Sacchetto the Coydog (domestic dog /Coyote hybrid)
The Coydog is not a purebred dog. It is a cross between the domestic dog and the coyote. The best way to determine the temperament of a mixed breed is to look up all breeds in the cross and know you can get any combination of any of the characteristics found in either breed. Anyone owning a Coydog hybrid should study up on canine behavior and make sure to fulfill the animal’s instincts along with being a firm, confident pack leader at all times.
The Coydog is a mix between the wild coyote and the domestic dog. Coydogs usually have very piercing eyes. They are said to be not generally playful or outgoing. Anyone keeping one of these dogs needs to be a 100% firm, confident, consistent pack leader. Weak-minded people will run into problems. This animal needs someone who understands natural dog behavior and will work with the instincts of the dog. Without someone who is stronger-minded, calm but very authoritatively firm, you will end up with a dog that is quick to bite in fearful situations where it feels threatened, angry or afraid. They may end up with nervous, shy or fearful personalities. Coydogs are not a good choice of a pet for most people, as most people do not have the knowledge regarding natural canine instinct and/or are not strong minded enough to take one of these animals on.
NOTE: Some claim the Coydog to be an urban legend, while others beg to differ. It is a genetic fact that dogs, coyotes and wolves can mate, subsequently producing fertile offspring, however the argument is, mating cycles of the two species differ: coyotes go in to heat between January and March and have pups in May or June, while most domestic dogs have their pups in the winter. This theory is not foolproof however, as some dog breeds go into heat twice a year. Others say social habits of the domestic dog and the coyote make the possibility of mating rare. Wild coyotes are not that likely to become friendly with a domestic dog; they are more likely to eat the dog. Female coyotes go into heat once a year. Male coyote sperm count remains dormant or very low for most of the year. In the spring it raises for about 2 months in conjunction with the female coyote’s heat cycle. Male coyotes are known to stay with one female mate for the entire season and have been seen assisting in the care of the puppies. However, it is possible for coyotes and domestic dogs to mate. For example, if a male coyote comes into contact with a large female domestic dog that is in heat and there are no other female coyotes around for the male to mate with, or if a large male domestic dog comes into contact with a lone female coyote, it is genetically and theoretically possible for them to produce a litter of puppies.
D.Jay the Coydog (coyote / Heeler hybrid) at about 6 months old—D.Jay's mom is a Heeler and his dad is a coyote.
A note from D.Jay's owners;"We live on 80 acres in Alberta. We are in the middle of nowhere. I call it GOD's country. There is almost no land left like ours around here as many subdivisions with houses on about 2 to 5 acres are being built. The coyotes are losing their homes to these new subdivisions; so they are now moving to the open land. We have a huge population of coyotes in this area. They are seen in the daytime in people's yards, which is very unusual for their breed. Hunger has made them very bold in our parts. But here in Alberta, the people are allowed to poison them and also have programs to control the population. In other words, it's just a way to kill these animals so people can invade their habitat. This is just my point of view as others will argue with me that the coyotes are pesty creatures that dig through their garbage and are even known for killing small family pets. We got this adorable pup (D.Jay) when he was about 6 weeks old from our neighbor, who actually found her female with a coyote male. He has grown up with our 4 kids and our other 4 dogs. He is very friendly and loyal to our family. He does not fight with other dogs but he does have his own little quirks. Since a pup D.Jay had dug holes around our house and it is there that he sleeps at night, always curled into a tight ball (unless I sneak him to the house to sleep with me; even then he curls into a tight ball and sleeps closely to my side). When someone drives into the yard the other dogs bark and run around the car while D.Jay will run behind the house and hide until he knows it is someone we know or if it is safe to come back to the front of the house. It is not until then that D.Jay will return and then his tail wags and everyone gets kisses. Even though he does not howl he has a very different bark or growl than a pure dog. It is throaty and high; it is almost comical. We are all happy that we got a dog as special as D.Jay. I find there is nothing more beautiful than to be in bed at night with the windows open listening to the coyotes howl. It is such a mystical sound."
