Are wolves mixed with dogs a safe mix?

[Cassiepeia]

People breed them for money, greed, ego and selfishness.

People like the "look" (and idea) of a wolf, but really want the temperament of a domestic dog.

Cass.

[Carrie]

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 ?

No, it is not the same thing at all. Domestic dogs are genetically hardwired through evolution to live with and among humans. Wolves are not. Domestic dogs, even raised with little human contact still understand many human social cues. Wolves raised from a young age by humans do not. A wild animal is never the same as a domestic animal.

Sure, there are always exceptions and isolated success stories. But generally, wolves, even raised from an extremely young age or from birth are still very shy with humans and extremely difficult to train. They simply do not have that rapport with humans by way of evolution. They don't have the same evolutionary path that dogs took when they branched off.

[rex'smom]

my husbands aunt has a wolf mix and hes a sweetie...............

[Tango]

If you do some research on dog bites the wolf mix have less bites then Rottweilers, Pitbulls, and GSD. My "hybrid" (I don't understand this term since all dogs are basically from the same line and how long does it take to make a "new breed" of dog, how can a wolf mix not be a new breed like any of the European wolf/shepherd mixes that are considered a new breed.) would never chase any kids, or household pets. I have had rabbits and 2 cats and now a Ferret that runs wild in my house (he is house broken) and my Konoa has never even hurt any of these animals, all he has ever done is maybe run next to the animal lay down and start licking the animals then he leaves them alone. I even had a Pomeranian for a while and that Pomeranian would beat up on my huge Konoa all the time and he would pay no attention. It all depends on how you socialize and train a dog.Every time I walk my dog any small dog always bark and try to attack my Konoa, In all situations (I live in Germany were you can bring your dog along almost everywhere). Just like people say that Rottweilers and Pitbulls are aggressive dogs along with Dobermanns but these dogs can all make great family additions of you know what you are doing. People might not agree with mixing a wolf and dog together but I am sure people also agree mixing a Pitbull terrier with a lab or GSD is not good as well. To each his or her own, just make sure to see the parents and ask alot of questions and have at least some expierence with dogs and research, research, research.

[Punkygirl0101]

One good thing is that most people who THINK they have a hybrid more than likely just have a husky cross.

I completely agree with that. I find it extremely annoying when everyone who has a husky mix says they have a wolf mix, or thinks they have a wolf mix. Until you have actually witnessed the breeding of the wolf to the dog..then don't go around saying you have a wolf mix because most likely (And usually) its a husky or malamute mix and there is absolutely no wolf in it.

[Tango]

True but I have had 2 wolf mixes from the same breeding pair (different litters)and my first one is identical looking to a grey wolf and my second one has the malamute colors and alot bigger. The males were Giant Malamute/Wolf mix and the females were gray wolves. So I all depends on which genes show dominance and which dont but Northern Breed dogs are more "wolf" like so people assume they have a "wolf" mix.

[Pebbles]

I absoluetly do not agree with breeding or selling wolf hybrids. I do not condone rescuing hybrids that need homes. Not just anyone can take on owning one either. You have to know what you are getting yourself into and how to properly care for one. My grandmother had two, they were aggressive, and nobody but her husband was aloud to go into the yard for safety reasons.

Like someone stated, a lot of supposed hybrids are not even part wolf, they are husky mixes. People who breed these animals would like you to think that their dogs have a high percentage of wolf when they really do not. Thats not to say that high percentages wolf hybrids do not exist, because they do.

Info from WHATE that some might be interested in reading...

Genetics/Physical Traits

* Pure wolves cycle once a year - pups are born late March through early May. Dogs are born year-round.

* Pure wolves and high contents are born black (or very dark gray). Even Arctics, who eventually turn white, are dark at birth. Dogs are born in a variety of colors.

* High content (adult) hybrids look very wolfy. Some physical characteristics of the wolf are: long, leggy body; thick, double-coat; extra-large paws; ruff of fur around the neck and shoulder area; elongated snout; long, curved canine teeth; slanted eyes ranging from brown to amber to yellow (never blue) in color; small, furry, rounded ears; straight tail (as opposed to the malamute/husky tail which curls up over the back); black nose. Note: None of these characteristics should be used in and of itself to determine wolf content, since a number of them may be common to wolves and some dogs.

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Behavioral Traits

* Early, consistent socialization of the hybrid is necessary at an early age, to adults, children, other animals, noises, situations, etc. If this is not done, the animal may grow into a skittish, unmanageable, fear-biting adult.

* Destruction - the wolf is a digger by nature, and the destruction in your home can be extreme, i.e. the living room couch, other furniture, even the walls themselves. Many high content hybrids can open just about anything (despite baby-proof locks) including the refrigerator, cabinets, and doors.

