A Wolfdog by VinJas Pet Supplies - HTML preview

Introduction

You wouldn't raise a Bengal tiger kitten and expect it to grow up with the personality of house cat, would you? Probably not. Nevertheless, many people actually believe that with plenty of love and attention, they can turn a wolf into a dog. Despite their similarities, wolves and dogs are different animals.

The evolution of dogs and wolves and their resultant behavior is a fascinating subject well worth exploring. Further reading will not only lead you to a deeper understanding of the issues raised in this booklet, but also increase your appreciation and enjoyment of that unique and wonderful animal with which so many of us are privileged to share our homes and lives: the dog.

Find enclosed information on Wolfdog and Children, one of the biggest fears held by most communities.

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What is a Wolf Dog Hybrid?

A wolfdog is a dog with recent wolf heritage. That is, a wolfdog has a pure wolf ancestor within the last five generations. (That would be the wolfdogs great-great-great grandparent.) Note: Though many people still use the term "wolf hybrid," this is not an accurate term. A

„hybrid” is the offspring of two different species. According to the reclassification of the dog by taxonomists in 1993, the domestic dog is actually viewed as a domestic variant of the gray wolf.

How much wolf do they have in them?

Most people, when they ask this question, want to know the percentage of wolf in the wolfdog –

90%? 50%? 25%? Unless you know the animal‟s heritage for many generations back, there is no way to tell for sure. People who work with wolfdogs are more concerned with wolf content. This is usually determined by phenotyping, making an educated guess based on various physical and behavioral traits.

What are they mixed with?

Most of the wolfdogs we see are mixed with German Shepherd Dog, Alaskan Malamute and/or Siberian Husky. People want wolfdogs that look “wolfy,” and these breeds most resemble their wild cousins.

Where do they come from? Do people actually breed them?

People actually breed them. There are some ethical, responsible breeders out there. They keep accurate and honest records, are particular about what they breed into their lines, evaluate and educate potential buyers carefully, and take back the animals they sell if they do not work out, for whatever reason. Unfortunately, such breeders are rare. Most of them do not care what type of temperament or health problems may be in their lines, often misrepresent the heritage of the animals, will sell to anyone who shows up with the purchase price and, once the sale is done, that‟s that. If the buyer has a problem or can‟t keep the animal, too bad. And that‟s when the wolfdog ends up in rescue.

Aren’t they really wild animals? Shouldn’t they be running free somewhere?

Wolfdogs are not wild animals. They are domestic animals with special needs. They were created by humans, and they depend on humans for food and protection, and often for companionship. A person who dumps his wolfdog in the woods, believing it can take care of itself, is sentencing that animal to fear, confusion, loneliness, and a death by starvation, disease, attacks by other animals, or a bullet.

Aren’t they mean and aggressive?

Wolves are, by nature, timid around humans. Likewise, so are high content wolfdogs. Should you have an intruder, your wolfdog is much more likely to hide under the bed than to face him.

So-called wolfdog “attacks” are either a misinterpretation of behavior or not perpetrated by wolfdogs at all. There has never been a reported attack on a human by a healthy wolf in this country.

I want a wolfdog! Now what?

First of all, you need to make sure you are allowed to keep one where you live. Wolfdogs are illegal in some parts of the country. Even if it is legal to own one in your town, you may be required to have specific containment or a special permit. Be sure to check it out before you adopt.

Second, do your homework. Learn all you can about wolfdogs so that you are able to decide whether a wolfdog would be a good match for you. You will also find training books at

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Then, when and if you‟re ready for a wolfdog, contact a wolfdog rescue organization. Whether you‟re looking for a youngster or an adult, low content or high, couch potato or wild and wooly, they can put you in touch with someone who can help you find your lifetime wolfdog companion.

What kind of Wolfdog breeds are there?

There are many wolfdog breeds and here we well talk about the following breeds; 1. Saarlooswolfdog

2. Czechoslovakian Wolfdog

3. Kunming Wolfdog

4. Lupo Italiano Wolfdog

In 1921, Dutch breeder Leendert Saarloos started crossbreeding a German

Shepherd Dog male to a female Mackenzie Valley Wolf. He aimed for an improved version of the German Shepherd Dog which would be immune to distemper, and succeeded insofar that the Saarlooswolfdog we know is a strong imposing dog, but it kept its wolf like characteristics; it is cautious, reserved and lacks the ferocity to attack; it is not the dog that Leendert Saarloos hoped to get. In the past, some Saarlooswolfdogs were trained as guide dogs for the blind and as rescue dogs.

The Saarlooswolfdog is a fairly large dog, up to 76 cm at the shoulder and weighing up to 40 kg.

