Anyone have a wolf hybrid?

[Southern28Chick]

I'm thinking about getting one. I've been reading about them and I know that they are very tricky and sneaky and they need a lot of attention. I've seen pictures from breeder's websites of 160 pound "wolf dogs" with cats and small children.

Anyone here have one?

 

[cheepchicks]

I had a friend stay here who had a full blooded timber wolf. Very sweet animal, a little shy at first. Not good around other animals except the horses. (weird) I liked her very much.

Kim

PS. They have a very strong musky odor ! The pen she stayed in still smells of her and its been since December that she was in there.

 

[chicks rule]

Ask Rooster-Red, I believe he had one for over 13 yrs. Here is a link to the thread below.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=12997

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

There are other dogs that look like wolves, but are not crosses or hybrids at all. I forget the name of them, but if you look up Ice Wind Farms of Hope on google, you should find the breed I'm talking about. Very beautiful dogs that look just like wolves, but don't have that kind of personality. They are also good farm dogs and very sweet!

 

[Bubba]

Your asking for your chickens to be replaced Southerngirl. Wolves are predators, thats it THEY KILL. Dogs have been bred for 30k+ years to not only be around but (certain breeds) protect animals that we keep. Wolves kill the weak they don't protect it. Your asking for trouble, I know they look awesome but if you have birds or other smaller animals they are as good as dead. I am sure there are exceptions to the rule, but do you want to find out the hard way....

Bubba

 

[Chellester]

I have an Alaskan Malamute / Siberian Husky cross. People think he's a wolf or a wolf hybrid all the time, even though he's not. He's 90 pounds and has one blue eye and one brown eye.

Before him, I had an Alaskan Malamute. 130 pounds.

Both dogs were the sweetest dogs ever to other people and dogs, but if a cat or anything else crossed their path, forget it... it was all over.

IMHO, if you like the look of the wolf hybrid, you can get one of the aformentioned breeds and have the look without the other problems a wolf hybrid has. But I would be VERY CAREFUL with it around your chickens... maybe if you get a puppy, you may be able to train it not to go after them. I personally would never let any dog around chickens, no matter how much I trusted it... I've heard too many horror stories; alot of them were here on this board.

 

[nightshade]

Dogs are made to kill period.

With that said I had a wolf hybred as a child as well as had a friend with one just recently. Both were wonderful even though the one we had when I was young had been very baddly mistreated by it's previous owner. Now I have hunting dogs including coon hounds which my hubby breeds, hunts, trains ect. And when it comes to my chickens the only dog allowed around them is my son's weiner puppy. And frankly he is terrified of them thanks to a hen on eggs he wanted to make friends with lol. And if there is a time where he loses that fear then he also will not be allowed around them.

I would never trust or allow any of my hunting dogs around our chickens, ducks or even our goats. We have had no problems but it's just not a risk I want to take. They are trained to kill and also bred over thousands of years to do so. It would be foolish to think that they would abandon their instink just cause you might expect them to. Just keep that in mind.

If you are willing to keep them seprated chickens and dogs are both great compainions and you can have both with little problems. Good luck on your search and I hope you find a new four legged friend.

 

[SunnySideUp]

I have to agree with the others that wolf-hybrids are unpredictable! They are beautiful animals, however, but I would stear clear of them for a different reason. We live in Montana where there are still wild wolves, and I feel they should remain that way. Many people out here have tried crossing them with dogs, but it just ends up giving wolves a bad rap because the hybrids are still essentially wild. There was a young girl who had her arm torn off by one not far from here.

I once saw a wild wolf "ambassador" who came to our animal behavior class when I was in college. She was so freaked out by the ceiling and lights, and especially by ceiling fans. It was obvious that she new she didn't belong there. Remember, a hybrid is only one generation away from that.

Here's a couple things to check out:
http://www.wildsentry.org/hybrid.html
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2000/10/22/loc_wolf_hybrid_kills.html

It's your decision ultimately, but since you asked.....

 

[Standard Hen]

A wolf-hybrid is the last kind of dog I would want. Now this is just my little opinion. They are strictly predators and I would be very leary and always watching. Not all dogs are killers but remember there are certain dogs that just have a very high predator radar. A wolf hybrid is one. I knew someone who had one, it was fine at certain times but they could never really trust it. It was given to them by someone who could not keep it for whatever reasons, they had alot of land where is could run etc.
Sunnyside up pretty much said it all.
There are so many nice dogs that would fit right in for you and I am sure it is just waiting for a good home.

 

[chickbea]

I knew one person who had them.
You need a lot of land, a perimeter fence, and additional home owner's insurance.