just curiuos if anyone has any ideas on this.

I have had my german sherphard/wolf mix for about 6 months. I have been trying to work with her and I am just getting really fed up, she has problems with going to the bathroom in the house. she wont stop I take her otu about every 20 minutes now and she still wont stop going in the house, another problem I am having is she is VERY submissive, she will not play she is very shy and doesnt like being pet much or anything, she loves playing with other dogs but not humans, what can I do to help this? another thing is she stays in the yard fine but if you walk somewhere with her she likes to sniff around and wonder after people, how can I get her not to be so distracted?

 

I had a mal/shepherd mix and I was often asked by people how much wolf she had in her. One person that asked me told me he used to raise hybrids and he said her back legs showed wolf. I'm not sure - but I do know that the entire litter was snuck into my state which has banned wolf hydrids.

We were NEVER able to fully housetrain her. 95% of the time no problem...but if she had to poop - she pooped. I don't think it was anything to do with us as our next dog was fully housetrained in 2 weeks and my previous dog was okay too.

Dog like this follow their nose...they are curious and want to know what has passed through their neighborhood. THis dog might always be curious and distracted by different scents. Maybe some obdience training for heeling when walking.

You've probably got a very headstrong dog there. I would suggest obdience classes which will not only help your dog - but will also help you with learning to train.

 

Wolf hybrids ARE headstrong, among many other things, and this is why they are NOT recommended as pets. I worked for a vet and we saw many of them come in as pups, and by the time they were sexually mature they were often almost uncontrollable. A wolf is a wild animal - they are not domesticated like dogs, and should be treated as such. In other words, they should not be household pets. They often cannot be trusted, and I've seen many who displayed characteristics like yours does - submissive, yet potential fear biters, not affectionate, wanderers. Its not her fault - she's not a dog, and animals that are not domesticated do and will get distracted. In my experience with talking with people who own them, they are very difficult to train in any way. Housebreaking or otherwise. Most of the people I knew who had them eventually got rid of them because of these behaviors. I've also heard (don't know if its true however) that they will take advantage of you if you are sick, and may attack, because they sense that you are weak.

 

There is no such thing as a trustworthy animal all animals can turn nasty and become head strong.

My mum owned a german shepherd x wolf more wolf the shepherd and she got him at 12weeks old he lived until he was 14 she had a few problems with him when he was about 10months old where he would start to chew everything and even chased her cats and tried to eat them but with time patience and training her turned out to be one very smart and loveable dog my little sister was 2years old at the time and she would pull on him climb all over him and never once did he turn on her.

As my mum says the most headstrong animal can be calmed if you have the time and patience to train them correctly.

Obvisouly with a wolf or a wolf mix you can not feed raw meats as if there is blood in it this gives the dog a taste for it.

My mum used the clicker and treat method where everytime he did something correct she would click and reward within a few weeks he was brilliant.

Seeing a behavioural specialist would be a good step aswell.

My sister owns a rottweiler x Lab and he is the most unruly pushy dog there is i think heheheh my mum is working with him and my 7year old nephew is helping as the dog only seems to listen to him.

Diet is also important if they have something that aggrivates there intestinal tract they will go to the toilet wherever they are also the amount of water they get the more water the more the pee..

Sounds like you may need to go back to puppy training and start again.
Never get fed up or stressed as easy as it is to say that as dogs sence frustration and will act on it this can cause them to be approhensive(sp) of there owners and you don't want this you want the dog to trust you and feel safe around you.
As with all animals if they feel threatened they can turn on whatever it is thats is threatening them its there defence mechanism....

Also making sure you clean the area's she does go toilet in properly to get rid of any scent left behind should also help.
Keep at it i am sure she will come round and learn to understand its wrong to do it in the house..Don't give up on her

Mike

 

ok, first of all I would just like to say we did not know at first that she had wolf in her, she was gotten from the pound, but having had a good look at her and taking her to the vet we found out(( thankfully my vet loves me)) hybrids are banned in ohio as far as I know. I love Angel to death and would never do anything to hurt her, I will never give up with her, she likes to have time with me alone though most of the time, she likes everyone else in the house but cowers when you go to pet her, she is more used to me then anyone else because of the fact that no one else really cares to give her much attention..............they dont care for her because of her behavier and potty issues, She is my dog, bought with my money. and she is my responcibilty. she is absolutely gorgeous, I want to do anything I can to help her get her potty broke and maybe actually get her to play.....thanks for the advice so far and if you have anything more just tell me!

 

Hi since she has bonded with you its best if you do the training.
When potty training her you take her out you praise her and if possible give her a treat when she has done it outside.

Use a command like go potty or be quick, Stay outisde with her for about 20minutes and see what happens.

If a dog has more than one person telling it what to do they become confused especially if your trying to train them as they are taught one thing from yourself and something from someone else so the dog is confused on who to listen to..

Take it step by step as if you were training a little puppy and with time hopefully she will grasp the concept of going toilet outside..

Mike

 

If this type of dog is banned in your area (I assumed that, from your post) don't you think that she may be taken from you for that reason alone. Won't it be harder to let her go as more time passes. Due to the wolf in her, she may be better off with (organization or professionals) to care for her and keep her safe. I don't say any of this to sound heartless but just practical.