The muzzle is wide, and the ears pointed and held erect. It is an athletic dog in build, with medium bone, and a strong and muscular body. Its coat is short and dense, providing superb protection from the weather. The colour of the dog's coat, however, can vary between black, tan, red, white, silver, or blue. The Saarloos has wolf-like expressions, as well as a wolf-like head.

Due to its size and strength, the Saarlooswolfdog is only recommended for experienced dog owners. Most owners have at least two Saarloos to provide the necessary pack, because the animals are still pack-oriented. The breed is very intelligent. Isolation intensifies anti-social behavior, and these dogs will panic if locked in an enclosed space.

The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is a relatively new breed of dog

that traces its original lineage to an experiment conducted in 1955 in Czechoslovakia. After initially breeding 48 working line German Shepherds with 4 Carpathian wolves, a plan was worked out to create a breed that would have the temperament, pack mentality, and trainability of the German Shepherd and the strength, physical build, and stamina of the Carpathian wolf.

The breed was engineered to assist with border patrol in Czechoslovakia but were later also used in search and rescue, schutzhund, tracking, herding, agility, obedience, and drafting. It was officially recognized as a national breed in Czechoslovakia in 1982.

The color of the hair is from yellow-grey to silver-grey, with a light mask. The hair is straight, close and very thick. The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is a typical tenacious canterer; its movement is light and harmonious, its steps are long.

It is quick, lively, very active, fearless and courageous. Distinct from the character of

Saarlooswolfdog, shyness is a disqualifying fault in the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog.

The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog develops a very strong social relationship not only with their owner, but with the whole family. It can easily learn to live with other domestic animals which belong to the family; however, difficulties can occur in encounters with strange animals. It is vital to subdue the Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs passion for hunting when they are puppies to avoid aggressive behavior towards smaller animals as an adult. The puppy should never be isolated in the kennel; it must be socialized and get used to different surroundings. Female Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs tend to be more easily controllable, but both genders often experience a stormy adolescence.

The Kunming Wolfdog also commonly known as the Kunming Dog is an established breed of wolfdog originated in China. Unlike most other wolfdog crosses, Kunming wolfdogs are suitable to be guard dogs and working dogs due to their German Shepherd dog ancestry. They have been trained as military assistant dogs to perform a variety of tasks such as detecting mines. Some are also trained to be fire dogs and rescue dogs. Today they are commonly kept as family companions by many pet owners in China.

Kunming Wolfdogs are typically medium-sized dog who fall under the spitz type category. The head and body of the Kunming wolfdogs are similar in appearance to the German Shepherd Dog except they stand taller in the back. They have seasonal coats that grow into a double layered coat during the late fall to the early winter but will later on shed into a shorter coat during the late spring. The tail is long like their German Shepherd cousins. Kunming wolfdogs occasionally lift their tails curled high when excited but they often carry it lower behind their back like their wolf ancestors do. Coats are marked with a black saddle and muzzle, with other colors ranging from light straw to deep rust.

Kunming wolfdogs share similar behavioural traits to their German Shepherd ancestors. They are extremely intelligent, normally self-assured and are marked by their curiosity and willingness to learn which allows them to excel in task training. However, they are also highly active and require a lot of activities and ideally one long walk per day in order to keep them occupied. Like German Shepherds, Kunming wolfdogs are only suitable to have around children if properly trained and supervised. Because of their wolfdog ancestry, they still have the tendency to occasionally challenge the people around them.

The Lupo Italiano Wolfdog was created in 1966 by crossing a wild she-wolf from Northern Lazio with a German shepherd dog. Resembling a German Shepherd in appearance, its snout resembles that of a wolf.

Unlike most wolf-dog hybrids this canine displayed a propensity to be used as a working dog, and its breeding was taken over by the Italian Government. A breeding facility was created in Cumana (Piedmont) and the number of dogs gradually increased to about 700 specimens. The breed was officially recognized by the Italian Government and laws were passed to provide financial resources for its breeding. Nowadays numerous Alpine rescue teams utilize these dogs to search for avalanche victims.

Guideline Characteristics of Wolves and

Wolfdogs

As you know, positive identification of a wolf is only possible through skull measurements once the animal is dead. Obviously, that is not an option for you. But there are some distinctive phenotypic and behavioral characteristics that we look for when evaluating whether an animal is a wolf or wolf hybrid.

Length of hair is an important clue. Wolves have a very characteristic long-hair mane and ruff.

The mane starts at the back of the head and continues down the center of the back to the base of the tail. Dogs have even-length hair and with the possible exception of some huskies, they don't have a mane.

Wolves have pink/reddish colored hair between their toe pads. Their ears are short and erect.

Wolves have yellow eyes, large feet, long legs, a long muzzle and a slender chest. Wolves' tails hang straight down. They have a dense undercoat, even in the groin area.

