Are you trolling? Notice you just logged on today.

My daughter has a wolf/malamute mix that is the sweetest dog I know including mine. She's been raised with her 3 kids and isn't overly protective or the least bit dangerous. The worst she'd do is lick you to death or pin your feet down to be scratched.

Isn't every dog a wolf hybrid?

If you mean a first generation hybrid then I'd have to vote no at this time. Not for the average companion pet. Too many other wolf hybrids in the shelters and tied up to trees in redneck's backyards that need homes.

To own a wolf hybrid is ILLEGAL in many areas. Maybe she could someday own a big breed like a german shepherd or a malamute or a husky or belgian malinois instead?

That's true about the wolf hybrids being illegal in many places. The reason is that the Rabies vaccine was never tested in them, so nobody knows for sure if they work. They should, but it is way too important of a public health concern to just guess.

I second klimkm's idea that a husky or malamute may satisfy anyone's craving for a wild, destructive, stubborn, hard to train, but beautiful intelligent dog. Have her look at do a google search for agouti huskies- they are wolf color and of course huskies are very wolf-like in personality.

Any breed dog or wolf hybrid can be safe if properly bred, socialized, and trained. And screwing up any of the above can make any breed dog or wolf hybrid a killing machine. I cannot stress enough that poor breeding, socialization, and/or training will make any dog dangerous. Your daughter must do a lot of research into the breeding and specific breeders to be certain that the dogs are being raised properly.

It would be a good foray into the wonderful world of doggie obedience training if she got one of these larger breed doggies. Because if you are a responsible owner of one, they will require at least minimum amount of obedience classes.

trolling?

Well, as far as I can see, it doesnt seem like it is agenst the law here. Iv seen one at the pet store as a pup. Iv seen people walking around at the park with them. One lady had a german/wolf mix and said it wasnt very good with kids, but was loyal.

Wow, the agouti huskies do look a lot like wolves. Iv seen them at the zoo when I took my daughter once. Came right up to the viewing glass. If she can't get a wolf hybrid she said she was gonna get a pure white german with light blue eyes. I was looking in the paper just to see how commen then are and I dont see them that often so I dont want to get her hopes up. Huskeys where third in line.

Straywolf -- it seems that anyone who asks a question anyone has ever objected to here is suspected of "trolling" -- deliberately posting something they know will provoke a negative response. Odd attitude, given that this is a "debate" forum.

You said you daughter wants to do this "when she grows up" -- I'm assuming she's pretty young, then. Has she had expereicne raising and training big, strong-willed dogs? Will she have a lot of room for them to exercise? Will she have a lot of time to train them, exercise them, work with them? You know her far better than any of us, I guess I would worry that she's fallen involve with the "image" of a wolf (even specifying the fur and eye color of an acceptable substitute!) without having any experience with handling even a dog that big.

Perhaps she can do some volunteer work with a vet or a rescue group and gain some more experience with similar animals before she takes on the responsibility!

straywolf-- if your daughter is really set on this, she should really research into it. There's alot more to owning a wolf hybrid than there is with normal dogs. Just looking at the dog square in the eyes could be considered enough of a challenge to put her in the hospital, and that's just one example. Smiling so that your teeth show would be another. She needs to be absolutely sure of what she's doing before she jumps into this. It's not something to be taken lightly.

She did a project on wolves once. Shes also looked up what was need for a PURE wolf. My daughter just turned 13 and is set on working at the local animal shelter. We have a dog now that she has trained and she tries to walk it as much as she can. Feeding it and cleaning it aswell. Though not as big. Sometimes my daughter even nails me when I talk about the news that some zoo keeper got killed by a bunch of wolves, "The keep probly threatend them. Or looked them in the eyes." Im still kinda of unsure about this but she seems to be covering it left and right.

About the trolling, im sorry I didnt think EVERYONE would say know. I know quite a bit of people that say they make good pets. Thats why I posted this.

I've got a good friend who owns a timberwolf/ malamute hybrid. This is how I know what I do about owning a wolf. This guy and his "dog" are unseparable. he's a GC here in town, and you see the dog in the back of the truck everywhere-- he's hard to miss-- he's got the look of a black wolf with white masklike markings on his face, and he's GOT to weigh in at about 175-200 pounds, and even in the back of a full sized 2500HD pick up, the truck looks completely undersized!

Sounds like your daught has a real drive for this that may not outgrow it even if it goes on the backburner for a while. Then again I wanted a horse when I was that age, my folks said no and that was the end of that. I never did go on to get a horse and the more I learn about horses the less I want to deal with that. Maybe she can take solace in the fact your current dog is a descendant of wolves and appreciate that until she gets to the age where she recognizes she is not invincible like kids that age often believe. She can still have a very promising career studing wolves as a zooligist or something veterinarianish so this can be good motivation to do well in school. Until then, no wolves in the house.

The funny thing about this is that I have a feeling the more she researches this and really tries to learn more about them, the more she'll realise this really isn't a good idea. Wild animals, no matter how tame or "trainable" they may seem, will always, always, always, be wild.

