This article refers to types of canids. For other namesakes, see Wolf (disambiguation).

Wolves were four-legged, predatory canines inhabiting Arda since the First Age. Biologically, dogs are domesticated descendants of wolves.

Overview

There were many subspecies in Middle-earth - apart from the original Gray Wolves, these groups included the White Wolves, Dogs, Werewolves, and Wargs. The White Wolves were a mysterious race of unknown origin who inhabited the frozen Northern lands and might have been neutral.

Dogs were domesticated from Gray Wolves. Werewolves were bred from Gray Wolves inhabited by demons and were minions of the Dark Powers.

Wolves, like many other animals in Arda (Crows, Bats, burden beasts, Mumakil, etc.) had nothing to do naturally with forces of darkness but served it at varying points throughout the Ages. Carcharoth, Draugluin, and the other evil wolves of the First Age were normal wolves possessed by Morgoth's power, and the Wargs may have been descended from them.^[1]

Because of their strange relationship with the Dark Powers, It is unknown whether wolves were created just as the other Middle-earth beasts were created or if they were created by Morgoth. If they were created by Morgoth, they were probably the least evil of his creations. During the First Age, the only known time they fought for Morgoth was during the War of Wrath, in which most of the wolves were slain, but a few survived and fled to safety.

During the third age, the dire wolves that lived in Angmar pledged loyalty to the Witch-king of Angmar. It is also unknown if they chose to join the armies of Angmar, or if they were forced to against their will. They fought in many battles against Arnor and presumably continued to thrive in Angmar after its final defeat.

Some orcs can ride wolves and are called Wolf-riders.

Additionally, Sauron was prominently known to take forms of monstrous wolves.

The Fellowship of the Ring, in the book, was attacked by a pack of wild wolves the night after they came down from Caradhras. Gandalf, who addressed the first wolf to attack as "Hounds of Sauron" said after the fight was over, that the wolves weren't ordinary wolves because there were no bodies left nor any sign of the wolves at all. During the time of the War of the Ring, Saruman kept some wolves in Isengard. Also Gandalf sees Saruman's wolves while he is Saruman's prisoner at Orthanc.

Dogs

Dogs were intelligent animals that served mainly as companions and or guards. They were closely related to wolves (as natural animals), and were usually domesticated in Middle-earth.

During the Third Age, Beorn had several dogs who could walk on their hind legs, and carry things with their forelegs. They could set the table, and were capable of speech.^[2] Farmer Maggot kept three dogs, Grip, Fang, and Wolf, to guard his farm.^[3]

The greatest hound of the First Age was Huan, once a companion of Celegorm and later the companion of Lúthien. He was a sentient being capable of speech.^[4]

"Wolf-Sauron"

Unlike Tevildo, the feline counterpart in the earlier legendarium concepts, Sauron was specifically depicted to associate with wolves. The "Wolf-Sauron" was the name given to the dreadful wolf-shape that the maia took when he went from Tol-in-Gaurhoth ("Isle of werewolves") to do battle with Huan, the Hound of Valinor.

According to prophecy, Huan would not die until he had encountered the greatest of all wolves, so Sauron contrived to take on that role and defeat the hound. He failed, as the greatest of all wolves was not Wolf-Sauron, but Carcharoth of Angband, and through Lúthien's magic and Huan's valour Sauron was defeated. Surrendering his tower on Tol-in-Gaurhoth, he fled in the form of a vampire into the woods of Dorthonion, and was not seen again until after the War of Wrath.^[4]

In adaptations

• In Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Wargs are present in The Two Towers. They attack the fleeing citizens of Edoras as they make for Helm's Deep, killing several soldiers of Rohan's small army before returning to Isengard. This attack only happens in the movie and is not used in the book.
• In The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II: The Rise of the Witch-king, there are Dire wolves in the Angmar faction. In addition, the Angmar faction also includes the Shade of the Wolf power that summons a werewolf ghost to the field.

External links

• Wolf (Modern English). Lotro-Wiki.com (2022-02-05). Retrieved on 2026-03-16.
• Wolves (Modern English). The New Notion Club Archives (2011-12-06). Retrieved on 2026-03-16.

References