You know when someone describes someone as ‘a wolf in sheep’s clothing’? Well, meet a wolf in dog’s clothing.
Wolves, as you likely know, are dogs. Unlike domesticated dogs, however, it is inadvisable (and oftentimes illegal) to keep a wolf as a pet. Wolves are innocent enough in their puppy years, but once they begin to grow, they become significantly larger than most dogs. On top of that, domestication has not been bred into them like it has been bred into our pet dogs.
Of course, if a puppy has been thrust into your life, how can you tell if it’s a dog or a wolf?
Meet Neo. As a baby, he was abandoned in a Tucson, Arizona shopping cart. One day, a young man of 18 found Neo and chose to take him into his home to raise as his own. At first glance, it seemed that Neo was some sort of German shepherd. The boy would soon learn how wrong he was.
Neo had a very hard time adjusting to house life. He would frequently do his business in the house and refused to spend time with anyone other than the boy who adopted him. Even still, he was incredibly lonely when they boy left him alone.
Eventually, Neo learned how to escape the house and would often cross the street to hang out with the neighbors’ dogs. At first, the neighbors would simply return Neo to his home. Eventually, however, Neo wore out his welcome and the neighbors called the Humane Society. Once he was handed over to the Humane Society, their experts were quick to determine why Neo was so restless – he wasn’t a puppy; he was a wolf-dog.
Wolf-dogs, as you may be able to guess, are a cross between a wolf and a dog. Wolf-dogs are unable to be domesticated fully, but lack the social skills and honed instincts to survive in the wild. On top of his genetic disadvantage, his time spent with his domestic master had curbed any chance Neo had of surviving in the wild.
Thankfully, the Humane Society was able to hand Neo over to Wolf Connection in California. Wolf Connection rehabilitates and cares for wolves and wolf-dogs who have been kept as domestic pets, giving them a home when they have nowhere else to go. Now, Neo has a loving home all of his own where he can run, play, and socialize with other wolves and wolf-dogs all day long.
