Minecraft Wolf Variant

Wolf Variants

This content applies only to Java Edition.

Wolf variant definition files define wolf variants and their spawn rules.

Definition format

Wolf variants use the WOLF_VARIANT registry; the datapack path is wolf_variant (definitions in data/<namespace>/wolf_variant, tags in data/<namespace>/tags/wolf_variant).

Definition files use JSON with the following structure:

• JSON file root object
  • assets (compound, required): textures per wolf state, each (namespace ID) resolved to assets/<namespace>/textures/<path>.png:
    • angry (string, required), tame (string, required), wild (string, required).
  • baby_assets (compound, required): same format as assets, for baby wolves.
  • spawn_conditions (list, required): variant spawn selectors.
    • One selector (compound):
      • condition (compound): type (string, required): biome (biomes string/list: tag #, ID, or list), moon_brightness (range min-max bounds; full moon 1, new moon 0), or structure (structures string/list: tag #, ID, or list).
      • priority (int, required): selection priority; ties resolved randomly.

Definition behavior

Wolf variant data is loaded only once at server startup; /reload does not reload it — a server restart is required. The WOLF_VARIANT registry must have at least one element, or the game errors during sync and blocks world loading.

When spawning a wolf, the game evaluates all variant selectors and spawns the variant of a highest-priority valid selector (random among ties).