It was officially recognized as a national breed in Slovakia in 1982, and was officially recognised as a breed by Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) in 1989.

And so our story begins.

A story, far removed from the normal everyday activity of the average pet owner, living and loving the plethora of domestic animals cared for in millions, if not billions of homes worldwide.

This brief moment in time dips into the life of one very special four legged friend.

A friend as complex in nature and habitat as the ferule wolf, yet as beautiful in kind as any home reared pet that could ever exist in family life. Indeed, a friend having one important exception.

This four legged friend is unique, he’s special, he’s aged, he’s big, really big; but most of all, he is an out and out 87.5% Grey Wolf.

His family name is “Yuki”. Abandoned at eight months old by his original owners living on Florida’s east coast, Yuki ended up in a Florida high-kill shelter.

Yuki is absolutely Wolf. He’s also a little bit Dog, but to be sure, his DNA results have cast in him, a true identity without any shadow of doubt, that he is indeed, the true, unequivocal perfect hybrid example of the enigmatic much misunderstood; “WolfDog”.

This wonderful animal now lives his days in care. Don’t ask about his formative existence. That is Yuki’s secret, whether it is one of human kindness or one of suppression and constant struggle, wherever the reality sits, a glimpse into Yuki’s eyes will never reveal the twain.

He is a champion of virtue, the proverbial Gentle Giant, the delicate Shy Wolf. To know Yuki’s trust is to learn about real affection without conditions, that’s how it is in life; we know it in literature as “true love”.

There is and always will be an eventual end to everything known. Creation, the Universe as we understand it, you, me and what’s more, in this edit, the acceptable end for Yuki as he lives out his senior years at the Sanctuary.

What stands out so respectfully for me in the light of Yuki and his current predicament of daily life under the protection of the “Shy Wolf Sanctuary USA” is the volume of volunteers ready to give time and affection to an estranged ragged looking old animal wolf.