Wolf at the dog park?

4dogs3cats · 01-25-2009, 02:52 PM

I know everyone here says if you think you own a wolf you probably dont. And I usually see husky in all those dogs too. But I was at the DP last night and I could not stop looking at this dog.

He is very strange too. He doesnt play with the other dogs, just lays by his owner. His owner said he always looks up and howls at the moon like a coyote. They found him as a stray out by the desert (I live in Arizona) so a big part of me wants to believe this dog actually may have wolf in it. Also, the owners friend was there with his golden and this guy would just keep putting its jaw around the goldens neck, that is the only way he would play.

Regardless of what he is, he is very unique looking.

But if he is a wolf he does not belong at the DP

See how long and pointy his face is?

What do you guys think?

K8IE · 01-25-2009, 02:54 PM

Wow... he does look very wolf-ish!

4dogs3cats · 01-25-2009, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K8IE

Wow... he does look very wolf-ish!

I agree. Usually the dogs people think are wolfs look more like huskies. Not this guy

BoxMeIn21 · 01-25-2009, 02:58 PM

Wow...he does does look very wolf-ish...Very pretty.

RBark · 01-25-2009, 03:02 PM

I can see the confusion, but he's a mix. The dead giveaway is the curved tail he has.

Looks like a overweight Husky/collie to me. Actually I'm not sure about the collie part, at some angles it looked possible. But It's definitely a Malamute or Husky mix.

4dogs3cats · 01-25-2009, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoxMeIn21

Wow...he does does look very wolf-ish...Very pretty.

yeah he was

Quote:

Originally Posted by RBark

I can see the confusion, but he's a mix. The dead giveaway is the curved tail he has.

Looks like a overweight Husky/collie to me.

Yeah I should have made it more clear. I knew he wasnt 100% wolf. But of all the "omg is this a wolf hybrid?" dogs I have seen, I think he takes the cake lol.

And yeah I was discussing his tail with another forum member, and she said he def has a husky tail.

He want overweight at all actually, he was very lean, his fur was just all over the place. Had lines in it from being brushed. But, he just appeared to be heavier. Ollie is like that too right?

harrise · 01-25-2009, 03:09 PM

I see mostly sled. If you've ever found pictures of some working line sled dogs, they have a very wolf-ish face coloring. That's what I see there, the structure just looks too familiar to me.

Imagine this guy with some Malamute in him and brown eyes...

4dogs3cats · 01-25-2009, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harrise

I see mostly sled. If you've ever found pictures of some working line sled dogs, they have a very wolf-ish face coloring. That's what I see there, the structure just looks too familiar to me.

Imagine this guy with some Malamute in him and brown eyes...

true. I just put together the fact that he was found as a stray out in the desert, and he howls at the moon (which I am sure sleds do too lol) and he just has that LOOK you know?

It would be hard to find a wolf hybrid pic with his coloring that DIDNT look like him, ya know?

RBark · 01-25-2009, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4dogs3cats

yeah he was

Yeah I should have made it more clear. I knew he wasnt 100% wolf. But of all the "omg is this a wolf hybrid?" dogs I have seen, I think he takes the cake lol.

And yeah I was discussing his tail with another forum member, and she said he def has a husky tail.

He want overweight at all actually, he was very lean, his fur was just all over the place. Had lines in it from being brushed. But, he just appeared to be heavier. Ollie is like that too right?

Well yeah, Ollie was like that. But that guy has too big a body relative to his legs. For such a hulking body he sure has skinny legs. That may be because of whatever mix he is, I have no idea.

harrise · 01-25-2009, 03:19 PM

I've only met four hybrids in my life. The biggest difference I noticed is their approach to new people and the way they size things up. Most dogs are visibly excited or aloof in some way, but the hybrids all had that look like they were planning and ready for anything.

This guy was tough to catch, he stood an inch taller than Bubba and probably weighed 130-140lbs. Yet I'm still not sure if he's wolf. Animal control (because of license), his vet and his owners all claimed Timberwolf. As you may or may not know, I'm no expert...

zimandtakandgrrandmimi · 01-25-2009, 03:30 PM

One of the telltale signs of a hybrid is ears.

I can't tell from the photos but wolves have a thick layer of fur on the inside of the ear. Dogs do not. if his ears have the inner fur there is a decent chance he is a real hybrid.

Another thing is head size in relation to the rest of the body. A wolf's head is larger in proportion to the body than a dog. It hard to tell in the photos.

If he is a hybrid id wager he is low content..but Im not sure he is a hybrid...

I suppose its possible.

Laurelin · 01-25-2009, 03:31 PM

That body type is very wolf-like. The big body, skinny legs. The tail is not wolf, though it could be the angle. In the other pics he's carrying it down. does it actually curl when he walks? Coat texture looks more malamute to me, though. I've met a few wolfdogs (and a lot more 'wolfdogs') and I think he could be a hybrid.

RBark · 01-25-2009, 03:40 PM

It curls in the second pic, laurelin.

RonE · 01-25-2009, 03:54 PM

I met what the owner claims was a juvenile female wolf at the dogpark years ago. I watched her for quite a while and I believe him.

My dog ignored her. Many of the dogs were afraid of her. The huskies mostly wanted to play with her.

It's the only time I ever saw her there and I was there nearly every day. I assume that, on reaching puberty, she was no longer a good candidate for socializing with 50-100 other dogs.

I was glad to see her but I seriously question the wisdom of putting even a juvenile in that situation.

Melissa_Chloe · 01-25-2009, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4dogs3cats

Also, the owners friend was there with his golden and this guy would just keep putting its jaw around the goldens neck, that is the only way he would play.

Is that how wolves play? I know nothing about them or hybrids. It's interesting that they play that way because that's how my dog plays most of the time. She loves to put her mouth around other dogs backs (she doesn't bite hard).
I'm sure lots of dogs do that, but I haven't met any yet ... they all think she's wacked and stop playing with her because she won't run, chase, run, etc lol.

Pepper · 01-25-2009, 05:23 PM

At first glance it looks like a wolf, but the facial/body/ear structure is way off.

So it could have wolf somewhere back in its lines, but the mix is quite over powering.

If you came to Alaska, someone would probably think our entire state is wolf hybrids, every dog walking down the street or in the pound looks like a wolf.

In reality, they are husky and usually GSD mixes.

Tuatha · 01-25-2009, 05:24 PM

I dont really see any wolf in him. In some of the pictures of how he is standing I can see where he sorta looks like it, but I see GSD (a sable) and Husky and/or Mal. I would go with Mal as they are more..er, beefier, for lack of a better term. lol.

tirluc · 01-25-2009, 05:29 PM

actually, looks very much like the coy-dog i had.....she was smaller than that one but we're not sure what the cross was (the vet thought sm husky).....Ki was only about 30# at full weight......she really resembled the coyote, tho

basicair · 01-25-2009, 08:05 PM

I saw an episode of Dog Whisperer of a wolf hybrid. Cesar had to approach him very carefully and even explained why and how they're different from regular dogs. He mentioned how he sized them up and stuff, sniffed him unlike any other dog he had met in his life, etc.

It was really interesting.

4dogs3cats · 01-25-2009, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tirluc

actually, looks very much like the coy-dog i had.....she was smaller than that one but we're not sure what the cross was (the vet thought sm husky).....Ki was only about 30# at full weight......she really resembled the coyote, tho

We are overrun with coyotes here so that does make more sense.

I find it odd that a husky, mal, gsd mix that looks JUST like a coyote or wolf would be a stray out in the desert.

I wonder if my title should read Coyote at the dog park? lol