Wolfdogs
This is from a discussion in biology class regarding wolf-dog hybrids:
The wolf (canis lupis) and the domestic dog (canis familiaris) have similar (though not identical) genotypes and therefore can be bred quite easily. The domestic dog is taxonomized as a subspecies of wolf. Thus the wolf-dog is not technically a cross-species hybrid.
To create the domestic wolf-dog, breeders usually mate a gray wolf with dogs such as Siberian Huskies, German Shepherds, or Alaskan Malamutes. This tends to produce a phenotype with a more wolflike appearance.
The biggest problem with wolf-dogs is that their behavioral characteristics are less predictable than those of domestic dogs. The adult behavior of hybrid pups also cannot be predicted with comparable certainty to domestic dog pups, even in third-generation pups produced by wolfdog matings with dogs, or from the behavior of the parent animals. Though the behavior of an individual wolf hybrid may be predictable, the behavior of the type as a whole is not. Wolf-dogs are less likely to accept a human as the "pack leader" than are domestic dogs. Statistically, they are also more likely to attack small children or other household pets. They often retain the wolf's natural curiosity; driving them to dig ferociously, chew up household items such as furniture and display extreme difficulty in housebreaking.
Wolf-dogs may actually be more aggressive than wolves due to having in some cases been bred with dogs into which aggressive behavior is a characteristic of the breed.
Their appearance is not entirely predictable either. Some will look like a domestic dog with no wolf characteristics while others may look more like a wolf. No two pups in a litter have an identical genotype, unless they are identical twins. The phenotypic differences reflect the differences in their genotypes. Wolf-dogs are often larger than either the wolf or dog from which they were bred, a phenomenon termed "hybrid vigor."
Ownership of wolf-dogs would be best left to persons with understanding of both breeds and training in dealing with wild animals. The wolf-dog does best in a large enclosure suited to house wolves, rather than a normal yard or house. They are not simply an exotic breed of dog that makes a unique pet. They still have many wild predatory instincts.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/newsletters/v5n4/5n4wille.htm
The wolf (canis lupis) and the domestic dog (canis familiaris) have similar (though not identical) genotypes and therefore can be bred quite easily. The domestic dog is taxonomized as a subspecies of wolf. Thus the wolf-dog is not technically a cross-species hybrid.
To create the domestic wolf-dog, breeders usually mate a gray wolf with dogs such as Siberian Huskies, German Shepherds, or Alaskan Malamutes. This tends to produce a phenotype with a more wolflike appearance.
The biggest problem with wolf-dogs is that their behavioral characteristics are less predictable than those of domestic dogs. The adult behavior of hybrid pups also cannot be predicted with comparable certainty to domestic dog pups, even in third-generation pups produced by wolfdog matings with dogs, or from the behavior of the parent animals. Though the behavior of an individual wolf hybrid may be predictable, the behavior of the type as a whole is not. Wolf-dogs are less likely to accept a human as the "pack leader" than are domestic dogs. Statistically, they are also more likely to attack small children or other household pets. They often retain the wolf's natural curiosity; driving them to dig ferociously, chew up household items such as furniture and display extreme difficulty in housebreaking.
Wolf-dogs may actually be more aggressive than wolves due to having in some cases been bred with dogs into which aggressive behavior is a characteristic of the breed.
Their appearance is not entirely predictable either. Some will look like a domestic dog with no wolf characteristics while others may look more like a wolf. No two pups in a litter have an identical genotype, unless they are identical twins. The phenotypic differences reflect the differences in their genotypes. Wolf-dogs are often larger than either the wolf or dog from which they were bred, a phenomenon termed "hybrid vigor."
Ownership of wolf-dogs would be best left to persons with understanding of both breeds and training in dealing with wild animals. The wolf-dog does best in a large enclosure suited to house wolves, rather than a normal yard or house. They are not simply an exotic breed of dog that makes a unique pet. They still have many wild predatory instincts.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/newsletters/v5n4/5n4wille.htm
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