Most people don't know anyone that has a wolf. Are wolves popular pets?
Depending on what part of the country you live in you may, or may not, know people who own wolves or wolf dogs as pets. In general as you go to the frontier and wilderness areas of our great country we find a rugged type of life style that often caters to the story book legends of old in our minds. In these rugged outbacks a man is often judged by the company he keeps, may it be that they are hounds, sled dogs, gaitors, or a pack of wolves. As the city encroaches and people get further from nature and their environment a change happens, and many loose connection with who we were as humans, vs. who we are now. The motivation to OWN or to POSESS a wolf or wolf dog is high. It probably rates up there with the glory and majesty of the Horse. Much like with horses though you usually find out the hard way (ouch) that you have to KNOW HOW TO RIDE to be able to control one. That's why not a lot of 13 year olds own black stallions, but still dream of owning one. Well like most expensive toys, at some point the desire to own, or to possess, becomes bigger than all the sensibility in the world. This, like the black stallion in the hands of the 13 year old, is destined for failure. Owning any pet so you can pick up a chick, or show off to your buddies on Super bowl Sunday, or take to the local Harley Davidson Rally, or just leave in the back yard and forget about, probably isn't going to be the best relationship for animal or human.

Many States and Counties where wolf dogs are legal are just stuffed with these animals. They can be as popular as, or even more so, than Dalmatians, Blue eyed Siberian Huskies, Neapolitan Mastiffs (I wonder if they come with 3 flavors in 1?), or even Dobermans, Collies, or GSD's. Depending on what movie the kids have been watching. The popularity of different breeds also tends to fluctuate in waves across the country. A lot like Fashion! Today Chihuahuas and hairless breeds are in. Subsequently overpopulation of a breed often leads to BSL a topic addressed in a recent pupforum newsletter, especially where large breeds are concerned.

Most people who know someone who owns a wolf dog usually end up wanting one as a pet they are so impressed with the animals their friends have. The media has frightened away the most qualified of buyers, those who are concerned, caring, and intelligent enough to read the newspaper in the first place (think about that one) and want to experience a relationship with an animal that is deep and meaningful to them. Being owned by a wolf or wolf dog is an awesome experience. These animals are deep and thoughtful in an almost human way. I think that people who are attracted to the aloofness of cats may be highly attracted to the wolf dogs' personality. At the same time they have a very deep bond of affection for those they consider their "family" and are quite gregarious amongst those they trust. They are deep and affectionate, yet independent and enduring at the same time. They like to go for long walks in the woods on a cold snowy day, or stand in a clearing in the woods in the early morning fog, or stay out all night in the pouring rain, and then sneak in to snuggle in a warm bed with you, "YUCK, THE DOG IS FREEZING COLD, SOAKING WET, AND HE SMELLS LIKE A WET WOLF!" Well life has it's surprises, and there is always something interesting going on in a wolf dog owners life, but not much furniture.

What is the biggest difference between having a dog for a pet and having a wolf?
The best way to describe the difference is by saying "A wolf is like a dog with volume turned ALL THE WAY UP". The wolf is a product of natural selection not animal husbandry. A wolf's goals are extremely primary in nature, and it's more like owning a feral (wild) 5-6 year old child, Romulus and Remus for example.

They don't distinguish between a rock and a table, both are convenient to sit on. "Mi Casa es Su Casa" probably applies, and what is sitting out uneaten in the trash, or on the counter tops, or being offered by the outstretched hand of a toddler probably will be eaten by any devoted canine. They may, or may not, be able to be taught to grow out of these stages. Training is empirical, their whole life you feel like you are still training them. Remember they are permanently at the level of a 5-6 year old child for their entire life. They do mature, as they grow older, but older is a long time away, adulthood doesn't even start until they are 7-10 years old in some cases.

The quality of the initial bloodlines (genetics) will have a lot to do with the temperament of the animals in question, and there are a lot of backyard breeders masquerading as qualified or experienced breeders. So don't be fooled by a bunch of "sounds good" logic. I should never want to leave out heavy emphasis on training either. The more you work with, and offer experiences to any living being, the more it will learn and the better it will be able to cope with any environment. Training IS the most essential part of owning a wolf dog. They are smart and like all smart things keep requiring new and greater challenges. If that attitude gets off on the wrong foot once again a nightmare may be knocking at your door. Like a bored child, if you don't provide them with stimulus, they WILL find it on their own, and you may not be happy with what they get into.

