Tamaskan Dogs — Wolfdogs of the Ebon Blade

In addition to breeding wolfdogs, we also occasionally have litters of Tamaskan Dogs, registered with the Tamaskan Dog Regsiter (TDR) and the American Rare Breed Association (ARBA).

We are registered with the Tamaskan Dog Register under the kennel name “Tamaskans of the Ebon Blade.”

What is the Tamaskan Dog?

Tamaskan Dogs are a rare breed of dog that is specifically bred to resemble a wolf-like dog, while also filling the role of an athletic companion animal who can easily adapt to your lifestyle. The Tamaskan Dog breed began in 2006, and has since gained recognition with several Kennel Clubs in North America:
American Rare Breed Association (ARBA)
Kennel Club of the United States of America (KCUSA)
International Canine Events (ICE)
International All Breed Canine Association (IABCA)
International Canine Kennel Club (ICKC)
Tamaskan Dogs who are registered with the TDR and ITR are eligible for registration with ARBA, whose registration is reciprocated by KCUSA, ICE, IABCA, and ICKC. This means that, as long as your dog is registered with the TDR and/or ITR, they are able to register and compete with conformation shows and other events hosted by all of the above Kennel Clubs. The Tamaskan Dog breed has chosen not to seek AKC, CanKC, FCI, or UKC registration at this time, due to those Kennel Clubs’ strict restrictions on outcrossing programs for the breeds in their registries.
Since the Tamaskan Dog is a relatively young breed, it has not yet developed unique genetic markers that would label them as “purebred” on a DNA test, such as Embark or Wisdom Panel. Embark Vet’s team of geneticists stated that it generally takes dozens of generations within a relatively closed gene pool before a unique breed signature can mutate and spread within the breed’s population. Our breed is not only fairly new, but also has open studbooks to allow for a strong Outcrossing program, with the goal of increasing our genetic diversity within the breed, and introducing new desirable traits into the breed. This will allow breeders to further develop and refine the Tamaskan Dog breed in future generations, but it also means that the Tamaskan Dog breed is unlikely to develop unique genetic markers. This is why bloodlines and registration are very closely monitored and controlled by the five official registries worldwide.
Pictured is GP Int’l Nat Ch Tarheel Queen Of Hearts (“Talia”), owned and loved by us, Katie and Dustin Beaver.

DSC_0324_(2)[1].jpg — The Tamaskan Dog breed has a lot of northern breed influence in certain lines, herding breed influence in other lines, and some lines are more known for having a little bit higher or lower wolf content compared to the breed’s general population. Wolf content within the Tamaskan Dog breed ranges from 0% to approximately 30%. The TDR and ITR passed a new rule in 2018 that limits the percentage of Gray Wolf in new Outcross Dogs to approximately 30% or less. This rule also applies to Tamaskan Dog litters - no litter may be produced that would create Tamaskan Dogs who are 30% or higher in Gray Wolf content. Outcross Dogs, which are pure breeds or mixed breeds outside of the Tamaskan Dog breed, are considered and approved on a case-by-case basis by each individual registry.
Some breeders specifically focus on producing litters of registered Tamaskan Dogs that have 0% wolf content, as verified by Embark Vet DNA testing and the UC Davis wolf hybrid genetic test. If you live in an area where wolf-mixed dogs are NOT allowed, seeking out a breeder with a 0% wolf content litter planned would be the best step forward!
Tamaskan Dogs are not universally recognized by Country, State/Province, and local law enforcement as purebred dogs, so many anti-wolfdog laws DO apply to Tamaskan Dogs. It is always imperative to contact your Country, State/Province, and local law enforcement agencies to verify the legality of owning a wolf-mixed dog where you live.
It is important to note that, although they do make an effort to cooperate and collaborate when possible, each registry is in fact separate. There are five total official governing bodies for the Tamaskan Dog breed worldwide. The other official registries are the International Tamaskan Register (ITR), Nederlandse Tamaskan Club (also known as the Dutch Tamaskan Club)(NTC), Tamaskan Germany e.V., and Interessengemeinschaft Tamaskan e.V. (IG). Breeders are allowed to register with more than one registry if they wish and must adhere to the unique rules, regulations, and Breeder’s Ethics contracts of each registry they register with in order to stay in good standing and continue registering their litters. We are registered with the TDR.
Although each registered Tamaskan Dog breeder is required to adhere to our international Breed Standard, breeders may also choose to focus their specific line or breeding program on traits, behaviors, drives, appearances, wolf content (within the accepted 0-30% limit), or lack of wolf content, that they find important for their program. It is important to get to know the breeder and their dogs, and learn about what the breeder’s goals are for their litters.
Pictured is Sylvaen Tarth (“Reckless”), owned and loved by us, Katie and Dustin Beaver.

