|
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A wolfdog (also called a wolf hybrid or
wolf-dog hybrid) is a canid hybrid resulting from the
mating of a wolf (Canis lupus) and a dog (Canis lupus
familiaris). The term "wolfdog" is preferred
by most wolfdog proponents and breeders, as they contend
that these animals are not hybrids at all, as one is
a subspecies of the other. (In 1993, the domestic dog
C. l. familiaris was reclassified by the scientific
community as a subspecies of wolf, C. lupus.) Wolfdogs
are hybrids in the sense that they are a cross of a
species with a subspecies. Professional organizations
such as the AVMA and government agencies such as the
USDA refer to the animals as wolf-dog hybrids. In the
United Kingdom, they are considered a hybrid for legal
purposes.
The characteristics of an animal created
by breeding a wolf to a dog are not predictable. In
some cases the resulting adult wolfdog may be larger
than either of its parents due to the genetic phenomenon
of heretosis. Wolfdogs retain various traits of each
parental line along with having traits that differ from
either; their behavior and physical characteristics
range from predominantly wolf-like to predominantly
dog-like.
A wolfdog may also be an animal with both
wolf and dog ancestry within recent generations (i.e.
not necessarily a 50:50 mix), or an officially recognized
breed created by introducing wolf lineage into an established
dog breed.
Pease visit Full
Moon Farm for a detailed write up on wolfdogs, and
additional information!

|