Timber Wolf Dog Breed

Below are the details and specs for the Timber Wolf.

Timber Wolves are large-sized animals. Average weight is 50-130 pounds, and height is normally 26-32 inches at the shoulders. Average length is 4.5-6.5 feet from nose to tail tip.

Not much is known about the behavior of a domesticated purebred Timber Wolf, but one thing is certain: its temperament will be very unstable. While the animal is a pup, it will likely be easygoing and fairly manageable, but will become unpredictable and troublesome once it matures. A Timber Wolf is definitely not a good companion to children and other pets, as it will probably react violently to them.

A domesticated wolf will be an extremely high-maintenance animal. Training and grooming will be next to impossible, and a huge amount of exercise will be required.

Scientists, historians, and anthropologists have long debated the true origin of the Timber Wolf, and particularly when and where the breed was first domesticated by humans. Timber Wolves have lived in the wild in most parts of the Northern Hemisphere, of course, for longer than anyone has been able to determine; according to fossil records, four-legged, meat-eating mammals existed in North America, Europe, and Asia as far back as 15 million years ago. Nor has it been determined exactly when humans and Timber Wolves first interacted. Anthropologists believe that ancient humans and wolves lived in a similar manner – they both socialized in family groups, in other words – and the two species both relied on wild game for food, and thus had similar styles of hunting. As humans evolved, scientists theorize, they figured out ways to hunt alongside wolves for the same prey, and shared the meat from the kill. It is further postulated that at some point, human tribes rescued injured or orphaned wolf pups and raised them, which paved the way for all domesticated dog breeds that came later; scientists believe that all dog breeds descended from wolves.

Through history, the indigenous peoples of the Northern Hemisphere have held the Timber Wolf in high regard, continuing to hunt alongside the breed and depicting it as a legendary creature in art. But by the eighteenth century, when settlers had established colonies in most parts of the Timber Wolf's natural habitat, domesticated dogs were much more common. Wolves were used as working animals from time to time; Canadian settlers, for example, used Timber Wolves occasionally alongside coyotes and dogs to pull sleds. But by the mid-1900s, a majority of Timber Wolves had been eradicated in most civilized parts of the world because of the threat they posed to humans and livestock.

Today, thanks in part to conservationist groups, the Timber Wolf population is again on the rise. And though keeping domesticated wolves is illegal in most parts of the world, a few brave souls use them as pets, mostly in North America.

A Timber Wolf has a medium-length double coat, with fur length normally dependent upon the animal's proximity to the Arctic Circle; the colder climates of the northern regions necessitate longer, thicker coats. A Timber Wolf is the largest known canine species, with some reaching more than six feet in length from head to tail. The body is greater in length than in height. The large head is rectangular, with an abundance of fur on the "collar"; the jaws are extremely powerful, easily capable of biting through bone. The eyes are almond-shaped and light brown or yellow in color, and the ears are high-set, triangular, and erect.

A Timber Wolf has long, straight, muscular legs that allow it both speed and endurance (it can trot for hours without stopping, and has a top running speed of nearly 40 miles per hour). Its tail is long, usually quite bushy, and curved slightly.

The Timber Wolf is not a dog per se, and the variations of this breed are not like those of either a hybrid or purebred dog — nor is it recognized by the American Kennel Club! It is believed by many experts that dogs came from Timber Wolves mating with other wild species.

The Timber Wolf is the most common of all wolf species in North America — but are they? At present, there remains a number of positions on what constitutes a Timber Wolf as well as how many subspecies (i.e., variations) there may be under it. Some experts state there are as few as four but at the other end, there are those who claim there are as many as 24. The general belief is that there are five named by habitat: Arctic Wolf, Great Plains Wolf, Mexican Wolf, Northwestern Wolf (or Rocky Mountain Wolf) and Eastern Timber Wolf, this last of which is not aligned alphabetically with the other four because this is the "floater" species of wolf which has divided a great many experts on whether this is a subspecies or a distinct species unto itself.

