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Wolf? Umm.....

basscooker

basscooker

Inactive
Commercial User
Apr 11, 2010
5,727
10,063
Northern KY
Disclosures
Cab fan, hobbyist
#1
I understand they're gorgeous creatures and all of our dogs came from them.... I know there are breeders who sell hybrids, and I guess that's what I see here....

But there's a reason we (people) don't tend to keep the real thing as pets, right?

OK fine next time I see him out for a walk I'll just ask, but I don't know.... is there an apex predator on-a-leash in my neighborhood?

Sorry for the crappy pic...

But this fella only vaguely resembles a Shepard (or mix) and has quite literally ALL the typical physical features of wolves.... very long legs, heavy head/neck/ shoulder coat, huge feet, triangular muzzle, eyes closer together than shephards.... hybrid IDK.

20240405_165356.jpg
20240405_165358.jpg


Not trying to be a busy body tho. He/she is a beautiful canine, and the many many times I've seen it in the neighborhood it definitely is behaving and slacking it's leash. I'm just curious, TBOT, anyone hip to the laws, or have thoughts on possibly full bread wolves as pets?

If this is illegal (I'm in Northern Kentucky) I'll let it lie but I'll surely stop and say HI next time....

The real question I have here is, "would YOU keep a wolf in the house? "
 
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#3
Most people have a difficult time properly caring for fully domesticated dogs because of how much time and effort required to keep them in proper physical and mental condition.

Nearly all dog breeds need a large amount of physical activity in a mentally stimulating environment in order to be healthy. Failure to provide that makes for dogs that have behavioral problems and can become physically unwell. Some breeds require more attention than others.

Now take a wolf dog hybrid that has little genetic proclivity for obedience to humans, but rather has an instinct to see people as food hard wired into their brains and you've got a recipe for your "pet" attacking and mauling someone. Some animals should definitey be on the list of prohibited pets and wolves are definitely among them.

I could possibly be open to the idea of making exemptions for those who earn the privilege of owning a wolf dog by proving that they have the knowledge and experience to know how to keep an exotic animal, but it seems to me that most people who do have such pets are narcissistic rich people who think it makes them look cool to show them off to the public. They're not experts in the care of wild animals - they just have enough weath to buy dangerous things to use as a status symbol.

I think that's disgraceful for multiple reasons.
 
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#4
Wolves are not domesticated animals. But they are intelligent and can be tamed, as can many other wild animals. It will depend on the laws where you are, and if the owner has whatever training and certifications are needed. There's also the possibility that it isn't a pure wolf, but some sort of hybrid, maybe with dogs or coyotes, but retaining enough wolfishness in the DNA to have the look.

There's a seminal study (I believe the lead researcher's name was Nakayama) of oxytocin levels in the urine of dogs, tame wolves, and their owners, before and after gazing at each other. (Oxytocin is the "cuddle hormone"). They found that its levels go up, generally, in dogs and in their owners after they spend time looking at each other. The wolves' levels, on the other hand, either stayed level or dipped a bit. That illustrates how even tame wolves haven't evolved to emotionally bond to humans the way dogs do. But the sheer fact that they could do the study demonstrates that "tame wolf" is indeed a thing.
 
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#6
I only know Southeastern Kentucky law, so I can't help you on the legality.

A friend brought a wolf hybrid into 6th grade for show-and-tell. In retrospect that seems like a poor idea. Fortunately they were great owners, but I knew a, eh... less than stellar human being whose dog ended up killing some random persons dog as they were both out for a walk. I would be more concerned a out animals around wolves, but humans are a close second.

Actually, got curious, and both CA and KY are legal at 25% or less wolf. Some states are unregulated. Not sure what percentage my buddy's was. I would imagine the only way to legally obtain one would be to get one from a state where it is fully legal (only way I can think to breed them) and bring it home. Or maybe people have a bunch of 25% wolf dogs and breed them, but I do wonder if there is any degree of genetic dominance.

Very interesting and something that I don't think will ever apply to me. Best of luck and I hope everything is cool and no one or their pets get hurt.
 
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#7
Need better pictures. Maybe just asking when you cross paths again is a great idea. I'm curious. I wonder if it could be a Northern Inuit. North Carolina State uses one as a Wolf mascot.

The next town down the road from me in Arkansas had some Wolf hybrids that are at least 50%, if I remember right, get loose from the breeder. Nobody was hurt but at least one dog was killed. Sad. The guy is very nice and I would love to see his dogs.
 
#10
Lol thanks for the replies. I've seen this guy and his "pup" fairly regularly for like a year or so...

I promise (and am sure) I'll get better pics. There is NO DOUBT this "doggy" is NOT a dog.... at least not a legally defined canid.

