Are wolves mixed with dogs a safe mix?

[annie_so_pink]

One of my friend's has a wolf/husky mix and he is one of the sweetest dogs in the world! He even thinks he is a lap dog even though he is huge! He is as sweet as can be, even though he had a hard start(he was a rescue dog).

[oc_spirit]

Yes a wolf or wolf hybrid can be trained not to chase children like a border collie, but you can't train prey drive out of any animal, only make attempts at redirecting which is why even the most well-trained hybrids still end up going afgter children sometimes when they run, scream, and flail their arms AKA resemble an injured animal struggling to get away which is a wolf's favourite choice for dinner since it's easy to catch. Why shouldn't people keep lions tigers and bears as pets? Same reason. Of course there have been success stories about the ownership of hybrids, with the number of people out there wnting one there's just bound to be especially if they actually know what they're doing. The problem is too many people want a hybrid just for the title and not for the dog itself. How many hybrid owners boast about the dog side of their hybrid? Very few, they boast that one of the parents of their dog's were "purebred 100% grey wolf from northern british columbia" or w/e the case is. That right there truly shows what the owner cares about - the title not so much the dog.

There are wolf rehabilitation and education centres that start out with a wolf hybrid because it is easier to bond with and train a hybrid than a wolf, then they will add wolf pups into the pack and since the hybrid will be the alpha they will show the pups that the humans are the Alpha and it's basically a stepping stone for the rest of the wolves to come. This to me is ok. Also a lot of animal actor trainers prefer working with and using wolf hybrids to play wolves in movies because once again, they're easier to train and work with and are more reliable.

Don't get me wrong a hybrid can make a best friend in the right circumstances but sadly in way too many cases, it's the wrong circumstances and they outcome is not favourable.

[Jenny]

One good thing is that most people who THINK they have a hybrid more than likely just have a husky cross. One difference I have seen in high percentage wolf hybrids is that they don't see domestic dogs as one of their own... they see them as a food source.

To me, it's just said to see people want to possess something wild. Geez, just take a picture!

[holly02]

I didn't say that I supported the "purposeful breeding" did I ? I did say that Every dog deserves a chance. I did not breed the dog and the woman who was getting "rid" of the puppies said they would be given to the humane society which I know would enevitably mean death.

No one should own any type of animal unless they are willing to adjust their life to accomodate that animal - this is all I was trying to say.

I do have a question though, being that you are adamantly against breeding of hybrids (not that I'm for it) but I wonder what your solutions are for the people who have already brought hybrids into the world - what should be done with those puppies ? what should be done with those people ?

Thanks,

holly02

[holly02]

I owned an Akita for 9 years which I could not let around small children nor other dogs - ever -

She was the most domesticated dog I have ever owned but her personality was aggressive and i adjusted my life accordingly.... My AKita would of killed chickens and calves too if I had let her run wild.

and what about the mutt's that my uncle has- two dogs - one is a half "basset" half "lab" and the other is half german sheppard and lab....
These two dogs were very domesticated lap dogs who caught a coyote once who was eating one of my uncle calves. The dogs then started hunting calves about one week after they had tasted that and they had to be put down...

My point here is that ALL dogs have wild backgrounds and if a puppy is raised in the wild and never has human contact and has to hunt for its food then is it not exactly like a hybrid or for that matter a full blooded wolf ?

The argument loses steam when you look at it from ALL angles doesn't it ?

[GSD]

Originally Posted by holly02

I owned an Akita for 9 years which I could not let around small children nor other dogs - ever -

She was the most domesticated dog I have ever owned but her personality was aggressive and i adjusted my life accordingly.... My AKita would of killed chickens and calves too if I had let her run wild.

and what about the mutt's that my uncle has- two dogs - one is a half "basset" half "lab" and the other is half german sheppard and lab....
These two dogs were very domesticated lap dogs who caught a coyote once who was eating one of my uncle calves. The dogs then started hunting calves about one week after they had tasted that and they had to be put down...

My point here is that ALL dogs have wild backgrounds and if a puppy is raised in the wild and never has human contact and has to hunt for its food then is it not exactly like a hybrid or for that matter a full blooded wolf ?

The argument loses steam when you look at it from ALL angles doesn't it ?

