[Lycaon]

Hi my name is Samantha and I too am looking to find one of these magnificent dogs. I have done much research over the past four months. After reading the forums I am a little worried about buying a pup without meeting its family (humans and dogs) first. I have four girls from ages 14 to 4. It is just me and them with our rescued dogs and cats, a parrot, two guinea pigs, and a few laying hens. I used to own horses but I had to choose between the cost of the children and the horses. My great grandparents are from the same general region as these animals and I would not be against visiting the Czech Republic but we would have to save up a lot of money (I think) to make such a trip. The camps sound like great fun and since my eldest daughter and I love to hike and camp every chance we get, it would be a perfect vacation. I have never been overseas nor shipped anything there but I have wanted to visit the places of my family's origin for many years: Hungary, Czech Republic, and Germany. We have friends who moved back home to Belgium not too long ago and my daughter thinks Italian men are hunks...I will say no more.
I already own a very shy rescued dog and we adopted her when she was only 5 weeks old. She loves us very much but it is a constant struggle to work with her since she is scared of everyone and everything. The only punishment she has ever needed is a harsh word and she is on her back begging for forgiveness before you finish saying no. The other rescued dog is small and aggressive with strangers but she is not much of a deterent or protector since the most she could do is bite their feet. She has the most dominant personality of any dog or horse I have ever owned, but we have come to an understanding of who the alpha is.
I do not want an aggressive dog, nor a shy one. I want a family companion that is playful and loving and full of mischief like my children. One who loves us so much that if an intruder came into the home he would protect us as I called the police and then helped him out. (if I could) I have considered the Tamaskan breed but I have been told they are somewhat shy.
I truly believe the environment a dog is raised in, the moment they are born, is very important. Which is why I fear simply shipping a dog overseas unless it is a very reputable breeder who is experienced in placing the right pup with the right family. My family is full of female humans and animals that would all adore a sweet loving male pup. I only worry that because I have a shy dog the pup would take on some of the older dog's personality. I have never found this to be true with other dogs I have owned but each breed is different and young dogs sometimes emulate the older ones. You all could be most helpful in that regard.
Our state regulations in North Carolina are a bit relaxed. In fact the only real regulations are that animals with a certain high percentage of wolf blood require a license to own. After speaking with our vet, she told me that they like to have the animal's paperwork to determine what vaccinations, etc. work best. They see a lot of wolf hybrids and there are quite a few in local shelters without hope of adoption due to their aggressive behavior.
I am sorry this is so long, but I wanted you all to know what kind of family we are and that we are serious about this. Money is a bit of an issue but I am in no great hurry. Especially since this is a family member we are looking for. I have plenty of time to make the right decision and save up the money for a trip or shipping. Thank you for reading this very long post I will be keeping track of summer events for next year as well as talking to the airlines and state department guidelines.