One gorgeous and seemingly tame specimen, yes. Good boy (or girl) I'm on the fence about, but okay.

The question remains open, though. Hybrid, 25%,, 50%, or even 100%.... would YOU?
 
#12
basscooker said:
Lol thanks for the replies. I've seen this guy and his "pup" fairly regularly for like a year or so...

I promise (and am sure) I'll get better pics. There is NO DOUBT this "doggy" is NOT a dog.... at least not a legally defined canid.

One gorgeous and seemingly tame specimen, yes. Good boy (or girl) I'm on the fence about, but okay.

The question remains open, though. Hybrid, 25%,, 50%, or even 100%.... would YOU?
Click to expand...

Nope. I wouldn't own any pet where I would have to be concerned about them around kids or other people's pets. I've seen what our neighborhood coyotes do to cats and small dogs. A wolf? No thanks.
 
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#13
My guitar-synth player's girlfriend->fiancee->wife had a huge wolf-dog, that was always friendly and nice to me. Wolf-dogs have a reputation of sometimes reverting though.

They had a daytime pen for her and their other dog under the back deck. Each afternoon, when the people in the house behind them got home and let their little yappy dog out, LYD would run across and bark at my friends' dogs, run back and forth just outside the pen barking at them. Apparently acting tough.

One day, LYD ran across barking but the dogs had already been let out. The wolf-dog picked up the LYD, didn't bite down, and then tossed LYD about 30 feet. Didn't kill it, but expensive vet bills. My friends built a sturdy fence after that.

[EDIT: There's a show called 'Dog Tales' that repeats on PBS occasionally. It really goes into the differences between wolves & dogs. We've been selecting the friendliest-to-us canids for thousands of their generations and that's made a big difference in their behavior and motivations.]
 
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#14
I had found a stray puppy that was 1/2 coyote. He had the shape and some of the color of a coyote, I would rub and pet on him but he never liked any human contact, never played with toys, I would bring him inside, all he wanted was out. I tried to give him a good home. He lived about 10-11 years.
 
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#15
bigdaddybass12 said:
I had found a stray puppy that was 1/2 coyote. He had the shape and some of the color of a coyote, I would rub and pet on him but he never liked any human contact, never played with toys, I would bring him inside, all he wanted was out. I tried to give him a good home. He lived about 10-11 years.
Click to expand...
If we're going to talk about coyotes and apex predators:

Six or seven years ago, returned from a long road trip maybe 11:30PM. While unloading the car, noticed there was something in the yard just at the far edge of the circle of light, couldn't see what it was. After finished unloading, walked over and it was the carcass of a large cat. It was laying in its back, chest open, some of the internal organs gone, and ribs pointed up. I went "Ugh. I'll deal with that in the morning." and went inside. Next morning, no cat carcass, no bones, a little gray fur on the grass. When I walked over there, the coyote(s) were probably hiding in the bushes just a few feet away.

After that, several times at night went out and urinated on the side posts and around the gates into the back yard. Seemed like a good idea to remind any coyotes that, on my land, *I* am the apex predator and they should be afraid of ME. :mad::D
 
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#19
basscooker said:
I understand they're gorgeous creatures and all of our dogs came from them.... I know there are breeders who sell hybrids, and I guess that's what I see here....

But there's a reason we (people) don't tend to keep the real thing as pets, right?

OK fine next time I see him out for a walk I'll just ask, but I don't know.... is there an apex predator on-a-leash in my neighborhood?

Sorry for the crappy pic...

But this fella only vaguely resembles a Shepard (or mix) and has quite literally ALL the typical physical features of wolves.... very long legs, heavy head/neck/ shoulder coat, huge feet, triangular muzzle, eyes closer together than shephards.... hybrid IDK.

View attachment 5409008 View attachment 5409009

Not trying to be a busy body tho. He/she is a beautiful canine, and the many many times I've seen it in the neighborhood it definitely is behaving and slacking it's leash. I'm just curious, TBOT, anyone hip to the laws, or have thoughts on possibly full bread wolves as pets?

If this is illegal (I'm in Northern Kentucky) I'll let it lie but I'll surely stop and say HI next time....

The real question I have here is, "would YOU keep a wolf in the house? "
Click to expand...
That dog is tiny compared to Wolves I have seen. I guess there are different varieties but he looks way to small to be “full” Wolf.
 
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#20
Idk how big they are, but this is waist tall on a (probably) 6' dude.

I've raised a great Dane and a 100 lb akita/Shepard mix. I'm 5'7" and the great Dane only grew waist high on me; the Akita mix much shorter.

I know big dogs. This is a big big big "dog"
 

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