# Lupo Italiano (Italian Wolf)



## NormanF (Apr 14, 2013)

The Lupo Italiano is a dog that is basically a German Shepherd with the snout of a wolf.

Its unique in that the breeding and development of the breed was overseen by the Italian government. The name translates to "Italian Wolf" - they are beautiful dogs - you could be mistaken for imagining you're seeing a GSD!

Information on the history of the dog can be found here:

http://dogbreeds.bulldoginformation.com/lupo-italiano.html

"You cannot find it for sale - its a state dog and its only use is as a working dog with the Italian government service:

The Lupo Italiano is a wolf-dog hybrid resulting from the cross between a German Shepherd dog and a she-wolf. The breed is protected by presidential decree stipulating that this 'State' dog can not be commercialized nor bred outside the officially recognized agency, the Etli, Ente Tutela del Lupo Italiano (Agency For The Protection Of The Lupo Italiano)."











This is the all-black version. A strikingly handsome dog! In Italy, they used extensively in SAR work.


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## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

It is a wolf.
Italian Wolf at Animal Corner


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## NormanF (Apr 14, 2013)

David Taggart said:


> It is a wolf.
> Italian Wolf at Animal Corner


No - the Lupo Italiano is a hybrid - a cross of a German Shepherd sire and a female wolf bitch. You're thinking of the wild wolf in Italy. The LI on the other hand IS a state dog and is a pure working animal - there is no chance of acquiring it as a pet! It is strictly protected.


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## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

Governmental programme probably was intended to create a new breed.
Shepherd Dogs and wolf-like dogs


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## NormanF (Apr 14, 2013)

David Taggart said:


> Governmental programme probably was intended to create a new breed.
> Shepherd Dogs and wolf-like dogs


The US military ran a similar program to create the American Tundra Shepherd:


American Tundra Shepherd Dog

"This working breed is descended from wolf hybrids created for the U.S. Army by Frank Catania, a Military dog trainer and veterinary technician in the late 1960's. By crossing wolves with military-bred German Shepherd Dogs, Catania intended to establish a superior working animal for service use in Korea and Vietnam. The Government initially supported this breeding programme, but after years of trying to create consistently larger and stronger sentry dogs posessing a higher prey drive and free of hereditary health problems associated with the GSD breed, the experiment was abandoned as unsuccessful.

In 1976, a number of GSD breeders interested in increasing size and improving health of their dogs began using the leftover stock of genetically superior Military Wolfdogs. Some fanciers weren't content with simply improving the GSD and it was decided that the American Tundra Shepherd Dog should be established as a separate breed. These powerful dogs have been bred to a consistent type ever since. 



The American Tundra Wolfdog is reportedly much healthier than the GSD and is an even-tempered, trainable and resilient working breed. This massive canine is completely devoted to its owner and aloof with strangers, making a good property guardian. Intelligent, energetic and athletic, the ATSD makes a capable competitor in dog sports like Agility and Obedience trials. 



The coat is thick, harsh and fully weatherproof, coming in a variety of natural wolf shades, as well as common GSD colourings. Average height is around 32 inches."



Its a very rare breed. If you want a dog that looks like a GSD - get a GSD! They're easier to acquire. :wub:


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## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

They missed 
polar wolf husky hybrid - Ïîèñê â Google


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## NormanF (Apr 14, 2013)

David Taggart said:


> They missed
> polar wolf husky hybrid - Ïîèñê â Google


They're for sale - personally, I think a wolfdog hybrid isn't for the first time dog owner. They don't offer any advantage people can't get from a GSD or a Husky.


