The Nature Of Wolves
Wolves As Pets

Wolves As Pets In writing this section I had a hard time trying to put into words our view of domesticating a wolf or hybrid as a pet. In part because of Duke, (shown here) who is our "wolf". Duke was a mixed breed of Alaskan Husky and Belgian Shepherd. Both of these AKC breeds have a close history to the wolf, thus Duke comes across as a wolf hybrid. But he wasn't. In his book "The Wolf Almanac", Robert H. Busch puts the topic of domestication like this: "One of the most serious problems faced by humane societies across North America is that of the exotic pets. The lure of something different and the social need for status symbols has created a demand for exotic pets of all kinds, including the wolf and wolf-hybrids.   Some people see these animals as tangible symbols of the wilderness or have misplaced ideas about helping an endangered species by keeping one as a pet."   "Wild animals belong in the wild, not in one's home. No domestic situation can fulfill the mental or physical needs of a wild animal, no matter how much that animal is loved by its owner."   "A Russian proverb states that 'You may feed the wolf as much as you like, but he will always glance toward the forest.'" So please leave him there to begin with.   Not too long after this posting I found myself debating this issue with a friend at work, who operates a wolf hybrid rescue kennel. I was saddened by some of the horror stories I heard from her about each of the wolves she currently had on her farm/kennel. We also talked in depth about the lure of wanting to own a hybrid and how it is possible if you know a bit more about hybrids and what to look for.   First off, Robert Busch is exactly right in his view. High percentage wolf hybrids are indeed dangerous and should not be kept as pets. But in doing a little more research, I found a classification of hybrids that was a bit interesting to me. The Wolf -Dogs (Over 90%) In behavior, these guys are treated as wolves due to their high content. Variations in their height and color will be apparent, but behaviors are fairly consistent. These are the wolf hybrids Robert Busch and many other behavior researchers are most concerned with. The High Content (F1) An F1 is a wolfdog, where one parent is a documented wolf. There can be great variance in the resulting offspring. These differences depend on the type of dog used in the background or crossed with the wolf. It will even depend on if the wolfdog was line bred. Again, the high wolf content is a major concern and these dogs too are not breed for pets. The Mid Content (F2) An F2 is a wolfdog where one or both grandparents are documented as wolves and both parents are wolfdogs. There are many wolf characteristics in this content and it should not be treated as a regular domesticated dog. But if a puppy is brought into a family before it's 8 weeks old, this content of hybrid can become a loyal pet. Precautions are still required. These dogs will still challenge for position in the family pack. So if you have young children, do not consider one of these dogs. The Low Content (F3) An F3 is a wolfdog where one or both great-grandparents are documented as wolves, both grandparents are wolfdogs and both parents are F1 or F2 content dogs. The same precautions are suggested as with an F2 hybrid. However, these dogs will have less characteristics than the higher content hybrids. Each dog is different, and should be treated with continued caution. The Small Content (50% and less) These pictures are of wolfdogs that have wolf in their background more than 3 generations away. Most make good starters for the first time owner. If you want a dog with a wolf look, but without the aggressive characteristics, this is the content to consider.

Wolf Hybrids The Human Society of the United States currently counts over 200,000 wolf-dog hybrids in this country alone, are being kept as pets. Crossing a wolf with a Malamute, Husky or German Shepherd is the most common mix today. The theory is, mixing a wolf with a domesticated breed will some how dilute the 'wild side' of the wolf. (Back to Robert Busch): "Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, hybrids can be more aggressive than pure wolves, a lethal blend of wild predator and domestic animal that has lost its fear of man. Hybrids have a strong hunting instinct and have been known to regard small children as suitable prey."   "Hybrids tend to be taller and heavier than most domestic mixed breed dogs and much stronger. Their wild nature makes them resistive to both training and confinement." No matter how much love and care you think you can give to a high percentage hybrid, you can not replace the necessary exercise, mental stimulation and deep seeded need to be within a pack. Because of his looks, we use Duke as our example of how 'exotic' a domesticated mix breed can be. If you want to own a wolf, choose a domesticated breed that already has the "look". If you want a white wolf, the Malamute is a perfect substitute. If you want a black wolf, the Belgian Shepherd is a wonderful substitute. If you still insist on finding a wolf hybrid, then you must do your research. Very few people are federally licensed to rescue or kennel wolves. A few of these people are attempting to establish a breed that can be domesticated. But even these exotic breeds have to be treated differently than dogs. Hybrids "are not" dogs, I can't state that with anymore seriousness than that. A close friend of mine rescues wolves and hybrids from people who got more than they bargained for. And it's very sad to see the results and abuse that many of these creatures were put through. Through her efforts she is one of these people who is working with other rescuers to create a new hybrid breed called the Kugsha. And I was blessed with being the recipient of one of the puppies from one of her litters. Merlin is classed as an F2 hybrid. He was 8 weeks old when I brought him home. I thought I knew enough about wolves to accept him and raise him. I was proven somewhat wrong in that arrogant assumption. But thanks to Terry's assistance, I fumbled through the learning and Merlin has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. But not everyone is as fortunate to know someone such as my friend Terry. If it were not for her experience and knowledge, and willingness to help on a weekly basis, things could have turned out differently. Through my life with Merlin I can tell you from experience that wolves truly are not like a domesticated dog. I've never not lived without a dog in my home. So with all that experience and knowledge of raising a dog, there were many things that I had to change, ways of doing things, feeding, training and accepting some of his eccentricities that one doesn't have to do with dog. So I encourage anyone thinking of owning a hybrid to find that special domesticated mix-breed, such as Duke. The look can still be there, without the special considerations of the wolf and his characteristics.