Coydogs

image Coydogs. Are they real creatures, or just the stuff of urban legend? As the name implies, a coydog would be a cross between a coyote and a dog. But according to Chrissie Henner, a biologist at the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, they're an urban legend. She says that "there has never been any physical evidence of a half-dog, half-coyote animal." Not that it would be impossible for the two species to mate and produce an offspring, just very unlikely. Though Henner also points out that the mating cycles of the two species differ: "Coyotes go in to heat between January and March and have pups in May or June, while dogs have their pups in winter." So if animal experts such as Henner are correct that there's no physical evidence of the existence of coydogs, then what exactly is the Sundance Coydogs site selling? Are these coyotes, or dogs that look coyote-like, or real coydogs?

Animals

Posted on Tue Dec 21, 2004



Comments

Since I know them personally, I can tell you that the owners of Sundance Ranch would never perpetrate a hoax. Their dogs are a true coydog cross between a coyote and a Sibe. They are the most honest people I know and will not sell a dog to just anyone. There are many other breeders selling coy crosses that don't admit to it and the consumer gets more than he bargained for when he thought he was buying a rare breed dog.

The dogs at Sundance are studied very carefully for temperment and are handled by humans from day one. They are very careful about who buys their dogs and keep in touch with the owners. They also would take back a dog at any time that does not work out for the buyer.

Coyotes in the wild come into heat once per year. A low content coydog may have two heat cycles per year but the higher content coydogs only have one cycle per year.

If you interested in a rare breed dog, this is the only place to buy one that truly does guarantee that you can return the dog.

Since this discussion is so interesting and there are such varied opinions I would love to know what all of you think about the American Indian Dog and all the claims by their breeders?
Posted by mick  on  Tue Jul 05, 2005  at  12:35 AM
Tell us more about these Americnan Indian Dogs. What are the claims being made by the breeders?
Posted by Lois E Brenneman  on  Tue Jul 05, 2005  at  06:52 AM
The AID (American Indian Dog) breeders basically try to pass off mix breed dogs as the dog's the Indians had. These are false claims, and all the AID's I have ever seen were really either random mutts or coyote mixes.

~Seij
Posted by Seijun  on  Tue Jul 05, 2005  at  10:29 AM
If you want to know about American Indian
Dogs, just type in American Indian Dog Hoax
here.
You'll find some info about it.
Posted by annie oakley  on  Sat Jul 23, 2005  at  11:57 AM
Just to let you know Coydogs are not an urban legend, I happen to own one.Lisa
Posted by Lisa  on  Sat Jul 23, 2005  at  01:13 PM
I'm not sure what you would like to know about American Indian Dogs. There is another discussion going on in this site that discusses different points of view on them. The truth is they are mutts and the mix changes frequently. The truth is the breeder in Oregon who controls all breeding of these dogs claims he has been breeding them for 40 years but I have seen a letter from a vet dated in 1978. It seems Mr LaFlamme went to him and asked him what breeds of dog he could mix to get a dog that looked like the dogs the Indians had. They are a total recreation and not some breed brought back from extinction. His story changes often and when the dogs change in look or size he has some story about a different line he started to use. His foundation dogs were a coy/sibe mix and he added many other things after that but it is a secret what. There is proof that he bought kelpie/border collie crosses and added them to his lines several years back. But there are so many mixes you don't know what you will get. Buy one now and buy one later and they will not be the same mix.
The people on the Indian Dog Hoax site are far more accurate than any of the breeders of American Indian dogs.

Many people have been duped by this con man and when they find out the truth he tries to ruin their reputations by posting things about them on his website.

There is an Indian Dog site in the Netherlands called American Indian Dogs/Europe run by a woman named Wendy Schrivers. She is perpetrating the same hoax in Europe. Although most of her dogs have the original look of the Sibe, she has also added coydogs to her lines but denies it.

What isn't fair, among other things about all of this, is that you don't know you are buying a coy or wolf mix from these people and it is illegal to own them in many places.

They tell you that if the dog doesn't work out, you can return them but try doing that. They require you spay/neuter your pet but then they don't want them after that. They are of no use if they can't make money from breeding them.

