Today, there are over 250,000 wolves and wolf-dog crosses living as pets in the US.  Over 75% of these animals will die before their first birthday due to abuse, neglect and misunderstanding.  Those that do survive end up living at refuges and sanctuaries set up just to care for these cast-off pets.  All refuges are facing a population crisis because of the increasing popularity of wolves.  More people are buying and abandoning wolves and wolf-dogs each year than there are enclosures to take them in.  Many pet wolves and wolf-dogs are “set free” by owners that cannot bear to put them down, nearly all dying a slow and painful death of starvation or being shot on sight by a fearful person.
 

If you want to own a wolf or wolf-dog, please look into getting a husky, malamute or German shepherd.  These are all dogs that look and act much like wolves because they are very closely related.  But, at the end of the day, you still have an animal that it is possible to train and is at least moderately safe to have around people.  If, after all of your research and facing all of the harsh realities, you still must have a wolf or wolf-dog, rescue one that is already in need.  Why encourage the puppy mill breeding of more illegal wolves and wolf-dogs by buying one, rather than helping a wolf or wolf-dog that really needs it?  Make sure that you have the proper facilities, time and commitment needed.  Visit refuges to learn about building wolf-proof fence and healthy feeding practices.  Learn as much as you can about wolf behavior and body language.  Use your companion as an ambassador for its species.  Educate your acquaintances about the important role played by the wolf in the wild, and especially about the very accurate fact that these animals are not for everyone.

 

 

 

Wolf vs Wolfdog vs Dog: overall Physical and Behavioral comparisons.

 

Wolves are often portrayed as being a large, snarling bulk of animal.  While wolves can be large (especially in interior Alaska) they are not built the way many people think.

 

A wolf’s overall structure is very lean and light.  They are built for endurance and are very athletic and agile.   Most of the “wolves” people see on T.V. are Alaskan Malamutes or Wolf/Malamute crosses- and the size/weight factor USUALLY comes from the dog bred into them.

 

Note that these are "WOLF traits", not "wolfdog traits". Wolfdog’s are a mix of wolf and dog, and can take after either animal on any given feature.(!) A "high content" wolfdog will have almost all of these physical traits. A low content wolfdog may not have any more of the traits than a northern mixed breed dog!  And BEWARE--there are a few dog breeds that do have many wolf attributes! There is a LOT of overlap between wolves and dogs.

PHYSICAL TRAITS

Ears: Small, rounded, shoe leather-thick, heavily furred inside (not big & pointy like GSD ears). Erect at just a few weeks of age (3-4 weeks); wolf pups DO NOT have flop-over ears.(Malamute ears are set further out on the head than wolf ears. Husky ears are pointier at the tips, and set high on the head. GSD ears, of course, are much larger and thinner!)

Eyes: Light/pale (but NOT blue!), almond-shaped, slanted/"Chinese-looking"/obliquely set in the head...usually are yellow, green, orange, or amber...occasionally light brown; very intense look about them. Presence of a tapetum--i.e. the eyes reflect back brightly when a light hits them dead-on from a distance. "Red-eye" (caused by lack of a reflective layer in the eye) is a dog trait. 

Nose, Lips, Eyeliner, Gums: Always black, not pink or spotted. Very important for communication purposes, and are supposed to be highly visible from a distance. No "snow noses" as seen in Huskies and Malamutes (pink stripe thru nose).

Teeth: long, curved...large in proportion to dog teeth. 

Head: Large in proportion to the body. Snout is long and tapered, as opposed to the Malamute "snub nose". Forehead is very flat, the stop is not at all pronounced. (i.e. if you run your finger up along the top of the muzzle, on a *dog* you hit a "wall" at their forehead. On a wolf, you glide right up to the top of their head without any speed bumps.) Closest comparison in muzzle length and slope is a Collie.

Back: Straight, no downward slope like a GSD.

Body: Very elongated, tall, and narrow (not barrel-chested like a Siberian).  Height generally ranges from 26-35 inches at the shoulder and weights ranging from 70- 100 is most common. Some wolves get to be as large as 150 lbs, but it is not the norm.  AVG weight/height for males is 90lbs/32 inches- females generally run 80lbs/30 inches. 

Legs: Very long for the animals overall size. Front legs close together at chest, shoulder blades--as viewed from the back--should be close together, causing knees to be held more in towards the chest. Toes pointing slightly outwards rather than pointing straight forward like a dog. Back legs are 'cow hocked'. Unusually long pasterns.