 

in NH wolf hybrids are banned and vet also won't give them vaccines - and don't have to. They say that vaccines made for domestic dogs don't work on wolf hybrids (rabies and such). You want to be very careful with this dog...I personally don't have an issue with wolf hybrids and I know people who have had them for years with no problem BUT they usually find they have to end up living outside in pens as once they mature they are destructive in the house (sometimes size related no fault of the dog). Wolves are not inside animals.

What concerns me, if your state also won't administer rabies vaccines, if this dog should bite someone the realistic nature is your dog will be PTS. Pure and simple - and if you have the banned breed laws in your state and your homeowner's insurance finds out what breed of dog you have you will most likely lose your homeowner's insurance.

 

I have grown up around wolf hybreds and stories of them. My dad owned two dogs he used for racing and racing only who were wolf hybreds. They were two males and brothers Deeko and Buck they were SH/Wolf crosses and beautiful animals and made great sled dogs with alot of training and time. These dogs were NOT pets even less then our regular sled dogs. They were sweet dogs but had no real interest in me or anyone but my dad who they saw as their maine food giver. They could not be lead lead dogs and mainly fell amongst the middle but did their jobs well.

Anouther experience my bestfriend Aimee rescued a white female WHB she named Icey. She was beautiful dog but so weird. She would eyeball her like she would like to bite her every once in a while. She was house trained eventually but it wasent a full on deal and still had accidents every once in a great while. She once again was not a pet and just looked at Aimee as anouther dog. Aimee owned Icey for two years when one day Icey attacked her out of nowhere. She came in the door and must have shocked Icey and she jumped up and grabbed her arm and started shaking it. Luckily her bf was there and all he had to do was throw a pan on the floor and the sound scared her off of Aimee. That day they called a wolf hybred rescue (the name of it I can get) and asked if they were willing to take Icey and they were.

I know one man who specializes in dog aggression and know Wolf Hybreds as kid killers. You figure out why.

I truly have nothing against the breed itself i have issues with those who breed raise them. Their not pets and will never be.

 

I've done some reading on the Sarloos Wolfhound. Bred from a German Shepherd and Russian She Wolf. I copied some info for you and will paste it here.

Additionally, I live in Indiana and there is an organization/park you can visit here called Wolf Park dealing with wolf hybrids. I have copied some info for you from there as well and HIGHLY recommend that you check out their site and follow their suggested links to help educate yourself.

Here are the copies:

Sarloos website info:"A powerful, wolf-like, coarse haired dog. The height of the male dog may average from 65 till 75 cm and of the bitch from 60 till 70 cm. The Saarloos wolf-dog has to give an impression of an alert, carefull, affectionate dog, behaviour: reserved against people and situations strange to him, but this without showing nervousness or fear.

Typical for this wolf-dog is the very close way he wants to live with his family. Being so attached to his pack it is quite impossible to keep him in kennels for long periods, especially alone. This will destroy his sozialization and make him panic-stricken. The wolf in this dog makes it impossible to use or train him as a guard dog: he is lacking in every kind of agression against people. Meanwhile his strong personality and will, need an affectionate and continuing education. A lot of patience makes him a well-behaving dog, but without showing complete submission as seen by shepherd dogs.

It is impossible to obtain a puppy by contacting an individual, organized breeder. He will refer your request to the mediation service for pups of the association. During personal contact this service will assure itself, that a pup sold to you will be in good hands. Meanwhile you have to become member of the association, because the membership is obligatory. Accepted as a candidate-owner a pup will finally be given into your hands. But a procedure refusing to make money out of dogs and taking care, that every new pup can be supported by the breed, can make candidates wait for a long period. But this proceeding also assures the candidate that he will get a pup as good and healthy as possible.
All members of the association sustain this proceeding."

From the Wolf Park site:
Wolf Park's Position on Pet Wolves and Wolf-Dog Hybridsin the Possession of Private Persons.by Erich Klinghammer, Director, WOLF PARK

In recent months discussion among hybrid owners and breeders on the Internet, at rendezvous, in letters and telephone calls have also focused on the position of WOLF PARK with respect to private ownership of wolfdog hybrids (hybrids for short).