Another thing the buyer needs to know is that they are not taken to vets and the first thing you need to do with your puppy is get it to a vet and get it wormed and get the puppy shots. They are often illegally shipped before they are 8 weeks old, too young to be weaned.

There is also a woman in Michigan who sells Native American Indian Dogs. I will give her credit for one thing. If you ask her a lot of questions, you are more likely to get an answer closer to the truth than you will from LaFlamme.

One more thing before I quit ranting. Don't believe the breed standard for the American Indian Dog. The female is supposed to be 35 or less and the male 45 or less. A lot of them weigh closer to 70 pounds and the females often weigh in about 55 pounds. So, if you are looking for a small dog, this isn't the way to go.
Posted by MICK  on  Sun Jul 24, 2005  at  05:48 PM
Although I seriously doubt this thread is still active, I have to say:

1. I've lived in Texas almost all my lives and commonly observed coyotes behaviour. I have seen what appeared to be domestic dogs, or cross breeds in their packs.

2. I have had wolf/shepard cross breeds most of my life and find them to be be wonderful protectors. yes, they are pack animals, very much so. That's why they make great family protectors. I've never experienced any problem with any of them, and never had any problem calling them off of whoever they were chewing up at the time.

3. I found Mr. Muntz's remarks to be in an offensive and arrogant vein myself. Possibly he should move down here where he would learn some civility and not a small degree of humility. Perhaps he will spend a little time expounding on my sentence constructs, mis-spellings, and so forth and give you people some peace 😊
Posted by Clay  on  Tue Jul 26, 2005  at  04:13 PM
I think it is important to remember though, that as a general rule, wolf hybrids do not make good "protetors" or house pets. That is great if your's are, but certainly don't expect all or even most to be like that. Lower content animals are almost always the only ones that turn out to be good guard dogs and/or house pets. Mid and higher content animals don't make good guard animals at all, and although they can be taught to live indoors while supervised, it can be expected that they will start to tear things up once they get bored.

~Seij
Posted by Seijun  on  Tue Jul 26, 2005  at  05:11 PM
I have a husky, coyote, norwegian elkhound cross. Several vets have examined her teeth and told me they are more consistent with coyote dentition than dog dentition. Her behavior is definitely not normal dog behavior, either.

Her mother was a husky who ran away in the Sandia Mountains of New Mexico (where I used to live) while she was in heat. Apparently her father was a coydog, which avoids the whole "coyotes breed only at certain times" argument, which as a former New Mexican I can say is baloney, too--there's a reason coyotes are so successful, and flexible breeding is one of them.

I have heard and seen coyote packs killing dogs. My family labrador (a male) was killed by coyotes. Perhaps a female in heat has distractions to offer that may keep her alive.
Posted by Jean  on  Sun Aug 07, 2005  at  08:35 AM
I picked up a puppy on an Indian reservation this summer. It was living in the wild on the rodeo grounds in central oregon with about 5 full grown dogs and one other puppy. The Indians call these dogs "Res" dogs and they swear they are Coyotee German Shepard mixs. My dog has mostly German Shepards colors but many traits of a coyotee, fur, ears tail even his teeth are bigger and sharper then any german shepard pup anyone has seen. He howls like a coyotee does. He is extremly smart and well behaved. My vet didn't seem to think I was crazy when i told her what he was.
Posted by wesley  on  Wed Aug 31, 2005  at  11:25 AM
Umm...people are still commenting on my posts? Oddly, the negative remarks seem to come mainly from people who take a cavalier attitude toward crossbreeds. Folks, I said specifically that I feel it's irresponsible to take in exotic animals as pets without knowing what they're all about, whether from experience or from proper research, and this includes their habits, any special needs, and so forth. If you're competent and capable of caring for such an animal, wonderful. Most people aren't. Most people, judging from what I've seen, aren't fit to own animals at all. If nothing else, take an animal you don't have any familiarity with to a veterinarian; it's a noble profession in my opinion, and I'd generally trust their judgement.

I don't approve of encouraging a casual attitude toward any kind of exotic and won't be persuaded on it. This is how I feel about any kind of pet, but it applies doubly for those we have no right to expect to behave like their domesticated relatives.

