Wolfdog Breeding: Owner Shares Knowledge Before Crossing Breeds

Phillip Young, Colorado resident and passionate about crossbreed dogs, shared his experience of caring for a wolfdog, highlighting the challenges that must be faced in raising the animal and the laws of each state In the USA. Continue reading and understand the stories and learnings as you take care of a wolfdog!

Man shares his experience with a wolfdog

Discover the story of Young and his crossbreed dog Faelen:

Passion for wolfdogs and American laws

Young has always been passionate about wolves and dog breeds mixed with wild ones, since he was very young. But adopting one of them is extremely difficult depending on where you live in the United States.

For example, there are no federal laws that prevent this type of adoption, however in Alaska, having wolf or wildcat hybrids is against state laws. If you live in the state of Nebraska, adoption is allowed without any level of prohibition.

A Louisiana resident, Young couldn't have the real wolf he'd always dreamed of, but he was able to adopt his first hybrid. A wolfdog named Kota that was sold by the breeder who claimed the animal was 98% wild wolf.

So Young didn't quite believe this percentage, performing a DNA test later that confirmed it. only 25% of Kota genome as authentic wolf and the rest mixed with malamute, german shepherd, husky and chow.

Still, Young adopted Kota because he was super smitten with the animal and his entire family in the adoption process. With that, he cared for the wolfdog until his death in 2021.

Adoption of Faelen and Keeva

With Kota's death, Young accepted the challenge of creating a dog with a higher percentage of wolf. And that's how he found Faelen, with a DNA tested of 54% wild wolf with Malamute, husky, German shepherd and Norwegian elkhound.

So Young adopted Faelen and his daughter, another wolfdog named Keeva. However, from then on, some financial difficulties began for the family, which did not allow the newly adopted wolfdogs to live with them.

So Young needed to move to Colorado, but he was renting while he sorted out a permanent, comfortable home to raise Faelen and Keeva. Then he ended up choosing a foster home in Texas to house them while he sorted out the pending issues.

Sadly, four days after leaving the dogs in the care of the foster home, Young received a call about Faelen's death. What happened was initially reported suspecting that it was Faelen's daughter who had killed him.

However, upon arriving at the scene, Young understood that, in fact, Faelen got his head stuck in the fence and trying to free herself, she pulled a loose thread that ended up cutting her throat, causing it to bleed to the point of to die.

Heartbroken, Young took Keeva to another foster home and reminisced about his time with Faelen and how the dog that had died was an intelligent animal that learned everything so easily.

Also, with a good social education from Young, Faelen had overcome his wild and skittish nature, becoming a much calmer animal and sociable with people.

Currently, Young is looking for a good house to build a proper containment so he can take Keeva out of the foster home and finally be able to live with her.

Meanwhile, he drives 5 hours every month to spend an entire weekend with her, to reinforce that she hasn't been dumped.

Alerts for those who want to raise crossbred animals

For all his passion and experience with wolf dogs, Young would like people who also want to raise these animals to understand that it is a challenging adoption.

Since the nature of these animals is unique, it is necessary for humans to adapt to it, not the other way around, as with common domestic animals.

Understanding that wolfdogs are not dangerous is important. In reality, the danger is in irresponsible pet owners who don't know how to raise them and let other irresponsible people take care of them too.

After all, it is necessary to be careful, know how to train and have appropriate space with nature so that these animals live a good, healthy and comfortable life.

Thus, it is essential that these dogs have qualified and experienced owners, who have the time, space and flexibility to dedicate themselves to them.

As other important characteristics to have a good creation, it is also fundamental:

• Develop social skills to overcome shy and runaway nature;
• Understand that these animals are not suitable as guard dogs, precisely because of their nature, which tends to run away from danger rather than face it;
• Knowing how to give a diet of raw and adequate foods;
• Understand that these animals do not handle separation well and tend to develop a lot of anxiety if it occurs.