GERMAN SHEPHERD/ WOLF HYBRIDS - Page 1

I can only speak from my own personal experience. I rescued a pure white German Shepherd... the current owner was going to have him put down because he shed too much! I took him on the spot, even though I already had 2 dogs - one a pregnant Yorkshire Terrier. They were able to give me the dogs "paperwork" which included the breeder's name, and initial medical history. After contacting the breeder, I was reluctantly informed that this was a 50/50 shepherd wolf. They happen to be illegal in my state. He was a beautiful, gentle 2 year old neutered male. I have had shepherds all my life, so I thought "how different can this be?' I was nervous because my Yorkie was ready to deliver within the week... how would this "wolf" react with the smell of blood, and with the helpless pups? To make a long story short, he turned out to be the most wonderful animal we have ever owned. You'd think he had fathered the puppies - he was wonderful with them. The mother dog had never let any other dog near her new born puppies, but she let this wolf-dog rest his head over her babies whenever she went out. It was almost as if she went to get him, bring him back to the box, then she would go out to do her business.
He was gentle with my daughters, all the nieces & nephews, and neighborhood kids. Everyone loved him. Believe me, I watched this animal very closely for a very long time... he never gave me any reason for concern.
Although we never really talked openly about it, my vet knew he was part wolf, but he, too, commented on what a great animal he was. His fur was always the color of new fallen snow. He kept himself meticulously clean.
I think he had been neglected with his previous owner - kept outside on a 5 foot leash attached to the door know - or down in the cellar, tied on the same leash... When we brought him home, we gave him the run of the house... He loved being inside with his "people", and delighted in the softness of the carpets he was able to lie on. Once, a neighbor's son fell onto him - he cried out in pain, then just licked the child's face until the mother came and took her son. Unfortunately, he had shaky hips. The cold made him stiff. Sadly, one winter night while out in the yard, he slipped on ice, fell, and broke his spine. We rushed him to the Emergency Vet. Hospital, but there was nothing they could do. He died at the age of 11, and we have missed him every day since.
Based on my experience, I would not hesitate to get another hybrid. I believe in training my dogs, and being the Alpha of my pack. I have never had any problems with any of my German Shepherds, or my Wolf hybrid.

what a lovely story I am just so sorry that you lost him in the way you did god bless him and you for looking after him
Rosie

I'm not sure how true it is, but I have read that wolves and hybrids go through hormonal cycles similar to a woman's causing tempermental changes.  That being said, one of the best dogs I have known was a hybrid named Lou.  He was owned by a guy in college named Bill that looked alot like the lead singer for Metallica.  Bill and I were talking one day,and he told me that he had adopted Lou as an adult from a local shelter.  Lou looked alot like a large husky with a more level stop and a less dense coat.  He also held his tail level rather than curled.  Anyway, Bill told me that shortly after he brought him home, school started, so he locked him in an upstairs bedroom.   According to Bill, Lou broke out the window and jumped from the second story and followed him to class.  He never tried to lock him up again.  Everyday, Lou could be found sitting by the fountain waiting for Bill to get out of class.  No matter what he was doing, getting scratched behind the ears, playing with another dog, or just lying by the fountain under the shade of the large oak trees, as soon as Bill came out of the building, Lou would jump up and follow Bill home.   I've never seen a more devoted animal. 

RFS

It is my understanding that the difficulty in training wolf and wolf hybrids rests in their reduced ability to understand human language.  Dogs have been bred for centuries to listen and understand human language, where wolfs have not.  - at least that's what I have been told. 

On vacation in Colorado last month, I visited "Mission Wolf", a sanctuary for wolves and wolf hybreds. They were full up, and didn't have room for even the thought of another rescue.

how dum can you be dogs dont know human language  dogs understand sounds that go with command in training

fitter - actually, you are substantively incorrect, in addition to your spelling and grammar errors and ack of punctuation, lol!

luvdemdogs- to bad you own a gsd. maybe you need to cat

Yeah lovedemdogs;  "you need to cat".  LOL

Wolf has what someone called purpose driven behavior. Thus if you tell him to jump he will jump. But if you ask him to jump again, then he does not understand since he has already  jumped. Repetition training is thus difficult.
If you like wolf type of a dog research Czechoslovakian Wolf dog.
It is a combination of a Carpatien wolf and GSD.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/czechoslovakianwolfdog.htm

They were originally bred by Czech border patrol for their endurance. But program was scraped for inconsistency of the breed.  I have imported several of these dogs and owners were very happy.
This is NOT A HYBRID it is a registered breed.

Also I would like to point out, that wolf  X dog cross is not an genetically hybrid. Wolf and dog are same species Canis lupus. Hybrid is between two different species like horse and zebra or donkey. Hybrids are usually sterile. Wolf "Hybrid" is not styerile.
Prager (Hans)
http://www.alpinek9.com

Not to bring a downer to this thread but I guess my first question is what makes you think he is a hybrid?  Just cause someone told you???  As far as breeding gsds to wolfs IMO it is a huge mistake.  Not only extremely unpredictable as to what you will get, but what you get can turn out to be your worst nightmare.  Unstable with people as in being spooky and many more difficulties.  Think this through a little.  You sound like a person that is heavily driven by emotions, but emotions do not make good rational decisions when it comes to something as serious as breeding wolfs and gsds.  It has been tried before under close supervision and selectivity, yet failed.  You  can easily end up with the worst of both worlds.  You can have one that is not fearful of people yet has the wolf natural preditorial instinct, or you can get the wolf instinct to view man with excess suspicion and have high defense reaction.   Way too many variables.  Breeding healthy, stable gsds from good genetics can produce problems in some good dogs, so guess what happens with something this randam and reckless.

Don't take my word for it, do some serious research other than Walt Disney and Hollywood movies.  I think you are making a huge naive mistake and I think anyone that reads this needs to know the potential consequences before thinking this is so cute and darling.  Ask the Idaho farmers who are having fits with one of these half wolf half dog breeds.  He is running loose killing live stock because he has no fear of man ( not afraid to come down into the farmers range), yet has the preditor instincts in tact.

Hope you take this to heart.