By the way, I have family from here in the South going back to before the Revolution, Clay, and I've rarely stepped out of my home state.

(((My dog has mostly German Shepards colors but many traits of a coyotee, fur, ears tail even his teeth are bigger and sharper then any german shepard pup anyone has seen. He howls like a coyotee does. He is extremly smart and well behaved. My vet didn't seem to think I was crazy when i told her what he was.)))

It sounds like you love him. I've heard of coyote dogs being a bit on the skittish side in comparison to other types of dog. Is this true in your case? Also, is there anything special your vet recommended you do for your pet? Any special meds or living arrangements or anything? I'd just like to know so I'd be able to tell as much to someone who needs the info.
Posted by Bill Mutz  on  Thu Sep 01, 2005  at  07:50 PM
Bill, It sounds like you are not a pet lover. I can tell you from experience that most vets know nothing about dealing with a pet that has wild blood in it. You have to go to a vet that has training in pet psychology. Even dog trainers don't know how to deal with them. Yes, coydogs tend to be skittish. They don't like strangers and tend to bond closely with their human. They expect the human to keep them safe. I don't have a problem with my coydog other than that I had some trouble understanding him until he was taken to the proper vet which meant travelling to another city and going to a University Clinic that specializes in animal behavior. Life is much different now that I know what is going on but he went through three vets that didn't have a clue. I couldn't ask for a better companion and he actually behaves better than my other dog who does not have the coy in her. However, they are a little more fearful than most dogs.
Posted by MICK  on  Thu Sep 01, 2005  at  08:19 PM
Thanks for pointing that out, MICK. I was mostly going on the assumption that the average veterinarian would be more likely to know what to do with a coydog than the average person, and I'd like to think that one would have the sense to direct a person who just came into the possession of a coydog to the appropriate specialist. Perhaps I'm just putting too much faith in them, but my main point was that letting one's veterinarian know that one hasn't had any experience with a particular type of animal would be at least ten times better than letting them go on the assumption that one's had experience with such animals and knows what to do. To be clear, I agree with you.

Anyway, be well.
Posted by Bill Mutz  on  Fri Sep 02, 2005  at  09:58 AM
I can assure you that Coy-Dogs are very real. I have owned two of them. We just had to put the oldest one down (cancer) at the ripe old age of 15 (human years). He was such a wonderful pet that I was always searching for another one of the same breed. He was half Coyote and half Chow. His mother was a pure bred Chow and his father was a Coyote. He had all the markings and fur of a coyote, as well as a Coyote's gate, but he had the purple tongue of the Chow. I've seen Coyote's in the wild and, aside from the size, they looked identical to my dog. My dog was a bit more muscular, probably because he was fed regularly and didn't have to hunt for food. He was wonderful with people as long as he knew them, but made a great guard dog as he was always wary of strangers. My wife got him in New Mexico, when she was driving tractor trailers for a living. He spent the first 3 years of his life with her on the road. He would sleep in the back while she was driving and sit in the passenger seat and guard the truck at night while she slept.

My second Chow-Coyote mix came from Las Vegas. His mother was a pet Coyote, and his father was a Chow. He looks nothing like a Coyote, possibly because the males tend to take the characteristics of the father (I don't know this for a fact, it's merely speculation.) He has more of a Chow type face and is black in color. His tongue is purple spotted. He doesn't have a viscious bone in his body. While he will bark at strangers, it's only to atract their attention because they are someone who hasn't had the good sense to pet him yet. I am currently in the market for another Coyote-Chow mix (male un-neutered) because the young one is somewhat lonely. He could use a playmate. If anyone knows where I might find such a dog, I would greatly appreciate any info you might have.
Posted by Michael Welch  on  Sun Oct 23, 2005  at  08:43 AM
Michael: http://www.coydog.us/ - Only genuine coydog breeders I know.

