Monday, December 26, 2005

Wolf Hybrids Don't Make Good Pets

Wolf-dogs have a reputation of being difficult to housebreak, and can range in size from a petite 35 pounds to a hefty 130 pounds. Because they are extraordinarily strong, an uneducated wolf-dog owner may realize too late that they are in over their heads.

What gets the wolf-dogs the most negative attention is attacks on children, which Leshick said is a natural reaction to a negative action by a child.

Wolf-dogs, when they are in a home, view their family as a pack and treat the children as their own puppies, Leshick said. And what wolves may do to a misbehaving puppy -- a nip on the nose -- can have tragic consequences for a child.

"It's not the breed for everyone," Noetzel said. "Some of the hybrids I've seen are downright frightening, very wolfy. But they are wild animals."


This article is worth reading in its entirety.

I really don’t think it is a good idea to adopt wild animals as pets. Yes, there are some exceptions, since we can “tame” some animals like birds, and reasonably care for some animals such as lizards. However, many wild animals, and their hybrids, aren’t suitable as pets. Some can be downright dangerous.

There are plenty of good, domesticated animals that make fine pets. Dogs were domesticated thousands of years ago, and most of the rough edges have been smoothed off. Wolves, and wolf hybrids, are too wild for the typical home.

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