A wolf dog is also a mixed breed technically and so you have to expect the wide variations that you will have within mixed breeds. Some purebreedists (New word?), some people that believe that purebreds are better than mixed breeds would have you believe that these animals are "conflicted" by nature. I'm not sure how that would manifest itself either, it's kind of an amusing thought. Some of these people tell you that you will get the worst of both worlds. Well experience tells us that you get what you breed. If the parents have problems, the youngsters may have similar problems, both physically and mentally.

Doing your homework, researching the animals, and MEETING animals and owners that may be related to your potential puppy would really be the most help. Getting animals with pedigrees, and real people on the end of those pedigrees that you can contact and ask about their bloodlines, temperament, health, longevity, and what the animals eventually died of. I think that finding honest breeders who will help you locate the pup that is just right for you, even if it's not theirs, even if they don't benefit by it. You can see how the animal lives in its daily environment, compare it to the way you live etc. Some hybrids are very Shepherdy and may bark a lot, are dominant, and well mannered if trained, ball and play oriented, etc. Some are Nordic types Malamutes and Huskies, who want to run and pull sleds every day and don't really care much about anything but being nice and cold and running as far and as fast and as long as they can. They can be VERY talkative too. The animal may take after the wolf in its family background too, so you'd better be prepared for just about anything! Running, jumping, climbing, chewing, exercising and exploring are their favorite things to do.

Look into the breeds they are crossed with to see if those are characteristics you would enjoy also. When dealing with any breed though remember there are 3 categories of dogs, Show dogs that are bred for confirmation and (hopefully) temperament, working dogs (who are way smarter than the showy dogs) who have to work for a living protecting sheep, people, or searching out people in disasters, and "Pet quality" animals which usually mean they are bred by a backyard breeder for a nominal fee between 50 and 1500$ depending on how much they can take you for.

Keep in mind that a novice should never own a domestic wolf. These are animals for experienced animal handlers only. I wouldn't recommend owning a bear or a cougar or any other wildlife without sufficient handling knowledge and experience either. This is not a beginners animal, they are not toys, but are living beings that have to share their living space with you!

Can someone have a dog and a wolf in the same house?
Yes, wolf dogs and dogs can coexist in homes very well. Wolves will have a harder time at this but for the most part we have pretty much ruled out wolf ownership unless suitably qualified in which case you don't need to read any of this, you already know it. They do well with large dogs as they are on the same playing field. Be careful of thin-coated dogs that are prone to skin tears and rips like Dalmatians, Sight Hounds, and Dobermans. Wolf dogs like to play by grabbing at the ruff (the thick layer of fur around the neck) in thin-coated dogs this can lead to puncture wounds. Not out of meanness or deliberately, but just from daily rough housing that dogs like to do. The dogs with puncture wounds don't seem to mind much either, so just keep an eye out for them. Some small dogs do well with wolf dogs. I have had a number of people who have had Pomeranians with wolf dogs, Rat Terriers, Pit bulls, Dobermans, Great Pyrenees, Saint Bernard's, Dalmatians, Poodles, small and medium terriers, Pugs and Boston Terriers,…

Males are usually easier to get along with everyone, especially if neutered. In the wolf pack hierarchy the young males have to do all the baby-sitting and get stuck with puppies on their faces quite a bit. Although a little more rough and tumble, they are good-hearted and pretty trustworthy with other canines and other "family" (cats, kids, even rabbits and gerbils and birds sometimes!) members once part of a unit.

Females can be bitches, even if spayed, and are very cunning in their plans to eliminate their rivals in the household! Never trust them. There are some, more omega (or bottom ranking) females that will submit to all the others, even other females, and these of course would never rise up against the top dogs it is not in their genetic makeup to do so. These would be quite trustworthy and are usually good with kids and cats and just about anything else sometimes they won't even hunt rodents they are so gentle.

How big do wolves get and what do you feed them?
The largest wild wolf ever recorded in history was 175lbs. A far cry from what people selling them and owning them would have you believe. Some of the size is relative to the wolf and some relative to the dog. Wolves tend to have very long legs for their bodies, but don't carry a lot of weight. They can run faster and can see further because they are taller. This is quite practical on the plains or in the open Tundra. The Timber wolves (not all) can be shorter because the distance for sighting prey in the forest is quite a bit less, and shortness conserves energy. Length of leg is still important in swiftness though. Wolves are very short in the chest with shallow briskets. Wolves are built much like our toughest athletes, "the Jockey's". I know most people don't think of the little guys as such, but they are incredible, with body fat to muscle ratios of up to, or even less than, 5%! Any less fat to muscle means your liver and kidneys shut down! Because of this incredible athleticism, these animals do eat food and metabolize their drugs differently than a Labrador, or a pit bull for instance, but then again so do Sighthounds, Akitas and many other purebreds.