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## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

I like this one, according to the list an EES is a wolf-hybrid too. It is believed that the wolf is even more intelligent creature than the dog.
East-European Shepherd - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

so who has - N O T - done a GSD , wolf hybrid --

Czech, Dutch, Italian , American , China (Kunming dog) 

what did Einstein say? ""Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." 

maybe these people should compare notes


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## sitstay (Jan 20, 2003)

David Taggart said:


> I like this one, according to the list an EES is a wolf-hybrid too. It is believed that the wolf is even more intelligent creature than the dog.
> East-European Shepherd - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


According "to the list" this is a breed originating in a cross of GSD and Husky type dogs. Perhaps you misunderstood when the "wolfish" appearance of the head was mentioned?
Sheilah


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## NormanF (Apr 14, 2013)

carmspack said:


> so who has - N O T - done a GSD , wolf hybrid --
> 
> Czech, Dutch, Italian , American , China (Kunming dog)
> 
> ...


Every one has to improve on the GSD! I don't think its really in need of overly dramatic improvement. The perfect shepherd dog simply doesn't exist. One would think after the dissolution of the Phylax Society and the appearance of the GSD, those kinds of arguments were settled.


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## sitstay (Jan 20, 2003)

carmspack said:


> so who has - N O T - done a GSD , wolf hybrid --
> 
> Czech, Dutch, Italian , American , China (Kunming dog)
> 
> ...


Snort! But comparing notes wouldn't give someone the opportunity to think they can do it better than anyone else!
Sheilah


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## NormanF (Apr 14, 2013)

sit said:


> According "to the list" this is a breed originating in a cross of GSD and Husky type dogs. Perhaps you misunderstood when the "wolfish" appearance of the head was mentioned?
> Sheilah



We're already had a thread awhile back about the Russian upgrade to the GSD -

"The East-European Shepherd, often called the Russian German Shepherd, is a Soviet dog variation of the German Shepherd. This Russian dog breed is larger and heavier built than its German ancestor. It has a powerful and muscular frame, a massive head with dark, oval shaped eyes, and long, vertical ears. Its medium length double coat is more dense to allow this Russian dog withstand cold winters. The usual coat colors are black, black and tan, black and red, brown, gray and red, sable, sometimes with a dark facial mask."

Some people want a dog that looks like a wolf. Others want a hardier working dog. Every country seems to have found its own use for a GSD that exceeds the current breed requirements and not all of them turned out to be successful.


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## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

> Every one has to improve on the GSD!


GSD like any other breed suffers degeneration. THere is a term called "hybrid vigor", by creating new breeds it is possible to improve existing ones. Breeding programmes include possibility of crossbreeding GSD types to bring in fresh blood. There is something has to be done to fight displosia, for instance.


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## NormanF (Apr 14, 2013)

David Taggart said:


> GSD like any other breed suffers degeneration. THere is a term called "hybrid vigor", by creating new breeds it is possible to improve existing ones. Breeding programmes include possibility of crossbreeding GSD types to bring in fresh blood. There is something has to be done to fight displosia, for instance.


I was advised of this when I adopted my GSD. At the time, I realized life doesn't come with guarantees - not for dogs or for any of us. If she gets hip dysplasia later in life, time will have caught up to her. Now I have a healthy dog! Sure you can try to create healthier dogs through bringing in fresh genetic material to reinforce breed vigor but it also has its drawbacks, too.


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## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

> Perhaps you misunderstood


Hybrid Canines


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## Capone22 (Sep 16, 2012)

"Temperament-wise the Lupo Italiano is extremely lively, with fierce and independent character. Training methods based on flattery or punishment will be ineffective with this breed; the Lupo Italiano only obeys if he is convinced that it is the right thing to do. It is very aloof and distrustful of strangers, though very affectionate with his human family or handler with whom it will develop a very exclusive relationship. He will be very protective of the persons and objects he has under his custody."

That doesn't sound fun at all. And this is exactly why these combinations have never worked for any country that tried. 


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## NormanF (Apr 14, 2013)

Capone22 said:


> "Temperament-wise the Lupo Italiano is extremely lively, with fierce and independent character. Training methods based on flattery or punishment will be ineffective with this breed; the Lupo Italiano only obeys if he is convinced that it is the right thing to do. It is very aloof and distrustful of strangers, though very affectionate with his human family or handler with whom it will develop a very exclusive relationship. He will be very protective of the persons and objects he has under his custody."
> 
> That doesn't sound fun at all. And this is exactly why these combinations have never worked for any country that tried.
> 
> ...



