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One of the most important aspects to
consider when a wolf hybrid dog comes into your life is predicting
what the “dog” portion will add to the mix. The particular dog
breed genetics can have a very profound influence on the personality
and behavior of the wolfdog. Most breeders of wolfdogs
intentionally breed with German Shepherds and/or huskies to retain
most of the desirable wolf traits while providing the benefit of the
trainability of the dog. However, because any wolf hybrid dog is
still a mixture of dog breeds, predicting the exact outcome can be
tricky even for experienced owners and breeders. This has prompted
many people and groups to create what are becoming known as
particular “breeds” of wolf hybrids. By defining a type and
creating a standard, these new breeds are developing more stable and
predictable wolf-like dogs.
Primitive breeds are those which have
been around for centuries or longer, and have evolved in response to
the unique cultural needs and conditions of their region. Even in
modern times, many of these primitive breeds are still closer to
their wolf ancestors than many modern pets. Most are working dogs,
bred for loyalty and bravery, prized for their strength as much as
their hunting and tracking skills.
Please
Note:
The following are breeds of dogs,
some of which have been
derived from the crossbreeding of wild wolves and domestic canines.
They may or may not be regarded as hybrids depending on your area and
who you talk to. Most are still struggling for recognition and are
still very rare. There have been difficulties in some areas due to
wolf hybrid laws and restrictions because of the recent wolf
ancestry. It is important to be certain how your local laws and
ordinances define the term “hybrid” before brining home a member
of one of these emerging breeds.
Czechoslovakian
Wolf Dog
One of the most popular new breeds to
date is the Czechoslovakian Wolf Dog. Its lineage traces back to
experimental breedings done in 1955 between a German Shepherd Dog and
a (European) Carpathian Wolf. This breed was officially recognized
in the CSSR in 1982 and in 1999 by the FCI. In 2001, the AKC opened
FSS registration for dogs in North America. Unlike most hybrids, the
CsV is often a good watchdog, as it lacks the typical shyness found
in most wolf crosses.
These dogs have the beautiful
appearance of their wolf ancestors, along with natural speed and
agility. They are incredible natural athletes, who are able to able
to run 100 km (over 60 miles) with ease. They are often large dogs.
The FCI standard sets a minimum height of 60 cm (23 ½ inches)
for females and 65 cm (25 ½ inches) of males. There is no
upper limit on height, and many dogs are reported as being
considerably taller. These dogs demand a fair amount of exercise,
for both mind and body. They are highly intelligent, and can become
bored easily, which can lead to destructiveness or other undesirable
behaviors.
When raised and socialized properly,
this breed has no problems being around children, and will loyally
defend its entire family as its “pack”. Its pack can and often
does include other pets as well as humans. However, it may become a
problem around strangers, and may see other dogs as a threat it feels
it must defend against. They have a very strong prey drive, which
makes bringing smaller pets of other species into the home later a
real challenge. The prey drive must be suppressed when they are
quite young, as their drive to hunt their own food is still a natural
instinct.
These dogs are highly intelligent and
extremely social creatures. They need to be made a part of the
family early in life, and training should begin as a pup and continue
throughout the wolfdog’s life. It is essential that they are a
part of the family, taken on vacations and other outings, and never
left behind with strangers to tend to them or placed in a kennel.
This breed previously was a problem
importing into the UK due to the regulations regarding wolves and
wolf hybrids established by the Dangerous Animal Act. In recent
years, this has been resolved, providing the imported dog has the
necessary pedigree paperwork and heath requirements.
The
Saarloos Wolfdog
The Saarloos Wolfdog is a breed that
began from an experiment in the 1920’s in the Netherlands. Again,
the breeds originally utilized in the mixing were a European Wolf and
a German Shepherd Dog. The original owner/breeder, Mr. Leendert
Saarlos, was the only owner/breeder of this line for the first 40
years, selecting his breeders based on temperament and health.
In order to be a recognized breed in
the Netherlands, the Saarloos Wolfdogs needed to be a proven working
breed. Mr. Saarloos attempted to train them for Schutzhund work, but
the natural shyness of the wolf prevented the dogs from attacking.
