Kunming Wolfdog Dog Breed

Kunming Wolfdogs have been bred specifically for a wide range of dangerous jobs such as bomb sniffing, mine detection, search-and-rescue, police work and general military duty. They require a lot of resources to keep healthy and happy. They are most definitely not for less than significantly experienced people, apartment living or as companions. While there are reports that people are taking them in as companion animals, this may not be recommended.

Here are some of the things you should know if you are thinking about getting a Kunming Wolfdog:

PROS

• Curious
• Confident
• Highly alert
• Great guard dog
• Incredibly smart
• Remarkably strong
• Extremely focused
• Excellent watchdog
• Superb sense of smell
• Tends to be loyal to one person
• Can be quickly trained by the right person

CONS

• Very rare
• Highly suspicious
• Can be unpredictable
• Aggressively territorial
• Dangerous in the wrong hands
• Must be socialized with other dogs
• Can be expensive to adopt and maintain
• May not be safe around non-canine animals
• Needs an extraordinary amount of daily exercise

The Kunming Wolfdog may at first glance appear to look a lot like a very large German Shepherd Dog (GSD) but with a much more powerful stance. (Wolfdogs tend to look a lot alike whether they are purebred or hybrid, and this further confuses appearances.) The extremely proud look can be attributed to the powerful rear legs that keep the back straight rather than sloping.

These dogs are incredibly intelligent — although not entirely in the fashion that most humans recognize. They respond well to a military or police environment and with the right handlers. They are not for performing tricks for fun or being agility playmates with kids.

Kunming Wolfdogs have an insatiable curiosity, and they have the courage, confidence, and strength to be as curious as they desire. They may also be unpredictable due to their wolf bloodlines as well as the undocumented breeds that may have been used in their development. They have an excellent nose and have been used extensively in bomb-sniffing and search-and-rescue operations by the Chinese military.

These dogs require a lot of constant and daily exercise and activity — more so than most any other dog breed known. They are not meant to lie around for very long. If they are not mentally and physically stimulated, they will get extremely destructive to express their displeasure.

There is not much known about the health of Kunming Wolfdogs – or not much that has been released. Understanding the intersection of how wolves remain very healthy, how hybrid vigor may greatly decrease the many genetic defects bred into German Shepherd Dogs, and the selective breeding by the Chinese military to use only the most healthy dogs and wolves is perhaps the best way.

Here are the possible ailments that may occur in the Kunming Wolfdogs, concerns that are often found to affect German Shepherd Dogs:

• Bloat
• Epilepsy
• Panosteitis
• Eye problems
• Hip dysplasia
• Skin problems
• Heart diseases
• Blood disorders
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Degenerative Myelopathy
• von Willebrand's Disease
• Intervertebral Disc Disease
• Osteochondrosis Dissecans (OCD)
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
• Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI)

The average lifespan of the Kunming Wolfdog is 12 to 14 years.