Timber Wolf Care

Domesticating a purebred Timber Wolf (also called the Gray Wolf) is no easy task. These animals are used to living in packs in the wild, and will not do well as pets. The easiest "pet" Wolf dog to care for is just that--an actual Wolf-Dog hybrid. (The info contained below discusses caring for a purebred Timber Wolf.) These animals, if domesticated, will need a great deal of supervision, exercise, training, socialization, and diet monitoring.

Here you'll find plenty of details on raising a Wolf: pups' growth and development, exercise needs, diet and nutrition, and other assorted Wolf's tips. Get answers to your questions about how to raise a Wolf in the following sections!

Since these animals have both incredible endurance and plenty of lean muscle, Wolf exercise requirements are exceptionally high. The biggest issue with exercising a Timber Wolf is finding a space large enough for the animal to stretch all those Wolf muscles--but one that won't allow it to escape. Ideally, owners can exercise their Timber Wolves in large outdoor areas with tightly secured fences.

Adult domesticated Wolves will need at least two hours of exercise on a daily basis. Since this animal is both powerful and muscular, a Wolf will need activities that allow it to run (bicycling, jogging) and "pull" (tug-of-war, weight pulling). You can start exercising a Wolf pup at about three months old by allowing it to run free for a few minutes at a time, then you can increase the time of the exercise periods as the pup grows.

Precautions with Timber Wolf exercise:

• Don't exercise pups too hard before they're nine months old
• Timber Wolves are not to be in public without a leash
• Any exercise areas must be tightly secured
• Close supervision required at all times

All domesticated Timber Wolves must be exercised every day, without exception. A lack of physical activity will cause these animals to become frustrated, destructive, and aggressive--and they'll probably find a way to escape to freedom. Regular exercise will be do wonders for a Timber Wolf's peace of mind--and for your own safety! A few exercise ideas:

• Jogging/Bicycling: Be sure to use a leash
• Tug-of-War: Use a rope or old towel
• Weight Pulling: Attach one end of a rope to a heavy object like a spare tire, and the other end to a harness for the Wolf

If owners are actually able to have their Timber Wolves inside, it'll be good to have balls or chew-toys that will allow the animal to burn excess energy. It might also help with a Timber Wolf's obedience to have a regular exercise schedule, such as jogs or bike rides in the morning and evening and a play period in the afternoon.

In terms of shedding and drooling, these animals will need moderate care. Timber Wolf shedding is seasonal: fair for most of the year, but profuse during the spring. Drooling is a frequent issue.

Timber Wolves have thick, double-layered coats that shed moderately most of the time--but when they blow their undercoats in the spring, the shedding gets heavier. If a Wolf allows owners to brush it, brushing can be done with a pin brush twice a week or so. Hair cleanup--vacuuming the floors, and lint rollers on clothes and furniture--will be necessary from time to time. (Brushing and cleanup will obviously be required more often during the spring shedding season.)

And Wolves usually drool heavily in anticipation of food--so it's best to feed a Timber Wolf outside.

Just what does a Wolf eat?The Timber Wolf is mostly carnivorous, so the Wolf diet will need to consist mainly of meats (though in the wild they're known to eat fruits and berries from time to time). The timing of the diet of a Wolf is different from a dog's: it's "feast and famine." Wild wolves may gorge on a kill and eat 20 pounds of food or more at once, then not eat again for weeks if no food is available.

Feeding the Timber Wolf that's domesticated, then, can be tricky. Adults can generally be fed about three pounds of fresh meat--chicken, beef, or lamb, among many others--once per day. Wolf eating needs for puppies, meanwhile, are different: in the wild, adult Wolves regurgitate food that the pups eat--so the food of Wolf pups will need to be ground up in a blender until six months of age.

Learn more about how and what to feed the Wolf from puppyhood through maturity in the following chart:

Yes, these portions seem large for an 80-pound animal--but Timber Wolves' physical activity keeps them trim. A Wolf that's overfed (and more importantly, under-exercised) will easily become overweight--and a fat Wolf will simply be miserable and ill. You can help control your Timber Wolf's weight by having a consistent feeding schedule, and by making sure the animal gets plenty of daily exercise.

If you believe your Timber Wolf is overweight, try this test: run a hand along the Wolf's side. If you can't easily feel ribs beneath its coat, it's diet time--which means less food and more exercise!

To replicate what these animals eat in the wild, the best "dog" food for a Wolf (hybrid or purebred) is fresh meat. These animals can also consume fruits and berries to aid in digestive and immune health. A partial list of good meats to feed your Timber Wolf (all of which can be raw):

• Beef
• Chicken
• Lamb
• Deer
• Buffalo
• Turkey
• Fish (cooked)

The Timber Wolf will only be happy and well-behaved if it's allowed to live outside--the problem is keeping the animal from permanently escaping! The ideal living situation for a Wolf will be in a very large outdoor space--but one with a very secure fence. And for the Timber Wolf, apartments are a horrible environment, as the animal is thoroughly unsuitable for such a confined space.

In regards to climate, Wolves are actually incredibly adaptable, and can live in temperatures both hot and cool. A Wolf summer coat is comparatively thin and short--but in the winter, a Wolf coat is thick and warm, allowing the animal to survive in extremely cold weather. Overall, Timber Wolves will be comfortable in practically any climate.

Since its natural environment is cooler climates, a Timber Wolf will fare better in colder temperatures. These animals will be very listless, and may suffer heat stroke, in extremely warm weather.