One thing that I don't agree with is the statement that wolves and dogs are the same species. They, biologically, are not. I have written several papers on the subject, and have owned several wolf hybrids in my life. Domesticated dogs, while both a part of "canis" diverged on the evolutionary tree very slightly. There is a difference in species, however slight it might be. Also, there is, in fact, a way to track wolf genes in bloodlines, as well as through protein markers that the animal itself posesses. This is only one way that wildlife biologists determine what pack an animal is from if they have to relocate it within a park or wild area. This is how vets or breeders determine the "content" of wolf in a hybrid. I actually was raised with a pure bred artic wolf ( my father rescued her as a pup from a drunken airforce pilot) and I must say, while she was nothing like a dog, she could not have been a better caretaker. She treated my sister and I like we were pups, and would have protected us with her life. Her mate was Malamute/timberwolf cross, and he was incredibly sweet as well as protective of his family, but not dangerously so. Their pups were sold to various people we knew and three of them my family members owned until they died. All of these wolf hybrids were wonderful "pets" (as far as anyone can say a hybrid is a pet)and would have saved our lives over again many times had there been a need. While I don't agree with some people owning wolf hybrids simply because they know nothing about them, or because they live in some states where they might be shot, I don't think that anyone has enough right to be critical of owning an animal they know nothing about. For instance, I know nothing about sleddogs, but I don't agree with people owning a dog built for hardwork, and for freezing temperatures in an apartment setting in a country or state that has a hot or humid climate. I know of a friend who thought she was doing her malamute a favor in the summer time and shaved him, and he died because the coat actually acts like an insulator to keep them cool. He died of heat stroke because his body couldn't handle the heat. This is also a problem with huskies, which most people who own them say are "hyperactive." No wonder, they were built to WORK. Without work, these dogs go crazy!
Wolf hybrids, few people know, actually depend on a high percentage of wolf in their breeding, otherwise they are dangerous dogs. That is why most hybrids are refered to as being 75% or higher content wolf. If a hybrid does not possess this high content in breeding they can "snap" as many refer to a dog mauling or hurting a human being for no reason, because of what some biologists believe is a conflict of instinct. Pit bulls, German sheperds (another breed which I have had the pleasure of dealing with and loved) have the same problem if they are inbred. To wrap up my rant and apologise for anyone I might have offended, I will say that my experience with wolves and hybrids alike has been nothing but pleasant; it is what lead me to want to be a wildlife biologist, and to work with the wolf program in Yellowstone. Wolves act nothing like dogs, indeed few hybrids do either, but if you are thinking of owning one, or do own one and are worried about what the animal is doing, do some research and e-mail a professional who works with the wolf adoption program out west, there are several online and they can be a real help.
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