiosity leads her to trouble. For instance when I had been replacing a sprinkler head, and she had been observing, the next day, she dug the sprinkler back up (I think trying to help)… She howls along to the accordion and harmonica, and tries to match her intensity of howling to the intensity of the music… She trusts us, and even can be examined by the vet without a muzzle as long as I am with her. If she were to be separated from us though she could become dangerous for them. Thank goodness she is a homebody (unlike our previous huskies) and doesn’t have a desire to roam. Wolfdogs have a much harder time trusting than domestic dogs, need a large space to habitat, secure fencing, and most of all lots of attention and love, and when they are raised with proper training, love and have a permanent pack that they belong to, then for the right experienced owner, they are wonderful, and true members of the pack family! I appreciate the article, and LOVE my wolfgirl.
A Ostwald says
I wish I would have come across there articles sooner. I live in eastern Nebraska. ( the largest city). In the mid 70s,& recently married. We saw an add for GermanShepherd75%/Wolf25% hybrd puppies, in the next state of Iowa. (at this same time, my uncle, owned a rather large(well behaved and mannered solid black, long hair, shepherd50%/black timber 50%) Which really started this. Traveling a short distance to a “farm”. And viewing the litter. The bitch/mother, was 100% shepherd. The male was a 50/50 mix of Eastern Grey & Shepherd. Both parents were on site. We chose one… A female. Actually 2nd smallest in litter.
This/my shepherd hybrid turned out to be one of the most intellgent, well behaved, I can only think of all the best qualities I’ve ever seen in a dog.
Even up to being a companion to my son. We had our hybrid 1 year before my son was born.This dog was super with any children.
My vet did comment on this dog. He could apparently tell she was a hybrid. (I now see her in many tv movies and adds, her colors, &shape, and miss her).My neighbors thought she had mange twice a year, with the hair she would lose/shed. 2 years later. We breed her to my uncle’s wolf hybrid50/50. We also kept a female puppie from this litter. The most beautiful black silver puppie you would ever see. In size. The puppie did outgrow mom. By at least a head and shoulder. My son now in his terrible 3s. Both of these hybrids were so great with the “kids”. You would not believe it.. We all loved these dogs. They were great companions. Protected us and house. Severial years later. Thru an accident, we lost our 2nd puppie. And many years later lost the mother of old age… I so miss both of these dogs. And know I could never find replacement s ..
Doug says
My only experience with a wolf dog was at a local dog park, The animal was old but HUGE, He was calm but completely disinterested in all the dogs there and the dogs all wanted nothing to do with him. There was a couple men there that had the animal , kind of lowlife drifter types I thought, and believe it or not their only purpose for bringing him there was for a place to leave him while they went to do something where they could not bring him along…I was new to the dog park and these guys claimed they had done this many times before. When they left the wolf dog was completely unconcerned, it had the look of resignation. He trottted over to a shady stand of trees way away from the activity in the dog park. It was pathetic I thought. I THOUGHT I could offer this old guy come company some understanding, maybe connect. I approached little by little very slowly and did not stare at his eyes or anything. He remained without any expression PERIOD, I finally got close and attempted to simply touch him while talking in a calm loving manner as I could. But when my hand got within about a foot of him , he suddenly peeled back his lips and bared his massive teeth simultaneously emitting this bone chilling growl that put fear into me unlike any dog ever has! I felt like I was nothing in his eyes, an unworthy pest, that he had ZERO use for me .. . I felt ashamed for insulting him actually. I can only imagine the frustration an animal like that endures being kept as a pet. I feel sorry enough for my own rescued german shepherd pack, One of the males often whines for no apparent reason,,,just an unfilled life with the only thing to look forward to besides rest and food is a walk and an hour in the park most days. No job, no real purpose,… but these WOLVES! They have to be so frustrated and confused! How can living with humans just kept as a pet ever do for these guys?? People need to THINK before buying a dog much less a wolf! WHAT does the animal get in the bargain? At LEAST adopt rather than becoming part of the demand for more breeding! There are so many animals in true desperate need for HELP
Kelly Watson says
I hit a puppy with my car last October guessing her to be about 4 weeks old. No one would claim her and the one house I thought she came from never had anyone home. I brought her home and she was so good through thanksgiving and Christmas. Did well with all our company. Now it is July and we have to put her in a room away from everyone if anyone comes to our house. Just suddenly changed. Bit out grandson on the hand when before she would lay on her pillow with him and watch tv. She is so loving to me and my husband and dad. Likes my youngest son and wants to eat the oldest son. We finally met with the lady we thought she belonged to and she informed us that the dad was a wolf that some couple brought from another state and that more than likely her aggressive behavior will probably get worse. I had no clue when I brought her home that she wasn’t just a regular puppy. Now I am at a loss on what to do. We have 7 grandchildren to keep safe and am so torn on how to handle this situation because we love this dog and it’s the first dog I have ever had that you can actually feel loves us. You can strongly feel her love and that is so odd to me. Never felt that from an animal before. We are trying to find a place for her that will love her and not kill her. Could use help and advice please.
Debbie Wagner says
We have always had husky / shepherd mix (3) we just had r 13 yr old put down , we waited a month and started looking for new pup , I found one on a rescue site that said she was husky / shepherd , 10 weeks old , we her and brought her home , right away full of energy , I even told my husband she looked like she had wolf in her . Piper is 4 months old now and we cannot control her she wants to b outside all the time , and now the biting and showing her teeth , is getting really bad , she growls at the grandkids if they touch her while she is sleeping . We have had a lot of dogs and this not normal at 4 months , this dog cannot sit still , she will run in circles for 20 min . My ? Is there a way to tell if she has wolf in her , if there was some way to send u a pic !!
Robert says
I believe the biggest problem people have with wolf dogs, is they try pulling that Iam the alpha male crap, To a wolf a animal that kill you in a instant, That is like saying the cockroach who thinks it is going to be the alpha male of you and tell you what you may and may not do, Now that may sound insane, But what you need to understand is Wolfs are a predatory animal, and have been around a lot longer then the human race, I once own a hybrid many years ago and not once did I have any problems with her, Why cause I did not play that alpha shit with her, I treated her with absolute respect, I have never tried that crap with any of my dogs, I once had a Irish Setter who loved to sit in the recliner, I was perfectly happy to sit on the floor,. Many people will not do that kind of stuff, Cause they consider they are the alpha and they are not lowering their self to sitting on the floor while a dog gets the chair, What many people fail to realize it is that very attitude which causes them all the problems they have with Wolf Hybrids.
fishing kayaks says
Thanks for finally talking about >The Tragedy of Wolf Dogs <Loved it!
Phoebe says
Hello. Im 6 months pregnant, have a loving husband, two little girls, two domesticated dogs, and one wolfdog pup, who is 25 percent wolf and the rest is some kind of husky. I’m very sad to say that my husband bought a wolfdog 6 months ago. He drives me crazy. It was right around the time he got home from deployment, and I became pregnant. Little Bear is 7 months old Dec. 17. He’s a character! Very hyper and sweet. He’s not shy around new people. That may be because he is mostly husky. But just last night I told my husband I wanted to get rid of Little Bear.
