who owns a wolf hybrid?

Question

I was just looking if anyone else owned a wolf hybrid and can give me any tips on how to potty train and stuff and maybe share some pictures here are some of mine
http://s182.photobucket.com/albums/x188/goongy123/?action=view¤t=MAKEESHAWL.jpg

http://s182.photobucket.com/albums/x188/goongy123/?action=view¤t=MAKEESHAOUTSIDE2.jpg

Answer 1

Yes, I have a Wolf / Malamute cross, came from Iqualuit in Nunavut (Artic). The local SPCA told us he was a Husky/Malaute cross, we knew they were guessing and thought we'd figure it out as he got older (lineage).

When we first got him at 3 1/2 months we knew something was VERY DIFFERENT about him. The first time we ate dinner in his presence he went absolutely WILD!! Jumping up and down constantly, yipping, trying to jump onto our laps, it was really crazy and not-stop. After some training he got out of that very quickly. Now at 1 year old we can put a plate of food down for him, tell him to sit and stay and he won't move until he's released.

Walking him proved very difficult until he was about 8 months old. He would suddenly decide that he didn't want to go in that direction anymore and would basically hop backwards like a kangaroo. He would also just decide he wanted to lay down, and would not get up for 20 minutes. He is better now walking, he still sometimes decides that he doesn't want to go down a certain street anymore (happens about 4 times a week). I've been reading a lot about wolfdogs and at this point I don't force him, I realize something might be spooking him so we non-chalantly head in another direction. The laying down thing was fixed by just standing next to him looking in the direction you want to go, eventually he would stand up, it took shorter and shorter periods for me to get him to stand up until we weaned that behaviour out of him.

When he was about 4 months old we bought him a doggy tennis ball that would squeak when you squeezed it, that was when he started howling!! A funny little puppy howl!! He rarely barks, maybe once a week when he's spinning on the bed. He goes 'woo-woo' and kind of chats to you more like a malamute, but he mixes woo-woo's with howls also.

I thought potty-training was never going to end. He caught on for the first 3 weeks we had him, then we digressed and kept peeing and pooing in the house. I used Petzyne to get rid of the odour. We kept doing all the normal dog tactics to housetrain him. Then, one day, for no particular reason he GOT IT and was all of a sudden potty trained in one day! He was about 8 months old at this point (sorry, but I thought I'd tell you all the horrible truths!). Since then he has been perfect.

He lives in the house with me and my husband and our 13 year old cat. He respects the cat and is very gentle with her. He is big, his back is 30 inches tall, he's got long legs, long body, weighs 90 lbs and is still filling in. At the dog park he is not aggressive and chooses to walk away from dogs he doesn't like. On walks if dogs in their yard bark at him he just looks at them, has NEVER barked back. Wolf mentality, flight not fight.

He always needs to be in the same room as you. He is also destructive, you cannot leave him access to the living room if you're not there (leather couch has had chunks of stuffing removed) so the use of baby gates is a must.

He 'mouths' your hands to communicate. It's very gentle and from what I've read you will never get them to stop doing this as it's a big part of being a wolf.

He can get very protective over what he thinks is his. The first time this happened we were heartbroken and wondered if we would be able to keep him and if he was going to become aggressive. He growled, made snapping motions towards us, bared his teeth, truly frightening. Wolfdogs will test you from time to time, when they think it's time for them to move up in the wolfpack. You will learn when you should confront them and when you shouldn't. It will also depend on whether you have a low, mid or high content wolfdog.

If he's playing with a bone and I put my hand towards him he growls and bares his teeth, it's all for show. If I continue and go to take his bone he will put on quite the display but the end result is a quick bite from him on my hand (for show, he doesn't put any pressure on me) and then he licks my hand because my action of taking the bone makes me the dominant one.

Just so you know, I'm only 5' 2" and 120 lbs. The dog when he stands up and puts his paws on my shoulders (a very wolf thing to do) is the same height as me.

For pictures go to
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lycan/
I cannot take him anywhere without people asking me what he is, and before I can say anything EVERYONE says he looks like a wolf.

I would not go around telling people your dog is a wolfdog as people have preconceived notions as to what that means. I'm perfectly happy that the papers I got from the SPCA say he's a husky/malamute mix, makes going to the vet easier.

I really do recommend that you do some extensive research on the web regarding wolfdogs, I've found it a life saver and many things regarding his behaviour got explained to me.

Best of luck.

Answer 2

I have a German Shepperd/wolf cross. I don't have much in the line of tips as I keep her outside in a kennel for the most part. It takes alot of patience to train them but worth it. I will probably never fully trust her as much as my German Shepperd but I love her still the same.

Answer 3

Ok training them? There is where you are making your mistake. They are like their 1st cousins German Shepherds. Too smart to train. You don't train them you teach them. And they are just like (the large breed of) German Shepherds and Chows when it comes to being stubborn and hard headed.
You just have to patient with them but firm. Can't loose your cool dealing with them. But also have to let them know you are the boss.
They are not cuddly lap dogs you can spoil either. You don't want to spoil them by catering to them.
You also have to spend a lot of time with them. You put them in a pen or kennel in back yard and leave them alone most of the time and they well get mean.
And you can expect to get bitten a few times comes with the territory of owning large dogs like that.
Also you will have to learn to be able to judge her moods and whether she feels good or not. They like us have their good days and bad days.
If she's having a good day and feels like playing then you use that to teach her. But if she is having a bad day just maybe pet her and let her know you care.
You have to keep in mind they are family oriented and needs to be made to feel part of the family or part of the team if you will. She is not going to the woof woof always happy eager to please their master kind of dog. They are not that kind of dog.
But the main key is to always keep her involved with the family so she will not feel left out. Note remember they are basically pack animals that hunt and play together as a pack.
They will get mad and bite if you keep picking at them. And that is another thing you need to watch out for is kids teasing her when she is out in the yard. That will get her to where she doesn't like kids.
From time to time she will try to assert her dominance. You will have to act quickly and forcefully when that happens to put a stop to that. before it gets started.
I've seen two of them that come out of the same litter:
One was the neighor hood munch and neighbor hood dog where if he didn't show up and meal time to munch food, they'd be calling my Aunt wanting to know if he was alright. The dog catchers don't even bother him.
The other one you didn't dare turn your back on him. When you was in yard with him you made sure you could see him at all times.
That depends on their individual personality more than anything else.
You are going to have to gauge her personality and tailor teaching her to her personality.
Hope that helps.