Fun Wolfdog Facts For Kids

If learning about new and unique animals interests you, then you should read about wolfdogs. As the name suggests, wolfdogs are hybrids that are the result of crossing wolves and dogs.

This wolf-dog mix has physical and behavioral traits of both the parents a dog and a wolf. However, a lot depends on the generation of the hybrid. Being a cross between two extremely interesting canines, this species itself is extremely interesting.

They are mostly found in spacious houses with yards or farms all over the world. However, some countries and a few states have prohibited the ownership of this hybrid. The reason for this restriction is that this wolf-dog cross is considered to be quite dangerous.

Cases of this canine attacking other animals and humans are not unheard of. They can even hurt their owner.

If you want to know more about this interesting canine hybrid, then read on. Check out the Kunming wolfdog and Saarloos wolfdog to learn about other interesting species too.

Wolfdog Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a wolfdog?

A wolfdog is a canine cross between a domesticated dog and a wolf. It shows the characteristics of both canines. However, after several generations of breeding, they are more dog-like than a wolf.

What class of animal does a wolfdog belong to?

This wolf-dog hybrid belongs to the same class as wolves and dogs, that is the Mammalia class of animals.

How many wolfdogs are there in the world?

Wolfdogs are found globally (except in a few countries and states). There are about 250,000 domesticated wolfdogs in the US. However, the exact number of these animals living in this world can not be estimated.

Where does a wolfdog live?

This wolf-dog cross is a result of human experimentation. As this animal is a cross between a wild animal and a domestic animal, it is native to neither the wild nor the homes.

They are generally found all over the world living with their owners in their big houses. Australia and states of some other countries do not allow this hybrid dog due to various reasons.

Spotting a wolf-dog cross in the wild is a very rare occasion but not impossible. However, it is difficult to distinguish between an actual wild wolf and a wolf-dog cross by just looking at it.

What is a wolfdog's habitat?

This animal is found in numerous houses all over the world, but it cannot live in an apartment or any small house. It needs a spacious yard to roam around freely or to exercise.

This animal needs at least half to a full acre of space so that it could roam around and not feel suffocated. This area should be enclosed.

The reason for the need for an enclosed area is that this canine cross has some instincts to run away. Temperature is not an issue for these animals as they can survive in almost all kinds of temperatures.

Who does Wolfdog live with?

Wolfdogs live with their owners in their houses or farms. As this wolf-dog hybrid is very different from regular dog breeds, only experienced dog owners adopt them. This animal does better when kept with another animal of the same species. So, an owner having a pair of wolfdogs is not uncommon.

How long does a wolfdog live?

Wolfdogs have a fairly long lifespan. They can live a healthy life of up to 13 years. These wolf-dog hybrids can even live up to 16 years with proper care and attention.

How do they reproduce?

The first wolfdog was bred years ago by crossing a Canis lupus familiaris with a Canis lupus. Breeding of wolfdogs can be done by crossing dogs and gray wolves, two wolfdogs, or a wolfdog and another dog like a German Shepherd. However, breeding should be done only by experienced wolfdog breeders.

Dogs can get seriously harmed in case of unsupervised breeding. The breeding process is pretty similar to that of other canines. After a gestation period of 60-63 days, six to seven pups are born.

What is their conservation status?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature or the IUCN has Not Listed the conservation status of wolfdogs in their Red List.

There is plenty of this wolf-dog cross living in the world. While the initial cross has to be made between a domestic dog and a wolf, wolfdogs can be bred by crossing two wolfdogs or a wolfdog and another breed of dog.

Even though the exact number of this animal is not known, it is reasonable to assume that the population of this canine hybrid is not at risk.

Wolfdog Fun Facts

What does a wolfdog look like?

The physical traits of this hybrid are a lot like the physical traits of the wolves. However, just like mixed breed dogs, the features of these wolves and dog hybrids cannot be predicted before breeding.

In general, they have a thick coat with sharp eyes. They have sharp erected ears similar to wolves and the dogs they are most commonly bred with. These hybrids have a wide range of appearances depending on low, medium, or high-content wolf genes.

How cute are they?

The natural reaction of most humans having met this hybrid would be to get scared. Many people will think of them as wild animals even if they are pets. You will find them cute if you find wild wolves cute.

How do they communicate?

Wolfdogs communicate with each other and with humans with gestures and vocalization. To show a sign of love for each other, they affectionately lick each other's teeth. To show a sign of aggression, they will growl or whine.

How big is a wolfdog?

Being a cross of wolves and dogs, these animals can grow quite big. Sometimes, they can exceed the size of both parents due to genetic combination. The average height of this animal is somewhere between 25-33 in (63.5-83.8 cm). Most animals of this breed are only slightly shorter than a Gray Wolf and visibly bigger than fully-grown German Shepherds.

