Utonagan
Dogs
Utonagan
Utonagan |
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Alternative names |
Wolfdog |
Country of origin |
England |
Common nicknames |
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Classification and breed standards |
Not recognized by any major kennel club |
This breed of dog is
extinct |
Notes |
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The Utonagan is a
dog breed-under-development
that strongly resembles a wolf.
Until recently they were thought to contain a percentage of wolf (Canis
Lupus) but, on investigation by the
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (UK), have been found to
contain only three breeds of domestic dog:
Alaskan
Malamute,
German Shepherd, and
Siberian Husky.
Selective breeding of the wolf dog began in the early 1990s
Appearance
The Utonagan is large and well-muscled but with a slender build so as to
resemble a wolf as closely as possible.
Adult males weigh around 70-110 lbs and stand 25"-33" to the shoulder.
Females are approximately 20lb lighter at between 55-90 lbs and stand 24"-26" to
the shoulder.
The breed has a thick double
coat that
appears quite different in winter and summer. The
guard hair is
straight and slightly coarse to the touch. The
pelage can be silver grey,
cream, or brown with black overlay and a characteristic wolf mask. It also comes
in all white and all black.
Temperament
Utonagans are very placid and respond incredibly well to training (due to
their German Shepherd ancestors), which should begin at an early age.
Health
Utonagans should be fed on a
BARF Diet and have
only necessary vaccinations. They do not eat as much as many other large breeds
but are prone to obesity
and bloating if overfed.
Utonagans need constant attention to remain in good health, so owners who
will be unavailable for long periods of time should rethink this breed as an
option. They have thick coats that keep them warm in cool conditions but they
have great difficulty staying cool in summer. This becomes a problem when
walking the dog during hot weather, so owners must be careful not to
overexercise the dog and to keep available when playing.
Utonagans live between 12 and 15 years.
History
The breed was initially known as the Northern Inuit but, because it
had no relationship to the
Canadian Inuit Dog, the name was changed to Utonagan.
Miscellaneous
Breed status and development
The development of the Utonagan is hampered by
crossbreeding and
backyard breeding.
The British and International Untonagan Society believes it now has a dog that
breeds true. The BUIS insists that their registered breeders screen
breeding stock for genetic disorders. Adult dogs must be evalutated after 12
months of age to be certified fit for breeding. The Utonagan Society have
recently introduced very strong breeding rules, and refuse to breed from dogs
with genetic disorders.
Containment
Utonagan should be kept in a house that has a large yard with plenty of cool,
clean water. Like their Siberian Husky ancestors, Utonagan may try to escape if
the oppourtunity presents itself. The surrounding fence should be at least 3
times the height of the dog and should curve inwards at the top. The fence
should be buried at least a foot below the ground unless it has concrete
foundations as Utonagan are good diggers. If the fence is weak it should be
reinforced to prevent damage.
Wolf hybrids
DEFRA express their
concern over people who believe they have a wolf
hybrid. Dogs with wolf in
them are illegal as pets in the UK and owners without a
Dangerous Animals Licence leave themselves open to prosecution. Utonagans
are not wolf hybrids; they are dogs that resemble wolves. (See also
Novelty pet.)
External links
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