Rowan pic.jpg — How do you find a reputable Tamaskan Dog breeder?

Starting at the official websites for the five official Tamaskan Dog registries worldwide will guarantee that you can contact only breeders who are registered with those breed registries. The official Tamaskan Dog breed registries each have strict codes of ethics, health testing and temperament testing requirements, and share a cohesive breed standard that ALL registered breeders must adhere to. This ensures a baseline of good quality and ethical breeding in every registered Tamaskan Dog litter that is produced, for the safety, well-being, and improvement of not only the individual Tamaskan Dogs produced, but for the long-term benefit of the breed as a whole.
When you support and/or recommend NON-registered breeders who claim to produce Tamaskan Dogs, you are 100% supporting unethical breeding practices. Here are some of the most common scenarios for why a breeder would not be officially registered with one of the Tamaskan Dog's registries worldwide:
1. They do not even have Tamaskan Dogs in the first place. They have mixed breed dogs and only call them Tamaskans or even "American Tamaskans," in order to charge high dollar prices per puppy. The rare breed name tag sells, and not everyone knows how to weed out the scammers from responsible breeders. It's not a good feeling when you find out the dog you just spent thousands of hard earned dollars to purchase isn't even the actual breed you wanted in the first place.
2. The breeder's dogs did not/do not meet the health testing or other structure or temperament requirements as mandated by the official breed registries, and therefore were not granted permission to breed. These health risks can and will be passed down to their dogs' future generations.
3. The breeder themselves broke, or refused to meet, the strict code of breeder's ethics that each official registry requires all their breeders to adhere to. When a breeder breaks or does not meet this code of ethics, the consequences can include removal from the registry, depending on the situation and severity of the breach of ethics.
Pictured is Adawe Quenemo (“Rowan”), who was owned and loved dearly by Jessi Wilbur. Rowan crossed the Rainbow Bridge in 2021, and is greatly missed by many.

Tamaskan Group Walk.jpg — If you are ever in doubt if the breeder you are speaking to has legitimate Tamaskan Dogs, you can always contact the official breed registries directly. There are A LOT of scammers who have popped up within the past 15 years who are trying to sell backyard bred, mixed breed dogs as Tamaskans or even “American Tamaskans,” because the label of a rare breed can trick unsuspecting buyers into paying a premium price.
Thankfully, there are some foolproof ways to verify whether or not you are dealing with a legitimate breeder. All of the Tamaskan Dog breed registries require several important things in order to monitor and maintain control of the breed:
Microchipping: Every single Tamaskan Dog puppy is required to be microchipped by their breeders before the puppy is allowed to go to its new home. The registries have lists of every Tamaskan Dog and their corresponding microchip number.
Genetic Parentage Verification: All breeding Tamaskan Dogs are required to have their DNA profiled and stored in a genetic database, so that maternity and paternity tests can be performed on litters to guarantee the parentage of each puppy.
Health Testing: All breeding Tamaskan Dogs are required to undergo specific health tests in order to gain approval for breeding. The breed registries have copies of each breeding Tamaskan Dog’s health testing results, and can verify the results to anyone who inquires.
By cross-referencing all this information with the official Tamaskan Dog breed registries, you are guaranteed to weed out the scammers from the legitimate Tamaskan Dog breeders.
These can also be used to verify the identity of your own dog. Although it is **extremely** rare for a legitimate registered Tamaskan Dog to end up in a shelter or rescue, it can happen if the owners fail to return the dog to its breeder, as required in all Tamaskan Dog purchase contracts (which is required by the registries). In the event that you have adopted a dog who you suspect might be a Tamaskan Dog, you can contact the breed registries and share information about your dog such as their microchip number and Embark breed test results, to see if your dog is a Tamaskan Dog, or related to a Tamaskan Dog. Embark and GeneSeek are the two companies that Tamaskan Dogs are DNA profiled through, and a maternity and/or paternity test can be run on your dog and compared with the breed’s genetic database.
Pictured are 4 Tamaskan Dogs on a group walk (L-R): Sylvaen Tarth (“Reckless”), GP Int’l Nat Ch Tarheel Queen Of Hearts (“Talia”), Alba Rynan (“Ulric”), Tarheel Harlequin (“Zelda”). Ulric and Zelda are owned and loved by Jo Siciliano.