He is terrified of his surroundings outside our home. The other day he chewed through his leash while my husband finally took him out. I haven’t been able to take him on long walks because I’m pregnant and that’s taken a tole on my energy; He’s also a very big boy (who can easily stretch his paws up to my 6 foot two husbands Shoulders) and when I’ve tried recently to take him outside he’s almost tripped me. He has a brother and sister (two domesticated dogs) who he loves to play with. And he’s not fixed. And Oh my… if I was smart and looked into owning a wolfdog prior to giving my husband the ok to buy his beloved Little Bear… I would have never allowed it. It’s been a real struggle.
My husband is never home because he has to work, and when he is, he is playing video games. He’s taken Little Bear on two short walks in his 7 months of life. He’s left me with so much responsibility I’m beyond overwhelmed. I cannot leave the house in peace Little Bear will not escape his cage and chew up anything and everything. He’s dug up our carpet. He’s chewed out our drywall. He needs more toys and bones… but even then, he needs more room, more walks, and EVERYDAY trips to the dog park. We have a measly backyard… we can’t leave him back there either, or else he will dig his way to China. Wolfdog separation anxiety is no joke. And my husband thinks he’ll grow out of it. We bought an E-collar but that still hasn’t helped me… plus I hate using it because like you said it’s impossible to domesticate a wolfdog. It’s unfair to him.
I feel like my husband did get him for an ego boost. Every time his friends come over he brags about The fact Little Bear is part wolf. But lately I’ve been extremely overwhelmed and I’m thinking to myself.. “you don’t even take care of him!” Yes he may love my husband to pieces! But Little Bear deserves a better home.
I’ve told my husband many times about I want to get rid of Little Bear. Then I change my mind from feeling guilty. I’ve always been one of those people who believe in FOREVER homes for animals, not UNTIL homes. But Little Bear can’t be left alone. I’m going to work soon and I will not be able to keep him company. He’ll be stuck in a cage all day. Plus I’ll be more focused on our newborn, and I don’t want to have to worry about what mess he’ll leave me to deal with.
Unless my husband quits playing his video games and focuses more time on getting Little Bear out of the house, or pays someone to take him on walks while we are gone, he needs to be rehomed.
After my husband watched me have another hormonal pregnant mental breakdown from how overwhelmed Little Bear was making me and me saying once again “I want to get rid of Little Bear” he was very heartbroken and asked me “Are you really going to make me get rid of my dog?” He said it in a very pitiful way, Like I’m forcing him to do it. But I just explained to him why we shouldn’t keep him. My husband couldn’t even talk to me afterwards.
Any suggestions. Please don’t judge me… I really didn’t know any better… not until it was too late.
Sylvia Hata says
I owned four wolfdogs from the same litter, two females and two males, they may have had a
mind of their own but the love was worth every minute of the mischief.
it was also worth the love we shared, also worth the pain of losing three at the age of 14 and
the last one at the age of 16. would I live my life around them again? if I was younger YES!
It’s been six years and my heart still breaks at the loss, but the memories of their antics make
me smile. I wasn’t stressed any more than I would be with a child’s mischief.
The happiest days of my life was enjoying their mischief they brought so much joy. if you want to be boss get a pocket dog. if you really want to learn to live life a wolf will teach you.
David Han says
Wolf dogs should not be banned anymore than cars. If you get one you need to inform yourself about what could happen and how to care for one. They are not just like other dogs for sure. If you don’t have proper containment and you have not researched or learn how to care for these dogs, yes it would be the same as someone driving a car without training. There is plenty of good information out there and you can get hands on experience volunteering at a rescue. 90% of the dogs you see people claim are wolf dogs actually are just wolfy looking dogs with no real wolf. You should also join some of the Facebook wolf dog groups and see what successful experienced owners do
Dick sherman says
Wolf dogs should be 25% wolf or less
christian anne says
my boyfriend had a wolfdog that i got to know for the first few months that we were dating before he jumped the 6 foot fence in our backyard, ran off, and (this time) just never returned. he was very obedient, affectionate but reserved, and absolutely destroyed any bone we gave him within half an hour. he just loved to go for those unsupervised, unauthorized neighbourhood walks. once before after he had been gone a couple weeks we found him being walked by someone who lived nearby, you wouldn’t even know that he hadn’t lived with this man all his life – he had already become so comfortable with a new owner and new house! i honestly thought he was better behaved and more sociable than most pure dogs i’ve met.
now we have ace, who my boyfriend “surprised” me with right before christmas: he was an alleged red wolf/timber wolf/malamute mix only 5 weeks old. although not previously knowing much about the controversy surrounding breeding and/or owning wolfdogs, i was concerned he took on a pup so young. i’ve always heard 8 weeks is the weaning age. now ace is exactly 18 months and his lupine nature is very obvious. while he loves attention, affection, playing, sleeping next to us and being taken on walks, he is not eager to please like kano was at all. he takes every chance he gets to raid the trash bin, eat from the cat’s food bowl, sneak by us out the front door, etc.. he also paces and whines most of the day and refuses to speak on command but is very vocal when we tell him “no.” it’s quite an eye opener, seeing how more wolf content really makes all the difference. i really think he belongs in a space with lots of room to run, around more like him. but my boyfriend is an idiot to be frank and would never admit he made a bad decision and give him to a sanctuary. even if i provided substantial evidence it would be better for ace, i just know he’d be stubborn as a boulder. mind you, he’s the type who won’t neuter his dog or put a collar on him because it “makes him look like a pussy”. i think he’s compensating for his own lack of masculinity through this poor animal. is there someone i can call or something?
jj scheidler says
there are way too many comments to read through them all and see if there is a similar one (sorry!), but i wanted to say one thing. i’m not very good at humans, speech + nonverbal cues are baffling, but i’m good at canidae. The message I see is, “I want to trust you,” mostly not believing it’s possible, but a tad hopeful (something beautifully, painfully impossible to break a dog of completely). He is gorgeous, and a heartbreaker in more ways than one. I really hope he’s happy now, or that he was till the end of his days.
Thank you for sharing this.
I don’t know that wolfdogs are much of a problem in my area. I know we have tons of coyotes. We moved outside of Springfield, MO to be with my grandfather, and it is a lot of cows, huge yards, sheep, horses and deer. I initially thought the coyotes’ call-and-response noises where owls, but I’ve learned better. I know once my neighbor’s dog had coyote-dog pups, but he’s pretty antisocial and I never saw the pups but twice.
There was a wolf that lived with a dog in Branson, at a place called “Predator World” that has since been closed. He was a gorgeous and friendly and huge. When I first went I was young enough to have no shame and let him sniff my hands and breath from under a door, and they let me meet him and his dog-pal. (I won’t wax on about them, but they were brilliant.) They somehow found a female wolf for him, but she had been raised in the wild and maybe injured or illegally poached then “reappropriated” (eeeyuck), I think? I can’t remember. What I do remember is that she escaped their enclosure and soon after he followed. One woman thought she saw one of them once, near her garbage bin, but I don’t know if anyone knows if they managed to get somewhere safer or if they were captured.
It’s a very scary world.
In general, I would love to have one of those happy-story type wolfdogs, someone I could live with and be a family with everyday. But I would hate myself if I felt like I couldn’t give them what they need in my world. And I would need the BIGGEST yard, with a legit don’t-climb, don’t-dig fence. Basically, I would need to be independently wealthy! My plan is to stick with dogs ☺️.