D.Jay the Coydog (coyote / Heeler hybrid) at about 6 months old
D.Jay the Coydog (coyote / Heeler hybrid) at about 6 months old
Sacchetto the Coydog (domestic dog / coyote hybrid) was found abandoned and left to die in a plastic bag when she was only 2 months old. Her owner says, "A young couple walking their dog (an Afghan) in West LA passed by a moving plastic bag in the road and checked it out and found her. Sacchetto means "little bag" in Italian (often little plastic bag). Here in Los Angeles apparently it's a big thing to bring your female shepherd who is in heat up to the Hollywood hills and leave her there tied up so she will mate with a male coyote. She has the total personality of a coyote—though not the piercing eyes. She is EXTREMELY shy and timid of ANYONE but me. Her back legs sort of go off to the side when she runs, as do coyotes. She is smarter than she is even aware of. I can't even explain it, but she is very intelligent. I also have a Doberman who is very smart, too, but nothing compared to Sacchetto. Unfortunately, she seems to have taken on the hips of the German Shepherd in her, as she was diagnosed with severe degenerative hip disease this past December. Acupuncture is helping a lot, so is the raw food diet I just switched all of them on to. My holistic/Western vet suggested that due to the coyote in her, she would probably do very well on the raw food diet. So I've switched them all (I have a pack of 4)."
Sacchetto the Coydog (domestic dog / coyote hybrid)
Sacchetto the Coydog (domestic dog / coyote hybrid)
Sacchetto the Coydog (domestic dog / coyote hybrid)
Sacchetto the Coydog (domestic dog / coyote hybrid)
Aiko the Coydog (Coyote / German Shepherd Dog mix) at 7 years old—"Aiko was born in Texas after some coyotes came in and mated with purebred German shepherds. The breeders (my husband's Aunt and Uncle) did not want the mix breed puppies so they gave away the coydogs, Aiko was given to us. She is as sweet as can be. She gets along very well with other dogs, but does not play like a traditional domestic dog, for example she does not fetch or have interest in toys at all. She does like to run around the yard and chase her "brother" dog. She enjoys sniffing out road kill and bringing back "presents" for us more than our other dog does. She will mimic howls when we do it. There is even a song we wrote that involves howling, we trained her to howl during the song and now she starts howling as soon as the song begins! She is well behaved and very 'dainty'. Many people say she looks like a fox. We love her VERY much!"
Aiko the Coydog (Coyote / German Shepherd Dog mix) at 7 years old
"We first found Axle in South Dakota out on a reservation. Axle was all skin and bones, he had worms as well. We took him to a local vet and was told he might be a coydog as it was supposedly common in the area. Axle is afraid of other dogs but warms up after a few visits. His tail also was docked. He's very good at hearding so I'm not quite sure if he's mixed with German Shepherd or red Heeler. I found a picture on this website of a dog named Aiko who looks exactly like him, which was a German Shepherd coyote mix. Axle is truly the best dog we have ever had, great snuggler, fantastic off the leash."
"I adopted Lanto from my local pound when he was three months old (he is now 5 months) and was informed he was a Border Collie mix. It wasn't until three weeks later when I noticed some odd things about him that I went back to the pound to try to find out more information on him. It turned out that his previous owners had a female Border Collie that mated with a coyote that had been investigating their property for months. Although it was frustrating that they had not told me this when I adopted him, I was glad to be able to explain his behavior. Lanto has always been suspicious of people, hiding in corners, no matter how often I try to socialize him. He also howls or yips instead of barking. I have yet to hear him bark. He has the distinctive large ears and yellow eyes like a coyote that I just fell in love with.
"Despite the negative attention coyotes get I wouldn't give Lanto up for the world. He is loving and intelligent, smarter than any other dog I have ever owned. I live on two acres of un-fenced land and he is great at staying on the property. He loves running around chasing small rodents (sometimes bringing one home and dropping at my feet as a gift for me) and the chickens that stray into the yard. Lanto does require a firm hand but that is to be expected. I am constantly having to let him know who is alpha, but he is worth the effort. I love my little Coydog and am looking forward to watching him grow into a life-long companion."
