Wolf hybrids or wolfDogs as they're increasingly referred to are canines that are the result of the breeding of a wolf with a Dog. They have become very popular and many people have bought these animals without knowing what they're getting themselves into.
WolfDogs come in different "percentages". This percentage simply means the percentage of wolf versus dog in them. The higher the percentage, the more wolf-like the animal will be. High percentage wolfdogs look and act like wolves.
While these animals are noble and awe inspiring, they are not low maintenance pets like Fido. Illegal in some States and restricted in others, they are not for inexperienced owners. Wolves though genetically related to dogs, have their own way of behaving and interacting with their surroundings. Wolves are very shy by nature and avoid humans, unlike their canine cousins.
Wolfdogs aren't as easy to train as domestic dogs and require a great deal of socialization to get over their fear of humans. This natural fear of humans makes them prone to fear biting, something that can literally lead to their death because to date, no rabies vaccination has been approved for use on wolfdogs. If you own a wolfdog and it scratches or bites someone, it will be taken away from you and put down, its head cut off and its brain examined for rabies, even if it's been vaccinated and you have proof of vaccination.
Wolfdogs aren't as eager to please as Fido and can be quite set in their ways. They can't be left alone at home and will resort to destructive behavior if confined. Wolves are elite escape artists and a wolfdog can easily escape over a 6 foot fence. They can also easily dig their way out of a backyard, so special precautions have to be taken if you're considering owning a wolfdog.
Wolves live in clearly defined social orders in a pack system, and within these packs there are constant power struggles. Young, juvenile wolves will challenge the pack leader for authority. Wolfdogs behave in the same manner, and might see a child in the household as a weak pack member and may try to initiate a dominance battle, which could lead to very unfortunate results.
Wolves are very territorial animals with a high predatory instinct. A child or pet running will inevitably trigger a predator prey response, again with unfavorable results. If a strange dog enters the wolfdog's territory, a vicious encounter may result, often ending badly for the dog.
As you can see wolfdogs are not ideal pets for most people, if you are still considering getting one as a pet, please be sure to do a lot of research. Too many wolfdogs are being killed or abandoned every year due to ignorance.
Chris likes to write on an assortment of subjects and has been doing so for some years. His newest website is http://gazingballs.org which supplies folks with information on gazing ball stands.
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