Not really

[Raised By Wolves]

One of my dogs was part wolf, and a lady I know has a hybrid. Neither of us deliberately addopted these animals to own a wolf/dog. The shelter just didn't know what they had. My dog showed a certain amount of aggression when I got her and was definately a one person dog. She did well with me, but probably would not have done well elsewhere. The other wolf/dog has the pack "babysitter" personality, so this lady lucked out. Her hybrid is about 11 years old and talks up a storm with hoots and woo-woos.

I can understand why some arctic sled dog teams, sometimes contain dogs which have some wolf blood in them. But, these animals are just too volitile in the hands of the general public. Those cute little pups will often challenge their owners when they reach maturity.

[Jenny]

Originally Posted by GSD

Not really

yeah, I agree... not really.

holly02, hybrids in Alaska are now pts. and are illegal to own without a wild animal permit. Which is sad, but in the long run better for wolves.

[Husky_mom]

well, i must say i owned a husky/wolf/maybe golden mix, and she was the sweetest and patient and calmed of all my purebred huskies, i won´t lie that i still was concerned for the wolf part (it could show anytime) but she never did, and was the most peaceful dog , rarely barked (only when someone knocked), howled as all my other dogs, not agressive at all, simply she was all love (thats why i guess golden). but anyone who has one should be aware they (wolfs) are sure pretty but they are wild, they can´t be domesticated ever, they have strong instincts so they should be bred only with wolfs in the wild, not dogs.

[Cassiepeia]

I think it goes without saying that all the hybrids already in this world should be loved and cared for to the best of their caretaker's abilities.

But I also don't support the breeding of wolf hybrids.

I think who ever developed the breed of dog called the Northern Inuit (which is the breed of choice of our members here) had the right idea. People really just want the 'look' of a wolf without the wolf traits (well, yes they like to say their dog is a hybrid too, but apart from that ).

Cass.

[Nutz4you]

HI! I didn't know where to post this and I didn't want to start a new thread. I just happened upon this site through ask.com. My son wants a wolf husky mix dog. I think the dog is great looking but recently I heard and have been trying to find out if this is true, that where we live (Pennsylvania) it is illegal to own one of these dogs. I haven't been able to find a definite answer and was wondering if anyone knew where I could find this information or if they know if it is true or not. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Cassiepeia]

This is what I found...

NWA, Legislative Issues - State Regulations

PENNSYLVANIA

"Wolves and Wolf Hybrids may be possessed if they are purchased or received from any lawful sources from within or without the state and if the owner first secures an Exotic Wildlife Possession Permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Game Commission. Inspection by the Commission is required to insure that minimum requirements for secure and humane housing conditions are met. "Minimum pen requirements for a single animal are 15' length by 8' width by 6' height covered at the top to prevent escape. For a pair, double the cage length. For each additional animal - after 2 add 10' to the cage length. A secluded den area 4'W x 4'L is required for a single animal. Add 3' in length for an additional animal."
"Records shall be maintained of acquisitions and disposals of exotic wildlife as well as exotic wildlife born on the premises. Records shall be in ink, written in English and include the full name and address of the person with whom a transaction is conducted. Records shall be available for inspection by Commission personnel at reasonable hours. Entries shall be made on the day of transaction.""

Make sure your son does a LOT of research on this mix. It's not something anyone should just adopt on a whim or because it looks attractive. There is a huge responsibility involved.

Cass.

And please feel free to start new threads on any topic you wish.

[Dangels]

While I do agree that breeding wolf hybrids is a very good idea, because of the lack of responsible owners, I don't believe that they are total monsters either. I know a girl who breeds Wolves and Wolf dogs, and i've helped her train some of the dogs, and also taken care of her dogs while she's been out of town in the past. I haven't had any problems with them. However, they are not a dog for everyone. They are quite different to train than your average dog. It takes a lot of socialization, loving care, and extensive training to ensure that the dog doesn't become aggressive or dangerous. I don't believe that these type of dogs should be available for just anyone to own. I know in some places people need a permit to own one, and I feel that's how it should be everywhere. I also feel that anyone who applys for a permit, should have to take a training course, so that they know how to properly train and raise the dog. I feel that it should be a requirement that the puppie's be put through training classes with a professional dog trainer, as many people just don't have the experience or understanding of this type of dog to train one correctly. Personally, I don't agree with breeding hybrid dogs, but I believe that since people do breed them, there should be some more strict guidelines on how to raise and train these dogs, so that they do not fall into the wrong hands. These dogs are very powerful, and can be very dangerous if not properly raised. It takes a lot of effort and work to raise a dog like this properly, and they are not for everyone. Which is something that I think more people should take into consideration before adopting a hybrid dog. If you are planning to get a wolf hybrid, DO LOTS OF RESEARCH before you get the dog, and it would be a great idea to find a dog trainer ahead of time, who would be willing to put the dog through some training classes.