* The fact that wolves do not defecate in one area like domesticated dogs, combined with the natural inclination to mark their territory, makes housebreaking wolves and high content hybrids extremely difficult.

* High content hybrids are not good watchdogs, due to the wolf's timid nature. Do not expect a high content hybrid to protect you or your property. High contents and pure wolves don't bark much (usually one warning bark, as opposed to the dog's repetitive bark), so they don't make good "alarms", either.

* Howling - wolves and hybrids howl, whether out of loneliness, at sirens, or for their own wolf reasons. Take into consideration what type of neighborhood you live in and what your neighbors will put up with. Not everyone appreciates the eerily beautiful howl of the wolf, especially at 4:00 am.

* Mouthing - mouthing and nipping are natural behaviors which must be modified at an early age. Teaching an adult 120 lb. hybrid not to bite is no fun, not to mention dangerous.

* As far as being good with kids, yes, they can be brought up and socialized with children. But be aware that the prey instinct may be triggered by the young/small child running, or falling down and crying. Many hybrids grow to be very large in size, and play roughly as well. * Regardless of breed or content, no large dog should EVER be left alone with a child.*

* Obedience - wolves are extremely intelligent. They do, however, have their own reasons for doing things, and do not have the inbred desire to please humans that dogs do. Obedience training (especially with higher contents) is likely to take more time and effort and produce less reliable results than with a dog, although it can be done. Getting a high content hybrid to come when called is a major undertaking; most can not be let off leash in a public area because of this (combined with the fact that children or small animals may trigger the prey instinct at any time). But many low contents have, with perseverance, gone through formal obedience training class and even excelled. Another extremely important thing is that you establish yourself as alpha early on. It is natural for wolves to challenge the alpha for place in the pack order. You must be prepared to deal with these types of behaviors correctly. *Never, ever hit a wolf or hybrid.* Seek help from a professional trainer experienced with hybrids.

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Day To Day Considerations

* Hybrids are escape artists. They need an escape-proof enclosure, with room to run. Hybrids (or for that matter, dogs) should NEVER be kept on a chain as a primary means of containment. The minimum necessary for containment is six foot high chain link fencing with lean-ins at the top, and a dig-proof bottom. Hotwire and a perimeter fence are also recommended. Kira Frye's packet (see last page) has extensive information regarding the building of a proper enclosure.

* Hybrids need companionship, canine as well as human. Another hybrid or large breed of dog of the opposite sex is preferable.

* Wolves are carnivores. High content hybrids do not do well on kibble alone. Be prepared to supplement the diet with fresh meat - many of the sources listed on the last page go into specific detail on this. It is a good idea to locate a source for meat and find out the costs involved before obtaining your animal.

* Transporting high content hybrids and pure wolves in a car is difficult. Getting them into the crate is an ordeal in itself, and many defecate and urinate out of fear during the ride, making a routine visit to the vet an unpleasant experience at best. Some owners find it necessary to tranquilize their animals before transporting them. Be aware that some vets refuse to treat wolf hybrids of any content, and some refuse to administer the rabies vaccine since its effectiveness on hybrids remains to be proven (although this is an issue which is currently in debate, and evidence is pointing towards the vaccine being approved for use on wolves and wolf hybrids).

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A Word About Percentages

It has been estimated that over 90% of wolf hybrids sold in this country are credited with being of higher wolf content than they actually are. One danger in this is that the buyer purchasing a low content animal thinking it's higher may have the animal for years with no problems, training it like a dog, having it live in the house, be housebroken, non-destructive, etc. This person then spreads the story of how wonderful these high-content animals are and how easily cared for not much more trouble than a dog! Someone else hearing this (or even this same person getting a second animal down the line) then gets what actually IS a high content animal - and is in for a big surprise. Also, keep in mind that in addition to percentage, the number of generations the animal is away from a pure wolf will affect behavior as well. A hybrid which is 8 generations down the line from a pure wolf will be less "wolfy" than one who is 3 generations away.

Most high content hybrids (and certainly pure wolves) do NOT make good house pets; most people who have high content animals keep them in the house as pups, only to banish them to the yard after the destruction and behaviors become too much to deal with. This is not to say that no one has ever been successful at keeping a high content in the house (however, many who think they have done so may unknowingly have lower content animals) - but it would take extreme effort and dedication, as opposed to the amount of work required to acclimate a lower content or pure dog.

Note: Wolves have traditionally been crossed with malamutes or huskies, and are also sometimes crossed with german shepherds. Due to the recent surge of popularity of the hybrid and the potential for a quick buck, some unethical breeders have begun to cross wolves with more aggressive breeds, such as chows or pit bulls. These particular crosses are an accident waiting to happen, and threaten the future existence of hybrids everywhere. Do not support this very dangerous trend.

Link...

Wolf Hybrid Awareness Through Education (WHATE section 1)