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Ashton ❄
#5636 • 3949 views
Posted: 2012-01-21 03:57:17
#10169
So, you want a wolfdog?
As someone who owns a mid-content wolfdog, I feel that I have a responsibility to lay down the facts about what it's like sharing your home with one of these animals.
I've seen far too many people with unrealistic expectations - owning a wolfdog is NEVER without complications, never without struggles, and NEVER without suffering. Believe me.
I am far from an inexperienced dog trainer - I've been training dogs since I was 7 years old, and it's been a passion of mine ever since. I specialize in working with dogs with dominance and aggression issues, and I've never met a dominant dog that I couldn't turn into a pile of pudding by the end of a training session. (This includes APBTs, rottweilers, GSDs and many other big, strong, energetic breeds with a ton of fight drive.)
This being said, nothing could have prepared me for the challenges I face as a wolfdog owner. You think your husky mix is stubborn? Think again.
Wolfdogs are by far the most stubborn, stuck up BRATS on the face of the earth. Your wolfdog will do things for the sole purpose of testing you to see if they can get away with it. While it is true that most dog breeds will exhibit this sort of behavior as puppies, the difference here is that a wolfdog will never stop. They constantly test to see if there is a possibility of them gaining the upper hand and becoming the alpha.
Say your wolfdog takes a shoe (or coffee table, your pick) out back and chews it to shreds, because he or she was bored. Your first reaction is to go punish them for it. Now, not only do they growl in your face when you try to go near them, they do it again the next day with a different shoe/household item. If you plan to own a wolfdog, you can pretty well expect to get growled at, and maybe even bitten by them. I've never been bitten by my boy, but that's because I know how to approach him.
You can never have a wolfdog fully trained. That is a fact, and it is a hard fact. If you are expecting a pet that will be your baby and listen to everything you say, please consider looking into getting a dog from a shelter and save yourself the agony and disappointment of an animal who is unruly and full of himself.
I have spent hundreds upon hundreds of hours doing rigorous obedience training with Motyka. Does that mean he listens to me all the time? Absolutely not. Wolfdogs are never going to conform to your absurd human lifestyle, and they are never going to be the perfect house pet. Why? Because they aren't house pets! They are very much independent animals and they will never see you as their sole provider. They will not become attached to you in the same ways that a normal dog would.
Also, be prepared for an animal that has extreme prey drive towards anything with feathers, fur, or hooves. Do you or your neighbors own livestock? Cows? Sheep? Goats? Chickens? How about horses? If so, refrain from getting a wolfdog.
Do you have children or siblings under the age of 16? Are you yourself under the age of 16? Do you own cats or small dogs? How about hamsters, or other pet rodents? Don't get a wolfdog.
Now, there are exceptions to every rule; our wolfdog loves our cats and considers them his best friends - they even wrestle together - but that is NOT the norm for these dogs, and we brought the cats in for a "test run" with him before officially adopting them. Additionally, for the first 6 months, he was not allowed to be alone with them in any part of the house, because these animals, like any other wild animal, can be unpredictable.
Another point I would like to bring forth is, can you handle the size of a wolfdog? Are you physically capable of restraining 120 - 150 pounds of extremely strong, determined wolf from going after that child/small dog/cat/rabbit/bird/what have you? I am a very firm believer that owning any animal you cannot physically control is absolutely 100% irresponsible and dangerous.
My wolfdog is absolutely tiny - he is the smallest you will ever see. He only weighs 65lbs, and is only 28 inches at the shoulder. By most standards, that's a big dog, but in wolfdog terms, that's about how big they usually are at about 6-7 months old, when they are half grown. The fact that we had him neutered may or may not have had something to do with this - his parents were both quite small as well.
The point I am trying to make is that these are not dogs, they are not "puppies", and they will not act as such no matter what you do.
Consider this before considering making a decision that could negatively impact your life, or the life of a wolfdog. Remember that every commitment you make to an animal should be life long, and you should never have the mentality that your wolfdog can be dumped in a shelter or be someone else's problem if they become too much for you. That is something you should consider before getting ANY pet, but especially pets with needs as different as these.