~Seij
Posted by Seijun  on  Sun Oct 23, 2005  at  10:29 AM
Michael,

I don't know where you can find that mix but I know where you can find a coy/sibe mix and they have many right now of all ages. Sundance Ranch in Oregon. Their dogs have wonderful temperaments.
I will definitely have one of theirs one day.
Mick
Posted by MICK  on  Fri Oct 28, 2005  at  09:35 AM
It is foolish to say that coydogs are an urban legend. There are many wild dogs that have crossed with cyotes in the wild in the CA mountains. I have a true coydog and my vet was the one to tell me about her. She started growing a second fuzzy tan/grey coat over her pitch black coat at 2 years old. She shows her cyote ways in her submisivness and spazness quite often. It offends my beloved dog to say she does not exsist. I am proud of her and what she is.
Posted by Tiffany  on  Thu Dec 15, 2005  at  07:50 PM
There's a great story in Of Wolves and Men about a scientist studying wolves who manages an interview with an old Eskimo. Anxious to impress the old guy, the scientists reels off his knowledge of wolves and at some points asks, "Do you find this to be true of wolves?" The old man replied, "Which wolf?" Many of the posting I've read refer to the behavior of hybreds as if it were a concrete and predictable thing. When we consider the great variety of behaviors among humans can we honestly say, "This and oly this is how humans behave." Certainly, we cannot. For example, I have trained many German Shepherds. As anyone who has trained animals will tell you, the personality of each animal is unique. Now a Lab is a lot more likely to chase a stick than a Huskie, but within these genetic tendancies there lies a universe of individual differences. And this is so with hybreds. I owned a high content wold hybred and certainly she was a hunter. She preferred a hole to a dog house and believed that if she froze when I caught her stealing a thawing fish of the counter that I would not be able to see her in the brush of our tile kitchen. But she was an individual. I will agree that people who know nothing of hybreds should not own them. However, there are millions of dog owners who should not have dogs. I have tried to train the pets of people who shouldn't be allowed to have house plants. We cannot prevent the ownership of animals by such people. There are no books or classes at the local junior college that will make you a good owner for a poodle, a pit bull or a hybred. You are a good owner when you can observe, care for and communicate with animals. There are animal people the way there are people people. It takes care, understanding and the willingness to interact with the animal. As the human in the relationship, of course, you must take the lead. And so it is with the owning of hybreds. There are no fast rules or formulas. It does take common sense. A hybred, for example, is likely to eat the cat he's chasing and male hybreds are quite often unable to curb the instinct to mark your couch. But the key to safely owning one- just as it is the key to safely owning a Rott- is that you are an intelligent, caring, adaptable human being. If you bring that to the table, you can do it. Myself, I don't think I'd do very well with Poodles.
Posted by David Wagstaff  on  Fri Dec 30, 2005  at  02:55 PM
Hi David,
I respect your opinion BUT
I think you misunderstand all of this. We are not saying don't own one. We are saying beware because you don't know what you will get with these dogs. Too many end up in rescue and too many are put down. I personally have two of them. I am a very caring owner and have had dogs for over 30 years. But I wasn't prepared for an aggressive dog, one that bites the other and generally makes life miserable for the other dog. And I am not the only one. I know at the very lest ten people who have these dogs and most of them have issues from chasing cars to biting their owners. I agree you need to have a strong alpha personality to have an aggresive dog, especially a large one but it isn't easy. And it is not always safe. I am thankful to still have mine since he bit someone and they didn't report it. But it has taken a lot of work and a lot of training to get through this. Still, life is very strained because you have to be on guard every minute. And the problem with these dogs is that you are more likely to get an aggressive one than you would with a lab or golden or poodle for that matter. I am not saying those dogs can't be trouble because I personnally know of a small child whose face was ripped wide open by a poodle. I think they are nasty little dogs yet I wouldn't tell someone not to buy one. We are just saying the percentage of AID's and Naid's that turn out to be aggressive is very high. And you need to be fully aware of what you are getting into before you take on the challenge. Respectfully, Mick
Posted by mick  on  Fri Dec 30, 2005  at  04:27 PM
Actually, I've never known a pittbull to attack a human with any intention other than covering him with slobber, which they have in plenty. They're one of the friendlier breeds. Strangely, their playful nature has played a role in earning them their bad reputation. They tend to frequently engage in agonistic play with other dogs, but this isn't at all the same as viciousness or mean-spiritedness. To my knowledge, their worst quality is that they're complete clowns and don't know their own strength. And it really hurts when they step on your toes.