Nicole says
Ugh, people need to do ample research before owning a wolf dog. Getting a rescue wolfdog is much different than a rescued dog. Also it’s all in the breeder. You can’t just go off and buy any old wolfdog. A good wolfdog breeder will produce wolfdogs that don’t exhibit those horrible behaviors. Just my two cents.
Sherrie hanson says
In the last 20 years we have had 9wolf dogs, and for the most part they have been loving animals. Some were rescued so they came to us with issues, however we were able to deal with them with the guidance of experienced owners and our Vet. We did our research before we got our first one. They are amazing animals, and the rewards are many. Don’t think about owning one unless you have done your homework.
Sherry says
I had my Wolfdog KEALER for 16 years and the Day I had to put him down because of a Tumor that was on his Snout and Spreading was one of the Saddest Days!!!! When the Vet asked Me if I wanted to Leave the Room I told Him No,I Promised KEALER I would Stay By His Side😢!!!! I Still Think About and Miss Him Everyday!!!! People are Complaining that You should Never have a Wolfdog as a Pet or Their Not Happy by looking in their eyes but Your Wrong!!!! My KEALER was Part of Our Family!!!!! He was Always So Loving and since He didn’t bark when he wanted something or just wanted inside after running around Outside He would do this thing where it Sounded like He was Talking to You SO sweet!!! KEALER was easy to Potty Train so He Stayed Inside or Outside whatever made Him Feel more Comfy at the Time!!!! My Children and when My Grandchildren came along all Loved Him, Always Walking with Him on Long Walks or Falling Asleep Together Piled on the Living Room Floor, We all Miss those Days😢!!! KEALER would jump in Bed with My Son His Head on the Pillow Covered Up and His Two Paws sticking out of the Covers Sleeping Away😄!!!! If KEALER didn’t want to Sleep Outside He was Either in My Bed,My Sons or Sleeping at the Foot of My Daughters and Grandchilds😂!!!!! One thing you do have to watch out for if you do own a Wolfdog is that if there are Livestock around they will try to put them down by Biting at their ankles, so to solve that problem which isn’t hard Don’t Live where there is Livestock Close By!!!! Also some places if You rent will Not Insure the House knowing you have a Wolfdog which I also found out when I was renting a House,so they told me to get rid of KEALER or I had to Move So Me My Children and KEALER found another place to Live!!!! The Best things about KEALER Loving,Wonderful with My Children and Grandchildren,Always gave Us Kisses, Talked to Us all the Time like I said was Great,Didn’t Bark,Easy to Potty Train,Pottied Only in the Woods Never in the Yard,Never tried to Bite Anyone but would Growl if he Didn’t Like Someone which His Instincts Were 100% Correct!!!Protected
Our Home,Never had Any Problems taking Him to the Vet getting Shots or Whatever He Needed,We could take KEALER Anywhere or to Anyone’s Home and He was Always a Good Boy!!! Mommy Loves and Misses You KEALER So Very Much😢!!!!
Mimi says
Hi All,
A long time ago we rescued what we thought was an adult male malamute from the side of the road.Much later after he died (of cancer,following a rabies shot) we realized he was most likely part wolf.
He was the most intelligent animal we have ever owned, and we still miss him. he was wise and clever, and could run rings around our two other dogs.( The difference between an adult who lives with you, and a child who needs to be told what to do, in terms of behavior.) He was more like having another human around, in dog form. He had several of the challenges people here mention with wolf dogs;; despite having trained every other dog we had, he could not be potty trained, and would mark inside the house..so we built an outside barn and pen for him and the other dogs.
He had a strong prey drive, cats were food, so we kept him away from them, and I never trusted him around my friends children, because the look he would get in his eye was the prey look. We kept him separated from them too. But I don’t trust any dog near young kids who doesn’t get a soft tender look in their eye.We had a rescue that have been badly abused, was definitely all dog ( lab), and we didn’t let him near strangers of any age. I don’t think he would ever have gone for a really young child though.The lab’s aggression was more fear based, and he was a lot harder and more challenging to deal with than our Thunder ( the wolf dog).Thunder was fine with our kids.
Thunder without doubt chose to stay with us as his pack. He was bright enough to find a way to leave if he had wanted. My husband is a military guy and an alpha male all the way; animals respect him, and when he gets his command voice, I have seen him silence a room full of boy scouts, as well as their parents… For myself, when dealing with alpha type animals; mutual respect, kindness and fair treatment work well, with firmness only when needed for safety. Right now we have a horse ( gelded too late, bright, strong willed, willing to kick, someone elses’ problem, who drugged him to sell him, and he is doing fine with us now, several years later. In some ways, he has a very similar personality.)
Thunder had bad hips, never tried to run or dig, ( though he did destroy the dry wall in a room when bored) and loved the snow.He was not interested in our visitors, either for pats or to be aggressive; instead he pretty much ignored anyone except us. And we told visitors to respect him and leave him alone.
He was a wonderful wolf-dog and his life was not a tragedy; it enriched all of us. Regarding wolf dogs, not every animal is going to want or need to bond with a family, some will do better with other dogs or other wolf dogs. On our farm, our primitive breed sheep aren’t that interested in people beyond as a food source, the goats on the other hand adore being loved on and need their scratches and herd time with us. None of their lives are tragedies; they just have different wants and needs.
I would disagree with the author, in that an animal’s life, wolf dog or not, is not a tragedy. An animal being badly treated is tragic, but that happens to many animals of many different types. Wold dogs, like any other animal, deserve a good, happy home that fits their needs.
Trisha says
Very thoughtful Mimi,thank you so much for sharing your story.
