For over 25 years, the National American
Alsatian Breeder's Club has been overseeing a project to replicate the
physical characteristics of the extinct dire wolf.
Thu, Mar 28 2013
The Dire Wolf Project
While dire wolves have gained immense
popularity over the last couple years thanks to HBO's hit series "Game
of Thrones," many people still have no idea that these animals derive
from our own world - and less the one of fantasy dreamed up by
author George R. R. Martin.
For an estimated 1.79 million years, dire wolves roamed North
America - averaging five feet in length and weighing between one hundred
and ten pounds to one hundred and seventy-five pounds. They were
roughly 25% larger than today's largest gray wolf, with a head that was
broader, larger in size, and heavier. 10,000 years ago, along with
mammals like mammoths and mastodons, the dire wolf went extinct - but at
least one effort is underway to replicate what they may have looked
like.
Since 1988, The Dire Wolf project
has been working to create a domesticated large breed of dog that
mimics the feral characteristics of its ancient cousin. The first litter
crossed an Alaskan Malamute with a German Shepherd. Subsequent mixings
gave rise to a new breed called the "American Alsatian." With the "Game
of Thrones" craze has come immense worldwide interest in the breed - but
organizers are quick to point out a few key differences.
"The series is a bit misleading in its interpretation of the Dire
Wolf," the official project website states." The wolves portrayed in the
Game of Thrones series do not resemble Dire Wolves and should not be
confused with Dire Wolf size and build. Some of the most obvious
features lacking in the wolves deemed to be Dire Wolves are that they
possess thin muzzles, legs, and bodies. While this is indicative of the
more fleet of foot Gray Wolf, it does not reflect the size and mass of
the Dire Wolf build. The Dire Wolf had shorter, thicker legs as well as a
larger head and broader muzzle."
Nevertheless, American Alsatians are in demand - with growing waiting lists for puppies costing from $1,000-$3,000. Wired's Rachel Edidin recently got close and personal
with some young Alsatians and described them as "noticeably calm,"
adding that many end up as "companion or therapy dogs for owners with
special needs."
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