Sure it sounds great, you get the best of both worlds. You can have an exotic pet and a “dog” too, all wrapped up in one. It’s got to be great, after all it’s a dog, and you will be able to brag to all your friends, “he’s part wolf!”
But before going out and trying to get that wolfdog pup, what do you need to consider?
A lot, simply put. First you need to know about what a wolfdog is, what its personality may be like, what its needs are like, and where to find a good breeder to get your wolfdog pup from.
What is a wolfdog?
A wolfdog is a mixed breed animal (not a hybrid) that is between a wolf and another breed of dogs. In 1993 dogs were classified as a subspecies of wolf meaning this isn’t a true hybrid, but rather a mixed breed. However, wolves are wild animals and their offspring, whether to a domestic dog or a wolf are considered wild as well. You can get wolfdogs with a higher or lower percentage of wolf. This is done by either breeding wolfdogs back to dogs or wolves. A dog with wolf in it’s history is considered a wolfdog if there is a wolf parent with in the past five generations.
Wolfdogs are very popular in the United States with 300,000-500,000 of them residing there. Over time they have gained popularity in other countries as well, and there are some instances of wild wolf populations becoming “tainted” with domestic dogs.
Wolves are often bred with German Shepherds, Huskies, and Malamutes. These breeds help the wolfdog to keep it’s wolf look. Wolfdogs are often larger then wolfdogs and can display a variety of looks. These “dogs” are incredibly strong, large, and often have personality traits and habits that go against the normal desire for a pet dog.
Legality.
Before you need to continue your research in answer the question about whether a wolfdog pup is for you, you should check into the legality of owning such an animal in your country, then your state or province, and even locally. There are many laws against owning wild animals (which the wolfdog is usually classified as) and there are many laws against owning wolfdogs specifically. Therefore you should check the laws at all levels. It may be legal to own on in your country, but not in your state, or province, or even in your city, town, or county. Checking these laws should be the first step in deciding if the wolf pup is for you.
What is a wolfdog’s personality like?
This is a complicated question, just as with other dogs there are several factors that effect the answer. How the pup was raised, trained, and the individual pup itself all effect how it will be. However, it is a good thing to know some issues that arise and be prepared for them if you should decide that a wolfdog is for you.
Wolf dogs are often shy. They don’t like strangers and they usually would prefer to be left alone when company is about. Some lower percentages of wolfdogs are more like dogs in this manner. However, one should be prepared for a shy dog that doesn’t want to spend time with strangers.
Many wolfdogs have a hard time being house broken. They often take much longer to train then a normal dog and even after training will not always be reliable. Often wolfdogs of all ages will go to the bathroom in the house at least occasionally. For some this is no big deal, for others it is a huge deal.
Many of these animals are highly destructive. They don’t just chew sneakers or chew toys. They often go after the upholstery, the woodwork, and the carpet. They will also dig as much as they can in the areas they spend time outside in. Your yard will become to resemble a war zone. Sometimes they can be kept away from the furniture and the woodwork if they have enough chew toys and spend enough time outside.
They do well in pairs being pack animals, however they don’t do well with other dogs, cats, or small pets. Their natural instinct is to hunt and it is much stronger then in a domestic animal. Having small pets in the home is not a good idea, neither is have a regular dog breed. Dominance issues will come into play and often other dogs are not strong enough to handle these situations.
Unlike dogs, wolfdogs do not live to please. They will probably never be a completely obedient dog. Often they will obey when they feel like it, which might not be every time that you want them to. No matter what they have to have training. Additionally you have to learn pack behavior. As pack animals they need to know that you are alpha dog. If they have doubts they will challenge you and if they challenge you and don’t get the proper response (“No, I am alpha”) things could get dangerous as they try and “take over the pack”. Physical discipline cannot be used on a wolfdog. Instead you must learn to use positive reinforcement in order to get the desired results. No matter what, it will take a lot of work for both of you, to get to the point where you understand each other. A dog with less wolf will forgive your mistakes, a dog that is mostly wolf may not.
If you have children under the age of 14 you should not get a wolfdog. Often children are seen as weaker and fair game. This is especially true if they fall down, cry, or scream. They are viewed in the same way prey is and can be attacked. There have even been a few cases of deaths due to attacking wolfdogs.