If you have anything you would like to add, or have any questions, feel free to post. This isn't exactly a debate, but I figured it belonged here since people will inevitably have differing opinions on the matter. :)
Replies
Jingle Is A Fox(An Official Jingle Fox)
#85621 • 2012-02-04 20:59:40
#85621
"But I want one" isn't what I'd say. No, I don't want one. But nothing. I'm am devoted to get a wolf dog mix no matter what
casiejb
#84342 • 2012-01-29 21:18:29
#84342
The only experience I have ever had with wolfdogs was this guy in my town who had like 3 wolfdogs and one that was supposedly 99% wolf but he just said that for legal reasons. It was a pure wolf.<br /> <br /> They were pretty well bahaved. Unless you invaded their home. My dad, who is a cop, went on a call to the guys house because a door was left open in the middle of the night, and he went into the basement and one of the wolfdogs almost broke down a door trying to get at him. He almost shot the wolfdog, but it didn't get through the door.<br /> <br /> They are not dogs in any way, and the owner was very irresponsible letting the public take photos in a tight pen with them, little kids even, without proper control. I am not saying that wolfdogs are bad, I wouldnt be opposed to taking one in if it needed a home, but I wouldnt go looking to get such a predator, my borzoi puts up enough of a challenge trying to kill anything that looks like a meal due to his predatory nature. And he's only 95 lbs, not nearly as much as a wolfdog could be. <br /> <br /> I think this is a great thing to be posted because I hear people saying "I want a wolf!" all the time and it is not something to be taken lightly. Just because you can control a lab, or a poodle, or even one of the really tough breeds, it does not compare to a dog that is half wild.
Larthan
#84118 • 2012-01-29 11:37:21
#84118
I've had personal experience on both sides of the fence for wolfdogs, myself. My parents adopted two from a wolfdog rescue when I was younger.<br /> <br /> Chief Bigfoot was a huge malamute wolf mix. He apparently took more after the malamute than the wolf, personality wise, but he looked in all regards like a giant wolf. He had the phenotype down pat, save for the size. Big, white, black ticking down his back that faded away into the white, big yellow eyes, pointy face, etc.<br /> This was the most docile, friendly, dependent wolfdog I had ever hand the pleasure of meeting. He would let me ride around on his back, he was submissive to everyone in my family, rolling over immediately and licking toes/legs/anything when approached. He would do tricks, and would even climb the fence just to go around to the front of the house and beg to be let in (of course we would, he was supposed to be out back)! He "lived" (read: slept in there at night when he couldn't be watched) in the garage because he was just too big to keep in the house reasonably.<br /> <br /> Then... there was Duncan. -_-<br /> <br /> This dog was the epitome of wolf. He was destructive, pushy, testy, but still submissive when the challenge was met. He would kill anything smaller than him that was not a human. He would eat through the PVC pipe that protected the wires for the air conditioner even. I often say he was dumb as a bag of rocks, but more than likely he was just a wild animal who was being forced to cope with being contained by humans.<br /> <br /> <br /> I'll tell you right here and now, Bigfoot was the exception to the rule, but it did not spare his life.<br /> <br /> What happened to these dogs? Well, back in a time when dogs were considered property, and only purebred dogs actually had a value, my neighbors were sending us many warnings telling us to get rid of the "vicious wolf beasts" - despite them not doing anything to the neighbors.<br /> <br /> Bigfoot disappeared one day while we were out. Bloody trail left on our porch and tire marks in our yard. You take a guess at what happened to him.<br /> <br /> Duncan was fed treats laced with rat poison by our neighbors, while doing tricks for them.<br /> <br /> Whether or not you want to believe it, these people still exist out there, and there are a LOT of them. You'll be hard pressed to find anywhere to live with a wolfdog that will not have people with ill will towards it.<br /> <br /> <br /> Let's look at another thing. There is probably no way you can get renters or house insurance that will cover you if you own a wolf mutt. It's hard enough to find ones that will cover pits, huskies, GSDs, dobies, etc. Just try finding a reputable insurance company that covers them.<br /> <br /> Then another issue - rabies vaccinations. Sure, I believe they work on wolfdogs and wolves... but the FDA and the federal government DOES NOT. It has never been tested thoroughly to prove it - therefore in their eyes it does not work. You'll be hard pressed to find a veterinarian who will even see your wolfdog if you are openly honest about the dog being part wolf. Add to this that you can not keep your wolfdog from being put down if they deem it a dangerous animal. Regular dog laws DO NOT COUNT for these animals, because they are not a dog. There is no "two/three strike" rule for them as there is a normal dog. Anyone can report that your wolfdog is dangerous, too.<br /> <br /> You can not take the dog out walking, due to the vaccination issue listed above, too. So your wolfdog will be stuck confined to your land (If you can keep it in! They are notorious escape artists!). If caught off your land, they can legally be shot, since any wolf that is comfortable approaching a human is deemed dangerous and possibly rabid.<br /> <br /> This is what you're dealing with when you have a wolfdog. This is what you accept as your responsibility. You cannot blame anything your wolfdog does, or anything that happens to your wolfdog, on him. Only on yourself, because you neglected to stop it from happening, be it through pure ignorance or neglect.<br /> <br /> I'm sure there's something I'm forgetting, but... meh. Can't think right now.
