Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have family who had a wold hybrid and had no problems with her. That being said, everything I've read about them strongly suggests that wolves and wolf-hybrids are mentally different than dogs. It generally takes a very dedicated and experienced owner to safely deal with a wolf hybrid.
Even setting the wolf hybrid aspect aside, it also takes a lot of time and effort to deal with severe separation anxiety. As an owner, you can only do what you can do. I think it's a great thing to know your limits and try to do what's best for you and your pet asap rather than letting everyone suffer while you wallow in denial.
For all those of you advocating to give the "dog" a chance, I would truly like to see a show of hands as to how many of you have first hand experience with hybrids. Not "I had a friend", but that you have, first hand, worked with one.
Then, for all of you WITH that first hand experience, how many of you would advocate keeping a hybrid in a home where the owner simply did not know what she was getting herself into.
Anyone?
(And before anyone quips... yes, I do and no, in no way, shape or form.)
Blondie - with all due respect, you are truly missing the point. This is NOT a dog. It's a hybrid. Labels have a purpose.
I disagree with you Shelby! A dog is a dog is a dog!
Any dog is capable of training! It is never the dogs fault.
If a dog has a responsible, caring owner anything is possible! No holds barred!
I guess I agree with everyone (if that is possible to do without sounding too wishy-washy) I agree - its not a bad dog but also agree that this is not a matter of a bad owner either. I also agree that the best thing would be to rehome this animal. The OP has said she is over her head and sounds completely overwhelmed with the high energy dog that she has taken in. 1st rule of dog ownership is to get a TYPE of dog that matches your lifestyle. I don't think that this is the case here. All instincts aside, any dominant breed that is untrained, uncontrolled AND INTACT can be very dangerous. Sounds like she actually has a good temperment thankfully(I think the territorial aggression is a byproduct of the control issue). To the OP - you are not a bad owner - I just do agree that you and the dog would be happier if she was rehomed. Contact one of the hybrid rescues, please, NOT A SHELTER. Hybrid rescue will be familiar with what type of home she needs to be happy & healthy. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Maybe you didn't read my posts. I simply curious what the dog looks like. We don't even know for fact that it is a wolf-hybrid, which is why I wanted to see a pic. My daughter owns a wolf-hybrid rescue that someone saw fit to throw out of a pickup. (The story is here on the forum somewhere) She and I have both worked extensively with her. She is just now 5 months old and more work and training have gone into this little girl than either one of us have ever put into an animal. We firmly believe it will be all worth it in the end. But the fact remains, She is part wolf. And anyone who turns their back on that is a fool. So...I'm not judging in the least. In fact, I contacted my daughter to see if she maybe wanted to think about taking the dog on. Unfortunately, she can not. She already has a pretty full plate with what she has and she feels she's making great progress with her Kota and doesn't want to jepordize that in any way, shape or form. But, I thought it was worth a shot.
You quoted my " an accident a waiting to happen". Yes, indeed. People don't take it well when a large wolf like dog are running the neighborhood. Animal control is bound to come out, shoot first and ask questions later. Like I said....these wolf-hybrids are experts at escaping and it is mesmerizing to watch them figure out their escape route. OP has already stated the dog had gotten loose.
I can read. I know she stated her dog is not aggressive. And neither (so far) is our Kota. She is perfect around the kittens of the cattery. In fact, she is actually afraid of her own shadow at this point.
I glad your "friends" hybrid turned out to be a great dog.
StarlaJane --- Please don't refer her to a SHELTER. She needs to find a BREED SPECIFIC RESCUE. There's a huge difference between the two.
To the OP, you might not have the money for a trainer, but it's possible that a rescue network might help you train your dog to help you keep your dog.
Yeah, I was referring to the shelters that all of you had previously mentioned. I thought that was clear when I said "the shelters" and not "a shelter." The is a definite article, which means that you are referring back to something that has been previously mentioned. Moreover, you could have made your point just as clearly in a much less agressive and more diplomatic way And FYI, I am very aware that there is a "big difference" between the two; no need to patronize me.
OP...can you post a pic? I would love to see exactly what the dog looks like.
Me too Shelby, I am curious. I asked in an earlier post for her to upload a pic.
The OP's dog can definately be worked with but I think the woman was the wrong choice for the dog in this situation!
Her personality sounds like it would match with more of a smaller, calm, relaxed shelter dog maybe over 2 years old.
But if I were her I still would not give up right away, it is not fair to the dog.
I think the OP should rehome - from her post this is not a good match. She said she can't afford training, and it's a wolf hybrid who is mostly wolf. She's got cats and children. Definitely not a good match in the end...wolf rescue seems to be her best bet.
I agree the wolf rescue is the best bet at this point. Why prolong the inevitable? This woman has a child as well as existing pets - those will take priority. She made a bad choice - but continuing on doesn't help anyone - even the dog who could be injured or worse in the current situation. The responsible thing to do is rehome the dog to a more suitable environment asap.
Lindsey
I took in a very large golden retriever 16 months ago. It is a soldier's dog that I agreed to foster while he was deployed. I had a lot of problems at first. I could go on and on, but here are some of the problems I had. The dog ate my dining room table and chairs, tore a hole through my vinyl sunroom windows, ate some of my clothes, had a horrible doggie smell and had to have a special diet, was uncontrollable. Seems that his first year was spent in a cramped apartment, no walks.
Well, I walked this dog over 2 miles a day, tried to teach him some manners, but still had a really hard time. Now, after over a year, and patiently working with the dog, he is doing very well. Much calmer and lays at my side instead of tearing up my house. I know every dog is different, but maybe try walking him a mile or so every day, and use little dog treats to reward good behavior. I don't know if this will help, and you have a different breed, but maybe no one ever took the time to teach him how to behave. I spend a lot of time teaching him that dish towels are not ok to chew on and dog toys are ok. Well I know you got to do what you have to do. I do feel for you. Good luck.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
And FYI, I am very aware that there is a "big difference" between the two; no need to patronize me.
