What is a Wolfdog?

A wolfdog is a dog with recent wolf heritage. That is, a wolfdog has a pure wolf ancestor within the last five generations [that would be the dog’s great-great-great grandparent].

NOTE: Though many people still use the term “wolf hybrid,” this is not an accurate term. A “hybrid” is the offspring of two different species. Following reclassification of the dog by taxonomists in 1993, the domestic dog [Canis lupus familiaris] is actually viewed as a domestic variant of the gray wolf [Canis lupus]. Yes, even your Chihuahua is a descendent of the wolf.

Most people want to know the percentage of wolf in the wolfdog – 90% ? 50% ? 25% ? … which is considered genotyping. Unless you know the animal’s heritage for many generations back, there is no way to tell for sure. People who work with wolfdogs are more concerned with wolf “content.” This is usually determined by phenotyping, making an educated guess based on various physical and behavior-related traits. Please be aware that content can vary between animals from the same litter. For instance, Ramsey and Sugar are littermates, but they look and behave very differently: same percentage – different content. Ramsey LOOKS like a Husky, yet has many wolf behaviors. Sugar looks more wolfy, yet behaves like a dog. Therefore, Ramsey would be considered to have more wolf content even though he doesn’t look the part, while Sugar is all friendly dog!

Most of the wolfdogs we see are mixed with German Shepherd Dog, Alaskan Malamute, and/or Siberian or Alaskan Husky. The German Shepherd Dog is the closest breed to the wolf, since wolves were bred into the breed during the period 1900-1935. Bringing GSDs into the wolfdog line will give offspring that most resemble their wild cousins in their shy behavior, while the Husky and Malamute will bring in more of the full-coated look, and often the calmness of the Domestic breed respectively, depending of course, on how much wolf is in the genetics. Typically, people want something that looks like a wolf, yet is trainable and well behaved like a dog. This description best fits the dogs that are bred to look like a wolf, yet have no wolf gentics - i.e. Tamaskan, Inuit Dogs, and Native American Indian Dogs and some Low-Content Wolfdogs. Having wolfdog knowledge or experience is still necessary when owning or working with any one of these breeds as they will still display many wolfy behaviors.

WHERE DO THEY COME FROM?

Unfortunately, people actually breed them. Yes, there are some ethical, responsible breeders out there. They keep accurate and honest records, are particular about what they breed into their lines, avoid inbreeding, evaluate and educate potential buyers carefully, do Home Checks, and take back the animals they sell if they do not work out for whatever reason. But in the long run, they are still adding to the overpopulation of all canines that wind up at the pound. Since wolfdogs are rarely adopted out from most shelters, they are at the top of the list with Pit Bulls to be euthanized. The majority of wolfdog breeders do not care what type of temperament or health problems may be in their lines. They often misrepresent the heritage of the animals in order to charge higher fees. They will sell to anyone who shows up with the purchase price, and once the sale is done, rarely will they take the animal back if there are problems, and even if they do, they only resell the problem animal again. This is true of many young backyard breeders who are only interested in making money. Many people fall in love with the adorable, fluffy ball-of-fur wolfpup, only to find out months later that they have a wolf on their hands. Then when they exasperatedly give up on the unmanageable pup, it winds up being passed from home to home, mistreated, or in a shelter.

AREN’T THEY REALLY WILD ANIMALS

THAT SHOULD BE RUNNING FREE?

Wolfdogs are not wild animals. They are domestic animals with special needs. They were created by humans, and they depend on humans for food, protection and companionship. A person who dumps his wolfdog in the woods, believing it can take care of itself, is sentencing that animal to fear, confusion, and loneliness … death by starvation, disease, attacks by other animals, poisoning, death on the highway or by a bullet. If neighbors call Animal Control, the dog will be tranquilized, caught and most likely euthanized.

AREN’T THEY MEAN AND AGGRESSIVE?

