Yes, but you need to know your LC from your HC – and your wolf from your wolfdog. And certainly don’t even consider getting a wolf if you are a beginner. If you want to know more read on.
How Can You Own A Wolf As A Pet?
You can now own a wolf or wolf hybrid – commonly called a wolfdog – in most states. However, there are often rules for how many wolves you can actually have between states. You can certainly never catch a wolf in the wild and keep it as a pet.
Wolves are classed as wild animals and fall into the category of ‘exotic pets’ having strict guidelines and regulations in place. Additionally, they are still truly wild animals – so can injure or kill other pets and even humans – so keeping them isn’t something you want to decide on on a whim. It is like going for a tiger when you haven’t even owned a grumpy cat.
It is best to get in contact with a wolf or wolfdog sanctuary before buying your own wolf to actually meet one beforehand. Wolves need to be taken from their parents at a very young age and socialized in a very specific way to even stand a chance of making a handleable and socially-accepting pet. They also live for around 16 years, need a flesh-based diet (dog kibble just won’t suffice), a specialist vet, and a huge dig-proof 8ft-fenced enclosure – so are quite a serious commitment.
Do Wolves Make Good Pets?
No, wolves make terrible pets. Wolves are wild animals that can and do kill humans. Although they have been raised by humans and might have dog-like characteristics – and some might even be classed as ‘tame’ – they are still wild at heart. And being such intelligent creatures, they can actually outsmart you in a way that no ordinary dog is capable of. Imagine them as a teenager really.
Their way of communicating with humans is totally different from dogs. Something that you see as ‘bad’ in a domestic dog may be totally normal for a wolf to do – and you telling it off actually just makes things worse. Being unable to read their behaviors and not taking the time to understand their natural instincts will lead to serious issues.
However, if you want a dog that looks like a wolf – or is only a small part wolf – then perhaps things might look different. Choosing a Low Content (LC) wolfdog means that your wolf hybrid is more than 50% normal domestic dog and so will be more easily tamed and trained – a much more indoor family pet type. Having a Medium/Mid Content (MC) or High Content (HC) wolfdog makes things less pet and more effort.
Can You Train A Wolf?
Absolutely you can train a wolf. It is harder and takes more effort than a dog though. Wolves tend to decide when they want training and when they don’t – so you need to have the patience of a saint and the skills of a professional to get the balance right. Wolves appear in movies and TV shows all the time, so they can be done successfully by the right people.
However, if your dog training skills involve just the basics sit and stay effort, or you work with negative training methods you are out of luck. These just do not work with wolves (or MC/HC wolfdogs). You need to fully understand, and have experience in, positive reinforcement training methods AND have worked with existing wolves or wolfdogs to understand the way they think. Often outsmarting their owners, wolves need constant attention and an owner who can adapt.
Wolves are incredibly intelligent and can be trained for all sorts of actions and can even be working wolves in some settings. They are all individuals though, and should never be homed to families with young children or where not all family members are on board.
Are Red Pandas Safe to Keep as Pets?
The red pandas endangered reasons make it clear that keeping them as pets is not a safe option. These adorable creatures are currently facing threats like habitat loss and poaching. It is crucial to prioritize conservation efforts to protect their populations in the wild rather than keeping them in captivity.
What Is A Wolf-Hybrid?
Wolf hybrids in the pet context mean a wolf that has been paired with a domestic dog. Usually, this dog is from a large breed – like a Husky, German Shepherd, or another wolf-like breed, but it can be any type of dog at all – size permitting. If you are considering a wolfdog though – you need to be aware of all the potential versions out there.
Wolfdogs are usually classed for sale by their percentage of wolf content – so a wolf x dog litter will be 50% wolf (MC) – this pup paired back to another wolf gives you 75% (HC) but this pup to another dog drops it to 25% (LC). The lower the content the less wolfy it will look and behave (making it easier to train) and the higher the content, the more wolfy it will be.
Some HC wolfdogs can be almost 100% wolf, and some can be almost 100% dog. Some states list 100% wolves banned, but a 98% wolfdog is allowed. Other states say that if they have a wolf in their last 5 generations they are banned – and some breeders sell wolfdogs that don’t actually contain any known wolf at all in them. Due to them all being the same species, genetic testing doesn’t prove it either way.
