She said it’s “not for the faint of heart”
By Jennifer Stoeckl, MAT - Dire Wolf Project CEO, May 20, 2025
You already know the dream...
A majestic DireWolf pup curled beside a fire.
A soft sigh as he drifts off, safe in your home.
The kind of bond that doesn’t just happen — it’s forged.
But here’s what you might not know:
That dream takes work.
Hard, joyful, wild, glorious work.
And last week, our beloved Inner Circle packmate, Jody-Lynn, came out to experience that work firsthand.
She brought her mate Bob, her two American Dirus dogs, Hercules and Finnegan... and left with a heart full of memories, buckets of insight, and one heck of a story.
And what did she discover?
Let’s just say... it changed her.
She came with a suitcase and two DireWolf Dogs.
She left with a deeper understanding of this project than most people ever get to sniff.
Here are the exact words from her experience she wanted me to share with you:
"Just got back from 5 wonderful days at DireWolf headquarters with my husband Bob and our boys Hercules and Finnegan.
I can speak from experience that what Jennifer and Jay do is nothing short of a labor of love. I had no idea what really went into breeding these wonderful dogs!
Up early, water the dogs which is no easy task. You haul water using a 250 gallon tank by loading it on a trailer driving into town. Then you siphon the water into the empty tank. When ready to water the dogs turn the battery on so the water will flow. Haul a long hose to fill each of the 20 or 25 buckets which are attached to each of the five log cabin kennels. Muck out all the kennels and repeat plus feed in the evening.
Add to it running with the Direwolf dogs, training, answering emails, messages, advertising, web pages, figuring out DNA and who should breed with who.
Then there are repairs and upkeep. As well as grocery days or just making a run into town because you need several heavy bags of dog and puppy food.
Puppy breeding is no easy task. Not for the faint of heart.
Now it's off to Miss Cindy Sue's and Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore and home. Then I will finally meet Stanley .
It has been a wonderful experience to spend time at DireWolf headquarters. I would love to spend a month. So much to do. Bob and I kept very busy. Some evenings the boys did not want to get up to go back to the motel. It's a wonderful place."
Now…
Let’s break that down, shall we?
- Pre-dawn water hauls
- Muck buckets
- DNA puzzles
- Endless repairs
- Emails, training, and web-building
- Town runs for food so heavy it could knock over a moose
...And somehow, through it all, Jay and I still manage to laugh, love, train, and keep every dog and puppy cared for with the devotion of a true alpha pair.
So if you’ve ever wondered...
“What REALLY goes into raising an American Dirus puppy?”
Jody now has a clear answer.
Real lived truth.
The Dire Wolf Project isn’t a factory.
It isn’t a fairytale.
And it isn’t a walk in the park.
It’s a lifestyle.
A living, breathing, deeply moving mission to bring back something wild and make it gentle.
And Jody saw that with her own eyes.
So what do we have coming up next at Dire Wolf Project headquarters?
Next week, 500 letters are going out all across the country.
They’re heartfelt. Sincere. Curious. Mysterious.
But you — yes you, Inner Circle trailblazer — are already ahead of the pack.
You’ve tasted the story behind the letter.
And maybe, just maybe…
Your future puppy is already dreaming of you.
Snuggled in a crate.
Tummy full.
Waiting for the howl that says, “Come find me.”
And remember, only those who apply, become approved, and place their $600 deposit before June 1 will unlock the $4,200 in jaw-dropping, tail-wagging, life-changing bonuses.
Start the process here:
https://direwolfproject.com/puppy-application/
Until then, run true!
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.
Hercules in the Ponderosa pine forest
Finnegan (Prince Ahmed) in the Ponderosa pine forest