The position of NAWPF-WOLF PARK is straightforward:
1. We are NOT against anyone possessing captive wolves or hybrids. Nor do we advocate legislation that would make it illegal to possess such animals. We have long recognized that telling people that they cannot possess these animals will not prevent them from breeding or owning them.
2. From our experience with captive wolves, not only at WOLF PARK, but elsewhere as well, and through contacts with hundreds of hybrids, by reading newspaper accounts, and consulting with lawyers involved in litigation where pet wolves, hybrids, as well as dogs have attacked, injured and even killed people, we have amassed ample evidence that shows that when kept in improper conditions, these animals can pose grave danger to people - especially to children.
3. To help people who contemplate owning wolves or hybrids, and to better handle potentially dangerous dogs safely, the INSTITUTE OF ETHOLOGY at WOLF PARK offers wolf behavior seminars, three times a year, for a number of years. The results have been most gratifying. After hands-on experience with our socialized wolves some people have decided against obtaining pet wolves or hybrids, while others recognized that to keep these animals safely they would have to invest in building proper facilities, as well as having additional help available, in case the owners had to travel, became ill, or even died. Thus, we are helping people to make informed decisions about owning these animals.
4. 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.
5. To safeguard the lives of innocent children, and to insure a reasonable quality of life for the animals, we at WOLF PARK put our efforts into educating people for responsible ownership of these animals. Owners should comply with existing laws in the states and municipalities in which they live. Failure to do so has often resulted in lawsuits, and sometimes in the confiscation of the animals, with great expense and emotional hardship for all concerned.
6. When called upon to testify in court, before legislative bodies, or when consulting on pending legislation, or in court cases, we simply render an opinion to the best of our knowledge and experience. The safety of people, especially children, is our primary concern.
7. By rendering an opinion, we do sometimes affect the outcome of a court decision. A decision may go against, as well as for, an individual owner and his animals. We do not take sides. Our testimony has saved many hybrids, wolves and dogs from destruction. In other instances animals may have been euthanized by governmental agencies.
We have resisted all efforts to elicit from us testimony in favor of a particular position by either the defendant or the plaintiff. We have helped with our testimony to stop a community from enacting breed-specific laws. i.e. banning a particular breed , when some dogs of that breed had killed a child. Instead we rendered an opinion as to whether or not the particular animal had been kept safely.
In our opinion the responsibility always rests with the breeder or owner of the animal. - We saved Mickey, a pet wolf who had killed a child in Wayne, Michigan, from being euthanized. We were widely criticized for this action by some people, and were praised by others. Mickey lived out his life at WOLF PARK as a living example as to why a pet wolf does not belong unattended on a chain in an unfenced yard.
8. From analysis of situations in which pet wolves, hybrids and dogs have killed or maimed people - almost always children - we have a fairly good idea about what conditions precipitate such attacks. They may be dominance-related, but more often a child who has tripped, cried and struggled to get up, triggered the prey-killing response, because the child resembled wounded prey in some way.
9. We have drawn up guidelines, as to how pet wolves and hybrids can be kept safely, with the help of hybrid breeders, owners, behavioral scientists, and a USDA inspector. These guidelines have been made available to any interested party, from responsible owners to governmental bodies considering legislation. Our function is to educate people and to help save children.
10. On several occasions we have called local authorities when a pet wolf or hybrid was kept unattended on a chain or escaped repeatedly. We then suggested ways to safeguard the animals and prevent attacks on people. We have also warned owners who in our opinion were not keeping their animals safely. In some cases we like to think that we have saved lives. In a few others, where our warnings were not heeded, preventable attacks occurred, and children were mutilated. These cases involved pet wolves, hybrids as well as dogs.
11. We have been criticized for not telling the good points of pet wolf and hybrid ownership. That is not our job. We try to save lives of children, and help to insure a good quality of life for animals in captivity through our education programs.
12. We are disturbed by the fact that many breeders and owners misrepresent the potential danger to life and limb which improperly kept animals pose. We deplore the lack of adequate facilities in which many animals are kept. We especially deplore the fact that time and again when preventable accidents have taken place, the innocent animal is killed. It is never the animal's fault, but always the owner's, whether she or he was aware of the danger or not.
13. Responsible hybrid breeders and owners agree with us. There are, however, many owners and breeders who, instead of acting responsibly, attack our position of responsible ownership of these animals. Usually, when restrictive laws or ordinances are passed, the responsible owners suffer most.
It has been our observation that the hybrid-owning community, with some notable exceptions, has done little to police its own ranks. In fact no such mechanism exists. Furthermore, the owners who cause most of the problems, do not even belong to any hybrid organization at all where they might at least obtain some useful information.
There should not be any surprise then that, officials charged with public safety, will attempt to control the breeding and owning of pet wolves and hybrids. It is a sad fact that when a dog kills a child the reaction is very much different than when a pet wolf or wolf-dog hybrid kills one. The old fear of the wolf is still very much in the minds of many people.
14. Finally, 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.

For more information about wolf hybrids please check out some links to other sites or for rescue facilities such as the Candy Kitchen Rescue Ranch
Wolf Park Website:
wolfpark.org

Links:
http://www.siriuspack.com

Finally, I wanted to say to you that I am trying to keep in mind that you are 16. I suffer from depression as well and know that I did not have the ability to control it or manage it at the age of 16 w/out the EXTENSIVE support of my parents, which it sounds like you may not get.

So, educate yourself about your disorder on the web, through reading in the library, free classes offered in your area (usually offered by your local hospitals, mental health association etc...) take control of your own disorder and help yourself if you are not getting the help or support you need at home.

I am not assuming anything about your situation, please understand that, just wanted you to know that it's very easy to be mis-understood when you are trying to communicate your thoughts and feelings via e-mail. It's happened to all of us at one time or another. And at 16 I was literally the world's worst communicator!

I hope the info on the hybrids helps you out and that you read it and try to become a responsible educated pet owner. Which is all any of us on this site are trying to do by helping each other out.