This guide will inform on how to get, tame, and live with wolves.
Preparation for Obtaining a Wolf
In order to tame a Wolf you first need bones. It may be necessary to collect a large amount as the amount of bones required to tame a wolf is randomized to an extent.
The simplest way to collect bones would be to find and kill a skeleton, but a more cautious or efficient method is to use a mob trap/ farm. Click here for a tutorial on how to build a mob farm. Keep in mind that you should be adequately prepared before setting out to collect bones.
Finding and Taming a Wolf
Once you have acquired bones to tame a Wolf you can set out to find one. Wolves spawn in light, so searching during the daytime may help. An alternate method could be to place a torch in the dark and wait until night, however it is important to keep your distance from the torch as they will not spawn in your immediate vicinity. Wolves are also more likely to spawn in Pine tree forest biomes.
Once you have located a Wolf, right click on the Wolf while holding bones in your hand, and once the required amount of bones have been used, heart particles will float around the Wolf and its skin will change to an alternate version with a red collar.
Interaction with Tamed Wolves
Now that you have a tamed Wolf you can command it. Right clicking on it without a food item in hand will cause it to switch stance between sitting and following. While sitting it will remain stationary and won't despawn, where as when following, it will acompany you and teleport to you if you get distanced from it. Sitting Wolves will still defend you if you are attacked. Attacking or being attacked by a mob or player will cause your tamed Wolf to attack it, with one exception, which is Creepers (Due to the Creepers method of attack).
The Wolf can take damage and the amount of health it has remaining is indicated by the angle of its tail, with 100 degrees being 100% health and decreasing downwards as its health decreases further. To heal your Wolf you can feed it cooked or raw Pork Chops, raw Beef, Steaks, cooked or raw Chickens or Rotten Flesh. It is important to note that cooking food does not provide extra benefits so raw meat works just as well as cooked. Rotten flesh also does not cause negative effects for Wolves so feeding your Wolf rotten meat is a ready alternative.
As an important note, remember to prevent your Wolf from entering a minecart as it will not teleport to you, and thus despawn.