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Wolves are majestic and beautiful, large and deadly canines. The gray wolf is the largest wild canid in the world.
They can grow to be over 175 pounds, these muscular predators are well known all around the world, despite only occurring in certain areas.
Besides the obviously impressive size, speed, and deadly nature of this animal, they are strikingly beautiful. With coat patterns and colors including gray, white, cream, black, white, and brown.
The wolf has a proud and regal look to it, with a long and sleep body, with a long nose and sharp perked up ears they are the definition of imposing and magnificent creatures,
There is little wonder that people are obsessed with wolves and would like nothing more than to have one of these splendid animals in their own homes.
Wild animals like the wolf should stay in the wilderness and live freely.
But, are there any domesticated dogs that are close to the wolf? Are there canines that have wolf blood in them, or are there just dogs that look like wolves?
In this article, we are going to look at what dogs are closest to the wolf, both genetically and physically. So, without further ado, let us begin.
Dog Breeds That Look Like Wolves
The first stop on answering this question is to check out which dog breeds look like the noble wolf.
Finding a breed that shares nothing more than looks with a wolf is the best way to go if you love the roguish and proud look of the wolf.
Czechoslovakian Wolfdog
The Czechoslovakian wolfdog is a medium-sized dog, the males grow to be between 26 inches and 28 inches tall while the females are between 24 and 26 inches tall.
They are fearless, loyal, high energy and playful dogs and once again can be good family dogs if they are trained right. This breed of dog was once bred to be an attack dog, which is where the name ‘wolfdog’ comes from.
Norwegian Elkhound
The Norwegian elkhound is a large dog. The males are between 19 and 20 inches tall, while the females are between 17 and 20 inches. They are high-energy, affectionate, loyal watchdogs who were once bred to hunt big animals such as moose or elk.
These dogs are great as family pets, but as with many dogs in this list, they do need a lot of training so that they learn to curb that instinct to chase things that grab their interest.
Saarloos Wolfdog
The saarloos wolf dog is a medium to large canine. The males can grow between 25 and 30 inches tall, while the females tend to be between 23 inches and 28 inches.
This breed first appeared in the 1900s when Leender Saarloos crossed a European wolf with a German shepherd.
The result was a dog that was a little too wild and was not ideal for work. Saarloos’ are cautious, stubborn, shy, gentle, and loyal dogs but are not always recommended for children.
Tamaskan
The tamaskan is a breed of dog that was bred purely to get that wolf-like look. They are a mix of German shepherds, huskies, and Czechoslovakian wolfdogs. The tamaskan was only recognized as a breed of dog in 2013 and is quite rare.
The males of this breed can grow between 25 and 33 inches tall, while the females are between 24 inches and 28 inches, making this a large breed of dog.
They tend to be intelligent, high-energy, curious, playful, and affectionate dogs. They do have the potential to be family pets but require a lot of training to burn off all that energy.
Alaskan Malamute
The Alaskan malamute is a mix of a German shepherd, and husky. The males tend to grow between 22 and 25 inches tall, while the females tend to be between 21 inches and 25 inches tall.
They are classed as large dogs. As far as personality goes, the Alaskan malamute is generally friendly, stubborn, intelligent, and strong.
They have the ability to be good family pets, but once again they require obedience training and are not easy to get to behave.
The next category we are going to look at are dogs that are most similar to wolves genetically. The dogs on this list may surprise you.
So, without further waffling, let us delve into which dogs are closely related to the mighty and majestic wolf.
Akita
This dog is supposed to be a larger version of a Shiba Inu, they originated from Japan and through genetic testing have proven to be very similar to the wolf.
Eve the American Akita which is considered a different breed of dog by some has proven to be very closely related to the wolf.
Siberian Husky
The husky originally comes from Siberia, hence its full moniker, Siberian Husky. They are frequently used as sled dogs and very much resemble wolves in both body shape and coat patterns at times.
The genetics of this breed has not changed over the years, and they have been around for decades. Helping humans traverse the harsh snow in Northern Russia.
Chow Chow
Quite a few Chinese dog breeds are said to be related to the wolf, but the chow chow looks the closest to its wild and wonderful ancestors. They are one of the oldest breeds of dogs and were used as guard dogs all the way back in 150 BC.
Afghan Hound
The Afghan hound is a sighthound and is one of the oldest domestic dog breeds that we know of today. When they were genetically tested, they proved to have come from the wolf.
Saluki
The saluki is also a sighthound that originated from the Middle East. They are known to have traveled along the silk toad with nomadic tribes.
Some people think that they are one of the oldest dog breeds in existence and go back all the way to 10,000BC. Their genetics show that they are quite closely related to the noble, wild wolf.
Final Thoughts
That is all for this article. There are obviously a lot of dog breeds out there, the vast majority of which have not been featured on this list, despite there being numerous dogs that both look like the wolf and are related to them.
We hope that you have learned a lot about dog breeds and that this list has enlightened you as to which dogs are related to the noble wolf and which ones look the most like their wild ancestors.