Hybrids' colors vary widely due to the dominance of the mix so it is a less reliable indicator.

There also is a wide variety of color in wild wolves, so it cannot be the sole determinant.

Size also is a less reliable indicator. Wolves typically range from 70-120 pounds, with the occasional exception exceeding 130 pounds.

Finally, behavior is one of the biggest clues. Wolves are shy and avoid eye contact with humans other than their owner. They generally listen to and take commands only from their owner. They will leave the room or hide when a "new" person walks in.

Obviously, not every wolfdog will exhibit all these qualities. The more of them exhibited, the more likely the animal has a high degree of wolf lineage.

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Wolf Dogs and Children

In the state of Michigan wolf dogs are less common than in other states, but they do exist. One such wolfdog was kept on a chain in the back yard, but well away from the house. The animal was reportedly 7/8 wolf, although according to one very knowledgeable person who has seen photos and video footage of the animal, he is much lower in wolf content. At best he could be 1/2 wolf. This animal was reportedly good with children and the owners had no reservations about allowing children to play with or around him.

On the 15 of March, 1990, a friend of the animal's owner came over to visit and brought her 2-year-old child. The child had previously "played" with the wolfdog and there had been no problems. While the mother was visiting, she put her child into the back yard. Shortly afterward they noticed the animal shaking something -- that something was the child. Most of the throat was torn out; the child was nearly decapitated!

So what happened? How could such a tragedy take place? Wolves, dogs and wolfdogs all have the potential for killing. It is part of what they, as predators, do for a living. However, with many breeds of dogs we have greatly modified predatory behaviors through centuries of selective breeding.

There are two important things that go into eliciting a response from an animal. One is the threshold, or level, at which the response is triggered, and the other is the intensity of the evoked behavior. When it comes to the wolf, the dog, or the wolfdog, and their reactions around livestock, small pets, and even children, it's all a matter of degree to how they will react given a specific situation.

Have you even wondered why children are told never to run around dogs, especially if they are strange dogs? Running is one of the things that elicits or "triggers" predatory behavior. Crudely put, a "trigger mechanism" releases a specific innate (or instinctive) behavioral response to a specific environmental stimulus. Also, there is a specific threshold for the elicitation of the behavior that varies from animal to animal.

In most breeds, the motivation to hunt has been lowered. A dog that sees a running child may chase it, but even then, it will rarely follow through. Once a wolf is chasing a child (remember we have not done any significant selective breeding on wolves), the likelihood that it will complete the normal sequence is much, much greater than for a dog.

So, can a "pet wolfdog" be good with children? Well, that depends on what one means by

"good". There are many wolfdogs, and some pure wolves for that matter, that have shown great tolerance and even pleasure in interacting with kids. However, at least in the sense that a dog that is good with children, can be fully trusted with them, a wolfdog often cannot, a wolf never so.

The reason you cannot ever trust a pure wolf with children is because of the aforementioned lower threshold for the trigger mechanism regarding predation and the lack of any alteration of their predatory behavior once the trigger is released. Importantly, I must emphasize that these behaviors are genetically encoded -- they cannot be eliminated by "proper socialization" or

"training"; at best they can only be suppressed.

Of course, there are many wolfdogs that are good with children, even some pure wolves.

However, of the animals that I've seen or have heard of that are (or were) good with children, most are low in wolf content or are very young. The few exceptional animals are just that, exceptional. One of the problems I've seen in many people's perception about wolves is generalization. Just because some wolfdogs are good with kids, that do not mean that all wolfdogs are good with them, or even that any particular animal will be safe and trustworthy around kids for all its life or under all circumstances. Any pure wolf has the potential of attacking, even killing a child. As for wolfdogs, who would honestly be willing to take that chance with their children , not to mention the often fatal consequences if a wolfdog should ever bite anyone?

Everyone has probably seen newspaper ads describing wolfdogs for sale with one of the selling points being that they are "good with children". Some breeders will also claim this point in person. Keep in mind that there are a lot of breeders out there that are in it for the money. They look for means of selling animals and this is one. It's also important to realize that there are many wolfdogs being sold by inexperienced owners as well. Ignorant of their animals' potential, and having never been informed themselves that there could be a problem, they in turn will sell animals that are "safe with children."

Getting back to the child recently killed in Michigan: imagine a hybrid who is good with children, yet is kept chained up -- a very important part of what happened. Any animal on a chain is deprived of any normal social needs. Many of the chained animals that I have seen show marked signs of social deprivation. They are easily excitable, very rough and sometimes aggressive when approached. This is just speculation but when the child walked up, the wolfdog probably became very excited. Someone was coming over to socialize with him! Now imagine what happens when a large animal, weighing many more times more than a small child, in his excitement accidentally knocks the child down. What do children do when toppled, and perhaps scratched? They scream and kick. This is just the thing that will trigger a predatory response.