That's the GSD ancestry. GSDs tend to naturally be close to the person they bond with and they're not inclined to make immediate friends with strangers. Same with the LP. If you're looking for a dog that is overly friendly, a shepherd type dog probably isn't a good fit!


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## Capone22 (Sep 16, 2012)

NormanF said:


> That's the GSD ancestry. GSDs tend to naturally be close to the person they bond with and they're not inclined to make immediate friends with strangers. Same with the LP. If you're looking for a dog that is overly friendly, a shepherd type dog probably isn't a good fit!


I'm talking more on the part with training. I like a dog that I can train. Biddable, eager to train with me. The wolf is not one of those.

I own a GSD that is aloof to strangers. Except kids. And I'm her world. That's not what I was referring to. 


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## Capone22 (Sep 16, 2012)

Capone22 said:


> ",>>> with fierce and independent character. Training methods based on flattery or punishment will be ineffective with this breed<<< the Lupo Italiano only obeys if he is convinced that it is the right thing to do.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App





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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

NormanF said:


> The perfect shepherd dog simply doesn't exist.


So I must have the only one then. :happyboogie:


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

Pfffff. I opened this topic exited to see someone to compare notes only to see it had been opened by the same person with half knowledge collected from non scientific webpages.

What... The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is not good enough anymore since information busted your bubble?

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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

Sorry repeat post


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## NormanF (Apr 14, 2013)

Catu said:


> Pfffff. I opened this topic exited to see someone to compare notes only to see it had been opened by the same person with half knowledge collected from non scientific webpages.
> 
> What... The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is not good enough anymore since information busted your bubble?
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I like all wolfdogs! Its not a reflection on Kavik!


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## NormanF (Apr 14, 2013)

wolfy dog said:


> So I must have the only one then. :happyboogie:


So do I. She's perfect for me! I have no complaints.


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## NormanF (Apr 14, 2013)

Capone22 said:


> I'm talking more on the part with training. I like a dog that I can train. Biddable, eager to train with me. The wolf is not one of those.
> 
> I own a GSD that is aloof to strangers. Except kids. And I'm her world. That's not what I was referring to.
> 
> ...


A tame wolf can be trained! It takes more work than with a domestic dog but it can be done.


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## Cschmidt88 (Nov 24, 2010)

NormanF said:


> A tame wolf can be trained! It takes more work than with a domestic dog but it can be done.


He/She didn't say they can't be trained, she said they are not eager to work with us. Which wolves are not, wolves were not bred to work along side us human and do not possess the traits that makes dogs so easy to work.

Dogs Decoded is a documentary that does an excellent job showing this. Wolves failed in simple tests where dogs excelled. (Apes failed it too.) They placed two cups on the ground, one had food under it. And they pointed to the cup with food under it. Wolves and apes did not pick up on the hand gestures at all. Dogs got it immediately, even young puppies still with their dam.

And a wolf if still a wild animal, no amount of training will take that fact away.


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

The most interesting part of (I think the same show) dogs decoded was teaching dogs and wolves to do something for food, and later sabotaging that so it wouldn't work.. The dogs all look to the human for assistance where the wolves never do and just get pissed off


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## Capone22 (Sep 16, 2012)

Cschmidt88 said:


> He/She didn't say they can't be trained, she said they are not eager to work with us. Which wolves are not, wolves were not bred to work along side us human and do not possess the traits that makes dogs so easy to work.
> 
> Dogs Decoded is a documentary that does an excellent job showing this. Wolves failed in simple tests where dogs excelled. (Apes failed it too.) They placed two cups on the ground, one had food under it. And they pointed to the cup with food under it. Wolves and apes did not pick up on the hand gestures at all. Dogs got it immediately, even young puppies still with their dam.
> 
> And a wolf if still a wild animal, no amount of training will take that fact away.