jive
#84113 • 2012-01-29 11:13:09
#84113
Al, I agree with the point you're making, but let me point out the difference in that scenario. Fighting dogs are bred and trained to hurt other dogs, but <i>not</i> their handlers. Most dogs that bite their owners, owner's children, handlers, etc. are culled - either through removal from the fighting "sport" or by being killed. Of course most fighting dogs can go to homes with small children; they were likely raised around them. But would you put one in a home with other dogs? Especially potentially dog-aggressive ones? I absolutely wouldn't. I've worked with dogs who came from fighting backgrounds before, and even if they get along with another dog most of the time, there's always the possibility that some simple thing will go wrong. All it takes is another dog slipping up and showing the wrong signs, challenging the former fighting dog, and many of them will revert back to their habits out of natural DA and/or fear.<br /> <br /> Dogs actually don't always fully recover from bad situations. My oldest dog has been with me for almost 7 years, now, and he's still a nervous wreck around people he doesn't know. He trusts me, and will usually just look to me for help and guidance if another person appears, but he is never going to be a friendly, outgoing dog with regard to strangers.<br /> To clarify, though, that's not an excuse for thinking that a wolf mix will be easy peasy to care for. If anything, the fact that you can't rehab a small, frightened dog into trusting you means you should <i>very</i> seriously reconsider your ability to cope with a wolf's (and many wolfdogs') lack of natural trust for humans. As Al pointed out: what if the animal you get doesn't trust you? How will you care for him/her? A canine that size can do a lot of physical harm to you and your property, not to mention others should it escape. Training, control, and vet visits will be almost impossible if he/she doesn't want to cooperate. Not to mention the unnecessary stress that puts on the animal.<br /> <br /> So far, in this thread, all I've seen is "but I want one" as an answer to everyone else's objections. What you need to consider is not your own "want" but the animals' needs and desires. Will he/she be happy in your care? If not, where will he/she go? Will you take the dog to the shelter if it turns out you're ill prepared? Where will you keep the dog if not? How will you deal with potential illness/injuries? Who will care for the dog when you have to be gone?<br /> The most important thing you should be considering before getting <i>any</i> animal is "is this in the best interests of the animal?" And I don't believe that has been done here at all.
Alcemistnv [567 candy corns]
#83813 • 2012-01-28 11:40:16
#83813
"She is not able to recover no matter what I try"<br /> <br /> Here's the question then. If you can't get a dog to trust you, how do you expect a wolfdog to trust you? What if the wolfdog you get DOESN'T trust you?<br /> <br /> Thats a great scenario to think about. <br /> <br /> I honestly believe that EVERYDOG can trust a human and if they can't at first, they can be trained. you see it all the time with pitbulll fights. Those dogs become monsters but yet, nearly all of them can be rehabilitated and brought into a household with children. If you can't get a single dog whose history isn't that bad to trust you, you won't get the apporoval from a wolfdog.
Jingle Is A Fox(An Official Jingle Fox)
#83668 • 2012-01-27 21:47:04
#83668
@Valentine's Roo- That is not my excuse. Dutchess is an old dog and even though the saying 'an onld dog cant be taught new tricks' is a myth, its proven true to her. She was put in a puppy mill. She was injected with drugs and forced to have puppies at a very young age. She is not able to recover no matter what I try. Ive gotten Roger9the wolfdog mix) to trust me and Heather but Dutchess wont coapporate
Leekar
#83394 • 2012-01-26 22:33:10
#83394
<i>"and hes just like a normal dog only 300x more destructive and plays very roughly."</i><br /> <br /> ...then he is not 'just like' a normal dog, is he? Wolfdogs are wolfdogs, they shouldn't be treated like a 'normal' dog because they aren't. They a mixture between domesticated and wild and need to be handled by owners who realize the strength and potential danger these wolfdogs can be, in the wrong hands that is.<br /> <br /> Any owner hoping that a wolfdog is going to be like a normal dog - just with that exotic wolf look that you can brag about - You'd be better off getting a small, easy to handle dog that won't try and control your household if given the chance.
Rescue dogs (yes, even emotionally and physically abused rescue dogs) can be rehabilitated past their abuse. I know because I've rehabilitated a few dogs like this. It just takes time and patience and the knowledge of how to work them through it. Sometimes the scarring is deeper and the process takes longer, but it's entirely possible to work them past their fears and help them live full, happy lives.<br /> <br /> I makes me sad when people use abuse an excuse for why their dog misbehaves :/
Jingle Is A Fox(An Official Jingle Fox)
#83274 • 2012-01-26 20:45:12
#83274
My dogs are rescues and were abused emotionally and physically. Thye have scars from when they were abused and they newver go away. They know basic stuff but its mostly mckenna who forges outside for food and acts like a brat if we dont give her any room in the car. I have a wolf dog(not mine but my step moms and its mid content) and hes just like a normal dog only 300x more destructive and plays very roughly.
Ashton ❄
#82921 • 2012-01-25 11:04:56
#82921
Hippie said exactly what I was going to. If you can't handle a regular domestic dog being a "brat" then you most certainly should not be venturing into wolfdog ownership. Take it from someone who LIVES WITH ONE. They are not, and I repeat NOT anything like dogs.
