I have read quite a bit on wolf-dog hybrids. Here are my questions/comments:
1. I've always read that wolves are smarter than dogs since their brains are a lot bigger. Do you find this to be true? another words - are your wolves smarter than a 100% pure German Shepherd?
2. How big does your wolf-dog hybrid get when compared to a German Shepherd Dog?
1. Wolves are smarter than dogs, and wolfdogs can be, too. However, they do not actively and readily listen to humans or take cues from us like dogs do. They are still trainable but you have to work harder at it. If a wolfdog needs help, he/she may not always ask for it like a dog does.
2. Wolfdog size depends on the dog and the wolfdog in the parent mix. Nala is the size of a large german shepherd but i've seen smaller wolfdogs, and much larger ones.
I have a 40% content wolf dog. He's two years old now. It is definitely harder to handle a wolf dog than a regular dog. I would not recommend anyone to get involved with adopting a wolf dog unless they are prepared to handle their behavior. They are loving but they are also very stubborn and always want to test their dominance on you. I have three other dogs, two females and a male. He gets along great with the females but I cannot have the two males around each other at any time.
The mother is 80% arctic wolf (her parents were a pure wolf and very high content wolf-hybrid), the father is 100% german shepherd. He's 40% because we're splitting in half the mother's 80% wolf content since the father does not have any wolf in him.
How did you come up with 80% though? Also the wolf percentage is often exaggerated in hybrids, if someone told you the mother was 80% you should question it because that number isn't possible (based on clean cut percentage distribution on paper).
Dogs and wolves alike both learn important behaviors from their mother and littermates. Taking them before 8 weeks means taking them before they have a chance to really learn those things.
Except that if you ever want a wolfdog to be a good pet, you have no choice but to take care of it yourself (not let the mother)before its over 13 days old. A wolf or wolfdog's socialization window is from 7-13 days to 2 months old. You miss that window, and you end up with an animal that is fearful, shy, timid, and skittish around strangers, possibly dogs, and new places, loud noises, etc. Your wolfdog will act more like a cat, and run and hide from everyone but you.
Dogs have, with current anthropological evidence, been with us for some 10 - 15,000 years. They are domestic. They have the genetic abiity (way to think of it) to consider humans as "dogs". They consider us (generalization) as family. Wolves are wild. They can be tamed, in particular if they are handled frequently by humans before the age of 13 days (their period of socialization), but after that, the outcome of interspecies interaction is highly variable. Wolf + Dog = High Risk
Nice statement! However, the risk factor (or wild animal behavior) is increased or decreased considerably depending on how much wolf was mixed with dog, and how many generations removed from a pure wolf, etc...
Thanks! I hope you talked to the breeders before you got one. If you don't want a shy and timid wolfdog, there's several things the breeder has to do to help prevent that. Make sure parents aren't shy and timid, make sure breeder socializes the puppy at like 1 week old. Those are pretty critical things, and socialization for a wolfdog means, strange people, strange places, and loud city noises on a regular bais, or you will get problems if this isn't done. Fear problems, not aggression.
yea well we already got her by now, come to find out the breeder actually DIDNT socialize her at 1 or 2 weeks, so basically we got a "wild" pup. we've had her for about 3 or so weeks now and she is about to be 10 weeks old. she is shy and timid but we are makin slow progress with her since her first day. any other tips for me to help with her timidness and shyness?? it would be GREATLY appreciated. =]
[i have a vid of her howling on my page called "rellik's little howls"
I do not agree with owning wolf dogs. I will not take the risk of an animal who has wild 'instincts' to be around my other pets. Not saying your dog would ever attack another animal but I wouldn't risk it. Plus, normal dogs need homes, too. Your dog is very pretty btw.
The instincts of a HIGH CONTENT (low's and mids don't really have this problem)wolfdog to see regular dogs as prey and kill them is not very common. It is more common for a pit bull (who's natural disposition is aggressive) to attack other dogs with intent to hurt or kill that dog with little to no provocation from the other dog. I've seen pits want to fight and hurt other dogs just because the dog didn't feel like being humped by the pit.
Oh trust me, I totally agree with you. I'm don't like people owning pit bulls usually either because pit bulls are also naturally agressive to me as well. But just like how I feel about the wolf dog, I know there are a lot that attack and alot that don't.
these comments crack me up, i love how everyone in the world has to be an authority...thanks for the video and your analysis of your hybrid, hybrids in general and high content crosses. I guess we should all just start writing "in my non-expert opinion" before anything we say...maybe that would eliminate all the haters on youtube!
*laughs* dear I think you were with a bad owner when you first saw a high content wolf hybrid. They have to be mean sometimes to get what they want because thats what they did in the wild. Does not mean their unpredictable, Most wolves are shy yes and more purer wolves can be more wolfy extinct.But remeber that makes them more pack oriented to so they can be just as loyal as any dog.Saying a wolf that is over 50% is unpreictable is not true.If you diasagree then talk, I'll listen. beatiful wolf
glad to see some information about these misunderstood animals. i invite you to watch my videos. i have what i was told was 100% wolf, though i doubt this. i saw the mother and father and im not expert but the dad looked malamute more than wolfy. i think its great you are socializing yours, thats what they need.
