CALGARY- The rescue of a part-wolfdog in the southeast community of New Brighton this week is generating a lot of interest in wolfdog ownership.
But experts warn the animals often end up with families who can’t handle their behavior.
Wolfdogs require costly heavy-gauge chain link fencing with dig guards, aren’t easily house trained and can’t be left alone because they may chew their way through your house.
“There’s no way that they could even live in a town or city,” says Georgina De Caigny of Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary, adding the higher the wolf content, the more wolf behavior, and you can’t train it out of them.
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Alex Arcega, a volunteer with Yamnuska Wolfdog Rescue, owns four wolfdogs.
He caught Akira, a low-content wolfdog, after spending almost two months winning her trust.
“They’re different in behavior than your average dog, and just because you see in a movie a wolf do something, doesn’t mean in reality this animal can sleep on your bed every night, hang out with your cats,” says De Caigny.
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De Caigny says many people buy a wolfdog with unrealistic expectations.
“They think that the animal is going to act like a dog, which is not the case either. They can make pretty amazing companions, it’s just only very specific people with specific lifestyles can really give, especially a high content wolf dog, what they need to be happy.”
Wolfdogs aren’t cheap – a pup sells for between $800 and $5,000, depending on its wolf content.
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