# Wolf x dog cross?



## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

This dog was at the recent Sled Dog Trials. He was one of many that this breeder had there that were Siberian Husky supposedly crossed with wolf.

Does he look like a wolf cross? Apparently he has some purebred Siberian Huskies that he competes with in the purebred division and some wolf crosses that he competes in the Alaskan division. Alaskans are any cross other than purebred.


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## BradA1878 (Nov 28, 2009)

That's a pretty freaking handsome dog, if you ask me. 

I think that dog could have some wolf in it, but did the breeder specify the wolf type?

I ask because the wolves in North America are HUGE, so I would expect a bit more robust of an animal than the if it was crossed with NA wolves. (JMO)

Could be mixed with a Carpathian wolf or something, they are smaller.

There are a lot of breeds that carry some rather "wolfy" traits tho.

I've never understood why mushers mix their stock with wolves - seems counter productive to a selection process. (JMO)


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## nekomi (May 21, 2008)

I'm not going to rule it out - that dog does have some wolfy traits - but the muzzle seems a little square, and I'm not sure on the size of the dog. There are a LOT of wolfy-looking Alaskan huskies out there... honestly, I have a really hard time guessing on looks alone, when it comes to them. It's often better to just go by the behavior.



> I've never understood why mushers mix their stock with wolves - seems counter productive to a selection process. (JMO)


Actually, it's not a common thing at all, at least not with the racing teams. Maybe a trapline team or a freighting team way up in the wilderness might use them - I have heard of that before. One guy told me that the wolf stock greatly improves the toughness of their feet/pads, and the quality of the coat for harsh climates. 

It's been my experience that most racing or recreational mushers frown on wolfdogs, though, and most will tell you that they don't make good sleddogs.


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## BradA1878 (Nov 28, 2009)

nekomi said:


> Actually, it's not a common thing at all, at least not with the racing teams. Maybe a trapline team or a freighting team way up in the wilderness might use them - I have heard of that before. One guy told me that the wolf stock greatly improves the toughness of their feet/pads, and the quality of the coat for harsh climates.
> 
> It's been my experience that most racing or recreational mushers frown on wolfdogs, though, and most will tell you that they don't make good sleddogs


Oh, ok. Thanx!

Have you read the book "Dogs: A New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior and Evolution" by Raymond & Lorna Coppinger? 

It s an interesting book that looks at a lot of the working dogs with mushing being one of the focuses. Very good read, IMHO.


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## nekomi (May 21, 2008)

I've heard of it, and had it recommended to me before, but never did get a chance to read it! It's on my list.  My two main interests, as most folks on DF know (haha), are wolfdogs and Northern breeds, so that book is right up my alley.

Ray Coppinger has given seminars at Wolf Park in Indiana for the past several years, though, and I would love to attend one. I'm going to Wolf Park for a week-long clinic in May, and I hope that he will be in attendance. I'd have to recheck the speakers list, but I vaguely remember his name there...


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## BradA1878 (Nov 28, 2009)

nekomi said:


> I've heard of it, and had it recommended to me before, but never did get a chance to read it! It's on my list.  My two main interests, as most folks on DF know (haha), are wolfdogs and Northern breeds, so that book is right up my alley.
> 
> Ray Coppinger has given seminars at Wolf Park in Indiana for the past several years, though, and I would love to attend one. I'm going to Wolf Park for a week-long clinic in May, and I hope that he will be in attendance. I'd have to recheck the speakers list, but I vaguely remember his name there...


I'm a big fan of the Northern breeds too (probably obvious, right?)... I love wolves, but I am kinda benevolent when it comes to wolf-dogs - I dunno why, maybe because I have not really spent much time with them. 

I'm huge about wolf conservation tho, and donate as much as I can to it - especially to Y2Y. That's one of the things that pulled my interest into LGD.

It would be really cool to meet Ray Coppinger, I hope you get to! If you do, please tell us all about it! 

(side note: The Coppingers were one of the first people in the US to own Ovcharka)


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