Ugh, status symbol dogs.

[ThoseWordsAtBest]

Originally Posted by Lyzelle

Blue eyes can and do happen - even in pure/wild wolves. It is rare, but it happens. And when you add in Sibes and other blue-eyed breeds, it does increase the odds.

Do you have any sources on where blue eyes can happen in wolves? I do not believe they do. Sometimes green eyes are light enough and mistaken as blue, but wolves do not carry the gene for blue eyes. Blue eyes can happen in low contents to my understanding, but not high content or wolf. Blue eyes are recessive and must be carried by both parents, so even if you cross a Sibe with the gene with a wolf a wolf would not carry the gene so it could not be passed on.

[Lyzelle]

The "true blues" are more some weird new(er) genetic issue. But essentially, they are puppy-blues...but they never grow out of them. They are genetically brown/gold, but are physically still blue. They simply never change.

All the lighter blues, absolutely, as you said, off-color greens. But not everyone gets close enough to look and see, so from a distance or under the right lights, it can look blue. I wasn't trying to be technical, just general. Ruedi at Wolf Park is an example of that. But both his parents were pure wolves, with very obvious yellow/brown eyes. But his...well, sometimes they look blue, sometimes silver, and sometimes a very, very light greenish. But if anyone who didn't know took a quick look, they are "blue".

[anna84]

Out of a general interest can I ask what is it about wolf dogs that make them so potentially dangerous as pets and different from dogs. I have met two in my life and both were very shy when I was interacting with their owners. But I've never had a lot of exposure, I have just always heard they were a bad idea and should not be bred.

[ThoseWordsAtBest]

Originally Posted by Lyzelle

The "true blues" are more some weird new(er) genetic issue. But essentially, they are puppy-blues...but they never grow out of them. They are genetically brown/gold, but are physically still blue. They simply never change.

All the lighter blues, absolutely, as you said, off-color greens. But not everyone gets close enough to look and see, so from a distance or under the right lights, it can look blue. I wasn't trying to be technical, just general. Ruedi at Wolf Park is an example of that. But both his parents were pure wolves, with very obvious yellow/brown eyes. But his...well, sometimes they look blue, sometimes silver, and sometimes a very, very light greenish. But if anyone who didn't know took a quick look, they are "blue".

Interesting! I'm not terribly far from wolf park and my boyfriend and I were talking about going to one of their programs this summer.

Originally Posted by anna84

Out of a general interest can I ask what is it about wolf dogs that make them so potentially dangerous as pets and different from dogs. I have met two in my life and both were very shy when I was interacting with their owners. But I've never had a lot of exposure, I have just always heard they were a bad idea and should not be bred.

I personally do not have an issue with wolf dogs- in the hands of those responsible enough to contain them- but I know they are a touchy subject for most and whether or not it is ethical to breed a wild animal with a domestic animal and keep them. My friend (and the owner of the mother of my boy Shambles) works in wolf dog rescue and is what I would consider an extremely responsible owner. I wish she posted here.

[Miakoda]

First: I am NOT an ARista!

Second: I do have issues with people attempting to turn wild animals into pets, wolves included. It's taking an undomesticated animal and removing it from the environement from which it was bred to live in and enjoy, and shoving it in a fenced-in backyard and forcing it to comply with various humans wanting to gawk and pet it all for the sake of "cooooool!".

Third: Heaven forbid some wolf, or tiger, attacks a human responsible for caring for it. It then gets to be killed and people wonder why on earth such a beloved animal would do such a horrible thing to it's human cuddle partner.


I've met a single wolf hybrid (wolf-dog...whatever PC name they have). It was brought in by someone and dumped at the clinic. The dog was tall, lean, shaggy, long muzzle, and in looks, resembled a wolf more than a dog. It did not look like some thick, blocky Siberian Husky or Malamute (they types we see in this part of the region). The "dog" had these yellowish/goldish/flecked eyes. It was wary and did everything it could to slink into the wall (it tried to get the wall to absorb it). Thankfully, this was a young one. One of the vets took it home with her as she lives in a wooded area and has a large (6 acres) fenced-in backyard with an 8-ft chain-link fence with hotwire at the top. When I went to her place to visit Mowgli, he stayed at the vet back of the property near his man-made den. He was nice-enough, and by that I man he wasn't some foaming-at-the-mouth aggressive animal. He would watch you put his food out, and then wait for you to get back up to the house before getting his food and taking it to his "den". He got along wonderfully well with her Alaskan Husky, and the two ended up being quite the soulmates (spayed female). Mowgli did get to where he would approach you every no and then, and would allow you to pet him, but the encounters were brief, although he was relaxed during them. But I would never ever say he was some social butterfuly that wanted to cuddle you on the couch....or cuddle you in general. He passed away not long ago, but at least he was given the chance to live his life without being forced to conform to the pressures that some humans place on these animals (to be wonderful fluffy pets).