Wolves are, by nature, timid around humans. Likewise, so are high- and mid-content wolfdogs. Should you have an intruder, your wolfdog is much more likely to hide under the bed than to face him. A friend of mine owned a high-content wolfdog. When her home was broken into, Luke ran out the door and down the block, leaving the intruder to his treasures. So-called “wolfdog attacks” are either a misinterpretation of behavior or not perpetrated by wolfdogs at all. There has never been a reported attack on a human by a healthy wolf in this country, unless the wolf was cornered, provoked or challenged iin some way. Wolfdogs may growl, snap or nip at someone as a warning, much the same way they would do at another dog. Mother dogs teach this to their pups and keep them under control by using their teeth to communicate, without actually harming them. This is one reason that some dogs are brought to the shelter to be euthanized as "aggressive," because they were trying to "warn" a person or child to stop hanging on them or hugging them. Many dogs do not like people putting their faces in their face, which in dog language can be interpreted as a challenge or a threat. For many children and some adults, that is the first thing they want to do - give the dog a big hug and a kiss. We need to teach our children the appropriate way to approach a dog [any dog!] and no hugs until it is solicited by the dog.

ARE THEY GOOD WITH SMALL ANIMALS?

WHAT ABOUT WITH CHILDREN?

Most wolfdogs – mixed with breeds like Malamutes, Huskies, and a number of other northern breeds – have a very high prey drive. This means that, if it’s small, fast and squeaky, your wolfdog is going to want to chase and capture it. There are wolfdogs that have been raised with small animals and with children, and are perfectly fine with them, but you cannot count on that being the case when you adopt an adult wolfdog. [Please remember that no dog should be left unsupervised with small children, babies, cats, or little dogs, whether it be a Poodle, Jack Russell or a Newfoundland puppy]. And sometimes, even though a wolfdog has been raised with small dogs or cats [prey-type animals], the prey drive often surfaces unexpectedly, brought out by certain behaviors of the small animals or toddlers [running, playing, quick movements, squeaking or squealing, etc.]. Sometimes a large, energetic and overly playful dog can run over a tiny dog and injure or kill it without intending to. For this reason, many Wolfdog Rescue groups will not adopt a wolfdog to those who own small dogs, cats, or have small children UNLESS they know specifically if the wolfdog is good with them. It is for these reasons that we like to avoid generalization, since these animals are as individual as you and I. Some are exceptional with children, while some are not. The same goes for cats and small dogs. That is why we consider all aspects when we review your application. Our Adoption protocol is not a first-come, first-served policy. Each animal is carefully evaluated and placed in the home that best matches it's profile.  

I WOULD LIKE TO OWN A WOLFDOG. NOW WHAT?

First of all, you need to make sure you are allowed to keep one where you live. Without giving your name or any personal information, contact your local Animal Control. Wolfdogs are illegal in many counties. Even if it is legal to own one in your town, you may be required to have a specific containment or a special permit. Be sure to check it out before you adopt. If you are not ABSOLUTELY sure that your dog has recent wolf heritage, it’s best not to “label” your dog as a wolfdog by telling all your friends and neighbors that you now own a wolfdog. If you do, your veterinarian will document your dog's medical records as "wolfdog" and that could spell trouble. Friends may think it's cool... until the wolfdog nips somebody and then "it's an aggressive animal." Many county Animal Control deputies will confiscate and kill wolfdogs for the slightest reason.

Second, do your homework. Learn all you can about wolfdogs so that you are able to decide whether a wolfdog would be a good match for you, your family, and your lifestyle. There are some basic characteristics that are common to wolfdogs that you should be aware of, i.e. separation anxiety; desire to escape and roam the neighborhood [hence the label “escape artists”]; predator/prey behavior [i.e. with cats, small dogs, toddlers]; dominance with other dogs and/or humans; sensitive digestive systems, to name a few. Some love to howl and many neighbors don't appreciate that. You want to make sure that you are willing to sacrifice much-needed time, energy and patience … a lot for the first few weeks, and then regular daily exercise and training months for come. Let’s look at a few of these characteristics that they share …

 

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