How to own a Wolf Legally

Wolves and wolf hybrids make tremendous demands on their owners. Take the time to learn how keep a wolf safely and sanely. Consider the risks to you and your family, any other pets and the wolf itself when you commit to owning one. Depending on what state you live in, you may need a permit to keep a wolf.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Master wolf signals, sounds, body language and pup-raising techniques. They differ radically from those used to train dogs.

2. Expect a wolf pup to grow up into an adult wolf, not to become as tame as a dog. Wolves lack the desire to please people, a quality that was bred into dogs over thousands of years.

3. Socialize a wolf pup beginning at two weeks. Bottle feed the pup the appropriate formula round-the-clock. You must also stimulate the pup to eliminate and clean it up, as its mother would do in nature. Pups need to live with humans all the time, and have occasional contact with dogs and other humans.

4. Wean the pup to a meat diet, not kibble. Eventually, you should feed it 2 to 5 pounds of high quality fresh meat per day. You may also be able to get a permit to collect road kill to feed your wolf.

5. Protect all small children and pets from wolves. A wolf sees small creatures as prey and larger animals as invaders of its territory. Learn the signals wolves give when they're about to attack and find out how to distract them.

6. Build a pen on at least a 1/2 acre of land for two adult wolves, as wolves and hybrids should not live alone. Use a double chain link fence with a 7-to-8-foot inner enclosure, and an overhang and ground wire. Surround this with a 6-foot outer enclosure to keep intruders out and keep your wolves from escaping.

Tips & Warnings

• Learn as much as possible about wolf behavior before you decide to own one. If at all possible, take a wolf behavior course.
• Wolves do badly in homes.
• Unlike dogs, wolves remain alert for opportunities to become dominant.
• Don't buy a wolf on impulse. Releasing a half-tame wolf into the wild constitutes a death sentence for the animal and you're unlikely to find a place for the wolf in an overcrowded wolf sanctuary.

Resources

• State laws regarding wolf ownership
• Seven-part series on wolf-dog hybrids

[tundrawolf]

on 9/24/2009 I have seen pure wolves living to 23 years. They were fed raw meat daily, and were supplemented dog food rarely. Mostly they were fed raw beef daily, sometimes chicken, sometimes turkey legs. They were fed the meat that is "Not fit for human consumption". The other wolf that has died recently died at age 20. I agree supplements should be given, but it is NO substitute for feeding fresh, raw meat DAILY in sufficient quantities (3 LBS minimum).

[ravenwolfwisdom]

on 9/12/2009 It is important to supplement a wolf diet with a high quality protein rich dog food. Wolves fed only meat will develop nutritional defincies in their later years. There is no research available in the wild for wolves over ten and their diets. In captivity we have seen wolves fed only meat develop nutritional problems as they mature. Mineral deficiencies in wild game as well some domestic meat do not provide all the nutrition a wolf needs for a long life. By feeding meat and a good dog food- low grain or no grain- we have had wolves live to be eighteen years old! A far cry from the 6 to 8 years wild wolves live!!