Wulvedale Kennels

27/06/2021

Alchemy doing what Alchemy does best.

25/06/2021

While a lot has been going on and updates have been limited, Wulvedale Kennels is happy to announce both Beans and Alchemy have come back clear on their tests for Pituitary Dwarfism!

Beans will be going in for the majority of her OFA testing and bloodwork this coming Tuesday (29th).

09/06/2021

Just a fun photo kind of day.

08/06/2021

Wooo! Swabbing and form updating to be completed this week.

07/06/2021

When breeding mixed breed dogs with a specific goal in mind there are a lot of steps that one might need to accomplish to reach that goal.

Beans and Alchemy are the first cautious step that is being taken in what will hopefully end up to be a long and successful journey.

Some things that are being observed with this potential pairing are how each and every behavioral and physical trait will offset, correct or complement one another, from their ears to their tails and everything in between.

03/06/2021

Alchemy's preferred petting. He loves tummy rubs. Actually he just loves being touched. If he could just have someone pet him all day long I think he would be the happiest dog on earth.

His incredibly affectionate and goofy personality is one trait I hope he will pass on to all of his puppies.

01/06/2021

The tests for Alchemy and Beans for Pituitary Dwarfism have been ordered via Paw Print Genetics.

It will be an easy mouth swab test with results coming back in several weeks.

Just a small part of the health testing journey that is yet to come!

30/05/2021

Coming from a background heavily involved in rescue one requirement that will be put in place once the application and reference processes are complete is an in person home check.

This is a common practice when adopting from a breed rescue to verify location, containment and the wellbeing of other animals on the property. I have seen it save animals from being placed into homes where the application and interview were great but the overall home environment or containment was not ideal for that animal.

While I dislike a lot of strict requirements which can often deter even the best of potential homes, the safety of any animals I place under my care is top priority, especially when dealing with such a sensitive and controversial "breed" as the wolfdog.

29/05/2021

Alchemy and Blue together on their walk. Blue is a senior spayed female who is related to Alchemy.

Knowing and having met several different animals from that specific line over the years has been helpful with determining overall temperament and health on that side of the family tree.

Blue is similar to Alchemy in temperament being one of the most affectionate and easy going dogs that I know in addition to being a healthy girl and having no major health issues at 12 years old.

Blue has a COI of 32% from being line bred for several generations. As stated previously, line breeding, *when done correctly* with the appropriate health testing and knowledge of that line, can be hugely beneficial to keeping a line consistent in temperament, looks and health.

I hope to produce dogs with solid temperaments and good health with a significantly lower COI while still being able to provide positive consistency in a litter as a whole.

25/05/2021

Two more important parts of ownership include finding a vet that will routinely treat wolfdogs as well as you keeping up with regular veterinary care.

Establishing a good relationship with a veterinary clinic and its doctors for annual/wellness visits and emergency situations is one of the requirements that is most overlooked.

Maintaining a strong relationship with your veterinary clinic is a vital part of successfully raising your wolfdog puppy.

20/05/2021

While there are many things that remain to be discussed, one of the most important things to have ready before bringing home a puppy or adult is secure containment.

Containment should be large enough to provide appropriate sized housing from the elements and permanent enrichment structures (such platforms) without running the risk of escaping.

Containment should be large enough to comfortably house up to two animals while still allowing them room to run, play and spend time apart from one another which can help avoid conflict.

Even animals that are social that get out often or have access to the house should be provided a safe area to run and relax.

18/05/2021

While I understand there is a long way to go and a lot to be accomplished, I have always been one to do things differently than others.

I hope this page not only serves as a way to follow the updates for potential breeding, but to show everyone the steps of health testing and everything that is involved with getting ready.

I want this to be a page where people can learn, that no matter what happens, it will give people the opportunity to understand each step taken and each health test selected and why.

To future litters or not. I hope everyone is able to take away valuable information during this step by step journey to help better their decisions in the future.

14/05/2021

Beans will go in for the majority of her health testing in June.

While all of the health testing that is being done is important, the one that stands out the most is finding out if she is a true carrier of vWD III.

Von Willebrand Disease is a genetic bleeding disorder where the blood lacks certain proteins and does not allow for proper clotting.

This test requires a very specific blood collection protocol to ensure accurate results.

If Beans clotting range comes back WNL that will be fantastic news no matter what.

If her clotting range comes back abnormal at all she will very likely not be bred for a number of reasons.

13/05/2021

Embark update.

The COI between Beans and Alchemy would be 13% per Embark calculations which is considered mild.

When discussing things like line breeding, back breeding and outcrossing there are many things to take into consideration as all three have their pros and cons which can "make or break" a line or even an entire breed.

There are many purebred dog breeds that have have higher COIs (30-50%) that have been able to thrive while preserving the breed and some where it has caused severe issues and could very well lead to the extinction of the breed if outcrossing is not considered.

This is one of many things being taken into consideration before making the final decision to produce a litter.

12/05/2021

Full Metal Alchemist

"Alchemy"

One of his stand out traits is his constant affectionate personality.

While some wolfdog enthusiasts prefer a more independent animal, I appreciate Alchemy being content to be petted even for hours on end.

12/05/2021

Let it be for the record that this page and everything that goes with it is in the works. There are things that may change and when they do it will be updated here.

So to make it clear, no animals have been bred and no animals will be bred until their health testing, among many other things, is complete.

Their health testing is updated from OFA hips and elbows, to include patellas and shoulders, as it being recommended by a kind individual with recently provided information. CAER/eyes are being considered.

Genetic testing for pituitary dwarfism was also highly recommended and will be pursued.

And Beans is being tested thru IDEXX laboratories (test code 1009) for their vWD factor antigen test to verify whether or not she is a true carrier.

If any of their results are abnormal they will not be bred.

All results will be available for public viewing.

Their COI is TBD which I will find out from Embark within the next few days. They will be partially line bred related thru one side of their family tree.

Though there is no rush because the *possibly* planned litter wouldn't be for another 2-3 years.

So until then enjoy their photos and progress updates on their health testing.

Thank you to the couple of people that have reached out to me privately to give me advice on additional testing to pursue, other recommended labs to use, result times and accuracy.

11/05/2021

Please follow for updates regarding Beans and Alchemy's health testing and results as they become available.

11/05/2021

A few photos of people visiting the canines.

11/05/2021

11/05/2021

Beans

Blackphase wolfdog born in April of 2020.

Pending OFA hips and elbows.
Pending Idexx Laboratories vWD antigen factor.

11/05/2021

Alchemy, an Isabella wolfdog born in March of 2019.

Pending OFA hips and Elbows.

11/05/2021

Potential pairing for 2023 or 2024.

More information to come soon.

11/05/2021

11/05/2021