How do you define these terms? Discussions

It could still be used validly for both .... a Yorkie is a dog as in a Neo Mastiff and again huge difference ....

oh please tell...(what was it like in your opinion) ;-) ;-)

Yes that is how i define Joe Bloggs, however when Joe bloggs is doing his research he looks at NI who are described as wolf lookalike, that tells him they look like a wolf, he then looks at Ute's who are described as wolf like, surely that would make him think they are like wolves in nature or why not call them 'look'alike which defines it much better dont you think?
Then we come to wolfdogs, of which there are plenty in the U.K, both csv and wolf x dog. Is it clear to Joe Bloggs that csv are different from a wolf crossed with a dog?

Maybe i'm being pedantic but so many people now have asked me to explain the differences.

Quote Muddi - In all honesty if someone used the term wolfdog to me I would not have a clue what it was and ask for further clarification.

I think they should have stuck with the GSDs they began with.

In 1921, Dutch breeder Leendert Saarloos started crossbreeding a German Shepherd Dog male to a female Eurasian Wolf (Canis lupus lupus). He aimed for an improved version of the German Shepherd Dog which would be immune to distemper, and succeeded insofar that the Saarlooswolfdog we know is a strong imposing dog, but it kept its wolflike characteristics; it is cautious, reserved and lacks the ferocity to attack; it is not the dog that Leendert Saarloos hoped to get. His theory was also proven wrong, as nearly all the first generation hybrids succumbed to distemper.


In the year 1955 a biological experiment took place in the CSSR of that time, namely, the crossing of a German Shepherd Dog with a Carpathian Wolf. The experiment established that the progeny of the mating of a male dog to a female wolf as well as that of male wolf to female dog, could be reared. The overwhelming majority of the products of these mating possessed the genetic requirements for continuation of breeding. In the year 1965, after the ending of the experiment, a plan for the breeding of this new breed was worked out. This was to combine the usable qualities of the wolf with the favourable qualities of the dog.

So - in an attempt to produce antibodies to a disease by breeding (!) and in an attempt to produce a guard dog for the Communist bloc borders which would not require a handler (e.g. rip the beggars to bits) some wild wolves were forced to mate with dogs. How very scientific. Not.
Nuff said.

it is clear if anyone does their research and meets the breeds,alot of breeds need explaining to people not just these ones....
also i dont think n.i's and utes should be described as 'wolf' anything as i dont think the majority look wolfy sorry :-(

oh have you seen the pics of the czech gsd's they used to breed csv's?? stunning dogs!!!!
yes the 'experiment' with the saarloos did not go well.but the csv was/is succesfull as a working dog and excels in alot of diciplines ;-)

So do GSDs! So what was the point of the wolf mating?
The inclusion of Wolf blood in the line was to produce a `wilder` dog, not a better worker.
(sorry - I edited my original post after yours)

not in csv's it wasnt...it was a more indpendant worker and for the 'scenting' ability

No need to apologise, i agree with you.
Neither of my girls look particularly wolfy to me but other people think they do, my boy really does look wolfy.
My neighbour who has 2 pure bred siberian husky's is asked all the time if her dogs are wolves and none of them are particularly wolfy looking either, i imagine it comes about as these types of dogs are used to portray wolves in films ect?

where on earth did u get that from
thats an assumption!!!.

and wolves wouldnt do that but a GSD would give it a go ;-) ;-)

Exactly! So why bother introducing genes from a wild animal? You can breed (dogs) for aggression, herding etc. by careful selection. All you can really get from a wolf is a distrust of people. And seriously - do you blame it?

no!! wise animal ;-) ;-)

but csv's are not shy,it is a fault if they are

Not ignoring you but was on board ship last night and lost mobile signal. I previously spent a lovely evening with a dozen wolfdogs, but there was one evil CSV WHO STOLE MY PLACE ON THE SOFA Must be something in their breeding.

To answer your question though: No I don't give a * that they are called a wolfdog or not. That is what they are, it is how they were developed. It is their genetic inheritance.

If I thought that by dropping the 'wolfdog' name it would discourage unsuitable owners then I would support that.

Humans have always messed with wild animals to create domesticated sub-species: dogs, cattle, horses etc etc.

Maybe Mr.Saarloos was naive (I believe so) but this type of cross breeding was common in the 19th century and early 20th century. The GSD was the end result of decades of similar cross breeding experiments.

All 3 wolfdog breeds were developed as working dogs.

As for 'ripping the beggars to bits', some of these communist wolfdogs do far worse things; like pushing me off the sofa.

He was a real sweetie - only a puppy, very very affectionate with us and he LOVED our other dogs very much and was great with the other pets although scared of the hens after a good telling off by Flurry - our bossiest hen after he dared to walk past her while she was eating (the rest of the dogs know better!)

He was nervous in every new scenario though - scared out and about by big trucks, scared to get in the van the first 3 times, scared by loud noises - in and outside the house etc. He was however excellent with every single dog he met - very good canine manners.

He is the only one I ever spent time with and all dogs are different - so I can't judge from him and say that all CWD are a bit wussy and reserved with strangers and nervy of new things - it might just have been him , or his early socialisation etc etc ... he was adorable though and we didn't want to giove him back!

He just made us giggle to look at him too - everything about him was long - long nose, long legs, long tail etc - all gangly (the age) but adorable!!!!

yip!! they is evil to the core....i type this as im being used as a pillow ;-) ;-)