Has someone ever kept a fully-grown wolf as a pet?

[shadowwolf966]

It's illegal to keep a wolf as a pet, actually, unless you have permits for it.

How would you get a permit to get a wolf??!!
Plus, who would THINK of getting a wolf as a pet!?

[Blightwolf]

Only a handful of states and a few countries allow keeping and owning wolf-dogs as pets.

Wolf-dogs, when socialized and trained, are good companions but I still would not personally take a wolf-dog, even if I had the knowledge and resources to keep it, etc. Wolf-dogs are very challenging and dominating. They just simply are not "pets".

[Crocotto]

The wolf is a wild animal and the dog is the domestic version. They are completely different animals and that should be set in stone, regardless of how many die-hard wolf fans their are out their. Keeping a wolf as a pet is no better then keeping a tiger or a Kodiak Bear. No matter how much you treat them like a pet, they will ALWAYS have the primal instincts to attack and go after anything they think they can kill.And no matter how much people try to admire and love wolves, they can't change them. You can treat one like a member of the family for ten years and it still may rip your throat out.

Thats why when one person my family knew tried to get a red wolf as a pet, the zoo imediatly called it off and now the wolf is living it life their (its even got a mate and pups). Now doesn't that scenerio sound better then keeping on cooped up in ahouse all day or in a small backyard?

Even keeping wolf-dogs I think should be illegal. They have nearly all of their parents wild instincts and are VERY hard to train and domesticate. And pruchasing wolf dogs only encourages some corrupt people in this world to breed them and make a profit.

[Blightwolf]

The wolf is a wild animal and the dog is the domestic version. They are completely different animals and that should be set in stone, regardless of how many die-hard wolf fans their are out their. Keeping a wolf as a pet is no better then keeping a tiger or a Kodiak Bear. No matter how much you treat them like a pet, they will ALWAYS have the primal instincts to attack and go after anything they think they can kill. And no matter how much people try to admire and love wolves, they can't change them. You can treat one like a member of the family for ten years and it still may rip your throat out.


Thats why when one person my family knew tried to get a red wolf as a pet, the zoo imediatly called it off and now the wolf is living it life their (its even got a mate and pups). Now doesn't that scenerio sound better then keeping on cooped up in ahouse all day or in a small backyard?

Even keeping wolf-dogs I think should be illegal. They have nearly all of their parents wild instincts and are VERY hard to train and domesticate. And pruchasing wolf dogs only encourages some corrupt people in this world to breed them and make a profit.

1) That is not exactly true. Proper and continuous socialization and training is singularly the most important thing when dealing with a wolf-dog. High content wolf-dogs are strongly driven by their instincts and they are extremely curious and inquisitive, but they can be taught to bear such objects that might trigger their instincts to hunt, such as other (small) animals and young children; to a wolf-dog, these appear very vulnerable and prey-like.

2) Again, you are gravely exaggerating. Wolf-dogs are just as social as real wolves. When you are involved with them since their puphood, they will develop strong emotional bonds and attachments to you and they show affection, submissiveness, trust and gratitude toward their owners. Many people think that when wolf-dogs go through their "juvenile phase" (which will often occur at six months of age or when they are one year old) they will attack or "turn against" their owner. This is not entirely true and does not apply to all wolf-dogs. Successful habituation and training will prevent misbehavior and aggression and if you are able to perform this and the animal fully relies on you, it will not "rip your throat out".

3) The trainability of a wolf-dog depends on its content. Low and mid contents are not as difficult or as challenging to train than high contents. High content wolf-dogs are the most demanding ones, they require an extreme amount of appropriate socialization and persistent training, however, it is not impossible to fully habituate and socialize a high content, either. Also, you can talk about "domestication"; wolf-dogs are half wild, half domestic. You cannot "domesticate" them; you can TRAIN them.

[Crocotto]

1) That is not exactly true. Proper and continuous socialization and training is singularly the most important thing when dealing with a wolf-dog. High content wolf-dogs are strongly driven by their instincts and they are extremely curious and inquisitive, but they can be taught to bear such objects that might trigger their instincts to hunt, such as other (small) animals and young children; to a wolf-dog, these appear very vulnerable and prey-like.

2) Again, you are gravely exaggerating. Wolf-dogs are just as social as real wolves. When you are involved with them since their puphood, they will develop strong emotional bonds and attachments to you and they show affection, submissiveness, trust and gratitude toward their owners. Many people think that when wolf-dogs go through their "juvenile phase" (which will often occur at six months of age or when they are one year old) they will attack or "turn against" their owner. This is not entirely true and does not apply to all wolf-dogs. Successful habituation and training will prevent misbehavior and aggression and if you are able to perform this and the animal fully relies on you, it will not "rip your throat out".

3) The trainability of a wolf-dog depends on its content. Low and mid contents are not as difficult or as challenging to train than high contents. High content wolf-dogs are the most demanding ones, they require an extreme amount of appropriate socialization and persistent training, however, it is not impossible to fully habituate and socialize a high content, either. Also, you can talk about "domestication"; wolf-dogs are half wild, half domestic. You cannot "domesticate" them; you can TRAIN them.

