In the 1990's, there was an increase in the amount of advertisements offering "Wolf Hybrid" pups for sale. As the recent "Pit Bull"horror stories from an over zealous tabloid press emerged, the RSPCA and other authorities grabbed the chance to try and have many people prosecuted and thier dogs confiscated under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act.Because of all the controversy surrounding any wolfy looking dogs,a group of people got together to try to safeguard the future of a paticular line of these dogs.
The dogs were given the name "Northern Inuit Dog"due to the Northern breeds and Inuit type dogs that where used to create this breed.Two of these original Inuit types were imported to the UK from The USA as "Wolf Hybrid Dogs" and there ensuing progeny were sold up and down the country as "Wolf Hybrids",it is very dubious as to whether there was any wolf content in the breed.
At the time of the NI being established,one of the breed founders,Julie Kelham, had the local authorities hammering at her door,trying to seize her dogs as dangerous wild animals.Although they went away empty handed, it resulted in a court case being brought against her at the local magistrates court on the 20th June 1998. At this time,the NI was well established as a breed of dog and not as a Wolf Hybrid. The end result of the court case was a not guilty verdict due to the fact that it could not be proven that there was any wolf content in the breed.
The NI has since flourished and is rapidly gaining in popularity,therefore,the Northern Inuit Society was formed to govern the breeding and well being of this wonderful dog,although,some members,in the past,were obviously not satisfied with the NI as it was,and went on to cross thier dogs with other breeds,which resulted in several splits,and breeds such as the Utonagan, British Inuit and the Tamaskan groups being formed.The NI Society believes that crossing the NI with any other breed woula be detrimental to them and we are quite satisfied with the Ni as it is!
So, the question still remains,"is there any wolf content in the NI"?this is the question that many people ask,and the truthful answer is,it really is impossible to say,if there is it is so far back that it would be diluted to almost 0%,although some people would prefer that we steer well away from the wolf question,we are proud that our breed resembles the wolf in looks and of the unanswered question"Is there or isn't there??????.
(Original Text written by Julie Kelham & Sue Sutton)