When you first see them moving through the trees, it’s easy to mistake them for their completely wild cousins, and in many ways they are more wild than domestic.
In fact, that’s a big reason why the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary exists.
“Do they make a great pet? In most cases, no,” said Kara Dowhaniuk, manager of fundraising and events.
“When most people think of pets they want a best friend, they want to hang out on the couch with them. But these guys are more like very angsty cats, so they don’t really want to be around you as much as you do them.”
That lack of a bond with humans also comes with other difficult behaviours, such as chewing through walls or other enclosures, resource guarding and repeatedly escaping their human homes.
Well-meaning people often try to care for them.
Other times, animals come from fur farms or other dangerous circumstances.
After the sanctuary opened in 2011, it was averaging about …