SAVE LIVES with Lake Tahoe Wolf Rescue

Wolfdogs bond very strongly with their families. When their lives are disrupted, it may take a long time and lots of love and patience to form new bonds and rebuild their trust in humans. Please be aware that your new animal will probably need lots of extra time, daily exercise, and behavioral training — but just as important, calm and patience from you and everyone in your household. By adopting from Lake Tahoe Wolf Rescue, you agree that you will provide this.

Some or all of these requirements are needed not only for wolfdogs but also for most northern-breed dogs. It depends on the needs of the animal you are interested in.

Wolfdogs are high maintenance due to their unique needs. We prefer persons who have stability in their jobs and their place of residence. It is preferred that you are over 30 years of age and own your home, and not about to move within the next 6 months. We have found that persons who rent or are under 30 years of age are more likely to move pretty often, change lifestyle, or change work schedules. Ideally, we look for adopters who are at home much of the day — work from home, retired, etc — to give the animal the special care and attention it needs. These are not animals that should be left at home all day — or even more than 3-4  hours — while you go to work. They need daily exercise, discipline, boundaries, and lots of interaction. They can become destructive if left home alone, even for short periods of time. Wolfogs and many northern breeds do not like to be crated. We recommend creating only for sleeping at nighttime and only if needed.

Walks need to be given often and daily. Depending on the age and physical health of the wolfdog, two walks — 45 minutes to an hour each walk/hike — twice daily are recommended if the dog is in good condition. More strenuous hikes are fine for the young, strong wolfdogs but we advise against having them run alongside mountain bikes or joggers for long periods of time. This can cause stress-related injuries to their joints. It's better if they can stop and smell the roses and enjoy the intoxicating scents of the wilderness. Wolfdogs are animals have a lot of energy and intelligence. They need to get daily exercise and stimulation or they will start having behavior problems. A tired dog is a well behaved dog! Older dogs don't need as much, but are more relaxed and happy if they can get out for a few short walks a day. Remember not to overwork your young pup. Pups under 18 months old are still growing and too much exertion at one time can cause injury to their growing spine and joints. They can also overheat which can cause organ damage. Senior dogs should not be overworked either as this can result in inflammation which can exacerbate arthritis and joint pain. More frequent [and less strenuous] walks are more beneficial in these cases. You want to respect the physical nature of your wolfdog yet give them the enrichment they need.

     Try to avoid having your dog jump in and out of your vehicle, especially if it is high. Jumping out is just as injurious to their shoulders as jumping in is to their hind quarters.

We do not place our wolfdogs into homes with children and here's why... Some dogs are exceptional with children and others are not. Even more sociable wolfdogs do not do well around children since kids have a tenancy to want to hug them and give them too much of the wrong [excited] type of attention. Many northern-breed dogs do not like to have a person's face in their face, and may react with a warning growl, nip or snap. This is not considered aggressive behavior — remember, dogs talk with their teeth! And they are trying to say "back off and give me space!"  All northern breeds like a calm and structured household. Children will always be children. They tend to run around, yell, play loud TV/games, fight, etc. This makes dogs very nervous, and when they bite someone they are often sent to the shelter. It's not their fault. Children are also the cause of most dogs escaping from doors and gates left open. Chocolate and candy left on the floor can be toxic - so many reasons we are careful about placement.

A select few wolfdogs are good around small dogs and cats — MOST are not. Some are fine with the ones they grew up with but may not be with a new one. Most have high prey drives and chase small things that squeal! Even with dogs that are playful, the smaller pup can get stomped on or injured. Chickens and prey-type animals like rabbits are out completely unless they are secured in their pens.

Wolfdogs require a highly nutritious diet of mostly raw meat, some veggies, and some cooked meat. Many Wolfdogs and will not eat or tolerate kibble (which is mostly filler and can be toxic from the high heat it is produce with). ALWAYS add vitamin supplements to a home-cooked diet. See Feeding Your Canine under Resources.

Some of our adoptable wolfdogs are well-behaved and trained, and others are not. Wolfdogs that have been abandoned or abused may be fearful / anxious or have eating disorders. It does not mean they will always be this way, and many blossom into wonderful companions when placed with patient and experienced owners. But it takes time — sometimes months, sometimes a year or two. We evaluate each animal to insure that the placement is suited to the adopter's experience level, but if people misrepresent their experience, it could mean failure and the dog winding up in a shelter. We need to be certain that wolfdogs that are unsocialized, have behavior issues or eating disorders will be rehabilitated by placing them with experienced adopters. Commitment for a trial period should be at least 6-8 weeks.