# When does it stop being a hybrid?



## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Not sure if thus us the right section. But at what point in a breeding program does a wolf/dog cross stop being considered a hybrid and becomes a dog?

I have seen lots of posts about the Vlchak(sp?) and I recently net an Inuit dog. Both were knowingly created using a wolf. So at what pony do they stop being called a hybrid? To me, they both are hybrids, but supporters say they are not. 

Opinions?


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## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

Now I may be very wrong, but I used to be in LOVE with the Inuit dog and I'm pretty sure I remember that back when I did all my research the breed has NO wolf in it. It was specifically bred to resemble the wolf but not have any wolf blood.

How true breeders stuck to that goal I cannot say, but unless I'm just not remembering correctly that was a big signpost for the breed.


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

I don't believe in Hybrids. I call them mutts.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

robk said:


> I don't believe in Hybrids. I call them mutts.



I think different dog breeds crossed are mutts or mongrels or mixed-breed dogs. But when you cross a wolf with a dog, that would be a hybrid. Like if you cross a quarter horse with a morgan, you still have a horse, but if you cross a morgan with a donkey, you get a hybrid, a mule, which is generally sterile. 

But it sounds like dog/wolf crosses are not sterile, so they may not be a true hybrid, as they used to concider them different species, but now they call the dog a sub-species of the wolf?


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## Merciel (Apr 25, 2013)

I agree with selzer's post in terms of establishing a loose working definition.

IMO, a given population stops being a "hybrid" (or a pack of mutts) when it's capable of breeding true and when the population with those identifiable, distinct characteristics is large enough to be independently sustainable without becoming overly inbred or needing more external crosses to maintain the population.


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## Kaimeju (Feb 2, 2013)

marbury said:


> Now I may be very wrong, but I used to be in LOVE with the Inuit dog and I'm pretty sure I remember that back when I did all my research the breed has NO wolf in it. It was specifically bred to resemble the wolf but not have any wolf blood.
> 
> How true breeders stuck to that goal I cannot say, but unless I'm just not remembering correctly that was a big signpost for the breed.


I think the Inuit dog you're thinking of is now called the Tamaskan dog. You are correct, it doesn't have any wolf. It's a mix of GSD, husky, and Finnish sled dogs (which might have wolf ancestry but there were no pedigrees so who knows.) They are a tightly controlled registry now because so many people have tried to produce knock-offs, some of which are probably wolf hybrids of recent lineage. The "Inuit dog" label has also been used by hybrid breeders to get around regulations.

Now, the Greenland Dog and Inuit Dog that are freight dogs up in Alaska, those are very different. They don't look much like wolves at all, but there is folk knowledge that says if you want a tougher dog, you should leave your bitch in heat tied out for the wolves to mate with. However, this may just be a story told by white travelers to the region who wanted to exoticize the natives and their wolfy looking dogs.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

When you cross a donkey with a horse you are crossing two different species and the resulting mules are sterile. When you cross a dog with a wolf you are crossing essentially a wolf with a domesticated wolf. It is not the same. 

As far as the original question. I don't really know. Might be something to google.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

From what I heard, a wolfdog is no longer considered a hybrid when it is only 1/16 wolf. That is, the wolf ancestor must be 4(?) generations back with no new wolf introduction in the pedigree. This is what I understand to be the "legal" definition, but I heard things 20something years ago so I'm not sure if it's changed since then.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Oh, and if you want to get really technical with the terms, a "hybrid" refers to the crossing of two different species, ie horse and donkey. Mules, ligers (lion x tiger), Savannah cats (serval x domestic cat), and wholphins (whale x dolphin) are true hybrids and are usually born sterile. Animals of the same species, but different sub-species (wolf x dog) are not technically termed "hybrids" in the scientific sense, because they can produce fertile offspring. But they are still called "hybrids" in casual nonscientific conversation, rightly or wrongly. I still call them "wolf hybrids", although there's some push now to call them "wolfdogs" which is actually a more correct term.

I am not sure whether F1 Bengal cats are true hybrids, but I'm sure someone here does.

There's a really interesting site out there on hybrid animals, I'm sure you could Google and find it.


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## mehpenn (May 22, 2006)

I think Inuit Dogs look like Huskies, I don't see the appeal myself. (my random, not related to the topic, thought of the day.)


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## von Bolen (Mar 30, 2012)

Hybrids are not domesticated versions of wolves. Its an animal with an unpredictable bag of mixed wild and domestic genetics.


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## SusiQ (Jul 27, 2007)

My Diablo is a GSD/Great Pyr/Arctic wolf cross. He is extremely low content. He has wolf and pyr behaviors - no GSD behaviors at all, but is a gentle giant, canine good citizen, highly socialized, etc. I have fostered a high content cross and she was very friendly but destructive - ate furniture, walls, etc. - they are just not meant to live in a domestic situation - could never really potty train or settle her down. Fortunately, she now lives on a large property with other canines and has the run of the place. I would never encourage the breeding of dogs and wolves - you really never know what you are going to get. I rescued Diablo from our local SPCA and he is wonderful - but much more "dog" than wolf.


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