Paws: Disproportionately large. Not "large" like GSD paws, but more like "enormous" (esp. in Arctics!)Toes are very long, and the overall footprint is more elongated than most dogs. (By comparison, Siberians have a very round--almost catlike--paw print.) Heavily furred between toes; toenails and pads of paws are always black (exceptions being Arctic wolves whose nails may be “skin colored” or taupe- NEVER clear or white. No rear dew claw.

Tail: Straight and bushy. Looks like a bottle brush. No curl (most dog breeds have some curl), and no "flag tail" as seen in GSDs. Wolves' tail ends above the hock, unlike GSD whose tail extends below the hock.

Fur: Double-coated. Stiff, long, black-tipped outer guard hairs; has a mane/ruff around the neck area, and longer "cape" hairs on the back (near the neck). Thin & wiry coat in summer, but grows a noticeably thick coat for winter. Not normally super-soft or extra-fluffy like some domestics...though there is some evidence that diet/illness can affect this.

Colors of fur: Each hair is banded with several colors along its length, as opposed to being one color all the way through. That's what gives the well-blended sable appearance. Sharp markings, such as those seen on Siberians, are a dog trait. Even on a white or black animal, the wolf saddle or "cowl" (further forward than a GSD saddle) should be slightly visible. Wolves are never one solid color (i.e. pure white), and they get a grizzled appearance as they age. Precaudal mark on tail is plainly visible (even in black or white animals), and made up of stiffer hairs than the rest of the tail. The gland--not just the mark--is also present. Markings are symmetrical: never a black spot over one eye, nor one tan ear and one white one. "Eyebrows" are visible, but are well blended as with the rest of the coat. Mask comes down the bridge of the nose, and around the eyes, i.e. "closed faced". "Open faced" or other odd markings signify Mal or Husky. No intentionally bald areas, such as the bald tummy on some dog breeds.

 

 

Behavior

 

Wolves move in a more loose, fluid manner than dogs; they run with head lowered and tail straight out; when they walk, they *slink*, keeping the head level with the body.  The back feet basically step into the paw prints of the front feet, and the front feet cross over each other ("single-tracking"). Wolves are generally more alert, more aware of their surroundings, much more reactive and intense than the majority of dogs. They're "live wires" compared to your average domestic, and will observe and react to almost everything in their environment--even things that YOU, the human, don't notice. If they are submissive, they are REALLY, really submissive; when they react, they OVER-react, etc. They'll start at the slightest noise. Pure wolves tend to be very timid animals...and this is genetic in origin. Dogs can *learn* to be shy, if not raised properly...but a wolf may well be born that way...and stay shy regardless of how well the owner socializes it.  Wolves are extremely "honest"--you can take their body language at face value.
 

The majority of wolves/high contents I have seen are quite shy (NOT aggressive) around people they don't know. It is rare for a wolf to be indiscriminately friendly (as is the norm for many "wolfy" looking northern breeds). However, some wolves who are genetically less fearful, and who have been well socialized, will greet new folks almost as cheerfully as a dog. Most will greet their "owner" joyously, though!

Intelligence is rather subjective and hard to quantify, but "wolf intelligence" has more to do with problem solving ability and getting what they want, than with common-sense (for dogs!) type stuff or learning tricks to please the humans. Most owners feel their intelligence is off the scale, for a dog...comparable to that of a small child.

 

Almost all of them have an extreme urge to put anything & everything in their mouths; often leads to them destroying whatever objects they got their teeth on! Wolves are excessively curious animals and will tear open a box or de-stuff the couch just to see what's inside.

 

Many of them seem to have permanent diarrhea if fed only regular kibble. Soy & corn allergies are the norm for wolfdog’s.  Wolfers seem to have a real affinity for high places--on top the counter, washing machine, fridge...or their doghouse if outside.  If "trapped" in a smaller enclosure, or in the house with the door to outside closed, they may become panicky.

 In a rescue/shelter situation, many won't take food--even a hotdog--when you go to evaluate them, and some of them won't even look at you...they just cower in the corner & hide their faces. Shelter life is extremely hard on the average wolf's temperament. Even the less frightened ones won't usually come to you; they lurk at the back of their kennel runs & watch you. (Remember, this is upper content animals, now. The low-content Siberian for example, often can't *wait* to get some loving' from their visitors!)

 

 

MacKenzie Valley Wolf, Mexican Grey Wolf, Arctic Wolf, red Wolf and other heritage claims.  Misrepresentation.