Amber says
I have a mid grade timber wolf sheperd mix, named milo. Black with tan feet. He lived with a young couple on a farm and killed their goats. I was a vet tech for a while and had been raised with a coyote dog mix, who tried to eat me more times then I liked, I grew up around this dog and learned to carry anything as a weapon and read the cues they give. Milo has tons of energy and can run faster then any dog I have ever seen! He is house trained and leash trained and I take him into every store I can. If I leave the house milo goes with me, I make sure everyday he sees new people and is socialized with other dogs and critters. He lives with six cats and two other dogs. I know that I cannot walk milo as much as a wold dog really needs, so we are purchasing a harness and teaching him to pull a cart, this will help keep his mind active and his body in shape. We also utilize a treadmill so any extra steam he may have can be spent. He is the smartest dog I have ever met, and in a day has learned three new commands. Everyplace I go he is commented on as he is so well behaved folks ask if he is a service dog. I make soap and homestead so while my hubby is off at his job and the kids are in school, I am home everyday with all our pets, and we do also have livestock but are working on introductions slowly as they seem to def. be a trigger for him. Anytime he goes to the barn its tied to my hip never free or loose. He can run loose in our yard and will come when called, he has never tried to run off, however I have spent many hours walking our property line with him and making sure our territory is marked by him and our others dogs…I will be taking him to training for agility courses and like I mentioned pulling carts/sleds. While I myself have experience and would def. get another wolf dog, I get why they are not for everyone. Milo never stays home by himself, he is my dog if I leave home, he goes with me. I never trust him to be safe with cats and other dogs alone as this is setting him up for failure which could be trouble for him. It’s when we get comfy in regards to them that I see issues happening. I have an 11 yr old and a 13 yr old, he loves them both. When he does show signs of being protective either with humans or food, we tell him a firm no, and pull him away from whatever hes coveting, as I am alpha only I can covet things in this home, its all mine. Since I am home and have vet training, I check his condition daily, feed him raw foods and always keep in mind hes not really a dog….because of this we coexist very well as a group, and since we always welcome folks and take him out to new places he doesn’t really show much fear or shyness, and when he does crowd my side I push him off to make him deal not let him know being fearful is the right way to go with this situation. He sleeps in my room at the foot of my bed, and as of right no we do not have an enclosure for him, but plan on constructing one in the summer for all our dogs to romp around freely in. I do not think wolf dogs are a match for everyone but for those who understand and can read body language and have a calmer but firm personality and has the time to be around and work constantly with this type of dog, it can be a great fit. However most folks nowadays, just leave the dogs at home, go to work 8 hours a day, then walk dogs for ten mins. and eat and go to bed, this is way too boring and I think Milo would become a massive issue if he lived like this. However my lifestyle and his needs matched up perfectly. I will be purchasing his summer sled and a winter dog sled and the cart for him, and he is taking to dragging a bike tire and learning the diff. between run on ahead and pull commands as compared to the heel command and has picked up on them fast. Just as with any working dog, they need a job! Any dog can become dangerous or destructive if they are just left alone and get bored or anxious. As milos momma, it is my job to make sure everyday those wheels are turning and focused on new things, new stimuli, and correct training being used daily and not just when he listens but enforced when he doesn’t….owning any animal is a privilege not a right. Milo is family, and he deserves to chance to be happy, my family have accepted this role and couldn’t be happier to be part of our wolf dogs life, while we knew that this breed comes with its on certain issues, we also know that humans have raised and bred this type of wold dog cross for years as a partner in hunting and general life. We used this wolf dog like we used the horse, to help progress our society either by providing movement/sledding, or as a hunter….either way while some experiences are very dangerous and bad, it can also be harmonious and good as long as the right humans are involved, I am not against owning a wolf dog, for they are already here and have been for years, so someone has to own them or else we need to kill them all right now so there are no humans owning them….so since they are here, I feel if we learn from them what they need from us, we can also ask them for our needs to be met as well, and find common ground somewhere in the middle….some folks are great for this type of relationship, and others should just not onw any pets what so ever. I feel that its about the right match of humans with hybrids, this is a special creature that needs a special family to call home.
Mike says
It takes a special kind of person and/or family to want to share their home and life with a wolfdog. The author is absolutely correct in that you never dominate them as you would a Beagle or Black Lab. You share your life with them as equals. That is first and foremost in the rule book for living with these wonderful, often misunderstood, and somewhat unfortunate animals.
Jayne Belsky put me in touch with my first wolfdog, Scouty, about 14 years ago. A very nice lady had purchased him from a breeder in SW Wisconsin…Scouty was the only surviving pup and the conditions were just awful. She purchased him and promptly turned in the breeders to the authorities. She developed an illness and was unable to keep Scout, and so I came into the picture. He was the very best friend and companion I’ve ever had, but our time together was not without challenges, especially when he matured and decided to challenge me for Dominance of the Pack. Well…hilariously, that battle was won by neither of us, but by a very strong-willed, diminuitive 20 pound female beagle named Riley Anne!
Scouty lived a full and wonderful life…helping the boys make maple syrup up north, running in the woods, going sailing and for pontoon rides, laying on the bed, and his favorite trick, blocking the infrared of the TV remote so we had to pay attention to HIM. But we never did break him of marking in the house, and every time an emergency vehicle went by he’d kick up a howl that came straight out of a halloween movie. He was always very much his own…person? wolf? After a long and full life, we lost him to cancer recently.
Jayne also put me in touch with Rocky…who is a lower content mix that’s more Malamute than Wolf. My memory is being jogged daily as many of the early days with Scouty are now being relived again as this wonderful animal and I get to know each other.
Far too many people wish to have one of these animals for all the wrong reasons. Anyone who really knows them and loves them wouldn’t wish being what they are on them. They’re difficult animals to share your life with at times. In my opinion, the rewards outweigh the negatives, but I’m not ‘most people’. The people that gave Rocky up would qualify as ‘most people’…very nice folks, a beautiful family of young kids, a lovely home in an affluent suburb of a large city…but absolutely the wrong environment for such a critter. Fortunately, they realized this and the timing was right for all of us.
If you are tempted to ever go down this road, read, read, READ. Research like crazy, know what you’re getting into and make sure you’re getting into it for the right reasons. We certainly do not want to promote the breeding of dogs and wolves, but there are those lives that exist that need rescue and the right environment. Make sure that your environment provides for their needs and that you have the time, the patience, the resources and the right frame of mind to share your life with one of these critters.
Dave wells says
15 months now with my wolf dog and it just gets worse!!!!!!
Greg Bryan says
All dogs are Wolves. They all came form the original dog by selective breeding. Before everyone freaks out, I am a State Board of Education certified Biology teacher retired. I have been deemed highly qualified by way Praxis examination. I also raise wolf/dogs and own several personally. I keep them in the same confines as my Labrador mix and she blends with the pack without issue. Wolves are shy creatures by nature and if you ever see one in the wild you should consider yourself fortunate. Mine started socialization when very young with pets, scratches, belly rubs, and so on. Socialization is the key to these beautiful and intelligent animals being great pets. If locked in a kennel or crate all day or tied to a tree or whatever all day, these animals become bored and apprehensive about people coming in contact with them. Pit bulls are very gentle loving dogs but when owned by the wrong type of person they can be turned into vicious fighting and killing machines. Wolves can not be turned into this type of an animal because it isn’t there nature. Wolves in the wild rarely have physical disagreements that result in the death of another wolf. I would say that the dogs that most people own are more of a threat than a wolf/dog. I sit in my back yard every night surrounded by a dozen of these animals without fear because I am Alpha. If any person wants to own any dog they need to know and understand “Pack Law”. I was once in an enclosure that housed 90 wolves/wolf dogs. Of course the packs were separated to keep the Alpha males form fighting, but at one point I had 15 around me and they had never seen me before. I petted many of them. They, all of them, are socialized hands on every day. There are no bad canines but there are a ton of bad canine owners. Other than that keep up the good work someone has to take care of the failures of others.
Don Bottoms says
I have owned wolf dogs for 9 years and enjoy them greatly. They have been raised in contact with many people from birth. Wolf percentage has been from 38%to 85%.
My male was 85% and wonderful with strangers and loved children. Neighborhood children would come ask me to let him out to play with them.
Currently I have the original female 38% plus siberian husky and golden retriever, and her daughter Zeeva 62% wolf. beautiful and loving animals.
Too many people on here claim to be experts but only have an opinion and little knowledge.
Wolves mate for life and the entire family joins in raising the young. It seems humans are the unstable ones and should learn from the wolf dog pack.
