Wolfdog, Can We Keep Them As Pets, Facts You Should Know

Although Wolves never fascinated humans because we have heard several horror bedtime stories as a kid, which made us sleep, but Wolfdog is now accepted by humans as pets.

As per the definition on Wikipedia, a Wolfdog is a canine produced by the mating of a domestic dog with a gray wolf, eastern wolf, red wolf or Ethiopian wolf  to produce a hybrid.

The wolf dog breed is strong, obedient and also quite intelligent, but require extra care, so this breed is certainly not for the inexperienced pet lover.

Dogs and gray wolves are considered to be the same species, Admixture between domestic dogs and other subspecies of gray wolves are the most common Wolfdogs.

While dogs are life companion, wolves are ferocious wild animals who are always ready to attack and can’t be kept as pets.

The best thing about wolf dogs is that they can be kept as pets, the owner enjoys the traits of a wolf in a domestic dog.

There are some major differences between dogs and wolves, which are given below

Wolf dogs can become wonderful pets if the proper environment is provided where owner expertise is needed in handling them.

Since their popularity is increasing day by day, which pushes pet lovers to own them without realizing their actual needs.

Daily exercise and a larger space is needed for  them to run along with a balanced diet, they need proper attention and don’t like to be left alone for long hours.

Their grooming needs are higher compared to the normal pet as they have a double coat on their body.

Breeds Resembling Wolfdog

Let’s take a look at the most popular dog breeds which resemble wolfdog  

1. Swedish Vallhund 

If you want to own a pet that look like wolves, but smaller in size than Swedish Vallhund is the one for you. Their weight is less than 35 pounds and have shorter legs.

They are energetic, lively and playful dogs who loves to be hugged. As a pet owner, you need to be very active because you will find them running most of the time.

Image credit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Vallhund

2. Northern Inuit Dog 

They are Very active and good running companion they were created by breeding German Shepherds, Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes.

Since the American Kennel Club (AKC) has not recognized them, which is why they are difficult to find. If left alone, they suffer from separation anxiety.

This breed of dog can stand between 23 to 30 inches in height and weight around 55lbs to 110lbs. Double coat makes their grooming essential.

3. Siberian Husky 

This is considered as one of the most popular Wolfdog breeds. Their staggering eyes, smaller bodies and upstanding ears help us to remember their wolf predecessors.

These dogs need a lot of exercise, love company and don’t like to be left alone.

You should have a large space for them to run around, brain teasing games and a budget to keep them as pets.

4. Alaskan Malamute 

These dogs are bigger in size and have more hairs. Considered to be friendly, loyal and playful.

Their thick waterproof coating helps them to stay warm in the nail biting cold of Alaska, they require lots of resources for their up keeping.

Alaskan Malamutes were bred to pull heavy weights for long distance that’s why they are muscular.

5. German Shepherd 

Anyone who has any knowledge of dogs can easily specify how German Shepherd looks like.

They are excellent family pets because of their loving nature, loyalty and courage. They are mostly used in search and rescue jobs.

Although not many have any wolf genes in them, but due to their pointed ears and dense coat they look similar to wolves.

To take the best out of them make sure they are kept busy by brain teaser games and other physical activity.

6. Tamaskan 

They are bred to look as similar to wolf as possible. They are crossed with Huskies, German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois.

A lot of time needs to be spent with them as they can get furious if left alone for a longer time. Known for shedding because of their thick coating they require lots of grooming.

7. Utonagan 

This dog is a cross between a German Shepherd, Siberian Husky and Malamute. They resemble wolf and have furry coat and are considered to behave well with family and have nice temperament.

8. Samoyed 

They love everyone from the owner to strangers. They are quite vocal and affectionate when showing their love.

If you decide to bring home a baby Samoyed, make sure you start training from day one, keep a decent grooming brush handy and solid fencing in place.

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Conclusion

As you can see above, there are many Wolfdog breeds and they all can be wonderful pets, but the important point to note is they need a lot of care and can’t be left alone for a long time.

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