Wolves are pretty freakin’ cool. Don’t believe me?
Wolves are awesome.
Unfortunately, North American wolves have been hunted to extinction. There are some efforts to reintroduce some wolf packs into the ecosystems of western areas, like Yellowstone National Park, but by and large wolves are extinct in North America.
You can’t have a wolf for a pet (for obvious reasons). However, there are some closely related breeds of dogs that looks like wolves.
Siberian Huskies
The Siberian Husky are dogs that look like wolves because they are closely related- in fact they are one of two or three breeds that can trace direct lineage to wolves. Check out my post about the history of the breed here.
You should know that while Siberians are sweet, they have been bred for work. If you don’t excersize a Siberian Husky they will drive you insane. They also shed a lot.
Alaskan Huskies
Alaskan Huskies have been bred from Siberian Huskies that were brought to Alaska. Alaskan Huskies are generally super mutts- a combination of the highly energetic Siberian with other athletic dog breeds from the lower 48.
There is no breed standard for Alaskan Huskies; these are not show dogs but bred primarily for the sled dog races. You can tell they are Huskies, however, by of the tell-tale facial mask, goofy personality and excessive shedding.
Alaskan Malamute
Alaskan Malamutes are dogs that look like wolves and another sled-dog native to the arctic and closely related to the Siberian Husky. They are much larger than Siberian Huskies and they have a fluffy tail they use to keep their noses warm in sub-zero weather.
They are powerful and also shed like crazy!
These are the three most wolf-like dog breeds. All three are beautiful, strong dogs.
If you get one, be sure to buy a good vacuum cleaner, too!