Siberian Huskies are only 35-55 lbs approximately. So a wolf husky cross could be a smaller individual. A malamute is about 60-80 lbs. This would be a larger animal. A GSD is about 65-80lbs: once again a larger animal. A Great Pyrenees Cross would be an 85-125lb animal, slightly larger still, etc. So size range, like type, in the wolf dog is quite varied from smaller 45lb animals to larger or average size animals60-80lbs, to an extra large boned type about 125-150lbs.

All canines should be fed a BALANCED diet of a good quality dog food, which can be supplemented by a variety of healthy supplements. Healthy supplements include meats, dairy products, vegetables, bread, pasta, and some really foul items! Dead animal parts are the #1 ingredient for supplements. Usually the organ meats and the stuff that "average" Americans would never consider eating, the stuff we throw away! Head, tongue, tripe, bone marrow, liver, kidneys, heart, gizzards, feet, hooves, skin, bone,… Generally fresh is better than cooked as most nutrients are lost in the cooking, and some bones are rendered very brittle by the cooking process and can injure an animal. Never feed cooked or raw wing or leg bones of any bird. They are hollow and can splinter injuring your pet internally. The body carcasses on the other hand are quite all right. Some people are proponents of "natural foods" (yet again a whole other article). Unfortunately most people don't do enough research on this subject and are simply not capable of adding in all the factors to actually supply a balanced diet. So start with a base of a good dog food, and supplement on top of that base.

Wolves DO NOT DIGEST CORN. Yes it is true. This will put many dog foods on a list of "Gives my dog the runs". Switching dog foods will also do the same thing, but will eventually get back to normal. You may have to try different brands to see which ones give you the best results. Some of those really expensive foods are well worth the money. Wolves do very well on many people foods. They can be fed lots of things you throw away in your fridge or freezer as "inedible" including things that may be green or furry! Wolves are known for caching their food and "aging" it naturally in the wild! Yuck! Eating raw meat bones will provide calcium and it will be evident in the stool, as dry and white.

On the subject of feeding puppies: Many people promote animals that are "bottle fed" what does this mean and what are it's ramifications? There is a belief, theory, old wives tale, and boy is the wolf community going to eat me alive for this! Those that don't believe it will reason with me, or be angry. Those that use it as the main shtick to sell their animals are going to condemn me for exposing the truth. Unlike Conrad Lorenz and his ducklings, Wolves and carnivores in general, bond at birth to the first thing they SMELL, NOT THE FIRST THING THEY SEE, which is quite a way down the road. Their whole lives and futures, their very survival, will be based on this one ability, the ability to scent.

So getting an animal from someone who whelps their puppies and takes the puppies out of the bags for the moms and is there at the first breath that the animal takes is far more likely an animal to bond to humans as companions. It also usually implies that there will be continuous handling of the puppies through out their developmental stages and they won't be just left for mom to raise on her own. Maybe you've stumbled on someone who cares and is really doing a good job and is NOT a backyard breeder. Remember: ALL BREEDERS ARE ALWAYS SUSPECT, they want your money, you want their product. What makes their DNA so good? How nurturing are they really? A Den-whelped puppy can be changed a little by bottle-feeding AFTER 15 days (when their eyes first open) but this has nothing to do with their VISION at all but has to do with the continuous handling at an early stage of development. IT CANNOT ever be substituted for the actual whelping of the litter by human hands helping mom. The concept of "I'll be feeding it when it's eyes open and it will see me first and bond to me." Is a romantic impossibility because of the way a carnivore develops (it only works on birds that hatch fully ready to go like chickens and ducks, Fowl in particular). Also unlike the way in which a Parrot bonds, which is more like human babies in that they slowly grow into you and your sounds when tube fed or spoon fed, until they are actually imitating your sounds and no longer making their own natural sounds. They now see you as a parent figure. These would be parrots that talk and do tricks eventually, with enough work.

