thanks, it might be that someone had a mod able to spawn them, I guess some mods don't need to be server side, but when I made it back to the spot the wolf was still there in my pit.
showing as 0 stars, so maybe it was just a glitch *shrugs*

ah well, tamed wolves are always fun, they can at least help me on my way home, will breed them on the mountain and move down in a pack.