Ray says
I believe we are living with a wolf/dog, and I am facing a terrible decision. We found “Sedo” (pseudo) two years ago. We were driving on the Yellowhead highway in Canada, in a bit of a no-mans land between the Saskatchewan border and Minnedosa, Manitoba. It was late November, and the traffic was unusually heavy for that stretch, with cars coming and going in each direction. There, in the middle of the highway up ahead, I saw him. I mistook him for a deer at first, he is so tall. He stood on the yellow line in the center of the single lane highway as cars passed on either side of him. As I slowed to approach, I rolled down my window and said “you better get out of the road buddy, before you get hit”. He perked up when I spoke to him, and trotted after my car. I pulled over 50 yards down the highway, and called him over. He is huge, a fact you appreciate better when he is right in front of you. He has Husky colours with some beige in his face, and pale eyes. He climbed in the car and we brought him home. We have 2 cats and another dog; a Shiba Inu named Kenai. Kenai hated Sedo from day one, and we tried a slow introduction. Very slow. For two months we kept them on leash in house, and walked them separately but close enough to “bond” (we hoped). There were two early instances of bad interactions…. one where a guest let Sedo in the house when Kenai was loose – resulting in an attack and defence (one guest had his had bitten through by Sedo when he tried to intervene). The second attack occurred out of the blue – Kenai was walking past Sedo and maybe growled a warning as they brushed past each other… Sedo grabbed him by the throat, threw him down, and it took three of us to drag him off (literally), all screaming and pummeling him into submission. There was another incident 6-8 months ago… a crowded hallway, and suddenly Sedo had his teeth in Kenai’s neck again, but he let go as soon as he was reprimanded (a hospital visit was still required for Kenai)…. but yesterday was the most horrific incident, and as much as I love Sedo, it was more than I could bare. Kenai and Sedo (who interact regularly now, and have for over a year), went out together. Seconds after being let out, Sedo attacked. I don’t know why. I heard him outside, and my wife said they were fighting…. I ran outside to find Sedo with his jaws clamped tight over Kenai’s throat. Kenai laid prone and limp, mouth wide open and tongue lolling… mouth full of blood. I screamed and Sedo let go, and Kenai lay there in shock for a few seconds before stumbling to his feet and running dizzily up the stairs. I was certain he was dead…. I took him to the vet. Skin was torn from muscles. The puncture wounds were nearly 3” deep each. Sedo tried to kill him, and would have succeeded had I not gotten out there in time. This is my fault, I knew Sedo could snap unexpectedly…. And I know I can’t risk having him do it again… I don’t even know if I can risk letting him go to another family. I am heart broken. I don’t want to euthanize him, but is he safe to give to a new home – assuming we can find one?
Sandyjeanie says
Wow!! Lot’s of comments!! Anyway..I’m going to tell you a story about my neighbor’s 1/2 wolf/1/2 husky..wolfdog. Her name was Cassie. She lived with a family with 3 young children and an all-dog named Tippy. Cassie was okay with humans..even strangers. But, I wouldn’t say she was friendly..I would call her tolerant of humans. Cassie’s eyes always looked wild & shifty. Cassie never looked humans in the eye. She mostly ignored humans like they weren’t even there. She played with the all-dog Tippy quite often..he was slightly bigger than Cassie and..they seemed to get on just fine together. Cassie however..had a mind of her own..she did not listen to human directions. All Cassie wanted to do was roam our rural neighborhood. The family never tied Tippy when he was outside because he never left their large yard. They tried leaving wolfdog Cassie loose in the yard with Tippy..during the day..at first. But, Cassie kept taking off..so they began to tie her in the yard..while Tippy remained loose. But Cassie began chewing through ropes and breaking chains to get loose so she could roam free. And then the reports began coming in to Cassie’s owners that neighbor’s cats were being killed and they believed Cassie was the culprit. Cassie’s owners did not believe these reports but..they tried desperately to keep Cassie restrained. She always somehow managed to break loose though. And, even if Cassie was discovered loose before she left the yard..she never listened to her human owners as they tried in vain to call her back. Cassie would take off anyway with no regard to her human owner’s whistles, calls & pleas. Cassie was off to happily roam the neighborhood. Now, the farmer way up the road reported that Cassie was killing his chickens, ducks and even a small lamb. Cassie’s owners always tried to tell people that Cassie would never do that..but all of the neighbors suspected that she was the culprit. But, the animal officer told the neighbors they had to have proof. You would think that dead animals would be proof enough. I had a chihuahua and I always kept her on a leash and by my side. One day though..I was standing under our open dirt floor shed..because it was pouring rain..and my chihuahua hated the rain but needed to go to the bathroom. Just as my chihuahua squatted to pee..Cassie came out of nowhere and grabbed my chihuahua by the neck and tried to run off with her. My chihuahua was on a leash. I screamed at Cassie but she ignored me. Luckily there was a broom within reach. I grabbed the broom..hit Cassie over the head and she dropped my chihuahua and ran off. Thankfully, my chihuahua was unhurt..but I was shaken to the core. I immediatedly called my neighbor to tell them what had just happened. Their response..”Oh..you’re just like the rest of them..making up lies about our dog”. I said, “You mean your wolf”? CLICK!! My neighbor hung up on me. Two days later..our other neighbor across the street witnessed Cassie kill his sweet little dachshund. He was able to catch Cassie on a leash and walk her home to tell Cassie’s owners what she had done. This time..they did not accuse the man of lying..but he told us that Cassie’s owners still acted a bit skeptical. Anyway..to make a long story a bit longer..the neighbor whose dog was killed got up a petition..for the town to take action against our neighbors about Cassie. Everyone on the street signed the petition. The town confiscated Cassie and she was euthanized. So..this was a very sad ending for yet another wolfdog. Her name was Cassie..and she was a beautiful animal. But..she was unable to live a real dog’s life. Wolfdogs are not real dogs..nor are they wolves. So sad!!
Charlotte Free says
Saying “you cant tell a wolfdog what to do “ and “a wolfdog will never look to you for guidance or boundaries” is a ridiculous lie. Stop spreading misinformation. Not all wolfdogs are unruly wild animals. Every wolf dog is different, and not every one of them is suffering. I trust mine around my small animals, childen and the elderly. I feed my 60% wolf dog straight out of my own mouth (yes ew im gross) and he never hurts me. He was scared of people when we got him and now he loves us all. I had another wolf dog who was better behaved than any dog ive ever met in my life and did EVERYTHING she was told, and never wanted to leave my side. Not all wolfdogs are the same. I hope your testimony never aided the decision of euthanizing a wolf dog and i hope u can sleep at night when u consider that.
StoicObserver says
I once met a woman who had hemophilia. It had jumped to the maternal chromosome in her family so she was guaranteed to pass that painful, debilitating disease onto all offspring. A weak man married her. She insisted on having a child, a son. He bled into his joints every time he ran or played. His pain was constant, unbearable. She smiled at me and said she would have had a second child if the doctors had not told her doing so could kill her. I asked her why she did not adopt. She said because she had always wanted a child of her own. I wanted to smash her face in with my fists. I had to walk away.
I know several wolfdog breeders. I have aslso successfully interacted with the dogs. I can manage and train just about any type of dog. However, in the past 40 years, I have seen more and more unqualified people owning (and ruining) dogs.
