Alternative Dog Breeds That Are "Easier" Than Wolves and Wolfdogs

You’re determined to own a piece of the wild, but a wolf is out of the question because they are either restricted or illegal in your area, or just not practical for your space or lifestyle.

Maybe you did your homework and want to get some northern breed experience before getting a wolfdog, which I highly recommend.

It’s also common for wolfdog rescues to recommend alternate breeds to fill the gap between the need for a wolf and reality, but their good intentions to protect wolfdogs backfires for breeds like huskies, malamutes, and other wolfy lookalikes.

Chances are you can get the look you crave, attached to a dog you can live with in your home. You will have the most success if you take your time and do quite a bit of soul searching.

Household Deal Breakers 

Everyone has a tolerance threshold when it comes to what is (and what is not) acceptable when it comes to sanitation, behavior, and personality.

Most northern breed dog owners will admit to having a very high tolerance to dog hair being a food group in their home. Husky owners often accept that the intelligence and stubborn nature of their dogs makes them more like annoying roommates than faithful pets. And akita people learn to skirt around the issues of their loyal family dog being a jerk when it comes to strange dogs and humans.

The point is, when picking a dog do your best to not only know the traits of the breed/breeds (if a mix) but also know the tolerance thresholds of everyone in the home.

After years without a dog, I was ready for one, but I was I married and had kids. I knew my husband didn’t care for dogs, so he definitely didn’t want a needy lab dropping wet balls in his lap. We traveled a lot, we were active outdoors year round, and I was a jogger.

Huskies being aloof, yet active, adaptable, and small enough to be allowed in the (below 45 pound hotel limit) made the choice easy for me.

But not so fast, I knew I would be the sole caretaker, so it was also up to me to make sure I did everything in my power to “fit” a husky into my family which leads us to…

Sacrifices and Adjustments

“He crapped in the hall again! He ate my favorite stuffed animal! He stole my lunch right off the table! YOUR dog chewed a hole my backpack… the couch… the wall.”

See how easily THE dog to become YOUR dog.

Bottom line, difficult breeds are likely surrendered because the caretaker could not keep up with, or can no longer tolerate the day to day challenges these dogs present.

While issues of destruction and training can be fixed, the commitment of the main caretaker is the deciding factor in the successful ownership of a family pet who can be a bit of a hard pill to swallow.

Even single owners have limitations, like time, space, and how much a neighbor or landlord will stand.

As the caregiver, consider how much you CAN, not THINK you can invest in success before committing to a known difficult breed. The dog and the entire inner circle is depending on you to make life easier for all involved.

This may mean daily vacuuming during coat blows or being the one who picks up the mess without complaint. Boredom and insufficient exercise is a major cause of anxiety and destruction, so you may have wake up an hour or two before work to run, bike, or hike with the dog before you leave. Potty training and adoption transitions may mean peeling yourself out of a warn bed on a cold night to get the dog out at 2am.

Yes, things get better after years of developing a perfect routine and getting to know how to manipulate the system for happiness, but never forget that you signed up for it.

As a side note: Kids can help, but should never be the sole caretaker of any pet, and certainly not a for a high energy, mouthy, insanely crazy, and unpredictable young northern breed.

The Happy Medium…Age

I understand the lure of puppies. They’re adorable. You want then to grow with the kids. You think they’ll have more respect for you as a “pack leader”.

Let’s rethink the above.

Puppies are adorable when they are small and manageable. By four months, they are mouthy and learning bite inhibition. It’s a no brainer that a puppy nip on the nose of an infant will cause panic, and I specifically trained my pup not to “kiss” because kids instinctly say “he bit me”. By eight months they are bonkers and big. Huskies are on the dangerous dogs list, not for aggression, but because zoomies will make them leap into cribs, knock toddlers off of slides, and smash into legs, wiping out bystanders.

As for being pack leader, aloof, independent, and self-serving northern breeds don’t have leaders, they have companions. Except Shepherds, they have one or dual leaders, all others need not apply without significant bonding rituals.

I always recommend adult adoption, not necessarily to save lives, but what you see is what you get.

Dogs usually begin to simmer down after five-years-old, meaning less energy and more focus. Teaching an adult dog new tricks is by far easier than training a puppy.

