wolf dogs

[carrie]

As the wolf and the dog are the same species of animal then a cross between them is not strictly a hybrid. There is no way at present to determine wolf genes in dogs so it is impossible to tell what percentage of wolf is in each wolfdog unless the owner has been present at each mating, throughout each pregnancy and throughout the pups early life. Many people have made an awful lot of money selling and breeding "wolfdogs" that have as many recent wolf genes as the toy poodle down the road. This has done the true wolfdog no favours at all. People see these so called wolfdogs and are amazed at how like a pet dog they behave and rush out to get one. Some of them have the misfortune to come home with a true wolfdog and then the trouble begins.
They are not pet dogs and do not behave like pet dogs. They have different needs, drives and handling requirements. Just spend a few minutes reading through the posts on this site to see how badly we cope with the domestic dog that has been with us for thousands of years. Then ask yourself if we are ready for the wolfdog. I think not.

[Suki Wingy]

As the wolf and the dog are the same species of animal then a cross between them is not strictly a hybrid.

No, this is false. The domestic dog is Canis familiaris. The Wolf is Canis lupus. All breeds are the same specis

[Aria.k]

I live on 5 1/4 acres almost entirely fenced in. 4 of the acres are heavily wooded. We have 4 dogs. Corky, F, lab/corgi mix, recently gone a tad too territorial when she turned 12 1/2. Silver, F, wolf mix, she came to the shelter where I volunteered at about four weeks, sweetest dog you'd ever meet, likes to hunt just as much as Corky but otherwise dosent have a mean bone in her body. Amy, F, lab mix, my other shelter puppy, doesn't hunt and is slightly obese, and thinks everything is a lolipop. and Rex, M, spainel, 11 sleeps most of the time. any way, Silver is 3 and has never 'gone mean', never bitten humans or dogs, never tried to escape, and is the most behaved out of all the others. I think that too many wolfdogs are taken in by inexperinced handlers and thus gave them such a bad rap.

[wolfsoul]

No, this is false. The domestic dog is Canis familiaris. The Wolf is Canis lupus. All breeds are the same specis

Actually this is no longer true --- wolves and dogs are now considered the same species. That is why they have changed the name of dogs to "Canis lupus familiaris."

I completely disagree with breeding wolfdogs or "pet" wolves. Wolves are wild animals and they should be in the wild. It isn't fair to breed them to dogs and it isn't fair to try and domesticate them -- we already have a domesticated wolf -- it's called the dog. Dogs by nature are drawn to people --- wolves by nature are very withdrawn from people. It isn't fair to make a creature that has to be at war with two completely different natures. People just don't understand that these animals need very special homes. They can make great pets, but for a very rare kind of person. You have to remember that wolves are very shy animals with high prey drives, amazing intelligence, a constant need to roam, etc. Heck, the average person can barely handle any kind of dog, let alone a wolf or a wolfdog. I have nothing against people rescuing them -- it's the people that breed them and buy them. These animals are poorly misunderstood and the more people that own them, the more misunderstood they will be.

[.sarah]

My friend has 3 wolf hybrids and her parents bred two together therefore getting the third one. I thought it was neat at the time (this was 5 + years ago) but now it really angers me. Like others have said, wolves should be left in the wild. Her dogs barely have wolf in them, they are mostly husky and malamute, but they are still highly dog agressive and I think the male is wary with strangers. I love her dogs dearly but I do not want to own a wolf or wolf hybrid because ... well, they're wild!

[Suki Wingy]

Actually this is no longer true --- wolves and dogs are now considered the same species. That is why they have changed the name of dogs to "Canis lupus familiaris."

Whoa, when did this happen?! That is sertainly good to know!

[Lady's Human]

According to U of Mich website, the SPECIES is canis lupus. The subspecies of the domesticated dog is canis lupus familiaris.

[wolfsoul]

According to U of Mich website, the SPECIES is canis lupus. The subspecies of the domesticated dog is canis lupus familiaris.

A subspecies is just a subdivision of that species --- one species can be made up of several different divisions. It doesn't make it any more or less that species. They are still the same species.

[buttercup132]

This is a good site
http://www.felid.org/activities/page_185.htm

[adiana whitewolf]

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.

[TMPF]

I am currently preparing myself to finiah my senior year in High School and then continue on to college. I know owning a wolf or Hybred is a very involved situation and requires one to learn in depth about the specific Wolf or Hybred one wishes to obtain. I do NOT plan to own a wolf in college or soon after while I will be busy getting married, going to college, finising a job, ect. I would like to start now so that when I am ready All My Wife, My wolf, and Myself can live in perfect harmony. Thank you for any information anyone can give.

Sincerely,

All4Him

PS. I have had pets all of my life. Currently I have 3 dogs 3 cats and a snake all living in my house.