Wolfdog Ownership: Common Challenges

When I got my first wolfdog, Kuna, I almost gave up on her. I was so overwhelmed, unprepared and unsure of whether I was doing the right thing. It ended up being an extremely turbulent time that was accompanied with a lot of feelings of shame, failure and uncertainty. It forced me to question and re-evaluate my lifestyle, my capabilities, and ultimately my priorities. There were just so many challenges and conflicts with her those first several months that I truly debated whether I made a mistake getting a wolfdog and if Kuna would actually be better off in another home.

Puppy Kuna, undoubtedly plotting my demise. She made it very evident all the ways I was failing her until one day I smartened up, and started listening to what she was trying to tell me…

Fast forward to today…

Working in wolfdog rescue for the past 11 years has exposed me to countless stories of people struggling with wolfdog ownership. It has allowed me to learn about the different types of behavioural struggles people have with their wolfdogs, as well as what types of lifestyle or external challenges come up for people who own wolfdogs.

I want to make it clear that there is no judgement in this article. Only a sharing of my own experiences.

Working in rescue I am exposed to many of the challenges and failures of wolfdog ownership, but I have also witnessed many of the success stories. As someone who very much has struggled with wolfdog ownership herself, I know what it’s like to bear that weight and that sense of shame. As someone who was able to get through my struggles and not only make it work, but actually create the most beautiful partnership with my wolfdog, I feel I have some valuable thoughts to share.

Somehow Kuna and I got to a place of compromise….of give and take. Here I am taking a kiss and she is giving me some grace!

My purpose for this article is to share the common obstacles that come up for many people through wolfdog ownership. If you are someone thinking of getting a wolfdog, you can be informed of some of the major issues that may arise and take that into consideration before purchasing/adopting a wolfdog. Or if you are someone who already owns a wolfdog, but perhaps are facing some major struggles, I want you to realize you are not alone.

I want to share all these experiences as well as my personal thoughts so that you have some additional information to make your own decision on what is best for you and your wolfdog. Again, there is no judgement here. I know what it’s like to feel overwhelmed, unsure of whether you’re doing the right thing, and just all the feelings of shame, failure or guilt associated with the struggles of wolfdog ownership and whether you are cut out for it. I was fortunate enough to have some good guidance when I really needed it in order to get to where I am today with my own wolfdog. Without that guidance, my life may have turned out very differently!

My greatest teacher. Who know she would show up for me in this adorable little form! When I look at photos such as this, of Kuna from over a decade ago, I can’t help but reflect on how much she has taught me over her lifespan and how essential she has been in defining who I am today.

Before we really kick this off by getting into all the common issues I have seen, I want to share a small portion of my own experience first.

I was 19 years old when I got my first wolfdog, Kuna. Not only was she my first wolfdog, but she was a high content wolfdog that had just been returned to the breeder for being “too much of a handful’. When I got Kuna, she was 11 weeks old and just really figuring out how she fit into a human world. I was barely an adult with a good amount of dog experience behind me, but not much experience with wolfdogs. Especially not my own that I was solely responsible for, living in my house, purely dependent on me. Long story short, the biggest mistakes I made right off the bat were that I did not have proper containment for my wolfdog, did not have a deep enough understanding of how wolf behaviours differ than that of dogs, and I did not have the right lifestyle for being able to provide a safe and stable home for her. I treated Kuna like she was a dog, which meant I broke all sorts of her rules and boundaries to the point where she felt completely disrespected by me and truly didn’t like me. Because I didn’t have a large and secure containment for her, she was forced to spend a lot of her time inside which resulted in a lot of pent-up energy and therefore destruction of our house. Because I was in university and busy studying and having a life with my friends, I couldn’t give her all the mental and physical stimulation that she needed. Suffice to say, Kuna was quick to point out all my shortcomings in the form of ‘bad’ behaviours, and at the time, it seemed as if she was trying to make my life as difficult as possible. I felt completely overwhelmed and in over my head with absolutely no idea how to fix the situation. I was frustrated, ashamed of myself, and completely lost as to where to go from here. I had to take a really long hard look at myself and my life and decide to either become the person Kuna needed me to be and be open to change, or make the decision for the very first time in my life to give up on an animal and rehome her. Option 1 required me to get up to speed on the knowledge I needed to handle an animal like Kuna, as well as make a lot of necessary changes to my life in order to give her the life she deserved. Option 2 was to call the breeder and be yet another person that gave up on Kuna and send her back. I’m sure you all know the ending to the story, but I chose option 1. I started truly paying attention to what Kuna was trying to tell me, did a lot of wolf and wolfdog research, and did all the things I needed to, to ultimately fix the relationship I had broken. I built proper containment so Kuna could have ample space and time outside to express herself and roam around in a safe environment. I opened myself up to the idea that I didn’t know everything I thought that I did and allowed myself to start over with a beginner’s mindset. I committed whatever time I wasn’t in school or studying to working with Kuna, giving her the mental and physical stimulation she so desperately needed. I had to make a lot of sacrifices and alterations to my expectations of what I had wanted my life with Kuna to look like. Ultimately, through this process, we truly got to know who we both were to one another. We ended up in a place where we were both willing to compromise for one another and therefore build a relationship based on the trust and respect we had for another. But we couldn’t have gotten there without some of the basics that I needed: proper containment, understanding and a good amount of sacrifice. That is the short, condensed version of our story anyways and some of the personal struggles I faced with wolfdog ownership at the very beginning.

