Stuffed Wolves & Facts

While a plush dog might seem like a better choice when it comes to canine soft toys, there is a lot to be said about choosing toy stuffed wolves instead. After all, dogs are descendants of the wolf and as is the case, having a stuffed wolf lends itself to one terrific opportunity to learn about these fearsome creatures.

Despite their similar looks, wolves and dogs are not the same. A dogs ears are usually large and floppy, though some breeds have ears that stand straight up and are pointy. A wolfs ears, however, are rounded and always stand straight up. They are also filled with fur which cannot be said about a dogs ear. A wolfs eyes are typically bright blue by the time they are three weeks of age but as adults they go from pale yellow to amber and sometimes orange or even brown. The one common trait, in particular amongst grey wolves, is that their face is quite broad and their nose is long.

Despite the name grey wolf, don't be fooled into thinking that grey is the only color of this wolf species. They can range in color from pitch black to white (mostly wolves found in the Arctic), to brown or golden with bands of black and white mixed in. The stuffed wolves found in online stores have a lovely brown and tan coat and a grey coat - either one is an exceptional purchase.

A wolfs fur coat is designed in two layers the upper or top layer is made of long, tough hairs that help repel snow, water and dirt. It is this layer that contains their color pigment and gives them their coloring. Their inner layer of fur is much more dense, soft, and thick comparable to wool. It works by trapping air thus allowing the wolf to be insulated from the cold, in temperatures that most humans would not be able to survive. To keep them cool in the summer months, the inner layer of fur will shed. To encourage the loose fur to fall out, a wolf will often rub up against a tree branch or rock.

Essentially, wolves are wild canids. How they evolved is somewhat of a mystery to biologists though it is believed that they developed from a primitive type of carnivore called Miacids. Miacids were gopher-sized to dog-sized animals and lived 52 million years ago. The appearance of the first canid came very late in the evolutionary period of the miacids it was called the dawn-wolf. It looked like a fox and could both live in and climb trees. There are some experts who believe that canids originated in North America and from there, spread to Asia and South America. Others are of the belief that a small type of wolf originally came from Alaska and crossed into Siberia where the grey wolf we know today, eventually developed.

No matter their origins, wolves are here to stay, so long as we continue to ensure their survival. Stuffed wolves, if nothing else, are a great tribute to these often misunderstood animals. While you could never hug one out in the wild, you can do all the hugging you want with toy stuffed wolves and, you will only be the better for it.