Sometimes younger dogs just have a mellow personality. Don’t overlook them either, unless you have experience, and want the full on crazy.

A good rescue will give you a bit of history, like does the dog have separation anxiety, is he an escape artist, does he tend to bite when he gets excited. Then you can ask yourself, do I have the time and resources to help this dog get over his anxiety, can I make a safe containment area for him to stay and play in, can I provide a stable, quiet home without roughhousing to keep him honest and give him chance.

However, you may not qualify for a rescue adoption because of no experience or improper fencing. But if really want something, you can work for it. Don't be discouraged. Volunteer to learn. Many rescues are desperate for walkers and fosters. At least you will have gained some knowledge about the breed, which will help you pick a shelter dog.

Understand that not all shelter dogs or rescues for adoption are broken, sometimes people lose their homes, become too sick to care for their dog, or die. And yes, people have babies, and or just give up on their dogs because circumstances have changed. None of it matters.

But, feeling sorry for a dog is impulsive, and no reason to get one. Don’t just look at a dog, see the dog. What is presented in front of you? Are you truly in love or just in like?

And always keep a check on why you really want a difficult and stunning wolfy looking breed.

The Hardest Questions 

True soul searching leads to the hardest question.

Why? 

They Are Beautiful

I encourage all perspective dog owners to not consider looks for wanting any particular dog.

Blue eyes, beautiful markings, or wolfiness.

Looks don’t determine good companions in the human world, so why would it make a difference in dog world? I mean there are some very physically appealing human jerks out there, and some very humble, kind and sweet lookers. You can’t judge a book by a book by its cover… truest words spoken.

Good Times

Of course a majority of us have had good experiences and memories with certain dog breeds and down deep want to recapture those good times, but just because you met one or several amazing animals, it doesn’t mean you can replicate that experience with your own pet.

In truth, you may only know the half of it. Relationships between wolfdogs, huskies, mals, akitas, chows, elkhounds, shepherds, and difficult breeds and their owners are often heralded as phenomenal, some going as far as saying they will never have another breed.

But… none really talk about the bad times, the times they were frustrated, or even furious about the tenth shredded shoe or the scar above their lip.

I’ll share a few, but far from all.

At one time, I walk/jogged with my adolescent husky (up to two hours a day) but there was a period of time when she would stop near the end of the trail, turn and aggressively lunge at me, muzzle punching and grabbing my arms. It was always followed by wild leash zoomies. I can only assume she didn’t want the walk to end and apparently had energy to expire. It was extremely embarrassing, but eventually stopped adolecence.

I also adopted and fostered dogs who were clueless about house-training. My house stunk, but they all learned, the hardest being my “crate trained” girl who learned to live with her own waste since her former owner kept her in it all day. She also had a thing for remote controls, chewed them all until time and maturity turned her into a great friend.

Then there were the two high content wolfdogs fostered at different times, thankfully. One broke two new laptops within a week, the other removed and shredded all my curtains within ten minutes of arrival.

They were all beautiful. They all had their funny moments. I had moments when I’d say to myself, wtf…  “way to fail” as a trainer. Yet, I was tolerant. I learned to live with them and they learned to live with me, eventually.

A Connection to Wolves

Feeling a connection to wolves is a common reason people get wolfdogs and wolfy northern breeds.

Wolves are resilient, beautiful, and mysterious. They symbolize freedom, the wilderness, and loyalty. Wolves are misunderstood. I’m sometimes misunderstood. I feel there is a connection between wolves and humans. Wolves are like me.

All of the above statements are true, but are they really like us?

Projecting human attributes into animals is called, anthropomorphism. Okay, it makes cute videos, but sadly, anthropomorphism is the reason people abuse and punish animals, thinking they are being spiteful and rude.

Animals have their own agendas, mainly based on positive and negative experiences, and self-gratification, similar to humans, but they don’t carry the same baggage.

Wolves defend territory and resources but they don’t start wars with other wolves. Wolves don’t like conflict and will do anything to avoid it, so they have a system of respect based on yielding in submission. Dominance is fluid and situational, not an assigned personality type.