However, they did prove their worth as seeing-eye dogs as well as
search and rescue dogs due to their enhanced senses and profound
loyalty. In 1975, the Saarloos Wolfhound was acknowledged in the
Netherlands. In 1981 it was recognized by the FCI. This breed is
not yet acknowledged in the United States.
This is also a naturally active and
intelligent dog, needing plenty of exercise on a regular basis. It
is shier than the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, and does tend to suffer
from separation anxiety if separated from its owner for too long.
This dog is not suitable for protection work and is not a watchdog.
It gets along well with other dogs, mostly tending to want to play,
but still retains the high prey drive that creates problems for
smaller animals. It does get along well with children so long as it
has been socialized with them as a pup.
The behavior of the Saarloos is very
reminiscent of its wolf ancestors. It tends to be cautious and
skittish around strangers, always wary of the unknown. It is highly
curious and extremely independent. It takes a determined owner to
maintain the pack structure this dog demands. These dogs express
themselves primarily through their wolfish body language, and to
understand them means studying up on wolf mannerisms and behaviors.
Its pack tie is too strong for it to be left unattended for more than
a few hours at a time; therefore it must be allowed to accompany its
family as often as possible. Its wild instincts also create a sense
of anxiety for the dog if left in a kennel or tied out—its
instincts demand its freedom.
The
American Tundra Shepherd
In 1968, Frank Catania began an
experiment for the United States government that involved the
crossbreeding of German Shepherd dogs and Alaskan Tundra Wolves
(canis lupus tundrarum). It was the intent of this project to create
a new breed that was highly aggressive yet also highly trainable.
After five years, the project was deemed a failure and abandoned.
Breeding continued privately, however, until a line was established
that was more willing to allow training and did have a strong
protective nature.
The end result is a rather large dog,
ranging in height from a minimum of 27 inches (68.5 cm) up to 34
inches (86 cm). Weight ranges from and average of 85 lbs (38.5 kg)
for females and up to 150 lbs (60 kg) for males. There is a great
deal of variety still in the coat length and color, and also in their
temperament, ranging from very gentle to somewhat aggressive. These
dogs are great natural watchdogs, and many are suitable to be trained
as protection animals.
The American Tundra Shepherd has not
yet been recognized by either the AKC in American or the FCI in other
countries, but breeders have established their own breed organization
and do keep a registry of their animals.
Japanese Wolfdog (Shikoku)
This Japanese
dog hails from Khikoku Island, and is similar to the Shiba Inu. It
is often referred to as a deerhound, as its original purpose was
hunting in mountainous areas. Hence, they are very athletic and
agile, able to cross rough terrain with grace and speed. It is a
medium size dog, females averaging about 20 lbs, males averaging
about 40 lbs.
These dogs are known to be wary around
strangers, but very devoted to their families. They retain a
primitive nature and a strong prey drive, and therefore require
constant, proper socialization and training throughout their lives.
It is considered to be a very brave dog, willing to take after game
much larger than itself. It is very active and alert, and needs to
be assured of getting plenty of exercise. They are great companions
for the active outdoor person, as they love to spend hours on a
hiking trail. These dogs should not be allowed to run free, however,
as their hunting instinct will have them quickly on the trail of
something, and they may not return when called.
The Shikoku generally acts submissive
with his master, but is aloof with others. They are not quite as
stubborn or independent as some of the other primitive type breeds,
and are easier to train. They are occasionally known to be dog
aggressive, so it is important to socialize them as pups and
supervise them with care as they get older.
This breed is very rare outside of
Japan, but is recognized by the Japanese Kennel Club and the Canadian
Kennel Club. It is not currently recognized in either the UK or
America.
Inuit
Sled Dog (Canadian Inuit, Canadian Eskimo, or Qimmiq)
The Inuit Sled Dog is not new breed,
but an ancient one. Its roots trace back at least a known 4000 years
to the Inuit people living in the arctic. It is an incredible sled
dog, even in modern times, and has crossed the planet taking
explorers to both the North and the South Poles. These dogs were not
bred to be companion animals, but tough and rugged working dogs that
had the qualities necessary to survive the harsh environments.