THanks. I'm glad you appreciate why I made this video. I want to make some more, but I can't find my camera charger anywhere, so the videos are on hold. I saw your videos and you have a cute wolfdog. Looks like he's got a great personality on him, too. Can you take yours to the dog park?
unfortunately mine is a pretty good example of what happens when you dont socialize them. sometimes i wonder if she is 100% because she is very skiddish! i got her when she was older, past the impressionable puppy age. i have to dose her to take her to the vet or she gets very uncomfortable. when i have company i usually put her in my bedroom. she is sweetest thing to me though. i wouldnt trade her for the world
Yeah, I sympathize with you. If I get another one, I will be more careful and get one that is not past the 6 week mark. Especially if the breeder was like Nala's and didn't socialize the puppies at all or even take them indoors. Nala likes to hide when strangers come over, as well. I hate it when she does that because they don't get to see what I see, which is an animal that shows me a whole lot of love when no one's around. But I wouldn't give her up either.
yep thats what i think when they come over as well. they look at me like " why on earth do you have this wild creature?", but she is absolutely darling to me. our morning routines are pretty entertaining. im trying to catch it on video, but she is on to my plan :)
I have read quite a bit on wolf-dog hybrids. Here are my questions/comments:
1. I've always read that wolves are smarter than dogs since their brains are a lot bigger. Do you find this to be true? another words - are your wolves smarter than a 100% pure German Shepherd?
2. How big does your wolf-dog hybrid get when compared to a German Shepherd Dog?
zut212 2 years ago
1. Wolves are smarter than dogs, and wolfdogs can be, too. However, they do not actively and readily listen to humans or take cues from us like dogs do. They are still trainable but you have to work harder at it. If a wolfdog needs help, he/she may not always ask for it like a dog does.
2. Wolfdog size depends on the dog and the wolfdog in the parent mix. Nala is the size of a large german shepherd but i've seen smaller wolfdogs, and much larger ones.
beth8507 2 years ago
I have a 40% content wolf dog. He's two years old now. It is definitely harder to handle a wolf dog than a regular dog. I would not recommend anyone to get involved with adopting a wolf dog unless they are prepared to handle their behavior. They are loving but they are also very stubborn and always want to test their dominance on you. I have three other dogs, two females and a male. He gets along great with the females but I cannot have the two males around each other at any time.
furtherbeyond 2 years ago
40%? How is that possible?
As far as I understand it can be any numerator over and exponent of two. So x/2, x/4, x/8, x/16 etc.
How did you come up with 2/5?
scata99 2 years ago
The mother is 80% arctic wolf (her parents were a pure wolf and very high content wolf-hybrid), the father is 100% german shepherd. He's 40% because we're splitting in half the mother's 80% wolf content since the father does not have any wolf in him.
furtherbeyond 2 years ago
How did you come up with 80% though? Also the wolf percentage is often exaggerated in hybrids, if someone told you the mother was 80% you should question it because that number isn't possible (based on clean cut percentage distribution on paper).
scata99 2 years ago
Although he could be 13/16 wolf, which would be 81.25%, but Im suspicious of how they documented back those generations.
scata99 2 years ago
Dogs and wolves alike both learn important behaviors from their mother and littermates. Taking them before 8 weeks means taking them before they have a chance to really learn those things.
slvrfrosty 2 years ago
Except that if you ever want a wolfdog to be a good pet, you have no choice but to take care of it yourself (not let the mother)before its over 13 days old. A wolf or wolfdog's socialization window is from 7-13 days to 2 months old. You miss that window, and you end up with an animal that is fearful, shy, timid, and skittish around strangers, possibly dogs, and new places, loud noises, etc. Your wolfdog will act more like a cat, and run and hide from everyone but you.
beth8507 2 years ago
thanks alot!
sparklerbombg 2 years ago
see there not evil
lionkinglover12 2 years ago
Dogs have, with current anthropological evidence, been with us for some 10 - 15,000 years. They are domestic. They have the genetic abiity (way to think of it) to consider humans as "dogs". They consider us (generalization) as family. Wolves are wild. They can be tamed, in particular if they are handled frequently by humans before the age of 13 days (their period of socialization), but after that, the outcome of interspecies interaction is highly variable. Wolf + Dog = High Risk
dogfanaticdlls 2 years ago
Nice statement! However, the risk factor (or wild animal behavior) is increased or decreased considerably depending on how much wolf was mixed with dog, and how many generations removed from a pure wolf, etc...
beth8507 2 years ago
Love it my thunder is 98 % Timber and the rest Alaskan Malamute he has never bittien a soul I've had him since 2 weeks old . He is my Shadow ...
