MyDogBreeds
Wolfdog is originated from Germany but Azawakh is originated from Mali. Both Wolfdog and Azawakh are having almost same height. Wolfdog may weigh 20 kg / 45 pounds more than Azawakh. Wolfdog may live 3 years less than Azawakh. Wolfdog may have more litter size than Azawakh. Both Wolfdog and Azawakh requires Moderate maintenance.
The Wolfdog was brought about when domestic dogs were mated with a variety of wolves so as to produce a hybrid.
People who want to own these hybrids have to be careful because they find that the unpredictable behavior of their pets makes it difficult for them to care for them.
Then they want to get rid of it. Every year, heaps of these hybrids are abandoned due to humans interfering with nature.
The wolfdog has been bred with a number of dogs but we think about it more in terms of wolf and German shepherd.
Azawakh dog was bred by the nomads in Africa. They were originally bred to be a guard dog. But, they realized that their body shape and bone structure allows them to run really fast (some say that they can run at the speed more than 65 km/h. This fact made them ideal for the hunting. Nowadays, they can be found across the globe but they are still very rare kind of a dog because they can survive and adapt to very high temperatures but they are very intolerant of low temperatures. Male Azawakh is slightly bigger than a female dog, with a greater instinct for guarding, hunting and taking care of the family and the pact.
People mesmerized by the wolf long to bring some of that wildness home, and the wolfdog is supposed to do this.
Their looks differ a lot, even those that come from the same litter. You can’t have a predictable looking wolf dog because it could be any domestic dog bred with a wolf so they display a large variety of appearances.
Most Wolfdogs seem to have smaller heads than pure wolves. The ears seem to be bigger and more pointy.
A popular wolfdog mix is a German Shepherd mixed with the wolf. These dogs can be between 70 to 76cm in height and weigh between 40 and 45kg.
Their coat is thick and can be in colors of grey, cream, red, white, dark brown and black.
While the wolfdog can be trained to become quite a friendly kind of dog, it is not suitable for the first time dog owner. It can show bouts of aggressiveness around strangers and be highly protective of its family.
However, this can be helped with early socialization and training. It is illegal to own the wolfdog in some states. You don’t want to leave a wolfdog alone with your children even though the dog is capable of love and loyalty towards his human family.
Azawakh is a large dog breed placed in a family of the hounds. It looks almost like any hound we know – slim, with long and skinny legs, with a big-boned chest with a stomach placed up with the spine. They have thin and a bit longer tail, narrow nose and small skull in a triangle shape. Their body may look skinny but it is just the way they should look. Actually, you could probably see the bone structure of the adult Azawakh because they, like any other hounds, have specific muscles – very thin and flat. They can be found in many coat colours like sand, fawn or dark fawn, even brown. Their coat is very short, usually with white marks on the neck, chest and all four paws. In Africa, Azawakh can be found in a diversity of colours.
When you add the genes of a wild animal to the pool, you get a crossbreed and when its an animal from the wild, its nature is unpredictable.
Many people don’t think about the consequences of what they do when they interfere with nature and the wolfdog gets put down when it behaves like a wild animal and attacks or bites out of defense.
Yes, they can be loyal, loving pets but always you will have the shadow of the dog or wolf’s unpredictable behavior.
There is a reason why these dogs are banned in a number of states. This dog-type-wolf breed is not recommended as a pet at all – take a look at animal shelters and the number of wolf dogs there and ask yourself why.
Once Azawakh is a part of the family, he will try to find his place. If you teach him that you are the main figure, they will be obedient and affectionate pet. They love children, and they will surely be always close to them, guarding them and making sure they are safe.
canine freestyle sports, heelwork to music competitions.
If your Azawakh pet is trained well and socialized, they can fit in almost anywhere. Some will say that they hate cats, but there are some cases where they were raised with them and they did just fine. They will be quite tolerant of a stranger in your house. Since they get attached to the family, it is not recommendable to consider this breed as a new-owner kind of pet.
Once you set yourself as a pact leader, you will have almost no problems with training your dog various tricks. Azawakh is an intelligent breed, they learn quickly and they will be more than happy to show you every day what they have learned. It is necessary to start socializing your Azawakh dog while he is still a pup. They don’t respond well to harsh methods of teaching so you should really avoid them.
They will also be susceptible to common dog ailments such as parasites and hip dysplasia.
Like any other dog, these Wolf dogs will also possibly develop tumors. He will also need to be vaccinated against harmful diseases and you will need to have a reliable local vet who is interested in your wolf dog.
The Azawakh breed is very rare and this kind of information cannot be still guaranteed. If they are bred with a healthy family, they are usually very healthy and don’t need much of the vet care. Some of the diseases that were found in a medical history of this magnificent dog report heart problems (usually caused by their super high need of daily activity), problems with the thyroid glands, and skin diseases caused by the increased secretion of the thyroid glands which causes their skin to become dry and in some cases even the loss of the hair.
If you own a wolfdog the same care procedures would need to be followed as you would with a regular dog.
A wolfdog, however, can’t be vaccinated against rabies. It seems that the reason for this is that it is due to current legislation, and vaccine manufacturers don’t want to support wolf dogs as pets because they are considered to be dangerous.
Provide your wolfdog with highly nutritional, protein-based food. You don’t want to feed your wolfdog any of the low quality, traditional store-bought food high in carbs and artificial additives. Instead, look for a diet rich in proteins and be sure to give this dog some raw meat occasionally.
The dog is active and you will need to provide heaps of exercise for him, both mental and physical activities.
The wolfdog will require training but it will require dedication, though it can be done as the dog is very intelligent.
Even with training, the wolfdog isn’t suited to life in the city but should be kept in the countryside.
The Azawakh bred has a high risk of the obesity. They must be fed with special care since the food they eat can affect the thyroid glands function. They should never be overfed by average dry dog food. You will be advised to give them food with little percentage of the protein. They drink a lot of water and they like the dairy products. Their meals shouldn’t include fruits and vegetables, and some grains (millet, rice). They do not need to eat a lot of meat, but you can add some chicken in their meals.
Puppies should be fed three times per day. Their portions should be small and diverse. Keep in mind to feed them at the same time each day because their metabolism will be formed by this. Adult dogs are fed two times per day, at the same time as well. After the meal, let them rest for an hour or two and never give them meals right after high physical activity.
If you want your Azawakh dog to be healthy and happy make sure you provide them with enough space to run, explore, dig holes and always have some fresh water. They don’t need regular vet checks, but if you notice some changes in their digestion, lower activity or skin abnormalities, it is very important to take them to the vet station. They should never be kept indoors, so if you are living this kind of life maybe this kind of dog is not for you. But, if you are super active and if you have a couple of hours per day to spend with your Azawakh, maybe you can make him feel a lot better.
Since they like the warmer climate, you can take them running with you. They will be a great companion while you bike and leave them leash free but only if he is trained to stay by your side. If you have a yard, make sure to leave some areas free for digging and hiding their special toys or treats. They are extremely playful and cheerful, so they will wander off in no time. Some of the Azawakh dogs were great on the hiking trips, so you can try this daily activity once you train him to listen to you.