Socialization

How successful one is with socialization will be determined by several factors.  Many wolfdogs have a natural (or inherent) tendency to be shy.  Timing of socialization to people, places, and other animals during the critical phases of a pup's development will often determine how social the pup will be once it reaches maturity.  Not only is it necessary to socialize a wolfdog to different individuals but different places as well.  by the time a pup is several months old, it will begin to exhibit shyness to new places and individuals.  As a pup matures, it will

become  more cautious of its surroundings and less accepting of others outside of its pack.  Hormonal influences at maturity will contribute to even more recognizable changes. 

Legal Issues & Dog Bites

Behavioral Development of Canines

The Importance of Early Socialization

A recipe for Socialization

The Behavior, Evolution, and Ecology of Wolves

Social Behavior of Wolves: Reproduction and Development in Family Groups

The Wolfdogs Resource - Socialization

Pet Nutrition Principals

What Does Socialization Mean - How Important is it?

Inter-Dog Dominance Aggression

World Small Animal Veterinary Association

Sensory, Emotional, Social Development of the Young Dog

Early Canid Domestication - The Farm Fox

Holistic Animal Behavior - The Effects of Domestication on Animal Physiology and Behavior

Dog Breeds

Alpha

Each member of the pack holds a specific position within the pack structure. The leader or ruler of the pack is known as the "alpha." The ruling male and his chosen mate are known as the "alpha" pair. The second in command is the beta and so on until you reach the omega, or lowest ranked member of the pack. Other pack members look to the ruling alpha for direction. An example would be that no one is allowed to eat until the alphas have had their fill. The alpha determines what the pack, as a whole will do.

Canines live in a hierarchy and are not democratic by nature.  Therefore, one must establish and maintain the alpha position. A canine that feels it is alpha over its owner can become dangerous and unmanageable. However in order to establish and maintain the alpha position, one must do so in a way which instills trust and positive reinforcement

Understanding Pack Order

Alpha Status, Dominance, and Division of Labor in Wolf Packs

Obtaining and Maintaining Your Alpha Position

 

Training

At a minimum, wolfdogs should know basic commands. Many find that their wolfdog is harder to train than a regular dog. Therefore, training should begin at an early age.

When selecting a trainer, one should choose one that uses positive reinforcement because wolfdogs do not respond well to being hit or forced. Often times, training using negative enforcement will cause the opposite of what you hope to achieve. It is a good idea to interview a trainer and attend a couple of classes as an observer in order to determine whether or not the program will suit your needs.

For those who are unfamiliar with training a wolfdog, starting both you and your animal in a basic obedience class or puppy kindergarten will allow the two of you learn together. Basic training will help you to better understand and handle your animal as it gets older. It will also help your wolfdog be more confident in new or unusual situations.

It has been said that wolves cannot be trained. However, this has proven to be a false statement. Many wolf x dog crosses have been successfully trained in several fields, such as assistant animals, search and rescue, agility trials, etc. Even though wolves and high content wolfdogs are harder to train and have a tendency to think for themselves, many of the lower and mid-content animals have done exceptionally well in certain fields.

Dr. P's Dog Training

Dog Play