Yes exactly. Why do people have this fascination of trying to make WILD animals pets? They don't want to be our pet. Leave the wild in the wild. 


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## NormanF (Apr 14, 2013)

Capone22 said:


> Yes exactly. Why do people have this fascination of trying to make WILD animals pets? They don't want to be our pet. Leave the wild in the wild.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


The LI and the Czech Vlcak are NOT wild animals - they are dogs first and foremost. People who acquire them with the intention of acquiring a wolf with a gentle dog temperament will be disappointed! They are dogs and they behave very differently from a wolf. That said, I do agree here the wolf should be kept in the wild where it belongs! While a wild animal can be tamed, it lacks the qualities that a domesticated animal has. Its a difference - a critical one - that should never be forgotten!


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

"The aim of the breeding program has always been to produce a wolf-dog that would not just feature physical characteristics from both the wolf and the dog, but above all to obtain a reliable working dog compatible with living with humans."

If the aim is to make a reliable working dog, why did they think crossing in wolves would help?


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## NormanF (Apr 14, 2013)

Chicagocanine said:


> "The aim of the breeding program has always been to produce a wolf-dog that would not just feature physical characteristics from both the wolf and the dog, but above all to obtain a reliable working dog compatible with living with humans."
> 
> If the aim is to make a reliable working dog, why did they think crossing in wolves would help?


The fearlessness, stamina and tough weatherproof coat of the wolf are seen as desirable qualities to introduce into the dog. But it must be done with utmost care. If the hybrids are bred wrong - the experiment would be considered a failure. So its very difficult to create a new breed and not just any one can do it!


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## Arana (Aug 10, 2020)

NormanF said:


> No - the Lupo Italiano is a hybrid - a cross of a German Shepherd sire and a female wolf bitch. You're thinking of the wild wolf in Italy. The LI on the other hand IS a state dog and is a pure working animal - there is no chance of acquiring it as a pet! It is strictly protected.


Arr yes it is okay so for your information you dont know the creater would know so your saying who created the lupo italiano is wrong were you there when he created this breed no you werent lol were you like it says its a hybrid with a female she-wolf and male german shepherd you can tell that they are wolfdogs


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

The brother of a good friend had one of these animals. In a picture I saw of it, it looked very much like a German shepherd. He did not own it, it was owned by the state, and trained for SAR. He had many successful finds with it. They would often travel to the search site by helicopter, and the wolf was fine with that.

One day, he told me, he was walking the wolf off leash in an open area. An off leash dog approached them. He yelled at the handler to call his dog, but the dog didn't respond. The wolf ran away from the approaching dog, and hid in some bushes. The dog followed him into the bushes. Before the wolf's owner could do anything, the wolf had killed the dog.

I have never researched the origins of these animals, but my understanding, based on what the owner told me, was that the animal was a full blooded Italian wolf, which had been 'domesticated' to protect it from becoming extinct in the wild. The government very strictly controlled the breeding, and who was allowed to foster the animals. 

It's obvious from what happened to the dog that the wolf's instincts were still very much intact. A wolf that's not suspicious of a new person or animal is pretty soon a dead wolf, and a wolf's reaction to being cornered is to fight and possibly kill.


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## Salty dog (Aug 10, 2020)

This is an interesting read as “Dire wolves” are now highly sought after thanks to GOT. I wonder how many shady breeders out there tried to find some wolf cubs to add into their “breeding program.” Most probably just cross it with a husky and call it a wolf hybrid, and the general public is clueless. This is one of the reasons I was initially reluctant to breed my white Shepherd to a black Shepherd, but the health and temperament were so stellar in both pairs, and other stud dogs just didn’t have a chance when it came to being a better stud. It’s my first breeding, so aside from puppy going to the stud owner as partial stud payment, all other pups will be placed with family locally, so I can watch them grow, and be able to either assist with any issues if they arise, or take the puppy/dog back in.


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