Wolf Hybrid Puppies for Sale - Transfer Shock Explained

Wolf Dog Breeder

"Breeding with Care"

Transfer Shock

Most high content wolf dog buyers are unaware and can therefore not fully appreciate in advance the stress their new wolf dog baby will go through leaving the dam and its familiar birthing environment to join the loving forever family. This short period of adjustment is considerably more stressful for wolf dogs than for domestic canines.

Although many canines stress to some degree, high content wolf dogs can go into 'Transfer Shock.' Wolf dogs are pack oriented, highly intelligent, and bond for life. HC wolf dogs entering the forever home may also enter a state of confusion.' This is temporary and may last two to three days ultimately adjusting very well. Having a realistic expectation and knowing this buyers can be comforted. What they may experience is unfortunately under reported. Their new HC wolf dog will possibly suffer some or all of these symptoms as the bewildered new owners suffer along side in a similar state of insecurity. This behavior is not exceptional, but rather common among HC wolf dogs. Since all is indeed well, do not let insecurity feed further insecurity during this period.

This is to assure buyers that the initial adjustment is relatively brief, customary and acceptable behaviour for a high content wolf dog baby during transition.

It is much like separation anxiety, however it occurs when new owners are home constantly and affectionately attentive. It can be likened to an exaggerated separation anxiety, but is more brief and is not an ongoing behavioral issue or change. Some high content wolf dogs may suffer less than others, just as some dogs may suffer less separation anxiety than others. Unlike separation anxiety, this needs no corrective measures.

This is to assure the buyers that the playful baby the seller described will again surface after 'transfer shock.'

The puppy presented in the following emails is a healthy, normal, six (6) week old male high content wolf dog. Although this new owner had tremendous experience with all temperments of large and small breed dogs, she did not have experience with wolf dogs. Her extensive research did not prepare her for the magnitude of this experience. Unfortunately, I did not give an adequate detail to her. With the very best of intentions, she was set off balance by her treasured wolf dog baby's reactions to going home. This is for a better understanding of those first few days.

These are actual emails between the buyer and the seller two days after puppy pick up and serve to define 'transfer shock.'

Correspondence between buyer and seller.

From Buyer:

Good morning!

Poor little guy had a rough day. We went to the pet store to get his collar and a few other supplies. As predicted, he stopped traffic up and down the aisles repeatedly. Poor guy didn't like all the excitement and promptly puked all over me.

He didn't seem to mind the crate at first - I think he was wore out. He alternated between hiding in there (with the door open so he could come out at will) and sitting in someone's lap (mostly mine) the entire evening. He wolfed down dinner like he hadn't eaten all day, and we even got his first couple of trips to the bathroom to be outside.

Night time was a different story. We put him in the crate and shut the lights off and he almost immediately started whining and howling. He pooped before he went in, but when I went to check on him 20 minutes later he'd pooped again (and again this morning, though this time I think I was just too slow because he was still squatting as I walked over). He ate breakfast just fine and pooped again outside (a little runny this time, not sure if it stress or the food change). We came back in and he is still pretty timid. He picked up an end of the toy rope we bought and started to shake it before nervously backing away, and he alternates between looking terrified of me and wanting to bury his face in my lap. He's not a fan of the collar either and stopped to scratch at it every couple of minutes. Right now he is sleeping in my lap with his nose buried into the crook of my elbow.

I think he's starting to come around though!

From Seller:

Given the level of stress he's suffering... that could cause the runny poo or it could be he needs the third de-wormer.. but since these poos here are nice and solid, I'm thinking is just the stress. Have you started changing him over to your food yet? This is a very gradual process and should take a few days. Good that his appetite is strong... good signal.

Hope he's peeing often and drinking lots. Really good job with the outside successes! I'm impressed, simply delighted N..... You can increase the time between taking him outside when the successes stack to 3.. like from 20-30 minutes to 45 minutes... then stretch it to 1 hr in about a week... then wait again for him to stay clean inside and successful outside.. once done, he should be good for longer times between potty breaks. The crate will always be his 'safe place.' Try to keep it in the same place for him for a few months. He has already selected that site... good... he'll continue to settle down.. you will see him play freely more often and for longer periods. You will notice that in a few days it takes more to startle him... everything is new... absolutely everything... this is ok.

Yours is a large family.. he senses the love and the excitement... lots of moving things... he's been sheltered with very little visual stimulation thus far.. I did not desensitize them with audio recordings. The windows have been shut except a crack and he has been perfectly sheltered in a rather confined area...lots of new noises now...

From Buyer:

Yes, there was lots of loud whining, barking, and the occasional "wooowooo". It's funny - he will fuss and fuss in the crate when he can't see us - but open the door and stay in the room and he will stay inside.

No one slept with him overnight - I let him sleep on me/next to me until hubby and I went to bed around 1AM.
We'd put a stuffed toy in the crate put it got poop on it so that ended up coming out pretty quickly.

From Seller:

They all whine loudly at this age... squeeky wheel gets the oil thing. He is still in puppy shock with his new environment... be patient. Even birds go through this for a few days.. A few days of this is ok. This timidness will dissappear really quickly once he settles in... then he's gonna be a playing romping boy. If you have a hot water bottle.. put that in with him tonight.. and a ticking wind up clock for comfort. Try to hold him as much as possible. Let me know when this subsides...

From Seller:

Oh... he was really howling? that is a first.. they howl if they are happily excited, anxious, or in pack situation... that was his first!