1) Yes I am aware with proper training Wolf-Dogs can make decent pets. However, you can't tell me every person who's purchased a wolf-dog in this world, has been successful at raising them correctly. A good portion of Wolf-Dog owners are not prepared for this “breed” and are unsuccessful in raising them. Wolf-Dogs cause nearly a fifth of all dog related attacks in the United States, trailing only the Pit-bull, Rottweiler, and German Shepard. Yes it is possible to raise a Wolf-Dog to ignore its instincts, however this action alone is probably more difficult then training any dog breeds to do so.

2) Am I? Did I say something like “Wolf-Dogs are monsters and never can be pets”. No, I was merely stating my point that they are not a breed I would recommend anyone adopting. I know there is the once in a full moon case when the owner antiquity raised the animal and it make a good family pet.
I should know, I once had a neighbor who had a wolf-dog. She was big, friendly, and gentle; like a big teddy bear. However, even my neighbor discouraged ownership of wolf-dogs and said his was a special case, and that why he adopted her.

3) Trainability also depends on the owner, just as much as it does the animal. Wolf-Dogs, like some high priority breed; require stern and dominate owners. That way a low content Wolf-Dog, doesn’t become a high content Wolf-Dog; and the high content Wolf-Dogs, lose their dominance. And I was using the term “domesticate” to emphasize a point. Wolf-Dogs are still in a sense, half wild animal. They are not wolves, they are not dogs, and you can’t treat them like either of their parents. Most people assume when you cross a wolf and a dog, you get a wolf-like animal that’s not as afraid of humans. When in all actuality, you get a animal; of which we know almost nothing.

[FlamingComet]

There was a programme on the other week about this, they took wolves away at a youngg age and raised them like puppies to see if they would act like dogs.
Theyy had to give them to a zoo though they got to much to handle
in the end they concludedd that it was the genes of it, e.g they raised silver foxes for generations, always picking the tamest ones to breed, and in the end they were JUST like dogs
they also picked the most wild and fierce ones and they got more and more vicious.
Anywayy it would be extremely stupid to own a full wolf as a pet

[Crocotto]

There was a programme on the other week about this, they took wolves away at a youngg age and raised them like puppies to see if they would act like dogs.
Theyy had to give them to a zoo though they got to much to handle
in the end they concludedd that it was the genes of it, e.g they raised silver foxes for generations, always picking the tamest ones to breed, and in the end they were JUST like dogs
they also picked the most wild and fierce ones and they got more and more vicious.
Anyway it would be extremely stupid to own a full wolf as a pet

I'll second that opinon.

[Blightwolf]

I did not say that every person that has purchased a wolf-dog has been successful in their raising and training. Actually, I would dare to say that more than a half of the people who obtain a wolf-dog without being prepared to the necessary adjustments and dedication in socializing the animal have failed very badly. And in no way did I mean that the instincts of a wolf-dog should be "ignored", because an animal that is partially wild simply cannot be brought up that way - it is a sheer impossibility trying to raise a wolf-dog without acknowledging its instincts and needs.

I wasn't referring to you saying anything like that. And I agree with you with all my heart, neither do I myself recommend anyone that does not know how to handle and take care of wolf-dogs even to consider in adopting a wolf-dog. The training process requires patience and skill.

High contents never really "lose" their will to dominate. Their owners may not be the ones that are in dominance, but the owner must be in control of the animal. Especially when owning a pack of wolf-dogs it is extremely difficult trying to fade off the dominant animal's dominant side.

I have worked around and with wolf-dogs for the past two years due to my volunteering on a nearby Saarloos Wolfhond/wolf-dog kennel. All of those animals I have had the privilege to get acquainted with have been so-called "good case scenarios"; very well trained, properly socialized and taken care of in an appropriate, professional and humane manner. They are wonderful creatures and sadly feared and misunderstood. People require more education and information about wolf-dogs, because the future of wolf-dogs does not look very bright in my eyes.

[Crocotto]

I did not say that every person that has purchased a wolf-dog has been successful in their raising and training. Actually, I would dare to say that more than a half of the people who obtain a wolf-dog without being prepared to the necessary adjustments and dedication in socializing the animal have failed very badly. And in no way did I mean that the instincts of a wolf-dog should be "ignored", because an animal that is partially wild simply cannot be brought up that way - it is a sheer impossibility trying to raise a wolf-dog without acknowledging its instincts and needs.

I wasn't referring to you saying anything like that. And I agree with you with all my heart, neither do I myself recommend anyone that does not know how to handle and take care of wolf-dogs even to consider in adopting a wolf-dog. The training process requires patience and skill.

High contents never really "lose" their will to dominate. Their owners may not be the ones that are in dominance, but the owner must be in control of the animal. Especially when owning a pack of wolf-dogs it is extremely difficult trying to fade off the dominant animal's dominant side.

I have worked around and with wolf-dogs for the past two years due to my volunteering on a nearby Saarloos Wolfhond/wolf-dog kennel. All of those animals I have had the privilege to get acquainted with have been so-called "good case scenarios"; very well trained, properly socialized and taken care of in an appropriate, professional and humane manner. They are wonderful creatures and sadly feared and misunderstood. People require more education and information about wolf-dogs, because the future of wolf-dogs does not look very bright in my eyes.

