The Wolf Preservation Blog

A recent mystery transpires in Gatchel, Indiana when a homeowner’s pet dog survives a vicious attack by what appears to be a wolf. The only flaw to this unfortunate scenario…Indiana wolves were eradicated over 100 years ago.   

YouTube houses the Channel 14 story and can be seen at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRGDvPVaTIc(Warning: there are a few graphic pictures).

As seen from the video link, a number of wolf hybrids bonded together and likely escaped from their owners. Wolf hybrids are a mix of a wolf and a dog and are very uncommon because almost all of them are bred by humans. Despite common perception, breeding these two genetically similar animals does not usually produce a docile, loving best friend. In fact, mixing the two species can cause a normally tame dog persona to fight with an instinctually marauder persona.

Dr. Randall Lockwood, ASPCA’s Senior Vice President for forensic sciences weighs in on the subject, “I have bred several myself in my research and worked with them.  People who seek out wolf hybrids often do it for selfish and egotistical reasons.  They want something exotic.  It’s a mistaken belief that somehow they are honoring the spirit of the wild.  Yet they have produced an animal that cannot usually live safely or happily with humans.  It can’t live as a wild animal, nor does it have the adaptation of a dog.  Wolf-dog hybrids are not necessarily more aggressive, but they are often very easily frightened and aroused.  They’re escape artists—virtually almost every one I have ever known has escaped.  They can be predatory.  They are not suited to the wild world of companion animals.  They are difficult to train.  Wolves have enormous control over their aggression—wolves rarely fight other wolves.  But when you breed wolves with dogs, it’s potentially a very dangerous combination.” 

It’s interesting to note that Lockwood also added that on average, there has been one hybrid-caused fatality a year over the last twenty years in the United States.  By comparison, Merritt Clifton, editor of Animal People News claimed that there were 345 people killed by dogs between 1982 and 2009; 159 of these fatalities were actually caused by the infamous pit bull terrier or a similar mix.

Unfortunately, given the wolf’s notorious history, the rare occurrence of a bite or fatality inflicted wound by a wolf-hybrid would most likely reinforce its deleterious reputation. The perception of the wolf has long been misunderstood. A predator by birth, one of the most common misconceptions is that a wolf lives to eat…anything. This couldn’t be further from the truth. A wolf, as stated before being a predatory animal, is far more likely to stalk prey that it perceives as a challenge rather than prey it perceives as “available.” This does not preclude that wolf related incidents don’t occur. If an animal (or person) is hungry enough its instincts will kick in and it will find a way to feed itself. This is one of the many reasons breeding a wolf and a dog can be a huge mistake. The wolf’s predatory nature will conflict with a domestic canine personality.

Although ownership of a wolf hybrid is a decision not to be taken lightly, uninformed people taking on this difficult responsibility should keep a few critical ideas in mind:  provide extraordinary amounts of space, time, security, and avoid the use of cages.  Spend extra time researching the needs of wolf hybrids and consult with an expert on the subject.  You can start by visiting the following link through “Wolf Park,” a non-profit research and education center dedicated to behavioral research on wolves:  (http://www.wolfpark.org/wolfhybridposition.shtml).  Dr. Erich Klinghammer, Director of Wolf Park explained some insightful knowledge on the livelihood of owning such a majestic animal, “The way such animals are often kept does not usually meet the social and behavioral needs of the animals. They frequently languish in small cages, or are tied to chains, with no quality of life to speak of.  We are concerned that pet wolves and hybrids improperly kept, when they do cause damage negatively affect the image of the wolf in the wild. Hence, we all should do what we can to prevent this by practicing and promoting responsible ownership.” 

Wolf organizations have devoted their talents and efforts to rescue wolf hybrids that would otherwise be put to death.  Many of these steadfast organizations can likely attest that wolf hybrids have gotten more negative attention than they deserve and act appropriately in accordance with the amount of expertise and effort owners contribute.