We assign wolves a divine status, but as someone said, animals are not responsible for your spiritual growth. If you have a strong connection, find a way to help them thrive in their wild environments.

Owing a wolfdog or wolfy dog will not give us the satisfaction of connecting with the wild, it will in fact will break the enchantment for many of us.

It’s difficult to connect to wolfy breeds because they are not people pleasers, and they are not easier alternatives to wolves.

Instead, take time to find a dog you know in your heart is the best match. You will both grow, and your family and loved ones
will grow to love them.

Be honest and realistic with yourself, about your lifestyle and living situation. Save  everyone some heartache and save a life without interrupting one.

What To Do Before Your Dog or Wolfdog Gets Away

A wolfdog died today. We tried our best to get her home safely, but she was hit by a car eight days after escape from her enclosure.

No one likes to think about their furbabies getting loose, but there are several things you can start

My dog Bella, alive and well

doing today that may help get them home sooner.

Understand the Challenges of Animal Specific Recovery

Wolfdogs, feral, and shy dogs are especially hard to recover because they are naturally hypersensitive to their surroundings and fear the unknown.

Extreme caution is actually useful trait in the wild. It helps many animals avoid traps, hunters, and prey that might be more of a challenge than a meal.

Put yourself into the mind of an animal approaching a crate type trap. There is no visible escape exit. The sounds and echoes inside the metal or plastic space are deafening to your sensitive ears. Unless starved, you would probably leave in search of an easier meal.

A large kennel or fenced yard with a spring gate trap might be less frightening to approach than a crate.

Speaking of easy meals, I was asked if a wolfdog would raid local chicken coops. I think it’s unlikely. This is a learned behavior. They probably won’t be attracted to chickens unless they flee and the prey drive kicks in. From your perspective, does the sight and smell of live chickens make your mouth water? Even if a wolfdog eats raw chickens, there is no reason to associate live chickens with food.
Another challenge is an animal’s reaction to both real and perceived threats.

In socializing wolfdogs and ferals on trails, it was very apparent that anything out of the ordinary was regarded as a potential threat.

We could walk for miles, passing, joggers, strollers, cyclists, even mowers without incident, but a jogger on the side of the path stretching, would cause panic in many wolfdogs.

The same type of “irrational” fear goes for blowing bags, a fallen tree that wasn’t there before, and loud noises. Anything unusual is suspect, including cars slowing down or stopping to help them get home.

This is important because they can easily be frightened into changing direction which can hurt or help the recovery, depending on where you need them to be.

Frightening them into traffic is a major concern. Most animals will stay on the side of the road or avoid traffic. I’ve seen heroic videos of people approaching scared dogs on highways, but I don’t know any higher content wolfdogs or owned feral dogs who are socialized enough to allow a stranger to approach and grab them. Unfortunately, they would rather take their chances darting away.

Keep this in mind, when approaching on the road… Is there a safe place for them to flee that is away from traffic? Then proceed on the opposite side.

Establish Routines

When any dog is lost, you want to keep them in the area. Routines go a long way in keeping them close to home.

Routines are the opposite of the unknown, they are safe. More routine equals less stress. No animal (other than humans) will choose stress over the relief of a routine.

Meals on time in the same spot. Water fresh and always available. Treat time, play time, training sessions all should be a regular part of the daily routine. Being in their enclosure or around your house must be the happiest place on earth because home is consistent and stress free.

Realize, if your dog or wolfdog gets away it doesn’t mean they don’t love you. There are reasons, like something smells enticing, looks fun to chase, or is luring them the other side, like another dog.

Keep the routine going, it’s likely they will return, looking for that feeling of relief and food. They also have a great sense of smell. Unless there is a heavy rain or recent snow, they know where to find home.

Animals who stray far from home are likely to have been frightened out of the area, lack stress relieving routines, or don’t have a reason to return, which is why the next topics of canine companionship and bonding are so relevant to wolfdog and rescued feral recovery.

Canine Companionship

Wolfdogs and feral dogs naturally like the pack life. Having a canine companion can really make a difference in preventing escape and recovery. Behind being intact, canine companionship is usually the missing link between escape artists and homebodies.

If you have an anxious wolfdog, feral, or shy dog, having an outgoing, people friendly, companion of like size and weather tolerance will make a huge difference in the quality of life and recovery
if your shy dog gets away.

