Wolves

jfh28 · May 18, 2006

I may have missed it in previous posts but the danger of a wolf is not in it's size but in the strength of its jaw. The clamping power is just incredible. We have a wolf preseve not far from us and they have a list comparing different animals clamping power in psi and the wolves is off the chart.

The only breed of dog that has any success against wolves is the irish wolfhound. The IW is bigger, faster and just as strong. Plus it's what they were bred for. Even then they know to fight as a pack. Did I mention IW's are smart. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

greatrandini · May 18, 2006

Likely, I agree (if they are that big). Malamutes are very large and look like wolves. I hear all the time of 100 lb coyotes. I showed German Shepherd Dogs in the conformation ring as a handler for 20 years. I often had newbies tell me about a 130 lb GSD. When I saw them they were always fat. I have seen some unusually large GSD's but they don't weigh much over 100lbs unless they are fat. People also think the "show dogs" are too skinny. If you had a 30 inch (at the withers) wolf he would be a giant. If he were fat he could weigh 200lbs. Natural selection eleminates the extremes because survival is hard.

greatrandini · May 18, 2006

Likely, I agree (if they are that big). Malamutes are very large and look like wolves. I hear all the time of 100 lb coyotes. I showed German Shepherd Dogs in the conformation ring as a handler for 20 years. I often had newbies tell me about a 130 lb GSD. When I saw them they were always fat. I have seen some unusually large GSD's but they don't weigh much over 100lbs unless they are fat. People also think the "show dogs" are too skinny. If you had a 30 inch (at the withers) wolf he would be a giant. If he were fat he could weigh 200lbs. Natural selection eleminates the extremes because survival is hard.

KentT · May 18, 2006

( Likely, I agree (if they are that big). Malamutes are very large and look like wolves. I hear all the time of 100 lb coyotes. I showed German Shepherd Dogs in the conformation ring as a handler for 20 years. I often had newbies tell me about a 130 lb GSD. When I saw them they were always fat. I have seen some unusually large GSD's but they don't weigh much over 100lbs unless they are fat. People also think the "show dogs" are too skinny. If you had a 30 inch (at the withers) wolf he would be a giant. If he were fat he could weigh 200lbs. Natural selection eleminates the extremes because survival is hard. )

I agree on the size comments. I had a 105-106 lb Malamute male, and he was huge... he was just over 30" at the shoulders. That's about 5" taller and about 20 lbs heavier than average for the breed. Because of his fur, people often grossly overestimated his weight, guessing 150 lbs or so...

Supposedly, there's been 140 lb malamutes, but I'm guessing they were both unusually big AND fat...

AKC description of Malamute breed

KentT · May 18, 2006

( Likely, I agree (if they are that big). Malamutes are very large and look like wolves. I hear all the time of 100 lb coyotes. I showed German Shepherd Dogs in the conformation ring as a handler for 20 years. I often had newbies tell me about a 130 lb GSD. When I saw them they were always fat. I have seen some unusually large GSD's but they don't weigh much over 100lbs unless they are fat. People also think the "show dogs" are too skinny. If you had a 30 inch (at the withers) wolf he would be a giant. If he were fat he could weigh 200lbs. Natural selection eleminates the extremes because survival is hard. )

I agree on the size comments. I had a 105-106 lb Malamute male, and he was huge... he was just over 30" at the shoulders. That's about 5" taller and about 20 lbs heavier than average for the breed. Because of his fur, people often grossly overestimated his weight, guessing 150 lbs or so...

Supposedly, there's been 140 lb malamutes, but I'm guessing they were both unusually big AND fat...

AKC description of Malamute breed

PBinWA · May 18, 2006

A roommate in college had a huge GSD, easily over 100 pounds. Great dog.

I see GSD/Wolf crosses in the paper all the time. Occasionally, see Malamute/Wolf crosses too. There has been a lot of hybridization of wolves over the years through both man and nature. You may be seeing a few hybrids that someone decided to return to the wild after they realized that they are a skittish pet. You can take the wolf out of the wild but you can't take the wild out of the wolf.

My vote is for SSS.

PB

PBinWA · May 18, 2006

A roommate in college had a huge GSD, easily over 100 pounds. Great dog.

I see GSD/Wolf crosses in the paper all the time. Occasionally, see Malamute/Wolf crosses too. There has been a lot of hybridization of wolves over the years through both man and nature. You may be seeing a few hybrids that someone decided to return to the wild after they realized that they are a skittish pet. You can take the wolf out of the wild but you can't take the wild out of the wolf.

My vote is for SSS.

PB