Post by muskyhusky on Oct 18, 2008 17:40:53 GMT -6
*The term "wolf hybrid" is technically incorrect, although it is still commonly used.
In 1993, dogs were re-classified as "canis lupus familiaris", a sub-species of wolf ("canis lupus").
This is an important distinction, since the
rabies vaccine still has not been legally accepted for use in "wolfdogs", and this re-classification provides a strong argument for the vaccine to be usable on both dogs and wolfdog crosses.
www.wolfdogalliance.org/legislation/rabiesissue.html
Wolves are remarkably powerful animals with innate behaviors such as den-digging, scent-marking and predation that can’t be suppressed even with the best training and socialization. These can be passed down through breeding, causing wolf-dogs to be notably untrainable and dangerous. (Note: A wolf’s jaw strength is twice that of a German shepherd. Injuries caused by wolf-dogs can be fatal.) Similarly, due to the wolf’s intelligence and social complexity, wolf-dogs can be extremely restless and bored (resulting in destructive and compulsive behaviors) and difficult to contain.
In addition, wolves possess a healthy fear of people, making them predictable in their response to human activity. Usually wolves seek escape when humans are near, which is an adaptive behavior that promotes survival in the wild. Dogs have very different adaptive behaviors which promote their survival as companions for people such as playfulness, loyalty and protectiveness. Wolf-dogs can inherit a wide range of wolf and dog behaviors, causing individual wolf-dogs to be highly unpredictable in response to both familiar and unfamiliar situations and stress factors.
In 1993, dogs were re-classified as "canis lupus familiaris", a sub-species of wolf ("canis lupus").
This is an important distinction, since the
rabies vaccine still has not been legally accepted for use in "wolfdogs", and this re-classification provides a strong argument for the vaccine to be usable on both dogs and wolfdog crosses. www.wolfdogalliance.org/legislation/rabiesissue.html
*Wolves and dogs make a dangerous mix. But you think you know dogs… That your wolf-dog would be different because you can handle any dog?
Think again…
Think again…
Wolves are remarkably powerful animals with innate behaviors such as den-digging, scent-marking and predation that can’t be suppressed even with the best training and socialization. These can be passed down through breeding, causing wolf-dogs to be notably untrainable and dangerous. (Note: A wolf’s jaw strength is twice that of a German shepherd. Injuries caused by wolf-dogs can be fatal.) Similarly, due to the wolf’s intelligence and social complexity, wolf-dogs can be extremely restless and bored (resulting in destructive and compulsive behaviors) and difficult to contain.
In addition, wolves possess a healthy fear of people, making them predictable in their response to human activity. Usually wolves seek escape when humans are near, which is an adaptive behavior that promotes survival in the wild. Dogs have very different adaptive behaviors which promote their survival as companions for people such as playfulness, loyalty and protectiveness. Wolf-dogs can inherit a wide range of wolf and dog behaviors, causing individual wolf-dogs to be highly unpredictable in response to both familiar and unfamiliar situations and stress factors.