[Swiftwind]

The only question that comes to mind is "WHY?". Why would anyone feel the need to breed wolves? We have so many different breeds in this world, and many that closely resemble wolves. If having a wolf or wolf-hybrid as a pet is just for the fact that it's a great status symbol, well that's utterly ridiculous in my opinion.

By nature, wolves are very aloof creatures, and they are not known for approaching dogs in the wild, or humans for that matter. I'm not saying that it doesn't happen, but it's not common for them to approach either, let alone breed with other dogs. The breeding of wolves seems quite unnecessary and intrusive to me. Why can't we ever leave anything alone?

I can think of a few reasons why wolves (in general) wouldn't make good pets:
1. They can be unpredictable - they are wild animals after all (even if raised by humans as pups).
2. They are powerful;
3. They are wild & pack animals and should not be confined, and should not be forced to live solely alone without choice.
4. Their diets and needs are different to your average dog.
5. Why not own a dog instead??

To be blunt, wolves do not make good pets. They belong in the wild and need a lot of land to live on. People want to own them because of their beauty and because they're exotic and wild - but that's why they wouldn't make good pets. They're too wild. Wolves kept as pets don't usually get the exercise they need. In the wild they travel about 32 kilometres (roughly 20 miles) a day. They can't get that kind of exercise in a human household. They need territories which range from 30 square kilometres (about 18 sq miles) to over 1,600 square kilometres (about 1,000 square miles). Also, not many vets will treat a wolf when it's sick and a penned wolf will experience mental problems and become stressed if kept from interaction with other wolves. Pet wolves may wound or kill other dogs by disciplining them as if they were pack members.

There are many stories of wolves being just "wild dogs" that could be tamed. While wolves and dogs do share many biological traits, they are very different from each other. The dogs we have as pets have been bred to be gentle companion animals to humans. Wolves are still wild animals and should be treated as such.

Mixing wolves with domesticated dogs is believed to dilute the wild nature of the wolf. This is not true. Hybrids are known to be more aggressive than wolves. The mixing actually produces an animal that has lost its fear of man. Hybrids find small children as suitable prey. There have been a lot of attacks on humans including six deaths from hybrids. There hasn't been a single documented case a pure wolf killing a human being.

I have heard of people who have successfully raised pure wolves and hybrids, but that's because these people were experienced and were able to provide them with the land they need. A lot of U.S. states make it illegal to own a pure wolf or even a hybrid. In my opinion, wolves can make good and loyal friends, but dogs were domesticated to be owned and raised by humans and can still give you that companionship. I sometimes daydream of owning a wolf, but that's how I would like to keep it: a dream. I'm quite satisfied with my little Chihuahua.

[Dangels]

I'm not sure why people choose to breed them, but as I stated about, I do not feel that it's a good idea. Even the girl I know who breeds them shouldn't be breeding, because although she herself lives on a 10 acre farm and has years of experience with these animals, the people she sells the puppies to don't always have the proper amount of land or experience to correctly care for the needs of a hybrid. I personally think that breeding them is not only a risk to the public, but also to the animals themselves. Simply because they are often thought of as a status symbol, and they can fall into the wrong hands far too easily. I have no idea "why" people feel the need to raise Wolves or Wolf hybrids to sell as pets, but a lot of people are doing it. Where I live, there are a lot of people who own Wolf dogs. I do believe it's illegal to own one here without having a permit, but i'm pretty sure they don't act on that law, because I have seem "Wolf type dogs" that are for sure wolf dogs in the local animal shelter, which works with the Sheriffs Department in my town. I think a lot of breeders of these dogs probably do it just to make a buck, since they can often get high prices for hybrids. I've also seen some people advertising puppies as "Wolf hybrids" but the dogs don't look like Wolf dogs at all, just Husky or Malmute crosses. I think in some cases people just say that their puppies are hybrids to fool the public into paying high dollars for their puppies. In any case, the chances of stopping Wolf hybrids from being bred for pets is slim, especially with the demand for "exotic pets" growing higher by the day. Which is why, although I don't agree with such breedings taking place, my main goal is still to try educating people to make sure that they know what they are getting into before they adopt one of these dogs. They can be dangerous animals, and need experienced, dedicated owners who are ready and willing to do a lot of research, ect.