Links to the official Tamaskan Dog registries:

Tamaskan Dog Register (TDR)

The Tamaskan Dog Register was founded in 2006 as the first official breed registry to govern the creation and development of the Tamaskan Dog breed.
In 2016, the TDR registered as a 501(c)4 charitable corporation in the United States of America, and is governed by a Board of Directors, along with an advisory committee called the Committee of Breeders.
Link to the TDR’s official website to learn more about the Tamaskan Dog breed, the TDR itself, and locate TDR registered breeders worldwide.

Visit the TDR Website
International Tamaskan Register (ITR)

The International Tamaskan Register was founded in May 2019 by former members of the TDR.
The ITR is governed by a Board of Directors, along with an Executive Branch and a Committee of Breeders.
Link to the ITR’s official website to learn more about the Tamaskan Dog breed, the ITR itself, and locate ITR registered breeders worldwide.

Visit the ITR Website
Nederlandse Tamaskan Club (NTC)

The Nederlandse Tamaskan Club (also known as the Dutch Tamaskan Club) was founded in 2013.
The NTC is governed by a Board of Directors.
Link to the NTC’s official website to learn more about the Tamaskan Dog breed, the NTC itself, and locate NTC registered breeders worldwide.

Visit the NTC Website
Tamaskan Germany e.V.

Tamaskan Germany e.V. was founded in 2017 and was previously known as the Tamaskan Germany Club, which used to be a breed club under the governance of the Tamaskan Dog Register.
Link to the Tamaskan Germany e.V. official website to learn more about the Tamaskan Dog breed, Tamaskan Germany e.V. itself, and locate Tamaskan Germany e.V. registered breeders.

Visit the Tamaskan Germany e.V. Website
Interessengemeinschaft Tamaskan e.V. (IG)

The Interessengemeinschaft Tamaskan e.V. was founded in 2016. They are a German Tamaskan club founded by owners and breeders who wanted to make the Tamaskan Dog breed more well known. They govern their breeders and support newcomers to promote a positive future for the Tamaskan Dog breed.
Link to the IG official website to learn more about the Tamaskan Dog breed, IG itself, and locate IG registered breeders.

Visit the IG Website

To learn more about how to avoid puppy mills, scammers, and unethical breeders who claim to breed and sell Tamaskan Dogs (or any variation of this name), visit the Tamaskans Against Puppy Mills website!

Visit the Tamaskans Against Puppy Mills Website

Below are pictures of registered Tamaskan Dogs. This collage showcases the breed's range of looks, which is due to our Outcrossing program in several registries, which has been active starting around 2013.

All of the following photos have been approved for use on this website by the copyright owners of the photos, as well as by the owners of each Tamaskan Dog pictured. If you own a Tamaskan Dog that is registered with one of the five official breed registries and you would like to have their picture included in our collage, please feel free to reach out via the email form on our Contact Us page!