# First Day Home (and a recent trip)



## Captain_Russia (Nov 18, 2015)

Two of the pitcures are from her exploration of the critters the first day home. The other are of her trip to a friend's house, where she met an Irish Wolfhound and a Saint Bernard! Apologies for the quality, these were taken on my phone which has a terrible camera. The last is from a few months ago, you can see her favorite toy behind her and a little of what I'm talking about with the dorsal cape:


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

She's super cute, but there's no wolf in there. Which is good! No worries about rabies shots or housing.


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## Captain_Russia (Nov 18, 2015)

She doesn't look like a wolf, but she does have the dorsal cape (at least to me). Do you see it or is it something else I'm looking at? I tried searching for pitbulls, german shepherds, and the mixes and didn't find that in any of the pictures.


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

My dog has what you're talking about it. It's pretty common in dogs to have longer fur over the neck and shoulders. Pretty much all dogs have slightly longer fur in that region, and some of the longer coated dogs have a noticeable cape. It's not a dorsal cape, but I can see the confusion.


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## Effisia (Jun 20, 2013)

I've had people convinced that Beckett was a wolfdog for some of the same reasons. Or a super special fox mix. Oy. 


















It's definitely common for dogs to have longer fur over the neck and back area


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

Given the fact that foxes are vulpines and have a totally different chromosome count than canids, that would be ... special, indeed, lol.


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## Captain_Russia (Nov 18, 2015)

I know that some dogs have similar capes, but they're all furrier breeds than Hemset is, she's short-haired, though she does have a double-coat. I think it's also worth mentioning that the skin under there is very thick, my vet was surprised when they tried giving her a shot, and they had to give it in her leg. Is nails turning color normal as well? When I got her, the nails were very light but at about 10 weeks they turned brown and stayed that way. She also howls, doesn't bark or growl, and needs constant entertainment or human interaction, she's super social! That's kinda crazy that people thought Beckett was a wolfdog, I can kind of see it in the face as a puppy, but he's definitely not a wolf! Cute, though. And I don't know about foxes, but coyote/dog mixes are a thing:


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## Effisia (Jun 20, 2013)

Fox/dog crosses are impossible. It was just an illustration that a lot of people do not have any idea what they're talking about. 

As for her having short hair, but still a ruff, you did say there was GSD in her genes, right? Genetics can be super weird and with a mix like that of several breeds, you can end up with some really wonky stuff, especially in terms of coats.


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

Coyotes are canids.

It's totally common, even for short haired breeds, to have longer fur over the neck/shoulders. It doesn't show well in pictures, though. I couldn't find a picture of my dog's "cape" and I realized it's just because who takes a picture of their dog's shoulders? Nails, fur, etc. changing colours between birth and 8 weeks (and beyond) is normal, too. Lots of breeds have thick/extra skin around the neck. Super social is a trait of dogs, not wolves. Wolves don't want us, dogs need us.


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## Captain_Russia (Nov 18, 2015)

I suppose if it's more common, it just seemed really pronounced to me, more so than other short-haired breeds that I'd seen. Oh well. And she's not social with other people, just the family. She needs to be around us all the time - not separation anxiety, because if you leave for a little while she's fine, she just can't get enough of the family when we're around. But if we're out and about she doesn't care about other people, even if they stop to pet her or talk. Just kind of like "meh".


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## Cindy23323 (Mar 31, 2010)

Kind of curious why you are saying your pretty pup is a wolfdog when there is no wolf features by the pics you have posted, and all the traits you are listing are also dog traits. You would think you would take your own advice that you are trying to give in another thread where you are announcing wolf traits. Also in a older post you specifically said that the father to your pup is UNKNOWN that it is POSSIBLY a gsd wolfdog. http://www.dogforums.com/dog-health-questions/409889-puppy-biting-scratching-even.html#post4569441


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## Effisia (Jun 20, 2013)

Captain_Russia said:


> I suppose if it's more common, it just seemed really pronounced to me, more so than other short-haired breeds that I'd seen. Oh well. And she's not social with other people, just the family. She needs to be around us all the time - not separation anxiety, because if you leave for a little while she's fine, she just can't get enough of the family when we're around. But if we're out and about she doesn't care about other people, even if they stop to pet her or talk. Just kind of like "meh".