Also, since Wolf Hybrids are not very removed from being a wild animal they can be hard to house train. Not all, but the risk is their. More importantly, though, is the fact that wolves can jump very high. Your standard back fence/wall may not keep this pet contained.

Someone I know was given a wolf hybrid, (they lived in AZ - are they legal there?) they did not really know it at the time but suspected it. They had to give it up, because they could not keep it contained in their yard. It would escape. And they said the thing was so smart, but it was smart on its own terms, and completely untrainable.
I say why bother, except for the fact that you can brag it is a half wolf, those arctic doggies look enough of the part. Why would you go through that hassle?

Maybe you can persuade your daughter to look into a degree in zoology. Maybe she can work at a zoo someday? Use this as a springboard for a possible career path for her? Vet? Dog groomer?
Good luck!

I'm in AZ, from my understanding they are legal here but have to meet a percentage (i.e. 50% dog). Although I am not sure of the exact percentage.

I have a friend who is a judge and he has a wlf hybrid that I think is mostly wolf...

My answer would be "No"

Sanctuaries are over flowing with them, nationwide. They are euthanized on a regular basis too. Loving wolves and having a wolf hybrid as a pet are two hugely different things....

http://www.wildsentry.org/hybrid.html

http://www.wolfpark.org/wolfdogs/position.html

http://www.wolfpark.org/wolfdogs/guidelines.html

http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/newsletters/v5n4/5n4wille.htm

http://www.inetdesign.com/wolfdunn/

Here is a link that might be useful: More wolf hybrid information

qq when I was young I too wanted a horse, when I was 21 and had my own job rather than get a car I got a horse. I'm 59 and haven't been horseless since lol.
My dog Maee is Coyote/Black Lab she was a feral dog and she is the kindest animal you could hope to meet. She and I raised two bottle fed kittens, I fed them and she cleaned them. Lilod posted pictures of her on the pets forum for me.

My answer: No.

I think wolf hybrids are unpredictable. You might get one that is wonderful, however given the stats at the various shelters around here, they are usually given up and unfortunately usually put to sleep. I think a Wolf Hybrid takes a tremendous amount of work. Far above and beyond the average dog. And it isn't just about the potential for agression, or the fact that half of the animal is part wild animal, it's the fact that many wolf hybrids need extreme amounts of exercise, are not designed to live indoors, and have needs that the average (or even many experienced) dog owner can't provide.

I concur with others on the board, that a GSD or Husky is a better idea.

Does anyone remember the character "Veruca Salt" from the legendary movie Willy Wonky and the Choc Factory? She was the bratty one that got everything she asked for.
"But daddy, I want an Ooompa Loompa now!"
And you know what happened next.
She went down the "bad egg" chute.

If your daughter chooses to learn more about wolves I hope she will become an advocate for them living as nature intends, rather than trying to make pets of them through supporting hybrids. There are plenty of dogs (many wolf-like) that need homes already, no sense in compounding that population with hybrids (likely forced breeding for mass consumption by those who think its "cool").

How long will be before they are bred closer and closer to their natural wild-ness, and what health problems will result from it? Breeders who do not respect the law of nature do not respect the law of man and will breed them closer to wolf ancestry and just not register them.

Leave well enough alone (though, that would have been a long time ago, before we stranded them with little natural habitat and food sources.)

Ok - off my soapbox now.

Encourage your daughter's interest and love of wolves - they will need her help in years to come.

Not a good idea.

My next door neighbor had a wolf hybrid. He wasn't a biter and he never barked or wailed much. He did roam sometimes; I felt this was good to keep the vermin population down. He looked mean and vicious even though he wasn't. He was actually pretty friendly. As he got older he became very territorial. Anyone going near my neighbor's front door was "stared down" by the dog. One day a couple years ago, a neighbor, a lady, was doing her daily walk. Ted, the dog, was laying underneath\beside\inside a huge pampas grass in my side yard (an area running beside my back yard next to a sidewalk and street; a public area). The lady saw the dog and became fearful. She called the sherrif. The sherrif saw dog, decided he looked vicious and shot him. The cop didn't get in any trouble because Ted was laying under the pampas grass in my yard so my neighbor was technically in violation of the leash law. It was heartbreaking and I'd never want to go through it.

I volunteer with a last stop animal rescue and sanctuary, and we have both wolves and hybrids. We consider them all as wild animals, and their instinctual behavior is very different than that of a domesticated dog. Remember that it took thousands of years for domesticated dogs to develop. Whereas the hybrid still has access to those "wild" instincts and their behavoir may be very different and hard for an untrained owner to predict.

The handlers at the rescue do interact with the wolves and hybrids, but they also interact with tigers and lions. They are very aware of the risks they take and of the triggering mechanisms that affect instincts. Part of their mission is to educate, and they teach the public about animal emotions, instincts, and respect for wild animals. Needless to say, no-one but the handlers interacts with these animals.

There are so many great dog breeds out there; I would recommend that she choose one of them instead. And, if she has had limited experience with dogs, I would also suggest that a breed like a shepherd or husky may be too hard for her to handle without help. It is irresponsible for people to choose a breed based on looks if they are not able to handle the dog due to factors like size, temperament, etc.

