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Although it may seem like you dog has little in common with the wolves it descends from, the facts tell us that the domestic dog and wolf are at least closely related enough to be bred together. The resulting hybrids are known as wolfhounds, and they can take a wide variety of different forms thanks to the variety of wolf species and dog breeds that may arise from this association.
The territorial nature of wolves makes wolfdogs rare in nature – but they are not unheard of, and some breeders are trying to cultivate new breeds and characteristics by selectively breeding hybrids of wolves and domestic dogs. But whether these hybrids make good pets is another story. Here’s everything you need to know about keeping wolfdogs as pets.
The characteristics of the Wolfhound
In 1999, the number of existing wolf dogs exceeded 100,000, but significantly more people claim that their dogs have wolf blood. The desire to own a rare type of pet plays a part there, but some breeders and private sellers may charge a higher price based on the false facts that a dog is a hybrid.
Size is the most notable factor when comparing hybrid dogs or puppies to their domesticated counterparts. Wolves are bigger than dogs everywhere, and that’s especially true of their jaws and their feet. Longer legs and muzzles are also common in wolves and wolf-dog hybrids. But the only way to be sure of a dog’s parentage for adoption identification purposes is to have DNA testing done. That’s because the physical traits that wolves and hybrids share can be found in more common dog breeds as well.
All dogs are technically descended from wolves, and many of the traits that domestic dogs have inherited from their wolf ancestors have remained the same or have only become more apparent over time.
Types of Wolfdogs
Wolfdogs can be created by breeding together a red or gray wolf with a domestic dog. But since there is so much variation in terms of both domestic dog breeds and regional wolf subspecies, the result is: puppies can take on different characteristics from both their domesticated and wild parents. When breeders are actively trying to create a hybrid, they often rely on domestic dogs that are as closely related to the wolf as possible. huskies, German Shepherds, and Malamutes are the most popular choices.
Due to the number of factors involved in breeding, the most effective way to measure a wolfdog’s lineage is not to look at behavior or physical traits, but to analyze the amount of wolf DNA it possesses. This kind of testing is done by breeders to provide accurate facts for adoption identification, and you should never pay the high price for wolfdog puppies without that kind of reassurance. Wolfdogs can be identified as having low, medium or high wolf content. Wolfdogs with less than 50% wild ancestry fall into the low content category, while high content dogs have more than 75% wolf ancestry and medium content dogs the intermediate percentages. The amount of wolf DNA in a hybrid dog can have a big effect on size, behavior and diet, but it can also affect your safety while you’re around.
To qualify as a true breed, a dog needs three generations of a traceable lineage, as well as recognition from one of the International Kennel Clubs. Wolfdogs are not recognized as a standalone breed, but there have been plenty of experiments to create breeds that look more wolf-like without sacrificing safety or behavior. Today there are two known breeds bred from mating wolves and dogs.
- The Czechoslovakian Wolfhound was created in the USSR in the 1950s by breeding Carpathian Gray Wolves with German Shepherds. Although the average Czechoslovakian wolfdog is very similar in size, stature and appearance to wolves, he is only 11-12% wolf.
- The Saarloos Wolfdog was part of a similar project to breed German Shepherds with the Eurasian Gray Wolves of Siberia. The head size and shape in particular bear a particularly strong resemblance to this breed’s wolf ancestors, and a Saroloos Wolfdog can have up to 33% wolf DNA.
Wolfdogs as pets
It is difficult to envision wolfdogs as pets simply because the unpredictability of their breeding can make it difficult to vouch for their safety or behavior. Even a normal-looking wolfdog can quickly become hostile thanks to the fact that their parents separated from each other tens of thousands of years ago from the evolutionary tree. Different maturation and hormone cycles mean that wolfhound characteristics may not always be the same as those of a more established breed.
Functionally, the social behavior of both animals can be quite different. While both dogs and wolves are social creatures, wolves are both significantly more aggressive in general and significantly more prone to avoidance rather than attachment people. That’s not to say hybrids can’t make good pets, but it’s hard to know how this conflicting behavior will play out in the real world.
It’s illegal to own a hybrid with more than 98% wolf DNA, and things get more unpredictable for hybrids with stronger wolf lineage. While these pets are generally only recommended for experienced caretakers, you can increase the odds that hybrids will make good pets by choosing pets with more domesticated dogs and less wolf DNA.
Dietary Considerations
A hybrid with a modest amount of wolf DNA, such as the Czechoslovakian wolfdog, can live on a diet similar to that of more traditional dog breeds, but those with more wolf DNA will need to feed in a way more suited to its wild life. ancestors. As a carnivore, a healthy wolfdog can expect to eat several pounds of food per day, and being able to chew bones is healthy and can help them get the balanced nutrition they need. To accommodate the variety of their diet in the wild, you may want to supplement your hybrid’s carnivorous diet with some vitamin supplements. These can contribute to the lack of foliage and fruit that wolves feed on in the wild. Without these supplements, a hybrid can be particularly prone to health problems, particularly with their skin and digestive system. Wolfdogs also need constant access to a freshwater source.
Behavior and Activity Levels
As opportunistic hunters often dependent on larger prey, a wolf can travel up to 30 miles in a single day. That makes wolfhounds unsuitable for indoor living. You can expect your hybrid to need about three to four hours of exercise each day, and you should make sure they have plenty of room to roam in comfort – ideally a full acre, but at least half of that. Special care must be taken to ensure that the fence is both high and buried deep in the ground. Wolves are notorious diggers with an exceptional talent for escaping enclosures.
Understandably, caring for a hybrid requires some adjustments to accommodate the dog’s wilder instincts. Obedience and Socialization training is especially critical for these dogs from a young age, and you may want to hire a trainer who specializes in working with hybrids and wilder dog breeds. Wolfdogs need active caretakers who can really devote a lot of time to them.
Cost and maintenance
The life expectancy of a wolf and the life expectancy of a dog are functionally the same – about 13 to 16 years. That’s about what you can expect from a hybrid, though wolfhounds can have a longer life expectancy than their domesticated parents because they aren’t prone to many of the health problems that come from generations of crossbreeding.
The average price for wolfhounds can range from $1,000 to $3,000. Everything from the dog’s age and lineage to the breeder’s reputation can play a part in that total. Therefore, adoption identification should be done properly in the form of a DNA test. As good as a breeder’s reputation is, it never hurts to get the facts straight before investing in a potentially dangerous mix of wild and domestic dog DNA.
Common Myths About Wolf Dogs
Wolfdogs have gotten a bad reputation over the years and not everything is earned. Let’s clear up some common myths about these hybrids that endure.
- Wolfdogs may have fewer genetic markers for chronic health conditions than specific domestic dog breeds, but they are vulnerable to the same diseases as their domestic counterparts. If anything, their unique physiology may make them less protected by standard vaccines.
- Hybrids are not particularly good watchdogs. Traditional guard dogs like the mastiff have been bred for thousands of years to be diligent workers who are very loyal to their owners. Wolves, as a rule, tend to shun humans, and that’s a factor that their hybrid offspring also adopt.
- Although dogs and wolves have been documented to mate in the wild without human intervention, the fiercely territorial nature of wolves makes these types of events a rarity. Most wolfhounds are the result of deliberate breeding.
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