Chow chows, however, are a nightmare. They're mean, and they do it on purpose.

None of this is to be taken as a rule. Dogs differ in personality as much as people. Different breeds do have different tendencies, though, and one should be aware of them.
Posted by Bill Mutz  on  Tue Jan 10, 2006  at  04:22 PM
hiya. i was told my 9 pond dog is part coyote, and i must say i doubt it.
so i showed up here and elsewhere to check it all out.
good reading! thanks all!
however, i remain equally unconvinced that coydogs are a nonesuch due to the differing estrus periods [mating seasons] for the different species.
i say this scheduling difference implies an _incentive_ for the creation of coydogs.
what are coyotes gonna do all those months when their ladyfriends arent in the mood and worse smell wrong?
just a thought.
imput from people who know something much appreciated.
jay sheckley and her weird lil dog romeo
Posted by jay sheckley  on  Wed Jan 18, 2006  at  12:04 AM
Coydogs do exist and as a matter of fact, I have one. But you can find out all you want to know if you visit the website of Sundance Ranch in Oregon. They breed a coy/sibe mix and you are correct, they breed once per year. Her dogs are lovely and they are real.
http://www.coydog.us
Posted by MICK  on  Wed Jan 18, 2006  at  09:53 AM
BTW, coydogs weigh about 45-55 pounds in most cases. Mine weighs 72, so it depends on what else they are mixed with.
Posted by MICK  on  Wed Jan 18, 2006  at  09:55 AM
"what are coyotes gonna do all those months when their ladyfriends arent in the mood and worse smell wrong?"

Go about living I suppose. Remember, the males can only breed once a year too.

~Seij
Posted by Seijun  on  Wed Jan 18, 2006  at  12:34 PM
fair enough, Seij! Since yesterday I've looked at more more pix and I'm jollywell convinced despite opinions to the contrary that my 14 month old pet furbaby is in fact ::gasp!:: a genuine dog!
love jay and romeo
Posted by jay sheckley  on  Wed Jan 18, 2006  at  01:05 PM
Actually, unless I recall incorrectly, a domestic male can breed at any time of year. I don't imagine a coydog would be likely to end up as someone's pet unless picked up as a "stray" and taken to be a nondescript mutt...which...wouldn't be entirely inaccurate.
Posted by Bill Mutz  on  Wed Jan 18, 2006  at  02:21 PM
mr mutz writes< I don't imagine a coydog would be likely to end up as someone's pet unless picked up as a "stray" and taken to be a nondescript mutt...which...wouldn't be entirely inaccurate.>>

my guy _did_ come from the shelter, was a stray found stumbling around rather well with one broken foot. nobody knew where he came from, which is likely common enough. he's said to be part chihuahua, which in coyote is pronounced "snack", no? the shelter refuses to speculate what else.

i was stopped in the street and told he's surely part coyote- but probly less than half.howzabout none?

the guy said a coydog probly mated with a chihuahua.

romeo _is_ pretty strange-looking. exotic. when i first saw him even though i wanted a dog so much i wasnt sure i wanted him. everyone else says he's cute but at first i felt put off in an odd way. i didnt take to his look at all. then they put him in my arms, and boy he liked it there! hate to say this but he sorta hypnotised me. :D the broken foot was the clincher.

romeo looks a LOT like a fox, he really has a somewhat coydog look pelt i admit. he hasnt got that cold expression. does that matter?

he may well be a Pomchi. his toes look normal to me but i havent accessed the online toe data yet. he is fast, with a bizarre gait. his forepaws happen to be 2-3 dogshoe sizes bigger than his back feet. he's either completely mellow or crazed, often somewhat devious. he burrows and hides things. he's _quiet_. the trainer says he's a "thinky" dog and therefore a good match for me.... hmmm...

ive looked at pictures and read all this. i really appreciate your input, rather feel we are undeserving of your expert attention.

yet continually people say, what IS that?

i really dont know what he is but i am hooked on him.
romeo doesnt care what you call him unless it's late for dinner.

he resembles a pygmy fox. [?]
he could be a dog!

thanks again,
jay and her weird lil animal romeo
Posted by jay sheckley  on  Wed Jan 18, 2006  at  09:38 PM
i just looked at the coydogs mick sent me to. yes my guy romeo does have the face and body shape though not the husky size.

