He’s leaving us for good today... 😢

Dublin

Today, the den feels a little quieter.

Because today, our great giant boy Dublin begins his journey home to Arizona.

And while my heart swells with happiness for him, there is also that familiar ache that comes when a beloved member of the pack steps onto a new trail.

If you didn’t know, Dublin represents something deeply important here at the Dire Wolf Project.

He is a second-generation descendant of Opal, the Lab and Shepherd cross we introduced to the project several years ago.

That particular cross was chosen specifically by both Lois and myself to introduce genetic diversity, improve overall health, and reinforce stable, people-oriented temperaments while preserving the size, presence, and working intelligence essential to the Dire Wolf Project’s long-term goals.

Basically, it was about strengthening the foundation beneath the breed itself.

And boy was the project rewarded for that unrelated genetic addition.

Opal brought us extraordinary gifts.

• Genetic diversity.
• Clean, clear DNA.
• Excellent overall health without hypothyroidism.
• A deep desire to remain close to her people rather than wander independently.
• Alertness without nervousness.
• Webbed feet reminiscent of wild canids adapted to varied terrain.
• Striking bright yellow eyes.
• Dominant black coloration.
• A short, straight, thick tail that carried itself with confidence.

She also brought traits we knew we would need to sculpt away over time.

• Increased prey drive and energy.
• Lighter bone structure.
• Narrower head shapes.
• Drop ears from the Labrador side.
• A tendency to use the mouth like a hand.
• Increased vocalization.
• Short coat length.
• Rounded eyes.
• Smaller feet.
• Black spotting on the tongue.

This is what STRONGBRED™ means.

The deliberate, systematic introduction of unrelated dog breeds at strategic moments in the breed is vital to retain genetic diversity and improve the breed over time.

What many people never realize is that despite Opal’s smaller stature, no small-size genes were identified on her DNA.

When she was paired with Shiloh, formerly Monstro, something remarkable happened…

She produced giant offspring who grew to tower over their dam in both height and substance.

Our first-generation dominant black male, Chisel, stands as one of the most beautiful proofs of that crossbred pairing.

Chisel’s calm, gentle, affectionate nature allowed us to immediately soften and correct several temperament tendencies that can emerge from a Lab and Shepherd background.

He became a stabilizing force, a steady presence, and a cornerstone for moving this line forward.

Dublin is one of Opal’s grandsons through Chisel, and he exceeds even his father in size.

He is enormous, soft-hearted, and a little bit goofy in the most endearing way.

He bonds deeply, loves fully, and carries himself with an easy happiness that makes people smile the moment they meet him.

His ears never stood, and that is just fine.

Perfection in this breed has never been about rigid symmetry.

It has always been about genetic harmony.

And Dublin has already given us so much.

Puppies like Alice and Sprocket carry his legacy forward.

Photo: Sprocket

And most recently, the fourteen puppies of the Big Dog litter.

If you recall, this litter was intentionally planned as an inbred trial mating to begin the long, careful work of eliminating hypothyroidism from the breed.

If we are successful, Dublin’s immense contribution will echo powerfully through generations.

His name will be spoken of in scientific papers describing the disease elimination process long after his paw prints have faded from our own soil.

Photo: Dublin

For all these years, Dublin has given generously of himself.

Now it is his turn to rest, soak up the sunshine, and enjoy a life centered entirely around being loved.

His short, self-cleaning coat will suit the warmth of Arizona perfectly.

I cannot wait to hear about the adventures that await him there.

Welcome to the good life, my boy.

We are so proud of you, and we will miss you more than words can hold.

Please keep Jay in your prayers as he makes the two-day drive south, traveling through Washington, eastern Oregon, Idaho, Utah, across the red canyon country, past the Grand Canyon, and down into northern Arizona toward Phoenix.

May the road be kind, the weather calm, and the miles pass swiftly beneath his wheels.

And if you would like to support the continued work of the Dire Wolf Project™, there are many meaningful items waiting for you in our gift shop, each one a small way to carry this journey with you.

https://shop.direwolfproject.com/collections/all

Thank you for walking this path with us, and for loving these dogs as deeply as we do.

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.