Additionally you should know that a wolfdog makes a lousy guard dog. Most don’t bark, many are afraid of strangers and run and hide, and being pack animals has a great deal of importance to it. Many talk about all dogs being pack animals, and to some degree they are. However there are many breeds who make excellent guard dogs. A wolfdog does not, after all he sees you as alpha, and it is your job to protect the pack and the packs things, not his.
What would your new wolfdogs needs be?
One of the big things to consider is a vet. Many, probably even most, vets won’t deal with a wolfdog. They have special needs, can be dangerous (especially during medical treatments), and offer a higher risk then other dogs. However, having a vet for your wolfdog pup is very important. There are lots of reasons a wolfdog may need to go to the vet including shots, illness, and injury. Not informing your vet that your dog is a wolfdog is dangerous and unethical. The wolfdog has special needs that can not be addressed if the vet doesn’t know that it is a wolfdog.
Containment is an issue for many would be wolfdog owners. A wolfdog shouldn’t be kept in an housing or apartment complex, a neighborhood with houses close together, or a place where there are lots of strangers and children. It should never be kept using an “invisible fence”, on a runner lead, or a chain. These are not suitable for its needs and could cause injury to passersby, or escape of the animal. If your wolfdog gets loose there is a good chance that natural instincts will take over and it will never return. Therefore containment should be in the form of a fence. The best situation is to have a pen that has at least 1600 square feet of roaming space and is contained by a thick wire gage fence. It should have a dig guard (so they can’t dig under it), and a lean in portion so it is harder to jump over (it should be around 6-8 feet). Adding electric wire is an option. There should also be a parameter fence protecting outsiders from your wolfdog. It should be at least a few feet away and also be of heavy gage wire. This fence should not have wholes large enough for a child to put it’s arm through!
As mentioned earlier, it is important to have help training your new pup. It is a good idea to contact dog trainers in your area and to see if there is one who will work with wolfdogs. Much the same way as finding a vet, it is sometimes difficult to find a trainer willing to work with a wolfdog pup. Before hiring a trainer check to make sure they use positive reinforcement instead of punishment.
Nutritional needs of a wolfdog are greater then that of the normal dog. It is not acceptable to feed the wolfdog a kibble with vegetables and grains. This is a dog that needs meat. It is best if it receives a nice diet of raw meat, bones, and even fur. Providing a diet such as this, or even a good quality meat kibble diet supplemented with meat and bones can be expensive.
Financially, all of these things should be considered. You have the cost of the pup, it’s veterinarian care (which will be more then a normal dog), it’s containment, as well training and food needs. It will cost more then a normal dog, and people on a tight budget shouldn’t consider getting such a pet.
Finding a good breeder.
If after all this, you still want to own your own beautiful wolfdog, you must find a reputable breeder. It isn’t always easy to find such. Here are things to keep in mind. Your wolfdog pup should have been raised by hand from about 14 days old. This is to help with socialization. It should have spent a little time with other wolves or dogs, but not a lot, the majority of the time it should have spent with people. This is because you don’t want your wolfdog forgetting that he is a wolfdog, but at the same time you want him or her to have a lot of people time. Additionally they should have raised at least two animals together.
A breeder should be willing to let you see the wolfdogs parents, as well as the facilities that the animal was bred and raised in. You should never buy an animal from a “puppy” farm type of situation. The breeder should have very few “accidental” litters and should know who your pups parents are and their history. It should be recorded how much wolf your wolfdog has as well as that of his or her parents.
It should also be clear that you are a good candidate for a wolfdog pup. The breeder should look into whether or not you have what it takes to raise a wolfdog pup, your housing situations, your feeding intentions, and your opinions on training and care. They should also check to see if you have a vet. If these questions are not asked of you, you can be assured that the breeder doesn’t care about the pups well being, and that isn’t a good sign.
It is also best if the breeder has several approved and qualified people picked out to sell pup to before breeding them. This makes sure that there will be homes for all pups who are born in a litter.
Is a wolfdog for you?
Only you can answer that. But make sure that your answer is for the right reasons with some knowledge behind them. It isn’t a good idea to decide that you want a wolfdog pup because it is cute, wild, or a wolf. Make sure you know the facts. See if you can volunteer where wolfdogs and wolves are kept to better understand them. Read as much as you can find, then make the final decision. A wolfdog can make a great companion as long as you know what to expect and are prepared for those things.