Kuna at almost 14 years old. We have gone through so much together and truly understand one another inside and out. In my eyes, she is perfect in each and every way.

Let’s dive in to some of the major behavioural struggles I commonly see from other owners that may cause them to want to rehome their wolfdog. The major ones are:

            -frequent escaping or lack of proper containment

            -significant conflicts with other dogs or pets in the household or neighbourhood

            -safety concerns with children

            -anxious or fearful behaviour resulting in a major disruption of daily life

            -frequent and major destructiveness of the home

            -aggression or bite incident resulting in injury or harm

The most common external or lifestyle challenges we see are:

            -people moving and unable to bring their wolfdog

            -starting a family (ie. Safety around a baby and small kids in the home)

            -a death in the family resulting in the loss of the primary caregiver

            -bylaw enforcements

            -inability to financially support wolfdog

            -lack of time or ability to commit to wolfdog

            -lack of understanding of fundamental behaviours and wolfdog communication

A gift I was given by my sister. Everyone in my family came to know my daily struggles with Kuna.

Just knowing someone understood at least some of my struggles (even if they couldn’t help), made me feel so much better. So just know, you are not alone in your struggles!

If you are someone interested in wolfdog ownership, please ensure you do your research on wolfdog behaviour and be honest with yourself about whether this is something you are capable of AND also willing to handle. Truly think about all these scenarios that are listed and ask yourself if you are really equipped to handle these challenging behaviours. Think about what your future looks like and whether you are truly able to commit to the whole lifespan of a wolfdog. If you are unsure, take the time to figure it out and then make the best decision for both yourself and that animal’s life.

If you are a wolfdog owner and one or more of these situations is causing you to consider rehoming your wolfdog, ask yourself if this is a behavioural issue that can be solved or managed through YOU making the necessary changes. If it is behavioural, would perhaps working with a qualified trainer help you? Would creating better containment, providing more enrichment, or changing your management someway help? Perhaps you can find someone who has had experience with a similar situation to yours that was able to find a positive outcome and ask for guidance.

Or is this a scenario where truly what is best for your situation and your wolfdog, is for the wolfdog to be rehomed? If that is the case, what can you do to ensure the absolute best placement of your wolfdog? The answers to many of these will require some real reflection on your current and future situation. They are challenging to say the least, and perhaps unclear. If you need help, please don’t hesitate reach out.

Iiqooa, one of our rescues from 2022. She came from a home that loved her very much for over a decade. Due to changing life circumstances, her owner came to realize he was not able to give her and her pack members the quality of life she truly deserved. As heartbreaking as it was for this owner to have to give her up, he was able to do a very unselfish thing and find her a new amazing chapter of her life to live.

Every once in a while, there is a situation where someone has everything figured out with their wolfdog, things are going perfectly well and then…. life throws them a major and unexpected curve ball. We have to recognize that sometimes situations change and perhaps you are no longer able to provide that same quality of home for your wolfdog, no matter how badly you want to. I have seen absolutely wonderful wolfdog ownership be given a bad break and had to make the very unselfish decision to rehome their wolfdogs. I’ve seen other cases where people were given a bad break and selfishly kept their wolfdogs even though they could no longer provide a stable and enriching home. Ultimately, life is unpredictable, and we just have to do the best we can. I think what is always most important is putting our own egos aside and doing what is best for the animals.   

Every situation is different, and a combination of issues may arise. There is no way for me to cover absolutely every single scenario you may find yourself in, so if you feel your particular situation is not covered here, please don’t hesitate to reach out. My goal is to give people the support and tools they need to do what is best for their wolfdog. Sometimes that may look like being given advice and suggestions for making it work, and other times it may be for rehoming your wolfdog. Every situation is unique, but at the end of the day, it's about doing what is best for the wolfdog.

If you are looking for specific help or guidance, I am always here to provide any assistance I can to help you. This is what Wolfdog Awareness is all about.

"One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say." --Bryant H. McGill