All Minecraft wolf variants coming in 1.20.5 update

Minecraft's iconic red-collared wolves were not only the first friendly mob added to the game but also one of the first mobs to be added in general. This makes wolves older than maps, trapdoors, and even pistons, which are used in all kinds of strange Minecraft piston doors. And yet, for as long as they have been in the game, they have looked almost the same.

In fact, other than a minor texture update, the only variations added since wolves were introduced were the dyeable collar variants. However, the upcoming Minecraft 1.20.5 seems ready to change that, bringing a whopping eight new wolf types, as announced on X and the official Minecraft website.

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Minecraft 1.20.5's new wolves

1) The Pale Wolf

The original wolf is now the pale wolf (Image via Mojang)

The pale wolf is not actually a new variant. It is just a new name for the original wolf, so it has a title to fit alongside the new additions. The pale wolf will be the second largest predator mob in the taiga, alongside Minecraft's tameable foxes, which are known for their ability to pick up items.

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2) The Rusty Wolf

The rusty wolf is almost red in color (Image via Mojang)

The rusty wolf is the first of the eight new additions. This wolf's fur is a dark reddish-brown in color, hence the name. As a clear thematic fit for the jungle where it can be found, the lightest parts of the wolf's fur really do resemble rusted metal, matching the abandoned and half-ruined Minecraft jungle temples scattered about the trees.

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3) The Spotted Wolf

The spotted wolf has a very interesting fur pattern (Image via Mojang)

The spotted wolf is the most colorful and visually distinct of the eight new wolf variations. This one's fur is a colorful mixture of orange and black, broken up by intermittent white spots. This fur patterning is so nice that it almost seems like a shame to equip the fuzzy friend with Minecraft's new wolf armor. They can be found on the savanna plateau alongside the biome's llamas.

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4) The Black Wolf

The black wolf's dark fur will make it hard to spot among the trees at night (Image via Mojang)

The black wolf is a jet-black variant of the wolf sure to blend in with the game's dangerous, mob-filled nights. These elusive creatures can be found in the old-growth pine taigas, which are less hard to spot and are filled with giant trees. Besides the large trees, these biomes can be identified by the presence of podzol, sweet berry bushes, and mossy cobblestone along the surface.

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5) The Striped Wolf

The striped wolf's stripes are adorable (Image via Mojang)

The striped wolf is light tan in color, as the name suggests, with darker stripes along its back, almost similar to a tiger but with a different set of stripes. These adorable wolves can be found in the cracks and crevices of the wooded badlands, one of Minecraft's most beautiful biomes, and will prove invaluable when taking on the exposed mineshafts.

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6) The Snowy Wolf

The snowy wolf also has very good camouflage (Image via Mojang)

The snowy wolf is visually similar to the pale wolf, the biggest visual difference being the dark tip on the snowy wolf's tail, along with the slight blue tint of the white fur. This is slightly different from the pale wolf, which instead has a gray tint to its white fur. The snowy wolf can be found within the game's scenic snowy mountain groves.

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7) The Ashen Wolf

The ashen coat looks like it's wearing a little coat (Image via Mojang)

The ashen wolf is another cold wolf variant found in the regular snowy taiga. The interesting fur patterning and coloration result in it almost looking like the animal has a coat on or a blanket laid over them to keep them warm, which makes sense considering the harsh environments they call home. This draped cloth look is also reminiscent of Minecraft update 1.21's upcoming bogged.

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8) The Woods Wolf

The woods wolf will most likely be a very common sight (Image via Mojang)

The woods wolf has a coloration similar to the rusty wolf, just with the orange and red tones replaced by darker brown ones. This results in a fur color with a nice gradient, making for an incredible match to the oak trees that make up the forests they call home. Due to their presence in this biome, this will probably become one of the more common variants to see players have.

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9) The Chestnut Wolf

The chestnut wolf looks much more muted than the woods wolf (Image via Mojang)

The chestnut wolf and the woods wolf are very alike in texture and coloration, even more so than the woods wolf and the rusty wolf. This variation is a more muted, white-shifted brown. This results in the fur looking almost pale and washed out. These adorable little guys can be found in the spruce variation of the old-growth spruce taiga.