Amy

I see alot of "I know someone who knew someone who had a..." here in this posting. And some who work in rescues. Abolutely nothing against the rescues, but that is where the worst of the worst end up and not a true representation of the breed. Straywolf, if you want good advice find someone who OWNS one, or better who breeds them. I owned a registered wolf/malemute mix that was one of the best, most intelligent animals I have ever had. You're daughter does not sound like an idiot and seems to have studied this extensively, more so that alot of the posters in this thread. There are pro's and con's to owning ANY animal and I wish you were getting more balanced info. I would say if you have the space, the time, and the patience then look for a breeder, take a good look at the animals the breeding pair have produced to get an idea of the prevelent(sp?) personality in their offspring and go for it. Many of these people talk about the worst case of scenarios of animals from bad home's, I would like to encourage the entry of an animal into what seems to be the potential for a GOOD home.

Here is a link that might be useful: Reddstop Album

All animals some were down in there history had to start off wild. I do not think that is some thing to hold against them. I believe that if she is willing to devote time to the wolf "for the rest of its life" that it would help a lot. And if you look up any animal ever as a pet you can find a story about it going bad and doing some thing that is frowned down on. It happens, its just one of those risks you have to take. I have heard many great things about these wolf hybrids as great pets. And there are many people who offer training for the wolf which might be a good idea. Plus if you read back in the native days itÂs proven that some natives actually would hunt with the wolf. So man has been working with these animals for a long time.

Something that has been domesticated for centuries is a far cry from something that is a fairly new hybrid. Even some of the long domesticated individuals have their ~issues~.

NO to owning or even promoting a wolf hybrid. Here's a consideration for your child of 13 ... What if the hybrid gets sick or injured? Many small animal veterinarians will not even vaccinate or treat a wolf hybrid pet. Whatchagonna do then?

I vote no. I really think, if she loves and repects the animal, that she should learn more about the wild wolf and not want to keep the animal captive, even if it's a hybrid.
To the daughter:When I was your age (and younger), I loved birds. I wanted to keep wild birds as pets. But I learned quickly that my desire to own something didn't trump the desires of the bird to be a wild animal.
Enjoy your domestic dog, grow up to be a woman who respects the wild animals, and learn how to help the wolf. The way things have been going the last eight years, they are going to need all the help they can get.

Why on earth would anyone want to keep a dog that was half undomesticated? The potential danger is quite obvious to those with common sense.

Essentially I agree with aruu.

Moral issues

Is it right to purposefully breed wild animals with domestic for the purpose of ...yea I don't even know...cool?
I say no.

Is it right to have wild animals as pets?
No

The fact that it can be done doesn't make it right. Even if its been done successfully (the "well I had a friend with a nice one')

Personally I think if you love something wild you don't want to own it.

Then there's safety issues. Again, the occasional unsubstantiated success doesn't stack up as an argument.

Typically anytime wild animals bump up against humans they lose because people get hurt.

I suppose you could argue that domestication through interbreeding has always gone on. That was then. This is now. Different world, different needs, different knowledge set. We have enough domestic animals to suit our needs. Wild things have a right to be wild and not manipulated for pleasure. That just seems the height of arrogance.

I agree, Wildlife shouldn't be mixed anymore..

I wonder if the people who say no have any experience with them at all. I have had two wolf/dogs in my life. My first was a wolf collie. She was amazing in every way. Never agressive. Smart. I only leashed her for other peoples comfort. She was superb. I just got a baby malamute timberwolf from a rescue and he is so great. I think there are people who have the ability to bond with animals and treat them with respect. Any animal is dangerous if they are treated badly. Wolfs are pack animals that bond deeply. They need attention and socialization at an early age. I say yes. Wolfs are misunderstood.

I own a wolf malamute hybrid and she is beautiful, and so kind.
Great with my husband, cats and children.
I say yes!
They are they best.

I would have to say yes it would be safe. only because i myself own a Saarloos Wolfhound. He is Wild Wolf mixed with German Shepherd. He is the sweetest thing you could ever meet. He loves other dogs and people. But also keeps me safe. I think it could be a good idea.

Um, excuse me dobesrule, but that is completely wrong. There is no such thing as a "pure evil" animal, only poorly treated and raised. The species it's self is not the unpredictable one, it's the human that raises it.

The one and only cause of aggression toward humans in any animal is it's previous experience with them. If an animal is raised around humans and interacting with them from birth they won't have any issues with humans. If they are raised by simply being brought home and being paid attention to occasionally when the owner comes home, or being followed by children and then being abused by them: pulling the animal's tail and fur and ears and hurting it, it will be aggressive towards humans, especially children.

How a animal turns out is ALWAYS dependent upon how it is raised. It is wrong to make a generalization on a species' character based upon how some are treated and raised and is too common a thing to see. Previously it was pit bulls, now it's wolves and wolf hybrids. If people would stop jumping into something they are not equipped for and start educating themselves this ignorance and intolerance would end.

Hey morgan2512...You are trying to argue with someone about a post from 8 years ago...