American Alsatian - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
The American Alsatian is a dog breed developed by the Dire Wolf Project. The goal was to create a dog, that will resemble the prehistoric Dire Wolf, but that will be completely domesticated and that will make perfect companion dog. The first breeds used in the breeding process were Alaskan Malamutes and German Shepherds. Later, this new dog was also crossed with Great Pyrenees, Irish Wolfhound, English Mastiff or Anatolian Shepherd.​

2) Dire Wolves
Even though some poeple might think that dire wolves are mythical creatures, they actually existed and it is believed that last dire wolves extinct approximatelly 10 000 years ago. The first specimen was found in 1850s. And the American Alsatian should resemble this old and today already extinct Dire Wolves.

3) Companion dog
Of course, it would be almost impossible to live with an animal with the temperament of the true Dire Wolf, especially in the modern times. That is why, the American Alsatian only resemble the Dire Wolf, but their temperament is completely different. This is actually extremely good companion dog, because they are known for their gentle, friendly and loyal dogs. These dogs should not be very dominant, which is good for obedience training. The American Alsatian is pretty courageous and brave, but they should never be agressive without a reason. This is also a good companion for other dogs in the family or even kids, but of course, you should never leave a young child with any dog breed unsupervised.

4) Working dog
From the beginning, the American Alsatian was bred to become companion dog, which is why they are not good choice for a working breed. They do not have high prey drive and they are not the biggest workers. But they still can be a good choice for some dog related jobs, because the American Alsatian can create good therapy dog and assistance dog. And with proper training, they can become good guards as well.

5) Size
It is said, that this is the largest real companion dog and it is probably true, because most of the giant breeds are protectors or hunters. The average height of the American Alsatian should be between 25-32 inch, which is 63-81 cm and weight should always be above 85 pounds, which is 39 kg. Females are naturally little bit smaller than males.

6) Coat
The American Alsatian has a thick doublecoat and the coat is different in cold and hot climate. The winter coat is long, harsh and very thick. It should be wooly, and the fur should be longer around his neck. The summer coat is much shorter and thinner and the undercoat almost entirely sheds out. BTW, this is pretty high shedding breed, especially seasonally, so be prepared for a lot of brushing.

7) Long puppyhood
The Ameircan Alsatian usually grows up slowly and they are physically fully matured at about three years old, which is quite late if we compare it to other dogs. But it is not that rare for giant dog breeds to mature slowly

8) Recognition
Today, the American Alsatian is not only a crossbreed, because there is more than 5 generations with similar appearance and temperament. And even though, this breed is not recognized by any major kennel club yet, it is probably just matter of time. BTW, the official American Alsatian club is called National American Alsatian Breeders Association.

9) Color
The most desirable American Alsatian color is wolf grey, but you can find this breed in other colors as well. The American Alsatian comes in Wolf grey, silver sable, gray sable, golden sable, tri sable, solid cream and silver.

10) Health
The original breeder tried to make this breed as healthy as possible, which should be a goal of all the breeders. And indeed, the American Alsatian is usually a very healthy dog breed, with average lifespan between 12-14 years. Just like all dogs, even the American Alsatian can suffer from some health issues, for example hip and elbow dysplasia, Panosteitis and epilepsy.