In regards to the Wolf Hybrid - Page 3

Liesjers,

I've not been around many of them but the GSD rescue I work with near here has one that she pulled from the local animal shelter and it's pretty obvious that she's a hybrid.  She's a great animal, sweet as can be but will live out her life in her enclosure at the rescue...that's the best anyone could do for her.  Speaking of the enclosure...I hope these people understand that they need to bury a fence all of the way around it...they will tunnel out.

Keith,
I wasn't talking about the hybrids staying in the wild :) I meant that the wolf itself should be left wild & not used for cross breeding to start with.
I agree that these hybrids don't really belong either in the wild or as pets. They don't really thrive in either setting.  As you stated they behave different then either a 100% wolf or a domestic dog would.
The best thing is to not support those who purposely breed these (or other) hybrids. They are no better than the puppy mills!!

I understood what you were saying, HtHs; I was commenting more to the folks who think this is a good idea.

Okay Guys and Gals,
You may butcher me, but, when I was young and foolish 20 yrs old to be exact....lol...
In Minnesota where all this was legal back then, I worked for a game/fur farm and they produced lots of wild animals, all purebred though, I got to play with the cougars, skunks, mink, wolves, I didn't trust the bears after they were a yr old...etc..
They would sell the wolves for pets, the fox for fur and other breeders...

I raised the wolf pups for them, we took them away from the mother when they were 10 days old and hand raised so they would be used to humans..I had milk goats back then, so I was the chosen one...I loved the job..
In return, I got one of the wolf pups a female, which I named Kaya, I also got an Arctic fox pup, named Rainey...
NOT EVERYONE SHOULD OWN THESE ANIMALS...I would never do it again, because I HAD to keep her confined when I wasn't around, which I hated to do. She did go most everywhere with me and filled up the front seat of my pickup along with my other male GSD at the time. They were trained by me from day one, that any kid could go up to her and take a bone away. She would release it as soon as the kid came near...the fox was better obedience trained than most dogs, he would heel, sit, stay and come...Rainey the fox, would chase Kaya the wolf, around the house and bite on her legs, Kaya was awesome,. Here is a picture of her puppy sitting a Golden pup, I was taking care of for someone for a couple of days. And one of my ex-boyfriend on one of our walks in the mountains...

Kaya the wolf absolutely loved kids...neighbors would come over, and feed her their marshmellows out of their hot chocolate...I brought her to the Missoula,MT Film Festival one year and had over 200 kids hanging on her, she was in seventh heaven...My vet absolutely loved her, although he couldn't give her her rabies shot while I was in the room, she wouldn't let him, but all he had to do was take her into the back room away from me and his vet tech could hold her and then she let him give the shot...she lived till she was 16 years old, died of some liver failure, I wish I would have known more about the raw diet back then,, I would give her whole deer carcasses. which the game wardens would drop off for me, and she was on kibble...she took, hot dog pieces so gently from my mouth, she would pull back her lips and take them with her teeth, careful not to touch me...she went ice fishing and snowshoeing with me loose, she would never let me out of her site. In the woods, I would hide behind a tree trying to hide from her and she seemed to know the moment I tried, she would turn around and trail me back to where I was hiding...

I will never regret owning such a wonderful, gentle, loving creature. To this day, I bawl when I think of her...I will never own such an awesome special animal again...
Since this is so long, I will have to attach photos on the next post...
Steph

Didn't mean to hijack the thread, but I don't believe in the wolf hybrid crosses...the husky mix is the worst, the GSD is better. I did have one of those that I rescued at 12 years and had her another 4 till she was 16 also...another awesome dogwolf, but she was raised  right...
Photos of Kaya, Purebred Alaskan Timber Wolf aand Rainey the fox
Steph

Well, the dog she has is pretty low content...sounds like about a quarter (not sure about that, though). I'm not sorry for having known a wolf dog. It's true that it's probably not a good idea to be breeding them and I would NEVER NEVER NEVER even consider it, but...they are somehow very attractive mentally. I have to say that I learned a whole lot about myself and my own capabilities from living with one. I must have done something right, because in only two weeks a fairly scary animal became relaxed and happy--as did I. I felt like I knew a little bit about being wild and undomesticated, another very attractive feeling. Sigh. Just silly romanticism, of course, nothing sensible in it.

I agree that NOT everyone should own one as I believe NOT everyone should own a dog. To say in general that they are aggressive to kids is not true.The ones I got to hang out with at the MALL were very social.Tundra was a big love bug and loved to be pet.The people that had him and Talla also had cats.None of them are missing. Dogs can be just as bad with kids.It is how you raise them...any animal....that determins their social ability. I think they are doing the right thing by taking it to training(hope it is motivational training unless the trainer REALLLLY knows how to handle a wolfX)
Keith you are very right about the fence being burried at least a foot below the ground and I would actually get that electric tape around the top as well as covered. Not sure what your average chain link fencing is but my GSD use to bust out of pens and bend that main metal dowl that the chain link was wrapped around.SO a much heavier link is needed.
Steph That is sooo awesome that you got to do that. I use to play with mtn lions,tigers,and african lions.Bears too but like you said when they were older I just fed them sticky buns from the otherside of the fence.lol Can't wait to see the pics.

In all maybe they aren't meant to be owned but by the way things are going that they are being slaughtered now they will probably be extinct as they almost were back in the 70s so I would rather see them be owned(hopefully by people that are educated or willing to get the education) then have them disapear from this earth.They are truely a wonderful animal that people don't realy know about except for the bad things that are said.

I am glad that I live in a state (AZ) where it is legal to have one that is up to 99% wolf blood.

Would love to have a team of them and go mushing through the snow
~L~

Thanks for mentioning the tunneling, wolves & wolf crosses are well known for digging out. And this animal will be in trouble if ever he gets loose. One wolf cross rescue recommends burying 3 feet of fence completely surrounding any enclosure. But then they recommended at least 2 acres of land for a single animal, much more for multiples. I love the idea of living with wolves, but realistically, it is the poor animal that winds up paying for human romantics. And usually with it's life, or by spending it's life contained. I hope you do well with & for him. It's a huge responcibility. There are folks that can deal with wild animals, & I hope you are one of those, for your canid's sake. While Steph's pictures are thrilling, & make me terribly wistful; most posts regarding wolves give me a sinking sensation. jackie harris

Love the pics Steph!!! That fox is adorable.Have a friend that is in TX that had a Kit Fox.Said it was a crazy little thing.Then again he is a cat person and probably didn't know what to do with it. That wolf is beautiful.I have always loved the black ones.
~L~

Lavk-9 I sent an email with picture, were you able to see it? I also looked at the link you sent- Thank you it was interesting. I still have not figured out how to post a picture on here....sorry