Wolfdog

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A wolfdog, also called a wolf hybrid or wolf-dog hybrid, is a hybrid resulting from the mating of a wolf (Canis lupus) and a dog (Canis lupus familiaris or Canis familiaris). The term "wolfdog" is preferred by most wolfdog-oriented organizations. A wolfdog may also be an animal with both wolf and dog ancestry within the past ten generations. They retain various traits of each parental line along with having traits that differ from either, and range from predominantly wolf-like to predominantly dog-like in behavior and physical characteristics.

Controversy

The wolfdog has been the center of much controversy for the past few decades, with laws in many European countries and most states and many counties and municipalities in the U.S. either outlawing the animal altogether or putting restrictions on ownership[Wolf Trust][National Wolf Dog Alliance]. This pattern of legislation is generally due to the belief that wolves are dangerous animals and that wolfdogs inherit their dangerous traits. This view has been contested in recent years by advocates of wolfdogs as companion animals[Wolf Dunn][The Wolf Is At The Door, Inc.] A non-profit focused on public education regarding wolfdogs.. However, most wolf and wolfdog rescue organizations claim wolfdogs retain many of the traits and requirements of their wild relatives and are therefore inappropriate as domestic pets[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wolf FAQ], includes Wolfdogs[Wolf Song of Alaska]. Both sides of the controversy agree, however, that wolfdogs require care and an environment unique from either wolves or dogs[Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary Wolfdog FAQ].

Origins

Research into the genetic makup of dogs and wolves indicate the two initially diverged somewhere around 100,000 years ago and have intermixed occasionally since.[http://www.idir.net/~wolf2dog/wayne1.htm Caries Vila, Peter Savolainen, Jesus E. Maldonado, Isabel R. Amorim, John E. Rice, Rodney L. Honeycutt, Keith A. Crandall, Joakim Lundeberg, and Robert K. Wayne. Multiple and Ancient Origins of the Domestic Dog, Science, Vol. 276, 13 June 1997 Evidence for prehistoric domesticated wolfdogs in the Americas date back at least 10,000 yearsWalker, D., and Frison, G.C. 1982. Studies on Amerindian Dogs, part 3: Prehistoric Wolf/Dog Hybrids from the Northwestern Plains. Journal of Archaeological Science 9:125-172, while fossil evidence in Europe points to their use in hunting Mammoths Schwartz, M. 1997. A History of Dogs in the Early Americas. Yale University Press.. While accidental (on the part of humans, in any case) pairings may have occurred intermittently since, modern wolfdogs are almost exclusively the result of arranged matings between domestic dogs and lines of wolves that have been in captivity for generations[Wild vs. non-wild wolf parents of wolfdogs].

See also

• Canid hybrid
• Czechoslovakian Wolfdog An established line of wolf-dog hybrids.
• Saarlooswolfhond Another established line of wolf-dog hybrids.
• Tamaskan Dog A domestic dog that has been bred to morphologically resemble wolves, though wolves have not been bred into the line in modern times.
• Historical perceptions of wolves for information on the public perceptions of wolves, which have been partially inherited by wolfdogs.

References

 

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