Owning a wolf has been one of the biggest wishes Phill Young, a man from Colorado, had throughout his life.
He dedicated years of his time and effort to research and education on wolves and wolf dog hybrids for a better understanding of these powerful animals.
He now shares his knowledge in order to raise awareness regarding the ownership and training of wolf dogs, as they’re quite different from “regular” pets.
The Beginnings of Wolf Man
Young’s admiration for wolves started when he was just a boy. Unfortunately, wolf owning was illegal in the United States back then, as it is now.
Federal laws permit ownership of wolf canines (from 2% to 98%), but this act doesn’t apply to all states, as they have the freedom to completely ban any type of wolf and their hybrids. [1]
However, Young found a way to make his wish come true… at least partially. After learning about wolf dogs and doing his research on bans and restrictions, he decided to get a wolf dog.
Fortunately enough, Young lived in Louisiana, which allows wolf hybrids, but only with legal proof. [2]
Once he felt ready to own such a powerful animal, Young adopted his first wolf pup around 2013.
Kota, The Dog With A Bit Of Wolf Blood
Young’s first encounter with a wolf dog was not what he had expected it to be. When he found a wolf dog breeder, he didn’t even question the breeder’s statement that he breeds 98% wolf pups. Young shared his experience in an interview with Newsweek:
“The breeder advertised her as 98-percent wolf. Once I saw her and the sire and dam, I knew there was no way she could be that high of a percentage of wolf, but fell in love with her anyway.”
Kota quickly grew on Young, but he was still curious about her heritage and the percentage of wolf DNA she possesses, which is why he decided to test her:
“I was able to DNA test her a few years later, and found her to only be 25-percent wolf, with Malamute, German Shepherd, Husky, and Chow.”
Whether it was the lack of the breeder’s knowledge or an attempt of fraud is not known, but Young’s story is definitely a warning for people who are looking to adopt a canine with a high percentage of wolf DNA.
Kota And Faelen, A Match Made In Heaven
Around 2015, Young decided to get another wolf dog, hoping for better luck this time regarding the percentage of wolf DNA.
He fell in love with Faelen immediately after the breeder sent him the photo, so there was no doubt Fae would become a new family member.
Kota and the new puppy hit it off as soon as Fae arrived, although he was a mischievous pup.
The Mystery Of Fae’s DNA
Young was curious about Faelen’s heritage as well, which is why he did a DNA test. Unfortunately, the first attempt failed, but he didn’t give up and went for another try.
When the results came in, he was quite surprised to find out that Faelen was a mixture of wolf, Husky, Malamute, and German Shepherd.
But, Young wasn’t satisfied with these results either, which is why he went for a third and final try.
This time, he applied with Fae’s DNA, but gave another name for the dog. Testing was successful and the results came in like this:
Faelen was a great wolf dog, and Young enjoyed every day of being his owner, which he explained in the interview:
“He learned things very quickly and easily. With consistent weekly socialization, we were able to overcome the natural skittish and cautious nature that wolves have.”
Young also shared that people were curious and would often stop to ask questions regarding Faelen’s temperament and skills to the point that he felt like a wolf dog educator.
Due to Young’s moving from Louisiana to Colorado, Faelen and his daughter, Keeva, (which joined the family a few years later) were placed in a foster home in Texas.
Unfortunately, a few days afterward, Young published sad news on Instagram:
“It is with great sadness that I must tell you all that Faelen passed away from a tragic accident at a Foster’s home while we were looking for a home here in Colorado.”
Wolf Dogs Are Not Family Pets
After decades of personal experience and research, Young concluded that wolf hybrids are wonderful animals, but that they definitely aren’t family pets or status dogs. Here’s what he told Newsweek:
“I wish that people knew these are not dogs for the normal household. You don’t change their lifestyle to fit yours, but you have to change yours to fit them.”
He was lucky with Faelen, considering that this doggo was social and wasn’t intimidated by people (adults or children). Actually, Faelen had a great way of bonding with children instantly, as seen in Young’s video:
Video
However, Fae was still unpredictable, which just proves that a wolfdog owner can never be 100% sure how his pooch might react to certain situations, such as Faelen’s attack on a cat that Young caught on video.
Of course, this was an isolated incident, but it’s still a warning for people who aren’t experienced owners or don’t have sufficient knowledge on wolf dogs not to take these pooches lightly and treat them as regular pets.
Young believes that the bad reputation of wolf dogs comes from the fact that these animals are sold to people who don’t know how to handle them properly.
Jo Sellers, a professional trainer and owner of Pippin Pet Dog Training, shares a similar opinion regarding wolf dogs.
She also told Newsweek that wolves are prone to separation distress and are true escape artists, which is why they’re not good guard dogs despite popular belief.
“They are not status dogs, and really should have very experienced owners, so anyone considering adopting one should really consider if they can meet all their welfare needs, or if they should go for a domesticated dog instead.”
Sellers and Young both made it clear that wolf dogs are definitely not for everyone. They require long-term commitment and an owner who is willing to dedicate all their time and effort into raising them properly.
References:
1. Wolf and Wildlife Center. “Wolf-Dog Questionnaire.” Retrieved on April 20, 2023 from https://www.wolfeducation.org/wolves-as-pets
2. Uniting A Politically Proactive Exotic Animal League (UAPPEAL). “Louisiana Laws.” Retrieved on April 21, 2023 from http://www.uappeal.org/louisiana.html
