Information regarding ownership requirments

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Wolfdog fencing should be 8 foot high at minimum. Your standard 6ft fencing will be lightwork for your wolfdog as they are extremely agile dogs.

While some wolfdogs never test containment, it is best to err on the side of caution. Climb proof horse fencing has proven to contain this line, however, the standard is nothing more than 16-gauge fencing with 9 gauge being the best. 

• Three-foot 45-degree lean-ins are the most ideal fence toppers to prevent climbing up and over. Building a fence with an inward 3-4ft facing wobble up top prevents the dog from getting a good foothold to climb over. 

• If your dog is going to spend much of their time indoors, or your property is vast, building a dog run that meets the minimum local legal requirements for space per dog, with concrete or hog panel lined bottoms and a covered top would be best. 

• Lining the top and bottom of 6ft tall enclosures with hot wire is also a good last resort to prevent any animals from going over although is not guaranteed to keep them contained.

• Dig guards are a must have. These are denning animals they can tunnel 4ft in just a few hours. Climb proof horse fencing and hog panels both work for this and it needs to be 4ft wide connected to the bottom of the fence. You can bury it or have it above ground. 

• If your county and or state requires a specific type of containment for ownership be sure to keep to their regulations. 

• IMPORTANT: If you choose to use concrete to fill in your enclosure, then you NEED a UV Shader. The concrete can get extremely hot in direct sunlight and can harm your wolfdog.

It is imperative for anyone interested in owning a wolf dog to research thoroughly and comply with all laws and permitting requirements at the state and local levels prior to acquiring a wolf dog. Local restrictions and requirements may be more stringent than state restrictions. It is also important to remember that local, state, and federal laws are constantly being revised, so an owner in an unregulated area may suddenly find themselves living with newly imposed wolf dog bans or restrictions. Promptly going to your county and getting "grandfathered" in, is necessary to keep your animal safe in the event that, something like that would happen. 

• There are 22 states where it is legal to own wolfdogs per state law. Each of those states is a county-by-county basis on ownership legalities and containment requirements. 
• Generally, a county in a legal state, in a rural area likely will allow the ownership of wolfdogs. The counties with animal ordinances may have specific wolf content and F-Gen caps on allowance and containment, where as a county without an animal ordinance, may have no cap on F-Gen and wolf content percentage. 
• There are 17 restricted states where ownership has special requirements to be met and/or permits that have to be obtained prior.
• There are 11 illegal states where wolfdogs are not allowed AT ALL NO EXCEPTIONS THEY WILL BE CONFISCATED AND LIKLEY DESTROYED.

See the "Legal Wolf Dog Ownership Map" above for information on your state.

Owners need to be fully established, owning their own home, having a moderate to low demanding job, and ready to dedicate the next 12-15 years to a dog. 

Owners need to do extensive research on details of ownership and select a breeder that is going to walk them through the ownership process honestly. 

There is no USDA-approved rabies vaccine for wolfdogs. This does not mean it does not work, but it is currently used against wolfdogs to ban them in the above pictured states. Many owners have run titers testing (a test that quantifies the antibodies present following vaccination) proving that the vaccine works on wolfdogs and hybrids. However, politics regarding the wolf and the coyote prevent them from acknowledging this proven fact. Avoiding the use of the words wolf, hybrid, wolfdog or wolf mix on any paperwork could save you time and money. Finding a vet who will provide your wolfdog with all the proper vaccinations (including rabies) as well as a legal rabies certificate is extremely important. When in doubt, look into an exotic or large animal veterinarian. 

IMPORTANT: Not all pet insurance companies will accept wolfdogs. Nationwide pet insurance is for exotics, and they have fairly affordable premiums.