The appearance of the Saarloos wolfdog, the appearance of the variety, characteristic behavior and health, care: walking, diet, training, interesting facts. Puppy price. Saarloos dogs are unusual animals. This is a cross between a wolf and a dog. In their company you feel like a real Mowgli. This breed was born thanks to one person who was very fond of animals and was interested in breeding. He made his dream come true and now, the work done by him is being continued by his daughter.
The emergence of the Saarloos wolfdog breed
The history of the existence of the wolf dog of Sarlos or the wolf dog of Sarlos does not cover a long period. The creator of the breed, Landon Sarlos, was born in Holland in 1884. His first profession was marine. From long voyages, he brought rare animals: jackals, lions, wolves. But, in his prime, he had to "drop anchor on the shore" because he practically lost his hearing. And then, the "old sea wolf" could not sit around and began to engage in animal breeding.
Landon Sarlos, decided to breed new dogs by crossing them with a wolf. It was believed that he wanted to create a new breed that would surpass all the types of dogs available at that time in terms of working qualities. Initially, he set himself the task of bringing the dog closer to his original, natural ancestor. His opinion was that he considered dogs too domesticated animals. But, then it turned out that the breeder was striving to improve the breed of service dogs, which was a contradiction.
Therefore, dog lovers in Holland did not understand Landon Sarlos, but he stubbornly continued his work, gradually approaching the intended goal. Why did Sarlos choose the wolf? First, the "gray brother" is stronger. Secondly, this animal has a sharper sense of smell. Despite the absurdity of the task, this person chose the right direction of his activity.
The first litter came from the breeder in 1925, although he started his work a little earlier. Initially, Sarlos crossed a German shepherd male with a she-wolf named "Fleur". He selected the resulting puppies, and the best bitches from this litter, the dog handler mated with the same male German shepherd. Ultimately, in 1976, the Dutch dog lovers club finally recognized the breed. And, in 1981, this type of dog was recognized by the International Cynological Association. Since then, the Saarloos dogs have been considered a true dog breed.
There are many versions why Landon Sarlos still wanted to breed his dogs. Some argue that the breeder was trying to socialize the wolf. Others say that these dogs were supposed to be the best breed of service dogs in the world. All this is fiction. When Landon Sarlos was eighty years old, he gave a radio interview, in which he accurately and briefly told why he bred this dog.
Landon did not start crossbreeding in order to develop a super breed, and not in order to improve the working qualities of the German Shepherd. He wanted only one thing, to improve exclusively the health of the German Shepherd. Because the health of this breed, in the process of many years of breeding, began to deteriorate. That is why this painstaking work was done. Outside the Netherlands, this breed is practically unknown.
Description of the appearance of the wolfdog of Saarlos
Representatives of this canine species are animals of a fairly large size, strong, similar to a wolf. The height at the withers in males is 64–76 cm and in bitches 59–69.5 cm. The weight of males is 36–42 kg and bitches are 35–37 kg.
- Head wedge-shaped and moderately broad, with a moderately flat forehead. The furrow on the forehead is not very pronounced. The brow ridges are almost not prominent.
- Muzzle long, rectangular, tapering towards the nose. The bridge has a straight line. The stop is smoothly rolling. The jaws and teeth are well developed. Correct scissor bite. The jaws should overlap each other perfectly.
- Nose - developed with wide nostrils, black or brown.
- Eyes Saarloos dogs are located on the front line of the skull, almond-shaped, yellow. The look is alert, attentive.
- Ears not too large, tall, erect, triangular, pointed.
- Neck of medium length and fit, with lean muscles.
- Frame dry type, elongated, strong. The rib cage is more developed in width. The back should not be short and sloping. The ribs stand out slightly. The loin is strong. The croup is slightly sloping. The line of the abdomen is moderately raised. The abdomen sinks slightly from the sides.
- Tail - long, slightly curved, set lower than in other breeds of dogs. Well pubescent.
- Front limbs - long, parallel, close enough to one another. The hind legs are parallel, strong. Thighs with elongated muscles.
- Paws medium in size, in a ball. The front ones are slightly turned outward.
- Coat Saarloos' wolfdog grows densely. The base cover is hard and straight. The undercoat is denser and softer. The coat is slightly thicker and longer on the neck along the lower abdomen, on the thighs and on the tail.