Every single wolfdog breeder is what I would deem a “fringe” person. Every owner or those who long to be) seems to have some dellusion that keeping and controlling these hybrids is somehow a stamp of spiritual greatness. It is not. Most wolfdog breeders very lonely, middle-aged, disabled or out of shape women with major anger and control issues. The breeders lack the stamina and strength to properly control, exercise or train these animals.
The dogs routinely have odor issues, especially the males. They also will refuse food or urinate and deficate in the house. Their body odor can be a deal killer, which is why most end up kenneled outside or on a chain, alone and becoming psychotic from isolation. They will NOT stay in your yard unless chained or kenneled. They do not want to stay confined. A dog with tge feeedom to roam will stay by the fire and relax, fed and content. Not so with a hybrid.
Although hybrids will protect the pack, they have no true loyalty to you, your property or your desire to “control a bit of nature.” They are fearful animals, confused, fighting instinct all the time.
Most wolfdog breeders illegally take the pups from an already hypervigilent, high anxiety bitch at 5 weeks and bottle feed them, rather than waiting till 8 weeks to allow pack acclimation. Both the mother’s anxiety (prenatal environment) and the pup’s trauma, are astronomical. Imagine a wild animal that wants to roam 100’s of miles a week, trapped in a kennel, pregnant, alone. Then alone givibg birth with no pack to properly feed or care for her and her pups. Worse, she is forced to be the alpha breeding bitch when she has not earned that role and is not of that dominant character. She is also alone, without the comfort of a pack while prgnant and nursing. Her stress hormones are at a constant high. That is what all of these animals are born into, regardless of how “good” the breeders exalt themselves as being.
All I can say is, I have seen more evil (and I do not use that word lightly) wolfdog breeders than I have ever seen dog breeders (except maybe the Amish puppy mills and animal hoarders… but at least the hoarders are recognized as mentally ill.).
Final issue, their digestive tracts may not accept dog food. I have seen wolfdogs that can only eat raw meat and bones. Their anal glands getting infected due to pea or yam or grain proteins in kibble. They go from cow paddy stool to constipation. It causes them constant pain and misery. Meat is far less expensive until you factor in storage costs and time. One large male wolfdog can eat an entire flat of raw chicken legs and thighs PER DAY.
And just so you know, the setup described here as a a “sactuaty” is very typical of the hortible lives these animsls are forced to live. Two per cage? That is still abuse. Even in a sactuary, they are still in a state of chronic abuse and prison. That wo.an os not helping them. She is making her living off false piety. Claiming she does not travel, just takes care of tge wolfdogs may sound quite endearing. Do NOT buy that piece of the Brooklyn bridge. She is not kind or a saint. She is just making her living perminantly kenneling hybrids. Trapping them in a confined space for the next 10 to 15 years. That is TORTURE NOT A RESCUE. They pace or sit curled up alk day long, like a circus animal. Most never getto run and play on grass. Ever.
I rehabilitate traumatized dogs. It can take 6 months to a year for the dog to become normalized and capable of being rehomed. I have put dogs down that are too damaged to be rehomed. I have babysat more traumatized, untrainable wolfdogs than I care to ever deal with again. I will not bother. The most wolf I would ever recommend is 15% max. 10% is better (if you insist on doing this to a dog in order to gratify some twisted whim inside your deranged mind). Wanting more than that just means you are a foolish, ignorant, unloving person. No, I am not being too harsh in saying that. The people doing this are selfish, uncaring, wicked people. I genuinely wish they would stop being so cruel as to breed these hybrids. It is wrong. Stop buying them. Please.
Amie Fox says
Some of these comments…just wow! We adopted a wolamute from our local animal shelter and I couldn’t ask for a better companion! And to who ever made the point about people get these dogs to brag (your name wasn’t worth remembering) can be assured, 100% that I love my dog for his personality, his affection, and knowing I have made a difference in his life. If I had wanted a yappy little rat dog, I would have gotten one. We are in love with him and did our research. I wish other people knew what they were talking about before blasting such beautiful creatures. Do not blame us current owners for their existance; blame the Inuits who originally bred them. Sheesh!
Maegan says
I had a wolf hybrid. He was 75% wolf 25% Malamute. He was the love of my life and the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I did everything I could to be a good and responsible owner to him researching everything I could and socializing him in every way I could from the time he was just a few weeks old.
No matter what, genetics trumps socialization when it comes to these animals. As soon as he began to approach maturity you could see genetics kicking in and overriding all the socialization I had done. Every negative thing that has been said in the above article and the comments is absolutely correct. The difference between owning a dog and a wolf hybrid is the same difference between a three year old toddler and a 40 year old man. I once read an article that said the most fundamental difference between the dog and the wolf is that an adult dog it’s only about as mature as a 30-day old wolf pup. Mentally they stay like puppies which makes them perfect companions because they look to us for everything. They need us. A wolf does not. Nor does a hybrid. They are indeed our equals. And have no place being bred with dogs and possesed by humans.
I learned that the hard way. He had bitten me many times but I had to put my boy down after a particularly bad attack. He was everything to me, but the more he matured and the more I learned about wolf hybrids, the more I learned that they should not exist.
Randy Barger says
The lady that lives beside us has two Wolf. Hybrids that she just lets run loose. One day my wife and I were bringing groceries in the house. Well the smallest dog was a three pound Shih Tzu. He ran out of the house and went to do his business. He came walking back when one of the Hybrids grabbed the little dog. Him and his brother started to tear the dog to pieces. He was taken to the Vet. They called us the next morning and told us they couldn’t get a readable blood pressure all night. And since the dog was 8 years old they didn’t think he would make it through the 10 to 13 surgery’s he had to go through. I talk to her and ask her if she was happy that her dog killed our dog. Her response was that we killed the dog. She said she told the Vet that she would pay for everything. This was a nice place to live in the country to live until that evil lady got those dogs. We called Animal Control in Virginia Beach Virginia they did absolutely nothing to her. What a shame. The wolf hybrids should have been put down. I am afraid to take my trash to the end of the road. I can’t believe Virginia Beach Animal Control did nothing. I am afraid those dogs will hurt a child before something Happens. Randy.
H.J. Sherrill says
Thank you for the first and only realistic writing I’ve read on hybrids. Foremost, they are NOT dogs! My first was left as a tip for my wife, at the time tending bar in a biker bar in Colorado. Six week old round, furry ball, looking more like a cuddly bear cub than anything. He was my best friend and a completely independent jerk. He was the product of a wolf sire and an Akita/wolf dam that should have been left in the mountains.
As soon as he and I understood his total different nature we got along fine, but I carry scars from my learning. When we moved back to Texas we had 60-80 acres of piney woods to roam and he loved disappearing to reappear, coming out of nowhere at me in a dead run. I swear he laughed every time he startled me. When we acquired a neighbor family a half mile close, the 12 yr old son got a .22 rifle for Christmas – Lobo (yeah, original name) got a bullet in the hip. I took great pains to explain that my “dog” lived here and would not ever be fenced or chained, and next time gunplay would be mutual. Thank God for good neighbors!
Most folks stopped visiting, probably uncomfortable with a “giant dog” rearing up on their truck and ducking down to look in the window. We appreciated the additional privacy. Neither Lobo nor myself were “people oriented” anyway.