I’ve used outgoing dogs in socialization to build a bridge between people and shy dogs. I’ve used them to lure dogs back home, and or close enough to slip a lead on. Sometimes it’s just a matter of working the need to have what the other dogs is getting like treats, which is a wolfdog thing. Other times it’s about shy dogs trusting dogs more than humans.

In any case, a good canine companion is almost essential for wolfdogs and ferals.

The Human Bond

Even with canine companionship, bonding with a wolfdog, feral or shy dog is time consuming and ongoing, but absolutely necessary. They should at least have a sense that you are safe, consistent and are not a source of stress.

Routines and good positive encounters will earn their trust. Walks will make you a rock star. This is a lot of work, especially with these types of animals, but the rewards are huge.

Always make sure they are safely secured and make sure every experience ends on a positive. Please ask if you need tips for getting them safely out of their enclosure.

Having a great relationship with your canine will not only create a positive home environment, it will make it possible for you to go out looking for them if they stray from home.

A little side tip, shy animals tend to feel more comfortable on the move at night when all has quieted down.

Wolf relatives are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk. By going out between these times, they are more likely to hear your calls and smell your lures.

Simple Recall Sounds

Recall for wolfdogs and once feral dogs is very advanced training. Unless you have something consistently better than the average, like raw meat, recall is difficult to teach, even then it’s not foolproof, which is why they should never be walked off lead.

Since the human voice doesn’t carry far and will be competing with outer sounds like, traffic, crickets, and rodents under leaves, it doesn’t hurt to establish a few recall sounds that are always followed by a high value treat.

Whistles, squeak toys, bells are all good tools for recovery.

Emergency Training

If you’ve done all of the above, you can take things a couple of steps further to help in their recovery.

Leashing is sometimes an issue, even when dogs love the sight of the leash and walks, but it’s frustrating to get so close, only to have them back away at the last minute.

Teaching them to hop in the car is another way you can recover your animal.

Following you, and, or a canine through doorways is also useful leading them into a yard or barn. All require a lot of practice and ongoing drills.

Practice putting a slip leash over their head everywhere, on and off property, even if they already have on a collar or harness, as they always should.

Getting them in the car, needs to always be followed by good times and treats. The car should never be a vet trip only routine. Wolfdogs will learn quickly that the car means fun times, but they can just as easily learn it’s a trap.

Wolfdogs and ferals also have a very difficult time going through doorways. It’s that fear of the unknown on the other side. When practicing always make crossing to the other side a big deal with lots of treats.

Another tip, practice often in various places then make adjustments as needed, as you’ll see why in the following story.

I have a feral dog, named Bella (pictured hiding). She loved the car, and by that I mean she only loved my old car.

This winter, a door blew open during a blizzard and out she went with her outgoing companion. Shortly after, a man called because my friendly husky ran right up to the stranger, he leashed her, and saw the tag with my number. He couldn’t catch Bella, who stayed close, yet far away from reach.

I drove up in my brand new car (days old) which was the same make, model, and color. I led my husky into the car, then called Bella. She got her front paws in the car before realizing, “this is not my usual car”. She bolted away twenty feet.

Luckily, my daughter was with me. She walked our husky home while Bella followed. Bella followed them both, straight into the fenced yard and we shut the gate. All were a little snow blown and colder but safe.

Easiest recovery ever because everything was in place, including a tag with a current phone number.

Get Help ASAP

Dog recovery groups are awesome. Many have tricks of their own, like, trail cameras, traps, and getting permission to search properties and set up feeding stations, but most important is they will spread the word quickly that your dog is loose.

Although we sadly didn’t recover this last furbaby, there were many concerned dog lovers who called in with sightings that helped us in tracking her whereabouts.

I’d like to thank Granite State Dog Recovery (FB) for all their efforts and showing me what a great resource these groups can be.

Be Aware of Enclosure Problems

Not all escape routes can be predicted, but you can routinely walk your pen and look for breeches in the fence or evidence of attempts to escape, like digging.


Always do rechecks after storms and windy days.

There is no judgement here. Everyone has a lost dog story.

I hope they all have happier endings.