wolves !?!?

CrazyWolf84 · #1 (**permalink**) 06-10-2009, 04:01 AM

i was thinking

(not a great start then )
if bringing up a wolf / wolf dog would be for me..

so i would like to know if there is anyone out there with first hand experience
with such an animal. And if so do you have any advice for me.

i have thought about it and its not a choice i would make lightly
i just need more info

particularly where i could get a wolfy

thnx

sparkle · #2 (**permalink**) 06-10-2009, 09:41 AM

Wolves are my favourite animal.. would I keep one.. absolutely never.. and I HAVE researched.. ( maybe u can ask for this to be moved to an animal section.. for different views rather than off-topic

)

the only time that would change if I could provide a small pack to live otgether in a LARGE enclosure and I mean LARGE..... since I wont be owning the land required anytime soon it is not something I would not consider.. many people keep a lone wolf out of the desire of having such a beautiful wild animal and fail miserably in providing what they require...

There is an excellent thread On RFUK from a lady IN canada ( i think) whom I used to chat to and she has wolves...

I will try to find it for you..

ON another note I found this info when I googled to see if I could find captive wolf enclosures and I thought it was fairly wise..

Although wolves will always be the animal I long to keep the most I know it is personal desire that is causing this longing.. I could never adequately and fairly provide for this species.. I know of a group in America that retunred their 2pet2 wolves to the wild thinking it would be fine and all were found dead.. returning a wild animal who has been partially or fully socialized doesnt work without extensive zoo/ expert intervention and in the UK we dont even have that facility so likely at best a pet wolf that becomes too much for an owner would end up in a Zoo anyway...

here is some info from google but it is by no means a care sheet more some facts to make you think

( I personally give to a wolf sanctuary in canada.. i feel better knowing the animals there live naturally

)

After decades of misinterpretation of wolves as being vicious animals, a new myth has formed – that a wolf is just a “big dog”. This is not true. Wild wolves are simply that – wild. Dogs have been domesticated for 20,000 to 50,000 years and have evolved into a completely different animal. They are well suited to living with humans, and with over a hundred different types of dogs to choose from, there is no reason for keeping a wild animal.
Keeping wolves as pets is usually done for vanity. As people don’t know how to keep a wild animal, the wolf ends up suffering greatly.

Zoos and organisations receive hundreds of letters and desperate phone calls a year from people who no longer can care for their “pet”. This is because wolves usually act like an alpha or leader of humans, and consequently bite and pounce on people, as they would do to members of the pack. There are many considerations in keeping wolves as pets:
~Wolves need a great deal of space (10 – 15 square miles).
~Wolves can dig large tunnels and climb tall fences.
~Wolves think that cats, dogs and other small animals are prey.
~Wolves require 20 pounds of raw meat per week.
~Wolves cannot be treated by dog’s vaccinations.
~Wolves do not have the immune system to cope with viruses transmitted by dogs to wolves.
~Wolves cannot be returned to the wild after being “socialized” as they lose their hunting skills.
~Wolves need the company of other pack members.
~Pet wolves and wolf hybrids can cause instant tragedy with a single bite (their jaws being twice as strong as a German Shepherd’s).
If you truly love wolves, then you should do what is right for the animal. Adopt a Wolf through an organization to help the animals survive, but please don’t keep them as pets.

Nix · #3 (**permalink**) 12-10-2009, 06:19 PM

Their requirements are immense, expensive and hard work. If it is the look of them that you like go for a wolfy looking dog. Even huskies are a handful if you don't know what you are doing! Never mind something that sees you as a challenger and wants to take your face off! I'm not having a go here and saying you aren't capable but you will need some serious money space etc.

Try the DWA forum

they have plenty of experience in there.

bosshogg · #4 (**permalink**) 13-10-2009, 01:19 PM

depends what experience you have with dogs full stop as you need experience with high drive dogs before you even think of getting a wolf x

ryanr1987 · #5 (**permalink**) 13-10-2009, 05:02 PM

No dog is going to prepare you for a wolf. wolves are very timid animals so if oyu live in a high populated city then i would re consider. your going to need a lot of land and a lage enclosure. i have spoke to many wolf keepers and they said that the wolf will oftern challedge for ranking so that's something to keep in mind. have you considerd the czech wolfdog? it was an experiment that took place yeas ago by crossing a gsd with a euro wolf and was successful it's now a reconsied breed in many euro countrys. they are very similar to the gsd in tempement and activeness. there's also teh sarloos wolfdog which has retained much of the wolfs timidness and behavior these are ver nervous dogs but are great family dogs. both do not require a dwa czechs cost aound £1500 amd a sarloos can cost 2000-3000

sarloos

czech

Talk To The Animals · #6 (**permalink**) 13-10-2009, 06:01 PM

I'm not sure anywhere reputable would let you have a wolf unless you had a wildlife park or a private collection and could show that you knew what you were doing.

You could try going to a wolf sanctuary and getting some experience of how to look after them first, and then maybe think again!!

Mr Talk To The Animals used to work as head wolf curator at a local zoo and he wouldn't dream of suggesting that someone keep a wolf as a pet. They aren't pets. They work mainly on body language, and if you can't read them, and aren't aware of the signals you are giving off, you could get seriously hurt. Don't forget, they are wild animals and predators. Not big dogs.

HABU · #7 (**permalink**) 13-10-2009, 06:04 PM

wolves are popular here where i am... i have neighbors not far that keep them...

knowing dogs well helps...

naja-naja · #8 (**permalink**) 13-10-2009, 07:27 PM

generally, a single wolf (not a great idea unless you can spend a lot of time with it) will require a 40'x20' cage. a much better option is about 4 in a 60'x40'. you would need at least 12' high fencing going 4' underground and with a 3' overhang that is preferably hotwired. they need a den box to escape harsh weather, and enrichment in the cage.
they need quite a lot of meat, this can be obtained from butchers and seuch that will sell it to you at a redused price when its gone the sell by date. this will need to have vits added unless your providing whole prey, bones, organs and all.
they are very demanding, and defo not for everyone, but they will give back everything you put in and then some.

CrazyWolf84 · #9 (**permalink**) 14-10-2009, 09:55 AM

thanks all this helps.
there are still many dog breeds i have not looked at.

Tazer · #10 (**permalink**) 14-10-2009, 10:32 AM

Wolves do not generally make good pets, as well as they are dwa listed, so you would have to obtain a licence.

Breeds like the Czechoslovakian and saarloos wolfdog, would be a better option, though they still arn't for everyone.

Other breeds like the tamaskan, are being bred to look like wolves.

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