Unfortunately, wolves are not designed by the Creator for Texas, especially summer and mosquitos and heartworms. When it came time to put him down the vet refused (by law?) to allow me to administer the euthanasia. Choices were let a stranger give him the shot or take him home. Both the vet and I cried about that; I took him home, fed him, told him bye and administered a .41 mag Silvertip to the brainstem. That’s been over 25 years ago now. There’s nothing easy about living with a hybrid. Best to leave nature to itself. I’ve been blessed/cursed with two more since him because I “have experience” with them. All I can advise is “DON’T!”, no matter what you think it will be like. It will be heartbreaking.
Ed says
My 13/16ths wolf dog was the best canine friend I ever had. I had read of wolves and wolf dogs for years before making the plunge so I knew what to expect. While I agree they are not for everyone I would not hesitate to do it again if I knew the breeder and his breeding philosophy met my ideals. Let’s face it, dogs are not for everyone either as can be seen every day.
One argument against wolf dogs is their need for an acre to roam. That’s wrong on two counts, first wolves in the wild may range as far as 50 miles and second, wolves roam in search of food. A well fed wolf is content to lie in the sun and nap away the hours. I have observed a pair (for hours) in a nearby nature center that have maybe a third of an acre to roam and they actually seem content. My son had a wolf dog escape his truck about six miles from his home. She stayed at large for about two weeks then his MIL called him at work and told him she was home playing in the yard. She was a 13/16ths rescue and that incident just served to strengthen the bond between them.
Jennifer Rosales says
I actually have a mid content wolf dog (around 60 percent via her parents embark dna results). Most of the people who were described in the article seem as though if they would have gotten a husky it would have been put down as well. Wolfdogs are high energy and a lot of people don’t realize that. We have an acre that we are fencing off which will be 8 feet high. All in all I don’t see why people feel sad when they see them. In the wild most wolves die before 1 year so their chances of living are not the best especially with illegal hunting and everything else. I Also have a 100 lb. great pyrenees who’s the boss. The wolfdog won’t even touch his food because he knows. Also his best friend is our cat and early on he found out our geese bite so he leaves them alone along with our horses.
Suzanne Hansler says
Tikhani is big, beautiful and is often confused. Because of her lineage, Malamute/Wolf mix she just doesn’t fit in to most situations presented to her. Her only claim to fame is that she has a best friend…a large dominate male German Shepherd who is her Alpha. This dog has been the perfect role model for her and as long as she has him by her side all is right in the world. But sadly her friend Vlad is very old now and we both will be missing him soon. Concern for this magnificent creature is putting it mildly. Her future is tenuous at best and what I wish most is that Tikhani can be a role model herself; teaching breeders of wolfdogs…don’t. Don’t.
Rory Zoerb says
I have been a wolf-dog owner, rescuer, caregiver and educator. And I am 100% against the breeding, trafficking, future ownership and exploitation of captive wolves and wolf-dogs.
Sarah says
I would adore to have one but I would be unable to fit its needs, maybe when I’m older I’ll be lucky enough to be able to support one. Till then I suppose
Jon says
I grew up with two wolf hybrids. Shoni was a Mexicab Gray Wolf hybrid. Jet black with blue eyes. She was a pup when I was born. I became HER pup. As a toddler, if she ate rocks so did I. She ate bugs, so did I. She was the most loyal, beautiful furry family member o could ever wish for. She was protective of me WAY above what a dog would ever be. I had the honor of having her in my life for 13 years. I miss her with all my heart. We adopted Sky (Timberwolf hybrid). She was extremely intelligent but was clearly abused. She was a good girl and a wonderful addition to our family, but Shoni had to work hard to make her adjust to us. Wolf Hybrids are amazing and nobody will ever convince me otherwise. When I have a place with a yard appropriately sized for them, I will have one again.
DAVID C WELLS says
I AM DEFEATED!!!!!! THIS WOLF DOG HAS DESTROYED EVERYTHING HE HAS TOUCHED….. MARRIED GUY HERE TO PARTNER PARTNER’S MOM BREEDS AND SELLS WOLF DOGS AND GAVE HIM ONE FOR HIS 27 BIRTHDAY!!!!! WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED 6 YEARS AND MY HELL BEGAN WHEN HE BROUGHT THAT MONSTER HOME!!!!HE GREW UP WITH THESE CREATURES- I HAVE HAD SEVERAL DOGS IN MY LIFE BUT A WOLF-DOG IS FROM AOTHER BAD PLANET!!!!!WE BOTH WORK DIFFERENT SHIFTS AND IF WE GET A DIVORCE HE WOULD DEFINITELY CHOOSE THE DAM WOLF DOG OVER ME!!!!!
Dog Lover says
I just happened to be watching a Wild Wolf show and wanted to check in on wolf hybrids when I ran across this site. If you may considering one, I once sat with a man who took care of one. No problems at all until one day when the dog wheeled around and caused him much personal injury. Very unexpected. For anonymity’s sake, I do not want to say what triggered the dog but it is something most of us do. Now wolves in the wild are not exposed to this. Wolves of course ARE wild animals and as such have unpredictable behavior. Would one keep a dog-lion hybrid? Well, actually, I suppose some might. This man was a professional trainer also. The hybrid was not being trained though – just loved, fed and taken care of. The point I am humbly trying to make is that it is unfair to an animal to put it through an unknown but likely risky future. The hybrid is most likely dangerous for adults and children. What I saw post-injury changed my mind about ever considering getting one. I am a German Shepherd (protection dog) lover who would be inclined to own/train this type of dog because I like a challenge, but this is an animal who is meant to run free and not confined in a home/yard or sheltered area even with a lot of exercise and freedom. Please do not consider this animal meant to run free as part of your plan for a pet. Protect them by your non-consideration. They do not deserve to be traumatized by vet visits and subsequent sheltering. I understand some people have them and they’ve had a great experience until… like someone I know.
Rhonda Lavanceau says
I personally have owned 5 wolfdogs.They are magnificent! I owned a. wolf in Ohio.She passed at 11years old.Then 4 in Florida. All of them lived in my house around,children cats,visitors. I NEVER had a problem. They were in the house slept in our beds,were house trained.Listened & obeyed commands.Just wonderful animals.They lived to be 17,16,12,and 16.I owned all of these “wolf dogs” at the same time and they all got along famously. ONE WAS 75%WOLF 25%GERMAN SHEPARD.SHE WAS MY BABY,every Sunday we went for ice cream,the people working the window could reach out to her and give her the ice cream with absolutely no trouble. I did install a 6ft. Privacy fence completely around my property,but that was all the changes that I did with my property. Anyways my wolf dogs were terrific animals and I miss them dearly. I would absolutely without hesitation own another. Love those snimals.
Shannon Bailey says
My only experience with wolfdogs was back in 2005/2006 while I was still married. Our neighbor had several he kept on chains, I remember one in particular named Jericho, his paw was larger than his owner’s head. He seemed friendly enough and the owner was always trying to get me to play with him but his sheer size scared the crap out of me. So instead I played with their dachsunds, and almost got bit in the face. Maybe I would have fared better with Jericho?