- Color mostly wolf-gray, zone-colored, the pigment is distributed in rings and with many shades.
The characteristic behavior of the Saarloos wolfdog
These kind of dogs are amazing animals and they are not exaggerated. Starting from physiological characteristics, and ending with certain features in training. To begin with, bitches can only have their first heat when they are two or three years old. But in ordinary dogs, as a rule, it begins at eight months. They have six in structure like a wolf, and smell like a dog. The bark of the wolf-dogs of Saarloos is different from the bark of ordinary canines. They seem to howl a little.
The relationship between owner and pet is not quite ordinary. This is not just communication between the owner and the dog, but rather the leader and his pack. These dogs are very sensitive to the mood of their owner. They catch his mood, look. Dogs, even by a person's gait, can understand from afar what mood he is in, discern how he smells. Since the sense of smell in Saarloos dogs is much stronger than that of an ordinary dog, they pick up a person's mood three times faster.
Wolf dogs are very attached to humans, despite the fact that the blood of "gray brothers" flows in their genes, who, as we know, are alienated to people. This is in the genes of the wolf, because if he trusts a person too much, he will not survive. The dogs of Sarloos, half-wolf, half-dog, grow to their master, which is very striking. Such attachment borders on some kind of fanaticism.
Dogs very rarely leave their owners. But, on the other hand, they run wild very quickly. This is one of the disadvantages of the breed. Therefore, it cannot be said that the species is fully formed. Although their exterior is already the same type. Pets sense strangers and objects very well. If a stranger approaches the dog, then he can move back. They are wary and sometimes timid towards strangers.
Wolf dogs are not suitable for those people who have never had a dog. A person must be prepared and, most importantly, he must love them sincerely, ardently and with all his heart.
Saarloos wolfdog health
The mixture of wolf and dog was the basis for the excellent health of the Saarloos dog. A certain combination of genes of the two animals strengthened their immune system, which was what Landon Sarlos, the breeder of wolf dogs, sought. Breeders and breed lovers say that these dogs live from fifteen to nineteen years old, and even in old age they feel great.
In wolf dogs, there are no diseases of the genetic form. If any flaws are observed, then rather, they are acquired in nature than hereditary. All received diseases arise from improper raising of the animal. Then, the body of such a pet is weakened, it cannot resist infections, and is prone to traumatic, accidents.
In order for a pet to grow and develop properly, it needs to provide balanced, complete, regular and dosed nutrition in relation to age. There is an urgent need for additional intake of vitamins, minerals, polyunsaturated acids and drugs to strengthen the bones, ligaments and tendons. The animal must receive the appropriate age load. The puppy should not sit in the cage all the time or, on the contrary, be overloaded.
The owner needs to monitor the planned vaccination of the dog. It is also very important to constantly prevent parasites from internal (helminths) and external (ticks, fleas).
How to care for the Saarloos wolfdog?
All hygienic manipulations should begin at an early age. The dog of Sarloos is gradually taught to them. You should never force something on an animal. First, let the dog sniff the procedure tool, get used to it. Then, slowly, touch the instrument to the animal, as if playing with it. As a result of such unobtrusive contact, the pet will allow the owner to brush his teeth, comb, bathe, etc.
- Wool in wolf dogs, it has a thick undercoat. Therefore, when a change of hair begins, the pet needs to be combed out to help quickly get rid of dead hairs. Then he will get an excellent appearance. For manipulation, you can purchase a slicker or furminator. The teeth of the slicker must have a special coating in order not to injure the skin of the animal. Furminator perfectly and quickly helps when combing out a thick undercoat. It grabs more hair and pulls it out evenly. The outer coat, the new wool, remains intact. Wolves are bathed less often when kept outdoors in an aviary. Wool protects the animal from the effects of cold and damp climates. If you constantly bathe the dog of Sarloos, you can remove the protective, lubricating layer and the dog will freeze. Therefore, in winter they are not washed at all. It is better to do this in spring and summer. Then the dog will dry quickly and its molt will be faster. Dilute shampoos for washing with water so that the PH-balance of the skin of the wolfhound is normal.
