Our Commitment

The Dire Wolf Project is a committed project developed in partnership with DireWolf Dogs, Int'l and our founder, Lois Schwarz. Along with a consistently unique large companion dog temperament and great health, the goal of DireWolf Dogs, Int'l is to recreate the exact bone and body structure of the large prehistoric Dire Wolf. The breeding method employed by members of the DireWolf Dogs, Int'l will use only established domestic dog breeds to breed back the large, round bones, massive feet, and broad head found in the skeletal structure of Dire wolves studied by prominent paleontologists throughout North America. No wolf, wolf-dog cross of any percentage or domesticated dog with recent wolf ancestry will be used; that includes the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, the Saarloos Wolfhound, Alaskan Noble Companion Dog, Lupo Italiano, Kunming Wolfdog, Tamaskan Dog, Northern Inuit, Utonogan, Blue Bay Shepherd, or the Japanese Wolfdog.

Along with the Dire Wolf bone and body structure, the coat of the American Dirus shall resemble the silver, cream or black timber wolves we see today. Science has not yet been able to reveal the color of the extinct Dire Wolf, but there are currently two theories for coat color depending on where the Dire Wolf may have originated. The Dire Wolf project will choose to use the wolf look most familiar to cultures around the world. This includes the black tipped tail, silver to black sable coloring, yellow to light green eyes and a wolf mask.

The Dire Wolf Project is a long-term project, which shall advance slowly over an unknown period of time. The important health and temperament features of the American Dirus will forever remain a higher priority over the Dire Wolf look. When the external features of the American Dirus make an advancement toward the Dire Wolf appearance, DireWolf Dogs, Int'l is committed to any necessary re-establishment of critical health and temperament traits. A constant re-assessment between the health and temperament of the American Dirus is critical to the Dire Wolf Project.