The animal does not mean to do it; it is programmed to do it.

The really tragic thing is that this was fully preventable! The mother should have known better than to leave a small child unsupervised in a back yard with any large dog. The owner should also have known better than to allow anyone to leave a child with the animal, and MOST

IMPORTANTLY THE WOLFDOG SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ON A CHAIN IN THE

FIRST PLACE.

An animal, any animal, that was always good with children suddenly finds itself with its chain wrapped around a panicked, screaming kid, the situation could either trigger a critical reaction in the animal (it bites in fear, snapping at anything nearby), or trigger predatory behavior. Either way, the child is severely injured. Worse yet, unsupervised children in the neighborhood may find that teasing the animal gets an interesting reaction; the animal in turn is conditioned to become aggressive with kids. In fact, chaining used to be part of "agitation training" of attack dogs. The animal would be put on a chain and someone would dart in and out of its range teasing it to bite. Before long the dog would become very aggressive.

All this does not mean that your animal will attack your child one of these days. As tragic as this was for all the people involved and for the animal as well, it is also tragic for all those who do keep their animals responsibly.

What can we do? We can police ourselves. We can do all we can to convince people to be responsible owners and to build pens for their animals and get them off chains. Wolfdog organizations can put clauses in their registries requiring that no animals are to be kept on a chain. Breeders should only sell to people that have already built a pen for their animals. If they can't afford a pen then they can't afford the animal and we can't afford any more tragedies like these.

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Love and Discipline

When buying a new puppy, many people have questions about how to bond with and discipline their wolfdog. Over the years we have gathered a great deal of experience in this matter. The one recurring theme we have noticed is that you cannot have one (love or discipline) without the other. You spoil your pet and wonder why it won‟t obey even simple commands, or you only yell at your pet anytime you see it and wonder why it won‟t come when you call. Both of these environments are unhealthy for a pet.

This will not be a guide to training your pet to roll over and play dead, this is a guide for new pet owners to inform them on what we have discovered, and what they can discover from their relationship with their new puppy.

I considered writing this in a chronological manner, but every animal has its own personality, and its own rate at which they mature.

When you first bring your puppy home, the balance will favor love. This is the time when you‟re forming your bond with your new puppy. This puppy will be your best friend for better or worse.

This time is fundamental to your puppy. Typically I tell a new owner that an average of a week of constant attention and love is important for their new puppy. Depending on their socialization from birth, it could be more or less than a week. We very intensively socialize our puppies from birth, and typically they form new bonds in just a few days. For those first few days, I recommend that people refrain from chastising their puppy. You want to build a trust first.

The puppy will have to reach a certain age before it understands the concept of “mine” anyway.

“Mine” is a word we‟ve used with our puppies to signify things that are off limits to them. Even animate things like our cats, are ours, not theirs. As they get closer to adulthood they will better understand this principle and respect it.

The concept of “No” is the same. Although we typically don‟t use the word “no” with our dogs.

We instead use a sound, like “ah!” with a strict tone of voice. And in some cases I will growl at my dogs if I adamantly want them to stop a behavior. But you should do what is most comfortable for you.

Discipline is important to maintain your position as the alpha in your pack. Not only will this make you safer with any dog you own, but it will also make your wolf or dog feel safer. When there is a noise out in the darkness, my wolfdogs hide behind me. When the puppy is still small, after they‟re bonded to you, you should put them on their back on the ground. This will let them know absolutely that you are the alpha. It will also ensure that when they are too large to easily be physically dominated, they will still be submissive to you. Another sign of submission is their ears pulled back against their head. The importance of being the alpha in your household is that this will give your wolfdog a sense of security and stability. That is why this balance is so important, on both sides...

Last and certainly not least, Love. This is even more important than discipline. Many dogs around the country and the world each year are treated with no love. That is a tragedy. Before you consider buying any pet, you should search inward and consider if you have the time and energy to give them the love they need. Love also extends to how you care for your animal.

Make sure they have fresh, clean drinking water everyday. Make sure you give them the proper diet (Evo, Blue Buffalo, Taste of the Wild, etc), these are examples of foods with no unhealthy fillers. Your dog‟s looks and attitude will be reflected by the quality of their diet. Make sure you always nestle away money for surprise veterinary needs, this is important, you never know what tomorrow will bring.

In summation, if your only reason for buying a wolf dog is to have a trophy pet to show off to your friends, DO NOT BUY ONE. If you‟re looking for a loyal friend who will always give you unconditional love, then a wolfdog may be just right for you.

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