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The Northern Inuit is a breed of dog that was created in the UK to look as much as possible like the wolf. Originally Malamutes, Huskies and German Shepherds were all used to create this unique looking dog. Northern Inuits are now a breed in their own right with their own club and pedigree lines. Many people insist that there are strains of wolf in the early generations of Northern Inuits, the Northern Inuit society has always denied this, in my opinion it is difficult to prove one way or another. However, it has been illegal for some time to keep wolves in the UK without a special licence, so it would be very difficult to breed a dog to a genuine wolf in this country. Most people who claim to have 'wolf hybrids' are unable to prove in any way that they genuinely do have dogs with any percentage of wolf in them. Unfortunately there will always be unscrupulous people out there who breed for example a GSD X Husky and call the puppies 'wolf hybrids' then charge hundreds of pounds to gullible people. I have nothing against cross breeding the right types of dogs, but I have no time for liars who mislead people just to make more money. I have on numerous occasions met people who are convinced that they own a wolfdog when its quite obvious that the dog in question is a GSD X Husky or a Malamute cross or something similar. I once met a woman with a very obvious GSD X Husky that looked half starved and this particular owner claimed that the dog was a timber wolf cross and was supposed to be skinny as 'timber wolves are like that'. This is just one example of how too little knowledge of wolves and being given false information can be a dangerous thing and can lead to unhappy unhealthy dogs and seriously deluded owners.
This is my Northern Inuit Lupa. He is a longcoat, silver/white and stands 25.5 inches at the shoulder. Lupa's best 'wolfy' features are his beautiful head, with slanting eyes, small ears and a big thick neck ruff. He is, however, a bit smaller and leaner than the average wolf, which stands at a minimum 27 inches to shoulder and weighs 60-100 pounds. Wolves have so many unique physical features that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to breed a dog that looks like a wolf in every single way. A close as possible resemblance is the best every breeder seems to be able to achieve. I have seen a few Inuits and Utonagans ( another wolf-lookalike breed ) that look very wolfy, many others look far more like the dog breeds they originated from. Certain dominant genetic characteristics, like blue eyes and large GSD type ears, are very difficult to breed out completley. Temperament and sound health is also a vital factor, all breeding stock should be good natured, not nervous or aggressive. They should also be hip scored as large breed dogs are prone to hip dysplasia, which can be passed down through the generations. Lupa will be hip scored when he's older, the results will be seen on this page.
I am not a breeder, these are just my opinions which no doubt many will disagree with. But I do feel strongly about animal welfare and I believe the health and happiness of animals should always be the main priority, no matter how beautiful the look we hope to achieve.
Temperament of the Northern Inuit should be soft as I have already said, despite their GSD ancestry they are friendly to everyone and are hopeless guard dogs! Some can be exercised off lead, although they will not stay close by like a GSD would. Lupa however has a high prey drive and will chase anything he sees, which is a problem for me as I live in the countryside and am surrounded by fields full of sheep and cows, and farmers out here will not hesitate to shoot any dogs they see chasing their sheep. So Lupa is exercised on a 26ft long extending lead, its not ideal as he cant run as fast as he would like but he still gets to run a bit ( think of a horse being lunged in in a paddock and you get the idea ) and he seems to be happy enough with it as he gets walked several times a day. I am also fortunate enough to have my own private woods to walk in where I can let Lupa off lead as there doesnt seem to be any rabbits etc in there that dont hide or run away as soon as they hear us coming. Its unfortunate that he seems to have taken after the Husky in that he chases and will not come back, but he is only following his instincts, just like the wolf itself would do. Northern Inuits also tend to be strong willed and need a firm but gentle leader, luckily Lupa is a big softie and is quite happy to accept me as 'Alpha', with never any force or 'discipline' needed. He is very affectionate, obedient in the house, and is always such a happy young boy, this, combined with his beautiful looks makes him a great dog and I love him to bits. |
