The Wolf-dog Cross is the offspring of a wolf and a dog. This reference is passed down to offspring up to five generations from the full blooded wolf. Often these animals are called wolfdogs and they continue to be called wolf dog hybrids though they are no longer scientifically classified as such. A hybrid is the offspring of two animals from different species, such as the mule which has a donkey father and a horse mother. These animals are usually infertile and can not produce additional offspring of their kind. Even in rare instances where the female has been fertile the males are not, so any additional breeding is done with a pure blood animal. This is not the case with wolf dogs. In 1993 dogs were classified as a subspecies of wolf, making the dog and wolf closer genetically then different species. Additionally their offspring are fertile and can breed with other dogs, wolves, or with each other producing other healthy offspring.
While the wolfdog isn’t a hybrid it is usually considered a wild animal. This is argued by advocates for the ownership of wolfdogs all over the world, and especially in the United States. However, wolves are not domesticated making their offspring wild. This is not to say that wolf dogs are bad, although there is a great deal of controversy over owning them as pets.
Here we will discuss a little bit about wolfdogs as pets, their history in different breeds, their existence in the wild, and their future. All of these things are important and often this is a misunderstood creature. People either fear wolves and wolfdogs, or the don’t understand them and desire them as “pets”.
Wolfdogs as Pets
Many wolfdog owners and breeders will tell you that they love their wolfdogs. In the next sentence they will often tell you that wolfdogs make terrible pets. How can this be? Well, the answer is a complicated one. It is believed by the owners of these magnificent animals that wolfdogs make great companions, but terrible pets. Those desiring a pet are usually looking for something low maintenance. Something that will be easy to train and easy to walk on a leash. However, the personality of the wolfdog make it a high maintenance animal. It has a lot of special needs and you need to understand it before buying it. Many animals end up in rescues because people got a wolfdog thinking it was just a cool dog, when in reality it was part wolf!
Wolfdog ownership should be allowed, however regulation of such ownership should be done. In many places this is done by simply outlawing the creatures. They are misunderstood, thought to be dangerous, which they often are in the wrong hands. In order to buy a wolfdog you should know what to expect and you should consider it before doing so. If you think you might want to own a wolfdog, then read the article Things to Consider Before Buying a Wolfdog.
Wolf Blood
It is difficult to understand when dogs and wolves separated their ways and became different subspecies. It is believed that wolves have bred with dog for thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands of years, or more. There is evidence that wolfdogs were used by many different cultures long before ours. Some evidence even points back as far as the days of hunting woolly mammoths. Many breeds show a great deal of evidence of wolf blood in their history. However, to be classified as a mixed breed wolfdog you must have wolf blood in your history no more then five generations ago.
This doesn’t mean that there aren’t breeds created by breeding certain dogs with wolves and each other. We have several breeding records that show that this was done frequently and often. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed, having wolf blood in it’s history a mere 90 years ago. Other northern breeds seem to have more wolf like characteristics including: huskies, chows, malamutes, and some lesser known breeds. Some of these have known breeding with wolves, others lesser known information. There are even some rarer, more recently excepted dog breeds that have wolf blood in them.
This practice is fairly common. Wolf characteristics are appealing to many dog breeders, although many of their characteristics are not that of what we consider a good dog. Combining these animals with other dogs, passing down heritage, can create what we consider good dogs.
Wolfdogs in the Wild
Often in captivity wolves are bred with specific breeds to produce attractive and desirable wolfdogs. The most common of these breeds are the northern breeds including huskies, German shepherds, and malamutes. There is no set rule that it has to be this way, but it is general practice. There are times when you hear of mixes such as wolf, or wolf dog bred with black Labrador retriever or another unusual dog breed to mix a wolf with. This is primarily for the desire to have a look that is much like a wolf. If you breed it with a wolf like dog you will have a wolfdog that looks more like a wolf, where as anything else might look more like a mutt.
However, there are growing reports of wolf populations breeding with local dogs, both strays and pets. These are especially true in European wolves. This is a concern for many scientist and animal protective groups. Wild wolf populations are limited world wide and specific types of wolves are in small numbers. Mixing such animals with dog breeds could be what wipes the wolf from this planet, slowly replacing the packs with dogs.
The Future of the Wolfdog
The future of the wolfdog is uncertain. Many places have passed legislation on the owning of these animals. Yet their popularity is growing. Additionally their numbers in the wild are also growing. In the United States it is estimated that 300,000-500,000 of these animals exist, in varying percentages of wolf. Their popularity in other places in the world is also growing. It may be that more and more people understand the commitment of taking on such an animal, or it may be that exotic animal ownership is on the rise all over the place. Whichever is true, the future for the wolf looks mixed, and the future for wolfdogs looks promising.