The basic mature male Timber Wolf weighs anywhere from 70 to 150 pounds (or more, reportedly), can stand 26 inches to a full three feet and may stretch from four to six-and-a-half feet in length; adult females are typically 20 percent smaller. As for the largest wolf of the general Timber species, these are typically found in Alaska and Canada — again bringing to mind how environment and climate influences variety.

Coat color is perhaps the one variation that can be easily discussed even though there are a great many colors. While they are known as Gray Wolves, their coats are not always gray. Depending on the environment and climate, the coat may be a multitude of the base color of black, brown, cream, red, tan or white. Arctic wolves tend to be essentially white to blend in with the snow, Mexican Wolves (which can be found in desert regions) tend to be red, and so on.

With wolf fur, however, there is but one type: a double-coat with the upper layer providing the water-proofing (and color) and the lower layer being the insulation.

Since owning a domesticated Timber Wolf is both uncommon and illegal, very little information exists regarding the temperament of this species as a pet. In theory, a Timber Wolf will be at times playful, but likely reserved and standoffish. Although since wolves unquestionably have a pack mentality, the opposite might hold true, and a Timber Wolf pet may be very loyal and affectionate towards its own family "pack."

A handful of cases of purebred wolves as pets has been chronicled, and the owners all agree that a domesticated wolf's behavior is extremely unpredictable. As a pup, they say, a wolf will normally behave like any dog breed: docile, playful, and somewhat obedient. But as the wolf reaches sexual maturity, they warn, it will become territorial and highly predatory, and will have the instinctual desire to roam the open country. And once mature, a wolf's instinct is to not receive any further members into its pack; this trait will likely apply to its relationship with human families as well, so a "tame" wolf will probably react negatively to any guests or family additions.

Though wolves are generally considered to be a bit more intelligent than dogs, the pet wolf owners report that their behavior is much more instinctual and primitive than is a dog's. For example, wolves in their natural habitat will show each other affection by gently gnawing on one another's faces – a habit that a domesticated wolf will display towards humans as well. In addition, wild wolf packs each have an alpha male and female that make decisions for the group and determine its behavior; if one of these alpha animals is domesticated, it will possibly "challenge" humans (probably a male adult) by being violent.

For the above-stated reasons (along with many others), conservationists and scientists strongly discourage people from attempting to domesticate a Timber Wolf – or any other wolf breed.

In the wild, a Timber Wolf's average lifespan is relatively short – about 5-10 years – because of injuries from hunting, or from fighting with other wolves. (In captivity, they usually live longer, with the lifespan of captive wolves 12-15 years.) Wolves are extremely healthy and hardy, but can suffer viral and bacterial infections like rabies, distemper, and canine hepatitis. Veterinary care is impossible, because vets are not trained in caring for a wolf (which can differ from that of a dog); furthermore, a veterinarian will likely alert the proper authorities to a wolf's domestic ownership.

Some interesting facts about Timber Wolves:

• Wolves have unpredictable eating habits. A wolf can ingest 25 pounds of meat in one meal; at the same time, it can go for up to two weeks without food, with no negative consequences.
• Timber Wolf pups are born blind and deaf. The pups also have very little sense of smell at birth. They are completely cared for by their mothers until they develop sight, hearing, and smell after several months.
• Wolves are fantastic swimmers. A wolf can easily swim for several miles; it has webbing between its toes that acts as natural "flippers."
• The Cherokee are one of the few Native American tribes that don't hunt wolves. The Cherokee believe that if a wolf is killed, its pack will seek revenge on the Cherokee tribe. Furthermore, the Cherokee raise wolf pups until they are mature enough to survive in the wild.
• Timber Wolves have incredible senses of hearing and smell. In ideal conditions, a wolf can hear sounds up to six miles away; it can smell another animal from a distance of more than a mile.