The Saarloos Wolfdog joins the first group in the ranking: Shepherd and Cattle Dogs (except the Swiss Cattle Dog). However, they are not obedience dogs par excellence. Very stubborn, they seem to act as if you don't exist when it suits them. These dogs are very bonded to their pack (family and other dogs). They are not capable of barking. They are in good physical condition, but are very lazy. They also exhibit an excellent jawline.

Eager to improve his own dogs from the point of view of their hardiness, it was in 1930 that L. Saarlos created the Saarloos Wolfdog breed by crossing a German Shepherd with a Russian she-wolf. The Saarloos Wolfdog is therefore resulting from a cross between an ancestor of the German Shepherd and a European she-wolf named Fleur. What is surprising is that this is a selection process carried out backwards; we wanted to return to the sources, to the origins of our dog breeds. In 1975, the Saarlos Wolfhond saw its nationalization as a Dutch breed. Subsequently, in 1981, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale recognized it in turn. This dog remains quite rare outside its country despite the growing success of this breed.

The Saarloos Wolfdog has a lupoid profile (which resembles a wolf). However, some essential morphological differences should be noted: the tail descends much lower in the Saarloos, its ears are larger, it is higher on its legs while the wolf is stockier, the distribution of the hair also varies, the wolf has notably more hair on the shoulder blades than the Saarloos. That said, the Saarloos Wolfdog is harmoniously built and has a gait exactly reminiscent of a wolf. Its average size is 65 to 75 cm for males and 60 to 70 cm for females for a weight between 30 and 35 kg. It therefore belongs to the category of large breeds. Its body is full of power, slightly longer than it is high. His neck is lean and muscular. Its ribs are arched and its back is straight and massive. The kidney area is particularly massive in this breed. Its rump is inclined. The limbs of the Saarloos Wolfdog are long with strong bones. Combined with somewhat oval and well closed feet, this configuration allows it to take beautiful strides. When resting, its tail is shaped like a saber. His head is perfectly proportioned to his body. Its skull is broad and slightly flat, its nose broad, its nose black or liver depending on the color of its coat and its lips tightly closed. Its eyes are medium sized, almond-shaped, and preferably yellow or amber in color. Its ears are of average size. Erect and fleshy, they end in a point. The coats accepted for the Saarloos Wolf Dog range from light black to dark black (wolf gray), from light brown to dark brown and from light cream (sand/red) to white. No other color is allowed in this breed. Its thick fur is a little rough, the hair is straight, with an abundant and woolly undercoat.

The Saarloos Wolfdog does not fear much in terms of health. It can still present certain conditions and it is therefore important to select a breeder which scrupulously carries out health tests and which only allows reproduction between individuals which have obtained good results in these tests. You will have to be even more attentive because the risks of inbreeding are even higher since the founding members of this breed are few in number. The Saarloos is especially more sensitive than other breeds to certain medications (drug sensitivity); You should always be sure to consult a veterinarian who has already dealt with this breed before administering treatment. It can also be affected, among other things, by dwarfism, hip and elbow dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy as well as certain eye defects. Apart from that, it is a primitive type dog, which therefore presents a certain robustness.

The Saarloos Wolfdog is not a dog to be put into everyone's hands! Indeed, its temperament is complex. Attentive, but very reserved and cautious towards strangers, he only moderately appreciates crowds and rarely allows himself to be petted by people he does not know. Indeed, it is an independent dog, sometimes stubborn, which has retained from its origins a very strong pack spirit, which gives it an almost vital need to be around other dogs but much less so with humans. . Their socialization can therefore take a very long time. But once he has acquired his trust, he will be very close to you and above all very affectionate. It can also have a predatory instinct on the weakest. You will therefore need to avoid letting him live with small animals and be very attentive to his interactions with children. He is not suited to urban life and, even in the countryside, he will need regular walks. He can also easily live outside if he is used to it. On the other hand, if he lives outside permanently, you will need to ensure that he does not develop a form of distrust towards other dogs and even more towards humans. As you may have already understood, training the Saarloos Wolfdog is by far the most difficult. It is a dog that needs a master capable of taming it. The first two years of his life must be mainly devoted to his socialization. Despite this advice, you should not hesitate to ask for help from owners of this breed. You will have to be patient and not expect too much too quickly. Always keep in mind that this is a breed that can be tamed but not educated. An ease with this breed is its maintenance, which does not require any particular care.