Domesticated wolf?

[wakeover]

The sit/drama Due South would have us believe a wolf can be domesticated and is, it seems, very intelligent. Is this possible and would it be allowed in the UK

[alfieblue]

I dont know the answer to this one but if I recall, a couple of weeks back, a genuine user of this section posted a website address re wolves and everything to do with them. It was very interesting to read. Someone else may remember the site.

Sorry I cant be of more help to you.

[wildwood]

I don't think there are any wild wolves left in the UK. Wolfs can certainly be tamed very quickly by simply adopting a pup under 3 weeks old from the wild. That's how we got the domestic dogs.

[Noweia]

Wolves can be tamed. You can get wolf-crosses but you need a special license to keep one in the UK.

[andy-hughes]

A wolf, like any dog, can be made to fit into a human 'pack' situation with proper training.

The problem with any dog is the hierarcy system. Every pack has to have a 'top dog', and depending on the remprement, other dogs will either accept the leader, or challenge for the position. The same applies to asserting position in the pack order if a new 'member' arrives - hence the need to introduce babies into a family where a dog lives.

The major problem with a wolf challenging for position is the potential for damage. If your boarder terrier decides to have a go because it think it's hard enough, you can smack its bottom and send it to its bed for an hour - a wolf might be a bit more difficult to argue with!

[kita1]

This is what Defra says:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/g wd/wolfdogs/wolfdogs.pdf

A wolf cannot be domesticated. A wolf is NOT aggressive and will not attack dogs/humans. In a pack wolves do not attack each other they maintain heirarchy by facial/body expressions. Pack leaders change according to what a pack is doing at the time. The Alpha male and female are usually the breeding pair.

A wolf cannot be housetrained. They continue to scent mark.

A wolf will never interact with humans in a way a dog will no matter what age you take it in. Once it reaches maturity at 2 years of age it will revert to being a wild animal. You will never see a wolf being recalled on a walk off lead like a normal GSD etc.

The wolf may be the ancestor of the domestic dog but it has been changed over many many generations.

If you took a domestic dog and put it in a pack of wolves it would be completely lost and would not know how to communicate. It is like putting a human child into a group of chimpanzees and expecting them to raise it!

[SKA]

the one in due south was half wolf, erm wasn't he?

[kita1]

The one in Due South was a Siberian husky.

This is information about keeping wolves as domesticated animals in America:

http://www.wolftrust.org.uk/petwolves.html

[Cetti]

Just read that the dog used in the series was an Alaskan Malamute called Draco, often confused with a Siberian Husky. Lovely creature whatever the breed!

[wakeover]

Friends, and that does include you isac, I thank you sincerely for all your answers. I've learned more that I expected.