Jay says
I have a wolf dog he is part great pyrennees and he gets along with my cat and Chihuahua they sleep together all the time I also have a female Australian shepherd rottweiler mix she is very dominant she keeps him inline he is pretty submissive he loves to sleep between me and my wife he is supposed to belonging to my wife but he is always by my side we also have an acre of land that he can run around on
S says
Does anyone live outside the US where rabies vaccines are considered affective in wolf hybrids? I live in NJ and they don’t consider them affective and don’t work so if it bites someone or gets bit by something need to be put down.
Trisha says
To S, re rabies shots and wolf hybrids: I’m not a health professional, but I understand that in reality the rabies shot should be just as effective in any canid. But the issue is what is accepted or not legally. What does your vet say?
Kay says
I’m in PA, near a wolf sanctuary that is largely comprised of high content wolfdogs. It’s a problem here, for sure, and I’m so grateful for the education and work that they do.
Mark says
I’ve had 3 wolf hybrids, one low content (12.5%) and 2 mid (about 50%). All 3 I got at young ages (5-6 weeks old) and NEVER hit any of them (trained with hot sauce). I honestly will NEVER consider anything other than a wolf hybrid. They do need lots of attention, but are far more family oriented than the average dog. They are as people say, horrible guard dogs (they don’t bark to give away their position). However, they are incredibly protective (even people horsing around they actively break up by barking, not biting). I do agree, they would never do well with rehoming.
In any case, if you do your research, have the fenced in yard, are willing to give them the time and attention they need, they are incredible. If you neglect any of these items, it is setting the animal up for failure.
Lii says
I love those wolfdogs, but I know they need specific care like my parrots, and just like those birds, would always be a bit wild. My grandma had a wolfdog when I was little. He was old then, but still the sweetest dog I knew. He’d follow me around and play with me, and his only “flaw” was how he’d react to squirrels. Because of him I do often concider wolf dogs in my future, but only with a large plot of land and a much less wolf wolfdog. I can’t imagine thinking about one any other way, even Smoky, my grandparents wolfdog, had room to run and got runs in the woods. They’re so magnificent, and for all we know my grandparents’ sweet stray is probably something wild, but that doesn’t mean people should treat them like any other dog. I personally believe in responsible ownership of them existing, expecially with mid to low content wolfdogs, but it’s sad it’s so rare. Too many people don’t research what to expect and don’t have the personal experience to know what to expect.
Teresa Juga says
Hello everyone,
My family had a high content wolf dog Zeus. We actually got him by chance, we saw an add in the paper after losing our last Alaskan Malamute , and wanted another one. We loved our Mals, and being wolflike very powerful dogs, we saw this add saying wolf hybrid puppies ( free!) We thought, oh right they are just husky or Malamute mixes, that was until we saw his parents. Now we never did get the back story about just how these people had come a crossed the parents, but Zeus mom was a medium sized female, very wolf like and feral, his dad was gorgeous, and had the top half of a malamute with the longest wolf legs.
We got a male, we chose Zeus because of his gorgeous yellow eyes. He was just a little grey fur ball, and then grew into the most beautiful animal. He was always very shy, and would rather run away from a situation or stranger then confront them. He loved his pack, me, my husband and my children. He never knew his size, he got close to 155-160 lbs. He loved to cuddle, and would just place all of himself on your lap. lol. He just seem to know who he would accept in his pack, and whom he wouldn’t. He was never aggressive, although I have no doubt if he was cornered, or in a situation he would win. He had amazingly strong jaws. I have pit bulls, and I thought their jaws were strong. He also had a lab for a best friend. My dogs never saw him differently, then a family member.
These were the good things about my wolf boy. He was never happy being in the house. he would pace and pace and pace… this drove us insane. We lived in the country, on acreage but we couldn’t let him run. He looked 100% wolf, and people in my state ( WIS) sometimes don’t like wolves. We were also worried to make a fence enclosure, he could climb. So we made him a long chain ( like 50 feet) and would alternate between the house and outside. When he was a puppy he was active and a hand full. Not bad, just active! We tried to socialize him, but he always had a wildness about him. Plus people tend to see what looks like a wolf, and come running- he didn’t like that. He was so shy. The howling- lol. All the time. I also had cats , and since we were worried about his prey drive we never let him around them. We would put the cats in another room, and let Zeus run around. This went on for 6 years this way- madness! One day we decided to see how he did with the cats, and he did great! He was just excited to see a new animal. We also had free range chickens, he killed 1 one time, and my daughter yelled at him so much , he never did it again. I tell you he was the smartest animal I have ever owned. My kids sent me a pic while I was at work of him with chickens sitting on his back. No kidding. Just hanging out with him in the sun.
His housebreaking never went well, he ruined many couches and furniture with his peeing. he knew it was wrong, he just had to go. I am curious what other wolf dog owners have seen, unlike a dog he couldn’t hold his urine in at all not for long.
I know I have said a lot of good things about Zeus, but really it was hard. WE changed our lives to make it work for him. He was a wild boy, and had many rules that were just his, and we adapted for him! This is not possible for some people, and maybe some people just don’t know or care to change their lives for an animal, but we did! I cry now as I type this, we loved him so much. He passed away from cancer in oct of 2019. He was almost 9 years old, not along life, but a quality one. I will never be sorry that we got him, but I would never get another wolf dog again. He just wasn’t able to have the same type of lifestyle as my other dogs. One day during a ride in the car, he got scared of a semi and almost jumped out the cars window on the highway. I felt guilty a lot that he couldn’t experience much, and we would sneak the other dogs in the car so he wouldn’t feel bad.
If anyone is reading this and thinking of getting a wolf dog, please don’t. Stop the breed popularity. While it was an experience for us, and we loved him so much, and I know he loved us- it was not easy. There’s probably more that I forget, and I just leave you with this. You do not know what you will get with a wolf dog. Zeus was not an alpha, and that did make things easier, but he was powerful, and big , stubborn, smart, and determined to do what he wanted. Like I said we changed our lives for him and let him be who he was, a wild soul.
Thank you for reading this <3
Trisha says
Thank you for telling us about Zeus, Teresa, what a heart-felt saga.
vozmo says
I don’t know anything about wolfdogs except what I see and read online. Just wanted to comment that there certainly must be some branches of the wolf family or perhaps even just individuals which are amenable to domestic life, otherwise dogs wouldn’t exist today. I do take your point about city life cooped up in a small apartment as being problematic. Obviously when wolves were originally domesticated they would have been living outdoors and had lots of room to roam. Anyway, I appreciate hearing the unvarnished truth about these animals. Reminds me of the debate over pitbulls–some think they can do no wrong, others think they should all be put down. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.
Ixi says
You guys do realize dogs and wolves are one and the same, right? Domestic dogs are a subspecies of wolf, they already have wolf in them to begin with, so a “wolfdog” would just be a normal wolf. There’s nothing tragic about their hybridizing, it’s just another example of xenophobia but pushed onto animals because everyone used to think people with a mixed heritage were inherently bad too.
If you didn’t want people keeping wolves as pets then humans shouldn’t have created domestic dogs by taming and crosbreeding wolves.
Trisha says
lxi: You are correct that dogs and wolves are closely related, Canis lupus lupus or familiaris. However, I’d suggest that saying a wolf and a King Charles Spaniel are the ‘same’ is a bit of a stretch.