though very brown-eyed, he _does_ look like that, the snout the stance the smile even. thankyou!
this is fun.
jay, his coy mistress

-----

mr mutz writes< I don't imagine a coydog would be likely to end up as someone's pet unless picked up as a "stray" and taken to be a nondescript mutt...which...wouldn't be entirely inaccurate.>>

my guy _did_ come from the shelter, was a stray found stumbling around rather well with one broken foot. nobody knew where he came from, which is likely common enough. he's said to be part chihuahua, which in coyote is pronounced "snack", no? the shelter refuses to speculate what else.

i was stopped in the street and told he's surely part coyote- but probly less than half.howzabout none?

the guy said a coydog probly mated with a chihuahua.

romeo _is_ pretty strange-looking. exotic. when i first saw him even though i wanted a dog so much i wasnt sure i wanted him. everyone else says he's cute but at first i felt put off in an odd way. i didnt take to his look at all. then they put him in my arms, and boy he liked it there! hate to say this but he sorta hypnotised me. :D the broken foot was the clincher.

romeo looks a LOT like a fox, he really has a somewhat coydog look pelt i admit. he hasnt got that cold expression. does that matter?

he may well be a Pomchi. his toes look normal to me but i havent accessed the online toe data yet. he is fast, with a bizarre gait. his forepaws happen to be 2-3 dogshoe sizes bigger than his back feet. he's either completely mellow or crazed, often somewhat devious. he burrows and hides things. he's _quiet_. the trainer says he's a "thinky" dog and therefore a good match for me.... hmmm...

ive looked at pictures and read all this. i really appreciate your input, rather feel we are undeserving of your expert attention.

yet continually people say, what IS that?

i really dont know what he is but i am hooked on him.
romeo doesnt care what you call him unless it's late for dinner.

he resembles a pygmy fox. [?]
he could be a dog!

thanks again,
jay and her weird lil animal romeo
Posted by jay sheckley  on  Wed Jan 18, 2006  at  09:46 PM
"Actually, unless I recall incorrectly, a domestic male can breed at any time of year"

Yes, that is correct. A domestic dog can breed any time of year, but both male and females of wild candids only breed once a year.

~Seij
Posted by seijun  on  Thu Jan 19, 2006  at  09:43 AM
I JUST learned about this coydog bread and was doing a little online research and came across this site. I got my dog, Chilly, about a year ago from a shelter. They said he was just picked up as a stray dog when he was a puppy and they guessed his mix as huskie/border collie. He looks IDENTICAL to a fox and is about the same size, except he has black and white fur. A person was over at our house during a party the other night(I'm an OSU college student) and she asked me if he was a Coydog. I had no idea what a coydog was, but she told me her friend had one that looked exactly like my little buddy Chilly. She also mentioned something about the way he walks, which is more of a trot, as a characteristic of a Coydog. I looked at pictures online and saw one that looks EXACTLY like my dog and claims it as a Coydog
Is there anyway of knowing if my dog is actually a Coydog. Who ever has one let me know if these would be characteristics along the line of a Coydog: looks exactly like a fox, large pointed ears, tail looks like those of the sundance huskies, larger and sharper teeth than dogs his size, unbelievably agile, can easily clear my futon when he jumps which is annoying when I try to catch him, trots or somewhat skips when he walks, very friendly or very submissive around some people though he loves biting my hand and our other dog, he is VERY attached to me. Also when I first got him he couldn't bark until about 7 months he always made more of a howling/whining noise and still does so when he wants something and especially when he sights other animals, mostly dogs. If anyone wants to give me their opinion or tell me how I could find out if he is a Coydog that'd be great, this coydog thing is pretty interesting.
Posted by Mark  on  Tue Feb 07, 2006  at  01:25 PM
Also I have no idea if this would mean anything but he has brown eyes, except on the very top there is a section of iris on either eye that is white with a little blue on the iris, I guess like a Huskie. It looks like he has two white spots right above his pupils.
Posted by Mark  on  Tue Feb 07, 2006  at  01:34 PM
Maybe send in a good photo to the breeder at
Sundance Ranch. She most probably would know..
But sometimes it's hard to tell in a photo.
Wouldn't hurt to ask.
Posted by annie  on  Tue Feb 07, 2006  at  02:07 PM
You will have to post pics. The characteristics you describe could all be found in the various breeds of domestic dog. Though, it sounds as though your pup could very well be part berder collie as the shelter claims. They can look very much like a coyote or fox. Also, collies tend to trot and walk more like a wolf or coyote.