This is also super common and written into the breed standard of many dogs, actually. Even Eurasiers have "aloof with strangers" in their breed standard. Pits definitely tend to me more wiggle-butt friendly, but I'm pretty sure GSDs and Malamutes are more aloof.


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## Captain_Russia (Nov 18, 2015)

I thought that what she had was a dorsal cape, that was the main thing. She doesn't look like a wolf at all, I've said that several times. I don't know much about dogs in general so all I had to go on was what I read and pictures.


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## TheDarkestMinds (Feb 28, 2015)

Yeah that pup is 0% wolf. Cute though! Lucky you.

I have seen that "dorsal cape" like feature on dogs that are not fluffy. But on dogs with a coat that is short but thick, or even wire haired mixed breeds. It's pretty common.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Captain_Russia said:


> She doesn't look like a wolf, but she does have the dorsal cape (at least to me). Do you see it or is it something else I'm looking at? I tried searching for pitbulls, german shepherds, and the mixes and didn't find that in any of the pictures.


The photo you posted of the dorsal cape... is that your dog or just a photo of an example dorsal cape? Because I don't see a dorsal cape in any of the puppy photos. I see several photos that are too blurry to tell, and one of an excited puppy with her hackles up.


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## LittleFr0g (Jun 11, 2007)

gingerkid said:


> The photo you posted of the dorsal cape... is that your dog or just a photo of an example dorsal cape? Because I don't see a dorsal cape in any of the puppy photos. I see several photos that are too blurry to tell, and one of an excited puppy with her hackles up.


I was wondering too, especially because the coat colour and texture is completely different from the other pics.


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## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

The first picture is a different dog, it's what she's comparing her dogs cape to. 

Cute pup!


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## Captain_Russia (Nov 18, 2015)

TheDarkestMinds; well I suppose if it happens in short-hairs, too. I just hadn't seen any when I looked up pictures, though in most of them it's hard to tell because as Amaryllis said no one takes pictures of their dog's back.

Yes, I suppose I forgot to mention it's a picture of a real wolf's dorsal cape, not her. xD


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

0% wolf in your dog. Everything you are describing is just normal dog stuff. That longer hair is normal too. Many dogs have longer fur around their necks, even shorter coated dogs. Considering your dog is a mix and possibly with a longer coated breed it really isn't surprising. Try to just enjoy your dog instead of looking for wolf.


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## parus (Apr 10, 2014)

My terrier mutt (the one in my avatar) has more of a pseudo dorsal cape than that puppy does, and she is negative one million percent wolf. Dogs tend to have longer and coarser hair over their shoulders, and it stands up readily because it's part of their hackle, and because the skin is often a little loose and folded there. It's a common dog feature.


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## Captain_Russia (Nov 18, 2015)

Remaru I wasn't looking for her to be part wolf, I'm actually glad that she isn't. Yeah, wolves are my favorite animal, and yes, it would be _neat_ if she was part wolf, but there's all kinds of issues that come with just the label if nothing else. I couldn't care less _what_ she was, she's the most awesome dog I've ever met (though everyone would say that about their own doggy, I'm sure!)


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

She is adorable! Glad to see up to date photos.

Dogs are watered down wolves. They have the same basic everything but less usually. Less furry ears on dogs that look wolfy, less pronounced mane, less visible tail gland and so on.

Sassy got subcutaneous fluid treatments for her last year and even though I used super sharp small needles I punched through the skin on her shoulders, that skin is tough. It's tough on other animals too. Listening to a native American women at a national park talk telling us how to prepare deerskin, that neck area needed a lot more work.


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