eyesofawulf 3 years ago
Aw Nala is really beautiful
i watched all your vids with nala in them
im getting a wolf hybrid this saturday.
goin to pick her up
and ive been doin nonstop research on them and everything
and all ur info that you put in the discriptions helped some too
so i thank you
and congrats on such a beautiful animal
=D
bloodyAnarchywolf 3 years ago
Thanks! I hope you talked to the breeders before you got one. If you don't want a shy and timid wolfdog, there's several things the breeder has to do to help prevent that. Make sure parents aren't shy and timid, make sure breeder socializes the puppy at like 1 week old. Those are pretty critical things, and socialization for a wolfdog means, strange people, strange places, and loud city noises on a regular bais, or you will get problems if this isn't done. Fear problems, not aggression.
beth8507 2 years ago
yea well we already got her by now, come to find out the breeder actually DIDNT socialize her at 1 or 2 weeks, so basically we got a "wild" pup. we've had her for about 3 or so weeks now and she is about to be 10 weeks old. she is shy and timid but we are makin slow progress with her since her first day. any other tips for me to help with her timidness and shyness?? it would be GREATLY appreciated. =]
[i have a vid of her howling on my page called "rellik's little howls"
bloodyAnarchywolf 2 years ago
I do not agree with owning wolf dogs. I will not take the risk of an animal who has wild 'instincts' to be around my other pets. Not saying your dog would ever attack another animal but I wouldn't risk it. Plus, normal dogs need homes, too. Your dog is very pretty btw.
WooFMewMew 3 years ago
The instincts of a HIGH CONTENT (low's and mids don't really have this problem)wolfdog to see regular dogs as prey and kill them is not very common. It is more common for a pit bull (who's natural disposition is aggressive) to attack other dogs with intent to hurt or kill that dog with little to no provocation from the other dog. I've seen pits want to fight and hurt other dogs just because the dog didn't feel like being humped by the pit.
beth8507 2 years ago
Oh trust me, I totally agree with you. I'm don't like people owning pit bulls usually either because pit bulls are also naturally agressive to me as well. But just like how I feel about the wolf dog, I know there are a lot that attack and alot that don't.
WooFMewMew 2 years ago
these comments crack me up, i love how everyone in the world has to be an authority...thanks for the video and your analysis of your hybrid, hybrids in general and high content crosses. I guess we should all just start writing "in my non-expert opinion" before anything we say...maybe that would eliminate all the haters on youtube!
Blazerfb 3 years ago
i meant jaws not dogs
sparklerbombg 3 years ago
this may sound like a stupid ass question that i know but are thier dogs extremly strong because of the wolf in them?? by the way how big is NALA?
sparklerbombg 3 years ago
lol, the one black and white dog stands over the camera!
bubblebobdum 3 years ago
*laughs* dear I think you were with a bad owner when you first saw a high content wolf hybrid. They have to be mean sometimes to get what they want because thats what they did in the wild. Does not mean their unpredictable, Most wolves are shy yes and more purer wolves can be more wolfy extinct.But remeber that makes them more pack oriented to so they can be just as loyal as any dog.Saying a wolf that is over 50% is unpreictable is not true.If you diasagree then talk, I'll listen. beatiful wolf
baltocribs 3 years ago 2
Thank you for sharing. You seem like a very good alpha. =D
theislandvibes 3 years ago
So far I love the black phase low-mid contents.
jdkl81 3 years ago
glad to see some information about these misunderstood animals. i invite you to watch my videos. i have what i was told was 100% wolf, though i doubt this. i saw the mother and father and im not expert but the dad looked malamute more than wolfy. i think its great you are socializing yours, thats what they need.
bears5294 3 years ago
THanks. I'm glad you appreciate why I made this video. I want to make some more, but I can't find my camera charger anywhere, so the videos are on hold. I saw your videos and you have a cute wolfdog. Looks like he's got a great personality on him, too. Can you take yours to the dog park?
beth8507 3 years ago
unfortunately mine is a pretty good example of what happens when you dont socialize them. sometimes i wonder if she is 100% because she is very skiddish! i got her when she was older, past the impressionable puppy age. i have to dose her to take her to the vet or she gets very uncomfortable. when i have company i usually put her in my bedroom. she is sweetest thing to me though. i wouldnt trade her for the world
bears5294 3 years ago
Yeah, I sympathize with you. If I get another one, I will be more careful and get one that is not past the 6 week mark. Especially if the breeder was like Nala's and didn't socialize the puppies at all or even take them indoors. Nala likes to hide when strangers come over, as well. I hate it when she does that because they don't get to see what I see, which is an animal that shows me a whole lot of love when no one's around. But I wouldn't give her up either.
beth8507 3 years ago
yep thats what i think when they come over as well. they look at me like " why on earth do you have this wild creature?", but she is absolutely darling to me. our morning routines are pretty entertaining. im trying to catch it on video, but she is on to my plan :)
bears5294 3 years ago
God she is beautiful.
whitewolf011 3 years ago