The Inuit dog was and still is more
than a sled dog. It is another primitive breed, and is a skilled
hunter. Good Inuit dogs can sniff out a seal’s breathing hole even
in a snow storm, and is intelligent enough to remain quiet until the
hunter arrives so as to not scare off the game. This is a brave dog,
known to take on polar bears should the need arise, and a pack of
these dogs have been able to keep the bear at bay for the hunter.
This dog is a strong worker, with a
need for constant business to keep him from trouble. He was not bred
to be a pet, but as a working sled dog, and is strong enough to pull
nearly double his own weight. His pack instinct is incredibly
strong, and the Inuit suffers mentally if left alone for long. Being
a good companion for an Inuit dog requires an active lifestyle that
involves hours spent skijoring, snowshoeing, hiking and dog packing.
In both behavior and appearances, the
Inuit strongly resembles his wolf ancestors, although they do not
have any modern wolf bloodlines, and are not a problem to own due to
any hybrid laws in either America or the UK. They do howl rather
than bark, are wonderful escape artists, and need to be cared for
similar to keeping any high-content hybrid. This breed is registered
in Canada as a Canadian Eskimo Dog.
Northern
Inuit (British Inuit)
The Northern (or British) Inuit came
about through a modern attempt to recreate the original Inuit dogs
through a process known as “back breeding”. The goal here was to
create a breed of dog which was more companionable than the Inuit
Sled Dog—to create a breed which looks like a wolf, but without the
wild complications and legalities.
The Northern Inuit is exactly that, a
good tempered family dog, with a rather wolf-like appearance. It
gets along well with children and other pets, and is easier to train
than the Inuit Sled Dog. It still is a very social dog, and does not
like to be left alone. This is still an active dog, but moderate
daily exercise is generally enough to keep him happy and healthy.
These dogs are considered to be too friendly towards humans to be
useful as a guard or protection dog.
Siberian
Laika (East and West Siberian)
Both of these primitive dogs evolved
in different regions of Siberia, but there has never been a clear
dividing line between the two. Both types have been interbred to
produce a wide variation of types. The East Siberian Laika is a
large dog bred for hunting and pulling sleds. Males are 22-26
inches, females 21-24 inches. The West Siberian Laika is slightly
smaller. They have a double coat of fur consisting of coarse guard
hairs and a thick undercoat. Males tend to have a ruff or “mane”
around the neck and shoulders.
This breed is considered to be the
best hunting dog in all of Russia, for both small and large game.
According to Russian rules, hunting dogs must first pass field trials
before they may be shown in a ring, to promote only the best hunting
bloodlines. It is said that now the purebred East Siberian Laika is
better for hunting than the existing aboriginal dogs in Siberia.
This dog is not for a first time
owner. It is not aggressive towards people, but is very territorial.
It will protect its home and family if it feels threatened, and has
little to no tolerance for unknown dogs of the same sex. However, a
dog that is aggressive in its home territory is often reluctant to
stray or enter the territory of another dog. It is a natural
watchdog, and will bark aggressively at dangerous predators or
intruders. It is known to harass predators such as bears by dashing
at them aggressively, forcing them to defend themselves or flee. It
the past they were used for hunting tigers.
This dog does not belong in a city
without the ability to allow it time to run free on a regular basis.
If let to run loose in an area with other animals, its natural
hunting instinct will lead it off on a game trail and it may not
return when called. The Laika has an incredible sense of direction,
though, and is not known for getting lost. In many places a dog
which is thought or known to be “harassing” wild game or other
animals is considered a dangerous dog, and may be confiscated (or
worse) by animal control.
These are just a few of the numerous
“wolf-like” breeds of dogs, there are many other “new” breeds
as well as many other “primitive” breeds. All of these dog
breeds have certain wolf like characteristics in the way of either
appearance or behavior. Some are skittish and shy, others are bold
and protective. Most are highly energetic and bred for the outdoor
life, but some are adaptable to a city or even an apartment
lifestyle, so long as it's basic needs are still met.
Each breed, whether new or primitive,
has developed to fill the needs and/or desires of a particular group
of people, and are well suited for different lifestyles,
environments, and human personalities. Each of these unique breeds
can provide the right owner with the experience of owning a wolf-like
animal compatible with their home life and families.
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