Thoughts on wolfdogs / hybrids

[Nothing To Do With Doodles]

I took a call from a man the other day that wanted to know if one of the vets are my animal hospital could neuter his 6 month old timberwolf. The man had previously brought his wolf hybrid to one of our hospitals some years ago. He claimed that his new wolf was 100% timberwolf. None of the vets felt comfortable doing the surgery in case there were any legal issues. The man told me that he needed to fix his wolf soon because it was already having behavior issues - he said that it would probably start biting him soon, and not in the mouthy/nippy way that our doodles do. So I did a little research, and yes, wolf hybrids and wolves are legal to have in DE and PA, but you need a permit. However, the biggest issue I see with having an animal like this is that there is no approved rabies vx so if your wolfdog bit someone, it would most likely have to be euthanized right away to check for rabies. Then I was thinking, what if people who have these hybrids or wolves bring them to a dog park - I just don't think it's good to mix a wolf with a domesticated dog because dogs were bred to want to please people. Wolves are timid by nature and are independent and belong in the wild. I have heard that the hybrids generally have very little wolf left in them (although breeders tell buyers that there's more wolf in the puppy than there actually is), but this could be dangerous because if someone actually gets a hybrid with a high percentage of wolf, or 100% wolf, I would imagine it would be nothing like having a dog and most people probably wouldn't be prepared or able to manage a wolf.

[Adina P]

I dated a guy who had two wolf hybrids (a female and a male)...supposedly at least 75% wolf each. At that point in my life I wasn't 'into' dogs at all so I just found his wolves intimidating and good for covering my clothes in hair. But they were quite friendly and nice with people. I don't know if they were neutered/spayed (wasn't something I thought about then so didn't notice or think to ask/wonder about).

His roommate had a Rottie and one day when I was at his place alone, the Rottie and the male wolf got in a fight in the yard. I was clueless as to what to do and it ended more or less on its own with some blood drawn from the wolf (if not the Rottie too). Neither was injured but it scared me half to death!

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think these dogs are not really domesticated animals and should not be kept as pets. Breeding wolves or wolf-dog hybrids seems irresponsible Wolves are beautiful animals and I can see why people would be attracted to them as pets. They obviously have a high prey drive to survive and this makes them dangerous in a home situation.. Certainly a timberwolf does not belong in a dog park. Since this man is fearful of his wolf biting him it seems like a bad situation altogether. Perhaps he and the wolf would be better off if the wolf went to a preserve. I don't know why a rabies vaccine would not work on wolves though. I wouldn't want to be the one to give the shot , though!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It's against the law to have one here in Illinois, and it's against the law for the vets to innoculate them, even though I have been told that physiologically, the vaccination protocol is the same. Someone once tried to pass one off as a GSD to our GSD Rescue group, but it was obvious immediately that it was a wolf, not a dog. The eyes were yellow, it was much biggger, and the teeth were twice the size. All the German Shepherds had a very skittish reaction to it; they seemed intimidated, and they immediately knew it wasn't a dog. At any rate, our rescue isn't legally allowed to take them, the only thing we could legally have done would have been to have him humanely euthanized. We suggested a wolf preserve.
As far as how dangerous they are, I think it depends a lot on how much wolf is in there. I had been told years ago that you could not reliably train a wolf as a house pet, that you could never be sure of what they might do because they would always be wild, but that may have been a romanticized idea. I just don't see the reason to have a wolf for a house pet; there are enough breeds of dogs that are similar in appearance and "scary" looking, if that's what soemone likes. I think people who have them as pets are mostly the types that dress up in Renaissance Faire clothing as every day apparel. :-)

[Chris & Boys]

LOL Karen - I love your sense of humor!

[Adina P]

LOL at the Renaissance Faire image... The guy I dated who had two mostly-wolves was NOTHING like that. He is/was an Airforce pilot. I don't know if my memory is correct or not, but I could swear he said they were full wolves and would only tell others they were 75% so they would not freak out. But that seems unlikely...he walked these things off leash on trails. If only I had liked dogs back then, I could have more to say about them.

One time, though, we were up in some mountain and he let them wander around (because supposedly they always came back)...well this time they didn't. We drove up and down several times looking for them. The next day while he was at work and I was at his place, he got a call from a woman who'd found them. ***I*** ended up having to drive out 50 miles to pick them up in MY car---something terribly frightening for someone not into dogs: 2 wolfish creatures in the back of MY car! Eeeek!

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

I think wolves should be left in the wild and respected as the born free creatures they are. I dont think they should be bred with domesticated dogs at all. I just think there is a place for everything and I dont think any wild animals should be kept as pets. ie, (raccoons; crows (yes I said crows) wolves.) I feel it is disrespectful somehow.

[Caroline]

Yes, seems extremely irresponsible to breed wolf hybrids, and surely you have to be a very experienced handler to attemp to raise one?
Wow, de- skunking, whatever next? De- barking (hmm oh yeah that already exists)!

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

Yes, having skunks as pets is not unusual; they are very cat-like. They are easy to train to a litter box and are very loving. People do have the scent glands removed. I remember when I was young (6 or 7ish) one of my uncles had a skunk as a pet. It was very sweet and cuddly. I can remember asking my mother for months to allow me to have a pet skunk.

[Chris & Boys]

I just don't see the point in wanting to own a wolf or a wolf hybrid. It sounds like the guy is afraid of his wolf and perhaps a little desperate. I think that says it all....if he is afraid of it, he shouldn't have it.

This guys should have done his homework and found a vet before he bought the wolf. I would be worried about the safety and comfort level of the other customers at your office that would come in contact with this man and his wolf. I wouldn't be real comfortable sitting in the waiting room with my kids and dogs with a wolf sitting across from us - intact or not!

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

Now a wolfadoodle..that I would do!

;o)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I feel sorry for wolf-hybrids; they aren't domestic dogs and they are't wild animals. It's like they don't really belong anywhere. They probably aren't totally comfortable being confined in houses/yards/on leashes, but if you set one loose in a wolf preserve with full-blooded wolves, how would he fare? I wonder if the real wolves would accept him?
The example Adina gave of the two who ran off is what I was always told about them...they will always have that yearning to be wild. I think it's cruel to breed them for no reason except that someone thinks it's cool to have a "wild animal" for a pet.

[Adina P]

Well they didn't 'run off' as in just flea the scene...they'd wander and explore, and they'd come back....but this time they ended up wandering off till they didn't. I would imagine I'd lose Rosco too if I let him wander in the woods off leash while I sat and picnicked.