Glad to see we're on the same page then

[Blightwolf]

Anywayy it would be extremely stupid to own a full wolf as a pet

Owning a pure-blooded wolf is probably the most challenging animal a human can own. I would never encourage people to purchase a full wolf, not even a wolf-dog if they lack the knowledge and ability to take care of it (including the training and habituation of the animal, but also its vetenary needs, nutrition, shelter, etc).

A full wolf is not something you can keep in your backyard at the end of a metal chain or behind and electric fence. A wolf requires a large enclosure and it also needs company. An animal as social as a wolf would not get along very well on its own unless it is used to solitude and it has been raised separately since birth. Also, even a wolf should not be permanently chained or cabled for this leads to animal cruelty and such actions is inhumane.

I would highly recommend a a double padlock pens with padlocked gate entries that lead inside the enclosures. High content wolf-dogs and pure wolves need at least a 8-foot high fenced enclosure area. The pens must be spacious and have a sturdy built. An appropriate pen is not cheap, either, especially if you include extra materials like steel poles, gauge chain links, gates, locks, platforms, panels, and a water system for the animals to keep themselves well hydrated.

[Crocotto]

True, and if theres anything I know about human nature, their are some real idiots in this world.
Take this one case in NYC I've read about. Neighbors in a apartment building complained of noise. When the land-lord came to check the apartment, he saw a fully grown bengal tiger sitting on the couch. When animal control got the tiger out they looked in the bathroom, their was a 6 foot black caiman (south american alligator incase some of you don't know what a caiman is) in the tub. This apartment was 10 stories up and the owner of the animals got them through the either the black market or from private breeders.
For some people, owning a dangerous animal is like owning a lot of guns. It gives you a sense of power that you really don't have. And that's why no one should own wild animals for a number of reasons.

[Blightwolf]

There are also legal issues you must confirm before you take an exotic pet. And you must be sure that whatever enclosures you built, all fill the required and necessary standards and are also a) safe for the animal and b) safe for the people who maintain and check around the enclosures. They have to be working properly and it has to be proofed that the animal cannot get out on its own in any conditions unless it is removed from the pen.

[CLBaileyi]

pawnee wrote:

You mean in life or on the forums? I don't think anyone has kept a pet wolf in the community...the only person I know of who works close to wolves on the WQ forums is CL Bayliei cause she is a caretaker for wolves. she's livin the dream

Pawnee, thanks for mentioning me and my participation in the game and wolf quest in general. One thing I would like clarify though, is that I WORK with captive wolf packs, but not in the sense of them being a pet. I have worked with organizations that socialize wolf pups for the needs of their program, and have learned alot over the years by doing so (nearly 23 years of this type of work). My entire professional life has been involved with captive management in zoos or other breeding centers that specialize in carnivores, with a primary interest in wolves and other canids. I am also the education advisor to the Mexican gray wolf program and have had opportunities to do field work in MN, Yellowstone and the Southwest with wolves.

I do think I have the "dream job" because I learn every day about their behavior and how their social structure exists to allow them to survive-and captive situations often pose different challenges than the ones they are faced with in the wild.


Wolves or wolf-hybrids as "pets" is another whole can of worms that has been discussed in NUMEROUS threads in the forum. In my experience, those that have TRUE wolves or crosses and have a 100% positive, non injurious experience are small in number. More often than not, people find out the hard way that this type of animal does not suit a captive life in someones home, apartment, or back yard very well and more often than not, the animals is placed into a sanctuary for the majority of their life (or euthanized because there were no other suitable options).

[kaitlynmarie12]

A man I knew said he raised a timberwolf before!

[Blightwolf]

Wolves or wolf-hybrids as "pets" is another whole can of worms that has been discussed in NUMEROUS threads in the forum. In my experience, those that have TRUE wolves or crosses and have a 100% positive, non injurious experience are small in number. More often than not, people find out the hard way that this type of animal does not suit a captive life in someones home, apartment, or back yard very well and more often than not, the animals is placed into a sanctuary for the majority of their life (or euthanized because there were no other suitable options).

Injuries and even fatalities involving wolfdogs are often caused because a) people do not have enough information and education about them, b) people are misguided and the animals are often very misrepresented to them (lies about the animal's ancestry and wolf percentage are unfortunately almost too common), and c) wolves and high content wolfdogs are not suitable for living inside someone's apartment or behind an electric fence.

Wolves and high content wolfdogs (low and mid contents are fully capable of living inside the house, IF some serious efforts regarding their socialization and training are being taken) require large enclosed areas with plenty of space. And they need at least a 8-foot high fence. A lot of people do not have the money or resources to purchase or built high-quality pens or cages for the animals.

Lack of proper knowledge and skill, poor information and misguidance is what makes accidents happen.

The wolfdogs I am familiar with have never prosed a real threat or danger against me. The only "accidents" I've experienced have been "the hit" and even then the situation was easily controlled and everything calmed down very quickly. I made a mistake on my own accord and the wolfdog reminded me of that when I did not behave in a way I should have behaved. That's it.