How fast can a wolfdog run?

Wolfdogs are extremely active dogs and can cover great distances. This wolf-dog cross can cover a distance of 62 mi (100 km). Even though their exact speed is not known, it can be assumed that these animals are quite fast as wolves are quite fast.

How much does a wolfdog weigh?

Wolfdogs are pretty big-sized breeds and weigh more than most domestic dogs. Their average weight ranges from 60-120 lb or 27.2-54.4 kg. However, as they are active dogs, the chances of them getting overweight is pretty low.

What are the male and female names of the species?

A male wolfdog is referred to as a dog, whereas a female wolfdog is referred to as a bitch.

What would you call a baby wolfdog?

A baby wolf dog can be referred to as a puppy. Many pet owners refer to these puppies as pups.

What do they eat?

The diet of this wolf-dog mix breed is quite different from other domestic dog breeds. While a regular dog breed can be fed dog food or prepared food, this animal needs raw meat to survive.

Raw chicken, raw turkey, and other raw meat are what they need daily. However, raw pork is not the preferred meat for them as it could cause the animals indigestion.

This breed does not seem to mind the bones in the raw meat and even enjoys them. The wolfdog needs to drink a lot of water in a day as it is an active breed.

Some owners feed their pet wolfdogs various fruits. However, not all fruits are good for them, and it is wise to take advice from a veterinarian before feeding them any specific fruit.

Are they slobbery?

Drooling is common in both dogs and wolves. Drooling is a part of the digestive system of all canines. The saliva helps the animal digest its food better. So, it is only natural for this canine to drool. However, it is not known whether they are heavy droolers.

A sudden change in drooling tendency can be a symptom of dental infections and require immediate attention. So, it would be advisable to get the animal checked by a veterinarian in case the drooling tendency changes noticeably.

Would they make a good pet?

This wolf and dog hybrid is a very unpredictable dog breed. So it is debatable whether they make good pets or not.

As the wild wolf is one of their parents, this animal can show aggressive behavior. In contrast, others of the same variant might show friendly behavior like their other parent, that is a dog.

Their level of unpredictability is so high that wolfdog pups from the same litter can show different behavior. However, these canines are loyal and intelligent and can be found in numerous houses globally as pets.

These hybrids are extremely different from other breeds of dogs and are not at all appropriate pets for an inexperienced pet owner. You should have the ability to train aggressive dogs if you want to pet these hybrids.

This is not the only criterion for having them as pets. The wolf-like activities such as trying to escape, digging, and attacking people are some common behavioral traits of these hybrids.

They need a spacious house that is enclosed by at least 8 in (20.3 cm) fences. They can dig their way out, so that needs to be taken care of too.

These hybrids are also capable of climbing trees and jumping the fence, so there should not be any big trees outside the house. However, as they are half dogs, they have some behavioral traits of domestic dogs as well.

They are loyal to their humans and make great hunting dogs. These hybrids can be used for search and rescue, hunting, and tracking.

They are active species and need at least two to three hours of exercise daily. Without proper exercise and enough space, their temperament can be affected further.

It is also not advisable to keep these hybrids as pets if you have children or other pets in the house. They are not known to get along well with children and other pets but do not mind sharing their space with another pet of their variant.

Did you know...

Like most dogs, these dogs and wolves hybrid are prone to certain health diseases. They can get affected by ticks, fleas, and mites like every dog. More serious diseases like parvovirus and cancer can also affect them.

These hybrids are extremely preferable animals when it comes to rescue missions and hunting. They can track down a scent within just a few seconds, whereas it takes dogs like German Shepherds a good couple of minutes.

It is often debatable whether a rabies vaccine is suitable for this hybrid or not. Many breeders prefer to give rabies vaccine, and some think it's not appropriate and can harm the animal.

Can you own a wolfdog in Australia?

The ownership of a dog-wolf hybrid is not legal in Australia. Australians do not have permission to breed or own this animal.

What special traits does the wolfdog have?

This wolf-dog cross has traits of both its parents. However, the generations of the hybrids play an important role.

A wolf-dog cross can be more like wolves if the hybrid is a first-generation cross. A hybrid from the second or third generations (when two wolfdogs are crossed or when a wolfdog is crossed with another dog like a German Shepherd) will have features that are less like wolves.

The most visible difference between this hybrid and a regular dog is temperament.

A pack of wolfdogs is more aggressive than a group of regular dogs. The diet of this pack will also differ.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals from our Kob Interesting Facts and Nutria Fun Facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable wolfdog coloring pages.‍