# Shepherd/Wolf Mix?



## A1Kilo (Jun 20, 2014)

Adopted this dog and was told it was a german shepherd wolf mix. They told me Mother was full blood german shepherd, father was wolf/ german shepherd mix. I know I can get a test to tell for sure, just wondering if anyone could tell what she could be. From what they said she should be around 6 months old in these pics.























Thanks for the help!


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## Declan (Jun 29, 2014)

I have experience with wolfdogs and don't see any wolf traits in him. Most of the people who think they have wolfdogs really don't, so I wouldn't put much faith in what you were told. The only test won't tell you how much wolf content he has, only if it exists or not, and it's not entirely accurate as far as I know. That one's called the UC Davis.

Here are two 6 month old wolfdogs for comparison.










_*** Oversized Picture removed by ADMIN *** _

The two that follow are adults. Both are low content (almost all dog).


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## Declan (Jun 29, 2014)

By chance, do you have any pictures of her father?


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## DJGinger (Jun 5, 2013)

Ask me about German Shepherd? i kow next to nothing. Here... I can venture opinion. 

My Uncle Charlie (actually by marriage) raises them for decades with shepherd in mix. I've have socialized a few, owned two. Also owned a 1/2 coyote.

Your kid's teeth are small (tho it is young) and back jaw is narrow (cheek area), the feet are small, claws are not visible at all (they are like frippin talons when they are little-you clipped them?), tail is rather long.

If there is wolf it is probably not so high in percent.
For the father to be half wolf, the owner has had to have a full wolf or two either grandfathered in or a state that allows for having full blood.


I'll see what I can dig up in photos of the 85% my x got (we know where he came from and what parents were. Dad was 100% Alaskan. Mom was a 75% with Husky as dog used)

Our Blitzen was 180 lbs when he was just under two. White, silky mane. His eyes were dog dark by the time he was 1; though very slanted.
When he was young he had long deer legs, monstrous paws with talons, a lazy brush (which he would show his dog heritage by curling over back awkwardly when very focused) The biggest goof and best all around "dog" ever. Big, white and foofy and goofy. Social. Some permanent mild dog aggression with other males but he was intact. Patient, calculating and structured. Ate a LOT. His favorite game was ferret mustache (he teased at them til he had matched pair hanging off his lip (ow- what floats ...right?) and then would do "crazy doggie" circle runs.
But bored easily and *destructive* with jaws like vise grips and dagger incisors. Could escape ANY enclosure if digging, climbing leaping or biting thru was option. He didn't get the memo that mom said NO until he was close to 3. My job was to keep him really really busy (I told my X NO. and ball of fuzz was brought home that same week anyway. I KNEW work was coming) We would have him swim next to our boat or pull weight sledge.
My X got him when we divorced. He was dead 6 months later and I never knew cause (he was 10).

Conversely his brother got some notoriety when it turned on the owner and earlier maimed someone's horse and was put down at age 2. One of the sisters was a problem child in hometown as well. I can't say that was just because their heritage though. His litter had 6 and 2 were white.

Pretty little pup though


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## Pax8 (Apr 8, 2014)

I would say no. Mixed, possibly, but I would not say with wolf. Possibly with a GSD/Husky cross parent. It is extremely common for people to pass off their GSD/Husky mix dogs as wolf mixes. It is extremely rare to come across anyone who has a genuine wolf mix.


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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

Hopefully it's a husky mix.

Breeding wolf hybrids is unethical, it's very difficult to meet their physical/emotional needs. 

If it does turn out to be a wolf mix, perhaps contact a sanctuary and see what advice they can give you on building a suitable enclosure/habitat for it and how to work with it? what I've read is that it's best to treat them more like a wolf than a dog, but that probably depends somewhat on how high a wolf content they have.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Very possible it's a wolf x. I had one for 13 years. Dam GSD, Sire Pure Timber Wolf. That's called a F1 cross. Yours would be an F2 cross or 25% wolf. Most take on the coloring your pup has and have the GSD coat (shorter and not as fluffy as a wolf coat). The color patterns look like a wolf X. Also, on the tail, there is what is called a precaudal gland. It's on all dogs and is located on the top of the tail about 3 inches from the body. In Wolves and wolf X this is covered with a darker and larger patch of hair than dogs. As they grow older, it will be more noticeable.

You may notice little in wolf behavior in a 25% x. Their vocalizations though usually give them away. Kind of a yowling, pacing in circles with head down when they are "communicating happiness and togetherness" with you. You may also hear a bit of howling when they are sleeping and dreaming. 

Harder to train, more independent and more apt to break out and stray. Also, people still harbor fear and can be hostile to your pup. I told people mine was a Shepherd mix. He was an amazing animal and my "one special dog".

You have it, hopefully you will be able to accommodate it's needs. Escape proofing your yard is essential or you will not have him much longer. When they wander, they tend not to come back - ever. Most are hit by cars or picked up skinny and starving by animal control or shot by country folk. ALWAYS keep him away from children. They are very mouthy and curious and do not always observe the same boundaries a dog does.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

A1 Here's some pics. Sorry they are dark (from the 70's). Photos 1 and 2 are of Nuka my dogs sire. He was a Tundra wolf 110lbs- notice the coloring, much darker than what most people think of a wolf as. Timber wolves run in more wooded areas - darker coloring for camo, Tundra wolves run on open ground and their coloring is lighter (grays, whites)for camo.

Photo one also shows part of another animal that was a 7/8's female. (notice the shorter GSD type coat) My male hybrid is photo 3. His Dam was a 56lb black and tan GSD. He was black and silver. He was only about 62lbs.

The thing that throws me about yours are the ears. Wolf/Shepherd X usually have very erect ears, somewhat shorter than a GSD and more rounded on the tops. You may have more in the mix.....


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## Zeusthegsd143 (Nov 24, 2014)

I definitely don't see any wolf. But maybe husky?


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