What is a Wolfdog 🐺

Wolfdogs may be a mix of any dog breed and any wolf species/subspecies. However, nearly all wolfdogs today are some mix of grey wolf and northern/primitive dog breed. 

The species of Grey Wolf, Canis lupus, encompasses all the subspecies historically used in the creation of wolfdogs. These include: 

  • Arctic Wolves (Canis lupus arctos)

  • British Columbian Wolves (Canis lupus columbianus)

  • Tundra Wolves (Canis lupus albus)

  • Eurasian/Carpathian Wolves (Canis lupus lupus)

  • Eastern Timber Wolves (Canis lupus lycaon)

  • Alaskan Interior Wolves (Canis lupus pambasileus)

  • Northwestern Wolves (Canis lupus occidentalis). 

Some subspecies of grey wolf have never been used in the creation of modern wolfdogs, due to their either extremely endangered or extinct status. These  include:

  • Mexican Grey wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) - Endangered

  • Red wolf (Canis lupus rufus) - Endangered

  • Newfoundland wolf (Canis lupus beothucus) - Extinct

  • Mississippi valley wolf (Canis lupus gregoryi) - Extinct

  • Manitoba wolf (Canis lupus griseoalbus) - Extinct

  • Japanese wolf (Canis lupus hodophilax) - Extinct

  • Great Plains Wolf (Canis lupus nubilus) - Extinct

Wolfdogs are commonly known as and referred to as “wolf hybrids.” However, this terminology is incorrect and often misunderstood. 


Commonly the word “hybrid” indicates a cross of two separate species to produce infertile offspring (such as a Liger or Mule) - yet, wolves and dogs are the same species; both Canis Lupus, with dogs labeled as the subspecies canis lupus familiaris. Thus, wolf hybrids are not true hybrids but rather intraspecific hybrids, meaning a cross of two different subspecies, not two separate species. 


The term “hybrid” also implies a direct cross of wolf and dog. However, nearly every modern wolfdog is descended from wolfdog parents, grandparents, etc. with the pure wolf in their lineage being many generations removed. Thus, they are not “hybrids” of wolf and dog, but rather multigenerational products of a wolfdog/wolfdog, or wolfdog/dog breeding. Therefore, the term wolfdog, referring to a mix of breeds, is accurate whereas “wolf hybrid” is inaccurate unless referencing an F1 animal, which is an intraspecific hybrid. 


  

While the semantics may seem unimportant, it is critical to get this correct and remain consistent due to potential legal ramifications for individual animals when using incorrect terminology. 

For example, it is illegal for an f1 wolf hybrid to live in the UK However, it is perfectly legal for multigenerational wolfdogs, even high contents, as long as they are F3,4,5 etc in the United Kingdom.