Now the cons to bottle-fed babies: These animals, ESPECIALLY IF BOTTLE-FED BEFORE 2 WEEKS of age, are PRONE TO JUVENILE CATARACTS. There is documented evidence of this. There are nutrients missing that are essential for eye development at that stage and if not fed MOTHERS BREAST MILK theses animals are far more likely to develop juvenile cataracts than others. Siberian Huskies as a breed are prone to juvenile cataracts and this procedure would especially put those ones at a disadvantage.

What are some of the things someone should know before bringing home a wolf as a pet?
You do not want to bring home a WOLF unless you are an experienced animal handler familiar with many species, large and small, and their dangers. You must know what you are in for and you must have the physical and legal facilities to do the job right. Remember you will be an ambassador to all those who encounter "your experience" so it BETTER BE A GOOD ONE!!!

If you are considering owning a wolf like animal, define your parameters first: What do you want in the way of a dog? Not what it looks like you idiot! What do you need your dog to do? Indoor? Outdoor? Housebroken? Good with Cats? Good with kids? Where do you live? What kind of containment do you have for a large dog? How much open land do you have? How small a space do you live in? Does your animal have access to the outdoors on it's own? Do you have neighbors and what is going to happen when they see the dog? Do you want a protective animal and how protective do you REALLY want it to be: realistically? Do you have a high traffic or low traffic household? Who lives in your house, both human and animal? How much time do you have to devote to this animal? Are you prepared for grooming, training, containment, and destruction of property, prey drive, size, and potential health problems…? When do you plan on spaying or neutering this animal and how much will it cost to do all this?

After doing all of this, and you are still prepared to own a wolf dog, now your search is much easier as you have already defined a lot of goals and you have eliminated a lot of behavior patterns you DON'T want to deal with. Remember that the animal you are looking for is a life long companion that you are going to have a lifetime of experiences with, some from puppy hood, but on through death, which is a long time from now if you really care. That no matter how gorgeous that animal is it doesn't mean you will get along and like each other, be good for each other, or have a positive impact on each other and the world around you.

So I would recommend looking for the animal that fits the parameters that you have defined for yourself. You know you will love an animal that does everything you need it to and doesn't do things you don't want it to, even if that animal isn't a poster dog for the local wildlife club. The beauty of that animal will continue to grow throughout your relationship, which could be as long as 18-19 years. So you better make sure you don't have any other plans for the next decade or two.

Is owning a wolf legal in all states?
Wolves, being Native Wildlife, in most states require a USDA permit to own this type of wildlife. Just like owning a raccoon, skunk, deer, or other wildlife, and depending on the species or subspecies, some of which are still on the endangered species list, you may not be allowed any ownership whatsoever. Check with your local Federal Game and Fish Department for applicable laws in your area concerning ownership of purebred wolves. If you are in violation the wolves will be confiscated and destroyed.

Where wolf dogs are concerned we recommend the following. Find out what the local city or township laws are concerning ownership of a mixed breed wolf dog anonymously. Also enquire about county laws and state laws and not only laws but policies also. Find out how these animals are treated and viewed in your local community before you decide to go to the local dog park! You can do this by contacting your local Animal Control, or Humane Society, or even some Veterinarians might know. Certainly the State Veterinarian would know the local policies on the legality of mixed breed wolf dogs in your state and it's status. Find other people who own these animals in your state and ask them also, remember they may not be in the same county, town, or city that you are, so there may be a local variance for the breed. Treat in the same manner as any other Breed Specific Legislature.

A good and safe policy to maintain is that your pet is a MIXED BREED DOG, with no wolf. Avoid confrontations with people and other animals at all costs, once again you are an ambassador for the breed and you MUST NEVER have ANY appearance of impropriety.

Look at enough photos of different breeds to put together a mix that looks like your dog, maybe a greyhound collie GSD cross or a Sheltie, Husky, Shepherd mix, or a cattle dog Borzoi cross! Get creative!

ALWAYS vaccinate your animal for rabies. It is a killed cell vaccine, so the animal can never get the disease from the vaccine. Always vaccinate your animal as a dog or dog mix; never encourage people to see your dog as a wolf mix but to see it as a dog mix. Of course do all the other things responsible dog owners should be doing also, including vaccinating for Parvo, and Distemper, etc, treat for heartworm, check stool sample regularly and treat accordingly, yearly vet checks, license your animal according to the local dog laws, spay or neuter your pet at an early age for their health and safety, microchip your pet, and behave responsibly when in public at local dog parks or other social meeting places. Always supervise your animals around children, and water. Keeping them on a leash when around children they are unfamiliar with is always a safe approach.