I live in South Africa and wolf hybrids and huskies are a relatively new thing here. As we seem to have totally messed up most other "big guy big ego must own it" dogs, like Dobermans, Rotties, GSD...endless list, I assume these guys along with the Pits are next. The most shocking thing I saw was an advert for Cross Huskie/Malamute/Canadian wolf puppies. EEK! My cousin rehabilitates wild (NOTE WILD) animals and got in a wolf cross. it was totally loopy. I run a dog training school and have only ever had one cross my path. IT was NOT a DOG! I loved the article on this web about Hybrid Wolves. I agree and I get quite uptight when people try to say Wolves and Dogs are the same. Less than an intellegent statement. I have spent many years working with and owning dogs and they are really very different to wolves. I actually dont think that dogs even origninated from wolves. Perhaps and ancient cross here and there, but wolves, jackals etc even kill dogs and visa versa...so go figure ! Well I am starting a movement to stop the breeding of such animals, which is cruel in the extreme, as bad as taking any wild animal and making it a "pet", for a totally selfish reason. When people ask me about them, I tell them all I know and try to prevent any silly purchases.
The sad thing is though...is the only solution to put these dogs down?

At the vet clinic where I work we have two or three "wolf" hybrid's that come in. I look at them and wonder if they were sold a bunch of crap...they just looked like huskie mixes to us.

Anyway, if someone tells us that their dog is a wolf hybrid we tell them up front (either on the phone when the appointment is set up or before they go into the exam rooms) that if their dog bites either the owner or one of us the dog will be euthanized..no questions and no arguments. The owner signs a form agreeing to this before we will see the dog. We take the normal precautions against being bitten if the need arises such as using a muzzle or sedation if really needed. If this seems extreme to some, please remember that the owner is made aware of this from the biginning and if the dog is completely unhandleable we ask them to go elsewhere. We are trying to protect ourselves and hopfully the owner if something should happen.

I may really tick someone off with this (I keep thinking this but so far I have avoided this <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> ) but please try to understand from our point of view. We also have the same policy for racoons (which we actually refuse to treat at all because of disease and rabies potential), opposum or any other wild animal that has a risk of having rabies. We have been fortunate that none of the hybrids so far in the 12 years I have been there have been a problem. It is something I do not agree with doing...