In North America, the wolf hybrid is also known as a wolfdog. It is the subject of much controversy. It is borne of crossing a domestic dog with a wolf, and the name is also used to describe their consequent offspring.
Those against the breeding of wolf hybrids believe that these striking, mysterious animals are unpredictable, dangerous and make poor pets, adding to the fact that there are virtually no rabies vaccines available for wolves and their hybrids. Protagonists argue, however, that the wolfdog is a good companion animal, and that "once you have a wolf hybrid, you can never go back to owning a regular dog."
Wolves and dogs are being increasingly and purposely crossbred in North America and in some parts of Europe, although until recently such hybrids were uncommon. In 1998 the United States Department of Agriculture approximated the US to have the highest wolfdog population in the world. Some polls say the numbers are around 300,000, while others have estimated it to be as numerous as 500,000.
Over the years the wolf hybrid has developed into a fad animal or pet. This occurs because of the media exposure increasing the popularity of wolves and their hybrids. The first generation hybrids were gray wolves crossed with wolf-like dogs, such as Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, or German Shepherds"the subsequent offspring looked exotic and appealed to owners looking for such.
Much of the controversy about wolf hybrids centers on its breed-specific legislation, meaning they debate about the animal's "perceived danger" and its categorization as protected native wildlife. These organizations consider wolf hybrids as wild animals (and therefore unsuitable as pets): The Humane Society of the United States, The Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, The Ottawa Humane Society, The Dogs Trust and the Wolf Specialist Group of the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Species Survival Commission. There are many European nations as well as many U.S. states and municipalities that disallow or outlaw the breeding, ownership and importation of wolf hybrids and others impose regulated ownership.
Due to its being a hybrid the wolfdogs physical attributes when it is born are difficult to predict, just like with mixed dogs. Hybrids possess a wide variety of physical appearances. Some hybrids may look like regular domestic dogs, others can look like full-blooded wolves, and some look like an even mix of both.
Wolf hybrids have smaller heads than their wolf ancestors. They do not have coats as dense and possess larger, pointier ears. Their fur markings are not as evenly mixed and are more distinctive.
Unlike pure dog breeds and their inherited diseases due to the thinning out of their gene pools, wolf hybrids are considered genetically healthy animals. Observations from the Soviet Union saw that high content hybrids have longer canine teeth than dogs of about the same size, rendering them able to bite through tough material like a knife through snow, says reports from the South African Defense Force. They have excellent senses of smell that rival even the most established scenthounds, and they possess better endurance during the hunt.
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