Yes, the stress of all this change may be why he vomitted on you and had runny diahrea. He will settle down a lot more today... be even better tomorrow.. The car ride may have made him nausious... the more he travels the quicker he will get over this... I think it was overstimulation at the store.. the visual.. the smells.. that's a lot for a puppy to take in. None of them vomited going to the vet... it was only a 10 min drive each way, though. He will be ok with the collar today or tomorrow... Fantastic job with the potty training. You are really doing a terrific job to have had a few successes this early... Be sure to reward him with something he can chew up in less than 3 seconds... right away after he does good... he will make association with outside potty and reward..

I knew he would stop traffic! Get ready to get nowhere with him... people will simply swarm and hover and linger and admire, almost adore him... He's a show stopper for sure. Have the children touch his food bowl as he's eating, so he gets used to hands being near his food... stick fingers in food so he knows he is not competing. do some hand feeding frequently... Ohh.. this is normal for him to be horrified... at first... he'll get comfy soon... not to worry.. he's a vibrant little guy once he settles in... and he'll play with his toys when he's not so afraid... keep coaxing him along with them... they will be irresistable soon! Nice job! He's a high content wolf cub... so this is all ok for now.. a bit more time.. then you'll see the nature I saw before you picked him up to go home... a gentle little playful guy. Did someone sleep with him? He's very insecure... big change for him sleeping on a pile of siblings tucked under mamma's leg. Glad he's eating like a wolf! If that changes there's a problem. He will be starving for the next 5 months... all day long

From Buyer:

He seems to be a little happier this afternoon. Ate his second meal with gusto. Still having a bit of runny poop, but we are getting about every other one outside. He even decided it was safe to romp for a minute the last time we went out and is starting to pay more attention to the toys inside - though he is quick to run to the safety of the crate if anything startles him.

From Buyer:

I was just surprised that he caught on so quickly to the potty idea!

Not the best pic, but here's his favorite place of the moment (it has a divider in it to keep it small while he's small - he's about as far back as he can go at the moment - and then we can take it out when he's bigger for more room). The white thing on the left is a folded towel, but he prefers to use it as a pillow instead of a bed and just lie on the floor:

From Seller:

Ohhhhhh..... Oh, my goodness... he's such a lucky boy! What a beautiful little fellow. You know, you can drape a large bath towel over the top of his crate (nice crate) to close him a bit for the next few days... will feel snuggly... Oh, yeah... they are smart... he is very trainable... they are super intelligent... so expressive... you are gonna love him even more when he reveals himself and discovers himself. They are utterly awesome. He will amaze you, very resourceful.. real thinkers... they literally evaluate situations... right now his evaluation is that he's so little and all of his new family members are sooooo big... so he's scared.. If M.... adjusted immediately, just melted into the family was curious and explorative.. I'd be a fraud and you'd have a domestic dog... so this is good. He's reacting exactly as expected...
Please give him a little kiss from me...
Thanks for the updates.. I really enjoy and appreciate them!

From Buyer:

Poop is starting to look more solid this evening. We are in the process of switching food - I know B.... recommends doing it over a period of 2 weeks, but we'll just do it as long as the sample you sent us lasts. In regards to the potty training - he's a little genius. We've been shutting him in the crate when we can't pay full attention to him - for example, as I was cooking dinner tonight. He was quiet for a while, and then started to whine, so I took him out - almost instant success with #1. Seemed too much of a coincidence - but then when we were still cleaning up dinner he started whining and barking again - took him out, this time both #1 and #2. Hoping the success continues!

He is also getting a little bit braver. I left him out after the last success figuring he'd be good for awhile and was playing with the baby on the floor near by. He came over, feinted a pounce, and mouthed my hand a few times - would back off and then repeat. Did this for maybe 5 minutes before he high-tailed it back to the crate for a nap. I imagine in another day or two he will really come around.

From Buyer:

Somebody stole my scaredy cat!

Came home from work tonight and M.... is a totally different puppy. Wagging his tail, chasing a ball, playing fetch with a toy mouse he stole from the cats, playing tug of war with the cat's tail and play bowing and barking at him (cat seems to think that he is the strangest animal he has ever seen and doesn't even run). Wouldn't even sit in my lap for a cuddle like he has the other days.

Probably a good half hour of activity before he ran back into his crate for a nap...Now if we could just control the poops...we went from being 50/50 with getting him out to maybe one in four times...

____________

Owners report another syndrome that may be exclusive to high content wolf dogs. It is called 'wolf shock.' Under extreme duress, the wolves collapse to the ground.

My extreme high content female having had blood drawn previously at the vet and remembering it was painful, upon next appointment for puppy check up did her normal timid and shy reclusive maneuvers until such time as the vet and technician entered the room and approached her. I was unable to console her fear and anxiety. She was turned to face the vet at which point her eyes glazed over and she began to stare. In manipulating her for care, she lowered her head to the ground and immediately thereafter her chest collapsed to the floor as well. There she laid, limp, eyes open and in a stare, somewhat rigid, petrified, almost as a faint. She entered a place only a frightened gentle affectionate wolf can know.

That was 'wolf shock,' where wolf dogs go in panic, when their world is overwhelmed with fear. It lasted about 3 minutes and was over as fast as it began. It is spontaneous pathetic submission, almost a breaking of the spirit, the ultimate surrender. This speaks clearly of their nature.