~Seij
Posted by seijun  on  Tue Feb 07, 2006  at  07:57 PM
Do you have a picture of your dog Chilly that you could email me? I can get you a better opinion if I see the dog. I know the owner of Sundance and she would surely know. I also have a coydog. They do walk a little differently but they tend to sway against you as they walk. Or if he is with my other dog he sways toward her. They seem to walk sideways because they are always brushing up against you. They tend to hide from strangers. They are usually shy.

There is one distinct characteristic that will tell you if have a coydog. Please write to me directly and email me a picture if you can. I have never heard it described in any of these websites.

My address is .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Posted by mick  on  Thu Feb 09, 2006  at  01:52 AM
To the UO student whose dog, Chilly, behaves and looks like a Coydog.

As far as I know there is no genetic test to determine whether your animal is a hybred. You could, however, contact a vet to see if such a test exists. But as someone who has owned hybreds and been around Coydogs, I'd say the behaviors indicate wome sort of mix. My wolf hybred, for example, didn't learn to bark until I got a dog who exhibited this very unwolf behavior. The yipping and yowling is very Coyote-like as well. On the other hand, Coyotes are not casual breeders so if Chilly is a hybred the chances are the breeding was engineered by a humans. Dogs that breed with Coyotes on their own tend to be wild and stay wild. At any rate, it sounds like you have a great animal.
Posted by David Wagstaff  on  Thu Feb 09, 2006  at  08:42 AM
I used to raise Dobermans.. we had litters of pups any month of the year.. for her to say dogs only whelp in the winter tells me she is full of crap. And if she can be that far off.. I seriously doubt her opinion on coydogs.
Posted by donna  on  Sun Mar 12, 2006  at  12:24 PM
Donna. I don't recal anyone saying dogs whelp only once a year. COYOTES only welp once a year (as do all other wild candids that I know of) but DOMESTIC DOGS can whelp 1-2 times a year depending on the breed.

~Seij
Posted by seijun  on  Sun Mar 12, 2006  at  08:15 PM
*test*
Posted by seijun  on  Thu Mar 30, 2006  at  10:57 AM
I'm almost 100% sure my dog, Hoodoo, is a Coydog. I got her in Arizona (mother an Australian Sheperd, father unknown). She does have the look and markings, and her feet definitely say coyote. At 38 pounds she'a about the right size for one. Very intense amber eyes. Barking is more a "second language" to her, but she's done the yipping and "talking" since she was a pup. Timid around strangers. Very skittish, quick to bolt, but extremely loyal to me -- if she's waiting outside and I'm in a store, she won't take her eyes off me, and potential girlfriends (mine) have to meet her approval first. I've had her for 11 years now, and she's quite spoiled. I'd say she's much harder to handle and raise than your average pooch, but she's a great dog.
Posted by EricP  on  Thu Apr 27, 2006  at  10:54 AM
We have 6 coypups. Their mother is pure coyoty, and their father is catahoula cur dog. we have pictures of the mother nursing the pups. We have 2 we are willing to sell. To see a picture click the link below.
http://www.usfreeads.com/513627-cls.html

