Not all legends are extinct.
By Jennifer Stoeckl, MAT - Dire Wolf Project CEO, April 14, 2025
There are moments in history when time seems to fold in on itself—when the veil thins, and something ancient stirs.
Today, you stand on the edge of such a moment.
Every once in a great while, nature stirs… and something ancient walks the earth again.
Meet Lincoln — the newest male to rise from our lineage.
His body is cloaked in the black shadows of an ancient forest.
His bones are thick, his paws massive like he once tread across Ice Age permafrost.
His mind is keen and his gaze thoughtful.
He is not some fantasy forged in CGI.
He is real.
Alive.
And born from over 30 years of tireless, quiet labor in the dens of the Dire Wolf Project™.
But unlike the modern gray wolf, Lincoln carries no whisper of the wild in his blood.
His heart is 100% pure domesticated companion — steady, loving, trustworthy.
His mind is sharp as obsidian.
His love—fierce and unwavering.
His loyalty—etched into his very marrow.
He is the culmination of over 30 years of relentless, reverent, and resolute dedication.
Not marketing hype.
Not fame.
Not shortcuts.
No gray wolf content.
Ever.
Only the ancient lineage.
The real kind.
What about all the other wolf-look-a-like dog breeds?
- Northern Inuit Dog
- Utonagon
- Tamaskan Dog
- North American Indian Dog
- Noble Alaskan Companion Dog
- Tundra Shepherd
- Blue Bay Shepherd
- Czechoslovakian Wolfdog
- Saarloos Wolfdog
- Timber Shepherd
They ALL rely on modern wolf content, blending in unpredictable, high-drive wild genetics to get the look. (Despite what they say.)
But here at the Dire Wolf Project, we do things differently.
The hard way.
Nature’s way.
One generation at a time.
With an emphasis on a soft, biddable, gentle, sweet, loving, intelligent, devoted, and submissive family companion dog.
But don’t take my word for it.
Here’s what Sköll’s owners had to say last week during all the hype about the new genetically modified “dire wolves.”
”Today's email on Trolls really get under my skin. It's obvious they haven't taken the time to read and research this 'strong breed' to realize this is a family dog to resemble the Dire, but not be of ANY wolf content, etc. That's what we wanted, but firstly, we wanted a family, a calm dog devoted to us. Not a high energy working dog that needs to be constantly worked. My husband Scott (Wald), is a disabled Veteran. MSG of 22+ years, and a wonderful man. When Jay stopped here, & stayed overnight with ALL the Monster Movie litter on his Polar Express delivery trip, Jay got to see the home our new addition (Sköll) would have, along with his new wolfpack, Scott, myself & Jakob. It seems like yesterday! But prior to all this, I was talking 5 +/- years ago to my sister, explaining we would like a dog, but not just any dog. I gave her a list of our needs/wants, (she is as close to a dog encyclopedia as it gets). She said "oh, you may want to look into an American Alsatian". I never forgot that conversation and when Scott and I began the research, we found The Dire Wolf Project and your puppies/family, really were everything we could imagine of what we wanted to open our home to. So getting back to my husband and I, we love camping and all that fun stuff, but over 50, we aren't high energy people. But I will say a 125+ lbs puppy doesn't understand his boundaries all the time---but we laugh. Sköll is still a joy. He just turned 10 months on Sunday. We go for walks on the paths, and EVERY TIME, we are stopped to ask what breed he is, if he is friendly (yet he will stand by our side smiling), and if he is part wolf (No joke!). People are intrigued. I think Sköll has a "following" here in our neighborhood cuz walkers go by and will say "hi Sköll we were hoping to run into you today ". I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen this with my own eyes and ears. Yes, I'm gushing. Thank you for all you do for this Dire Wolf Project. Thank you for giving us our Sköll. He is everything you said he'd be and more.”
Did you read that?!
Sköll is only 10 months old!
And weighs 125 lbs!
He still does puppy stuff, but is exactly what I said he would be.
That’s because we do not take shortcuts.
We breed ancient traits forward, generation by generation, through intelligence, devotion, and legacy.
We don’t chase fame.
We don’t spend millions on advertising.
We don’t boast celebrity endorsements or flashy hype.
Instead, we chase something much more powerful:
TRUTH!
This breed was built by hand and heart — passed down from mother to daughter.
Our dogs don’t just look like ancient wolves.
They feel like them — steady, quiet, powerful, mysterious… but with the soul of a gentle and loyal, modern-day companion.
Not only that, but we guarantee the genetic health of every American Dirus dog.
Not just for now, but for life.
And every pup is placed by hand into loving arms, not sold to the highest bidder.
We don’t just breed dogs.
We honor the ancient.
We preserve the past to protect the future.
So if you’re new to the Dire Wolf Project… welcome!
You’ve just stumbled upon a pearl hidden deep in the sediment of time.
Not everyone sees it.
Not everyone understands.
But if you feel the call, then perhaps you were always meant to find us.
The Dire Wolf Project is more than a dog breeding program.
It is a mission, a stand, a living howl against the hubris of man.
And Lincoln?
He is our living monument to that mission.
A black ghost of a bygone era... returned, not to haunt, but to heal.
But before you return to the life that awaits, we have a male puppy for sale right now that will look very similar to Lincoln.
His name is March Wind.
A spirit born of the Cherry Blossom litter.
A name as soft as the breeze he’s named for, yet with the quiet strength of stone beneath.
With slanted yellow eyes that gleam like sunlight through a glacial mist, and ears tipped skyward in the promise of things to come, this boy isn’t one to charge into the world with reckless abandon.
No, he watches. He learns. He devotes.
March Wind is a soft-hearted soul, the kind of companion who will press his weight against you when you’re weary and follow you anywhere, so long as you’ve earned his trust.
He isn’t bold—but neither is he afraid.
He stands at the edge of the world with you, ready to grow, ready to bond, and ready to become the legend he was born to be.
His black coat shimmers with hidden silver, as if moonlight has threaded itself through his fur.
One day, he will wear the same regal cloak as Lincoln.
Could March Wind be the echo your heart’s been howling for?
You can see March Wind and all of his siblings on our latest video for MOVIE MONDAY!
And if you are interested in learning more about March Wind, check out all of our puppies for sale here:
https://direwolfdogs.com/dogs-for-sale/puppies/
P.S. There appears to be a glitch in the computer code for March Wind’s and Equinox’s profiles. I’m working on the fix. If you have any questions about any of our puppies for sale, just reply and let me know.
Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.