- Teeth Saarloos dogs need to be cleaned to keep them in perfect condition. The procedure is carried out once or twice a week. Hygienic manipulations will save the dog from dental diseases. To make the cleaning enjoyable and attract the dog, you need to buy an edible paste. She may have a different taste, for example: chicken, meat, fish, liver, etc. Make the selection based on the preferences of your pet. In addition, the paste has an excellent bactericidal effect, removes the unpleasant odor from the mouth and prevents the accumulation of stone. Genetic predisposition to gnaw something, can also be used to prevent plaque. You will only need to let the wolfdog chew on bones from veins bought at a pet store, dried lungs, animal ears, and so on. Wood and natural bones can serve to grind teeth enamel. They can also clog your pet's intestines and can damage it.
- Ears must be constantly examined. When you see that they have excess sulfur and dirt, then they need to be cleaned. To do this, buy herbal products that soften dirt, create a germicidal barrier, and strengthen the skin inside the ear. It is simple to apply the funds. They are buried in the auricle, and after a little massage, they wipe off all excess dirt.
- Eyes should only be wiped clean if dust or dirt has entered. They are lightly wiped off with a cotton pad soaked in bactericidal agents. If the animal has mechanical injuries, then it is impossible to treat them yourself in any case. To avoid unexpected complications, bring your pet to a specialized veterinarian - an ophthalmologist.
- Claws dogs should not be allowed to run because it can alter the dog's gait and even deform the fingers. If you see that they are more branching than expected, then the claws must be trimmed. You will need claws.
- Feeding Saarloos' wolfdog must be complete. All carnivores eat meat. Therefore, the main food of pets is beef, offal (cow's stomach, udder) and offal (heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys). These products are given raw. Groats (buckwheat, wheat, barley, rice, oatmeal) should be a little and they are boiled. The addition of fish oil and vitamin-mineral complex to the diet should be mandatory. Feeding with professional, dry food will also have an excellent effect on the animal's body and simplify its maintenance. Meals can be mixed. But, on different days. This means that one day you feed the dog with dry concentrate, and the other, with natural products.
- Walking wolf dogs should be reinforced with good physical activity. Of course, you can keep such a dog in the apartment, but they feel better when living in an open-air cage, on the street. They must have free access to the fenced-in area. The aviary does not need to be heavily insulated. The genetic data of these pets make it possible to perfectly tolerate adverse weather conditions.
If they live in apartments, then their exercise and walking should be long enough. Lack of movement will affect psychological adequacy and wolf-dog and become destructive in your home.
Breeders note that Saarloos dogs have a tendency to dig beds and shelters in the yard, and they also love to chew on something. Therefore, buy special toys and bones for the dog, this will save the owner's property from destruction. Fences and hills, these dogs are also excellent to overcome, so all barriers must be high enough.
Saarloos wolfdog training
Their training must be done from puppyhood. The socialization of the animal must also be early. Although the dogs of Sarlos are attached to humans, they run wild very quickly.
The opinion that many wolf dogs have natural aggression is false. But, a person who maintains such a pet must be experienced. That is, those people who have never had a dog are excluded.
Breeders note that if such a dog has more wolf genes, the more alienated its behavior. For the most part, in skillful hands, the wolfdogs of Sarlos are wonderful friends and companions of man.
Interesting facts about the Saarloos wolfdog
Such experiments, which is most curious, began in the twenties of the XX century. In Czechoslovakia, the Czech wolfdog was bred, in Italy the luppo italiano, in Germany the wolfhund, in the Netherlands the dog of Sarlos, in Russia there are also wolf dogs. All these breeds have a short history of their existence.
This is a short time to make final conclusions, that is, they cannot be talked about as an established breed. But, in itself, the idea and experiment is very interesting. All pioneers, in any field of human knowledge, have always faced difficulties and they have always been called eccentrics, but it was they who moved progress. And Mr. Landon Sarlos and his dogs are no exception.
People have long believed that the closest relative of a dog is a wolf. But, recent studies by geneticists have proven that the jackal is more closely related to the dog.
Saarloos wolfdog puppy price
Volkosobov need to be bought only in specialized kennels, where dogs undergo strict control of health, appearance and, most importantly, psyche. Purchasing from hands does not guarantee pure blood. The price of puppies is $ 500-700.
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