Or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for more pictures!
Posted by David Ledford  on  Fri Jun 02, 2006  at  03:17 PM
OK, I've read thru this entire post, and it seems to me that really, for the average American consumer, a coyote-cross of ANYTHING is a so-so deal...you MAY end up with something good, or you may end up with Wyle E. Coyote-Dog. (He likes to chase chikens but prairie fowl are too swift).I have kids,and knowing better than to leave them with an unsuperviesed canis familiaris, I can hardly say that i would own a coy-dog (maybe,perhaps sans children)!! Anyway, I love Canis, and honestly, who can dispute that wild ones aren't best left wild...after all, there are so many domestic canis that lend themselves so freely to genetic mainuplation, why seek the wild counterpart? Just for looks and reputation? Who among us has any reccollection of the coyote being anything but a trickster? Tho there may be some individuals who are great pets, most of these crosses will stradle a road few coyotes care to traverse and too wary of humans to bond. What an existance! Really, if you want a dog that mimicks a wolf or something, go for a malamute, sibe or german shep. Seriously....the best family pets are DOGS....for a very good reason. Coyotes are FERAL...beautiful and wild. I'm sure that they can and DO mate with dogs....but, this is not optimal!! Geeze, there are over 150 DOG breeds to choose from...if you can't find one that fits, don't think that a wild animal will be any easier. In my state, you have to obtain a license to house native wildlife. I don't know if that includes crosses, but knowing my @sshole neighbor, I wouldn't even try. He calls zoning on me at the drop of a hat. I don't believe a coyote-dog is a choice I would reccomend to any one....
Posted by kim  on  Sun Jun 18, 2006  at  10:54 PM
if i am correct this must be real coydogs are real. :exclaim:
Posted by Isaiah  on  Sun Jun 25, 2006  at  04:48 PM
Coydogs are definitely real. They are usually mixed with siberian huskys. They make great pets but usually bond to one family member and stick by them no matter what. They are very shy with strangers. Coyotes are not an animal that attacks a human. They are shy. They tend to run from the unknown. But a coydog can be a wonderful pet. I have one.
Posted by JASON  on  Thu Jun 29, 2006  at  08:38 AM
...just wanted to throw my 2 cents in. I was born in Northern British Columbia. My father went to Notre Dame, and had friends that gave him (in 1966) a "lab experiment"...a German german shepard/coyote mix...her name was Maya...and she was the best dog in the world. I still miss her and I'm forty years old!
Posted by Kara  on  Thu Jul 06, 2006  at  02:11 PM
I live in the southwest and we get all sorts of coyote crossbreeds here. My grandparents had a really weird one. It was a chihuahua/coyote mix. Either one brave ratdog or one desperate coyote. Either way Buck was very loyal and put up with a lot. One of the few cases where breeding a domesticated animal with a wild one usually gets a very mild mannered pet. Since coyotes are more scavengers than pack hunters it makes a difference rather than with canines such as wolf crossbreeds.
Posted by Lounge Lizard  on  Sat Jul 08, 2006  at  02:56 PM
hey how much did this chi-yote weigh? how big??
Posted by jay sheckley  on  Sat Jul 08, 2006  at  07:41 PM
Buck was between 6 and 7 lbs and roughly 14 inches at the shoulder.
Posted by Lounge Lizard  on  Sun Jul 09, 2006  at  07:33 PM
Too bad you can't post pics here like some forums.
Would love to see what Buck looked like.
Posted by annie  on  Sun Jul 09, 2006  at  08:12 PM
it makes me sick to hear some of the people in here that have never owned a coydog or wolfdog trying to say they make horrible pets lol nothing makes a hoorible pet if you reasearch them and make sure there good for you and as long as you socialize them right. i know a 90 sum percent wolfdog that is very friendly and outgoing
Posted by nick  on  Thu Jul 20, 2006  at  03:54 PM
Your absolutetly right. I had a Coyote-Chow mix that was a great companion. I now own another dog of the same mix. He's even friendlier than the first one. They aren't related. One came from New Mexico, and the other one hails from Las Vegas. The first one lived to the ripe old age of 15, and the one I have now is about 3. The first dog truly looked like a Coyote, but with a slightly shorter snout. After seeing Coyotes in the wild I realized his gate was also identical to that of a Coyote. He was sired by a wild Coyote and his mother was pure bread Chow. The second one looks nothing like a Coyote. His head is more Chow shaped and he is mostly black with some dark brown markings. His mother was a tame Coyote and his father was a Chow. While neither of these dogs resembled each other at all, they both are/were extremely loyal with and endless supply of unconditional love.
Posted by Michael Welch  on  Thu Jul 20, 2006  at  07:11 PM
Comments: Page 2 of 5 pages  < 1 2 3 4 >  Last ›
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.