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Wolf Puppies Are Adorable, Then Comes the Call of the Wild

nytimes.com

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Re: Wolf Puppies Are Adorable, Then Comes the Call of the Wild

#11

Post by wallace_f »

matt4077 wrote: post #9
wallace_f wrote: post #7

Really interesting question, but to tread on constructive criticism in the age of struggling journalism: it started off great with a focused thesis, but maybe should have ended there. >When They Grow Up >And what are socialized wolves like when they grow up, once the mysterious genetic machinery of the dog and wolf direct them on their separate ways? This is the title of the last section, after some suspense from sta…

This is an essay, and as such it has the freedom of using some literary flourish, including rhetorical questions. The question was the motivation for visiting that farm, and the author does recount his interactions with the wolves there. They just weren't terribly exciting. A complete account of what the scientific literature or other second-hand sources have to say on the question wouldn't fit with the personal styl…

Sure, it's like I said in my comment that I'm not saying the article is bad, and I'm fine with you enjoying the meandering style. But for me I was more interested in the main topic, so it felt like a little bit of a bait and switch.

Actually, what I said was maybe it should have stayed more focused, or, maybe I'm reading the wrong publications.

I didn't say I wanted to read scholarly articles, either.

I think there is maybe a little bit of a void in journalism here? I find sometimes bloggers fill this space with the ability to chime in efficiently.

Re: Wolf Puppies Are Adorable, Then Comes the Call of the Wild

#12

Post by rbanffy »

smcl wrote: post #2

If you like the look of Wolves, there is a breed you can look into - Československý Ovčák. It was created by then Czechoslovakia last century by breeding Carpathian Wolves with German Shephard. I think the original intent was to use it in the military. From what I’ve seen they’re surprisingly timid, but a bit stubborn. My friend just got one(below) and it is adorable. 4 months old or so and she’s already tearing arou…

My grandpa had a Vizsla... She believed she was my nanny.

Re: Wolf Puppies Are Adorable, Then Comes the Call of the Wild

#13

Post by jacquesm »

In Northern Ontario there are quite a few people that have half or three quarter wolves, usually crossed with German shephards. I absolutely love them but I would not want one of these unless I lived by myself and in the bush somewhere, these are not your average dog. Super nice animals though.

And if you've lived in places where dog packs roam then you know that even in regular dog breeds the wild animal is just under the surface, all it takes is the right (or wrong) environment to bring that out.

Re: Wolf Puppies Are Adorable, Then Comes the Call of the Wild

#14

Post by andreapaiola »

smcl wrote: post #2

If you like the look of Wolves, there is a breed you can look into - Československý Ovčák. It was created by then Czechoslovakia last century by breeding Carpathian Wolves with German Shephard. I think the original intent was to use it in the military. From what I’ve seen they’re surprisingly timid, but a bit stubborn. My friend just got one(below) and it is adorable. 4 months old or so and she’s already tearing arou…

There is also the "lupo italiano" (italian wolf)

http://canelupoitaliano.it/

Re: Wolf Puppies Are Adorable, Then Comes the Call of the Wild

#16

Post by narag »

rbanffy wrote: post #12
smcl wrote: post #2

If you like the look of Wolves, there is a breed you can look into - Československý Ovčák. It was created by then Czechoslovakia last century by breeding Carpathian Wolves with German Shephard. I think the original intent was to use it in the military. From what I’ve seen they’re surprisingly timid, but a bit stubborn. My friend just got one(below) and it is adorable. 4 months old or so and she’s already tearing arou…

My grandpa had a Vizsla... She believed she was my nanny.

I was raised along Jackelyne, a belgian shepherd that believed she was my bodyguard. We have plenty of stories of people running, climbing to trees...

Re: Wolf Puppies Are Adorable, Then Comes the Call of the Wild

#17

Post by jacquesm »

huffmsa wrote: post #15

Whereas cats are just different sized versions of their wild varieties. Their small size making it "cute" when they attack you from around a corner.

A friend of mine went into a barn to pick up a streetcat that had lodged there to bring it into the house for the Canadian winter (-40 C forecast that night).

There was nothing 'cute' about what he looked like when he got back, it looked like he had been turned into hamburger, nearly lost an eye. Do not underestimate cats in attack mode.

Re: Wolf Puppies Are Adorable, Then Comes the Call of the Wild

#18

Post by sethammons »

bambax wrote: post #6

> something is deeply different in dog genes, or in how and when those genes become active, and scientists are trying to determine exactly what it is Darwin famously observed in the first chapter of On the Origin of Species that not one of our domestic animals can be named which has not in some country drooping ears . Darwin himself attributed it to "muscle misuse", the rationale being that domestic animals are not f…

My first thought was, for sure, the foxes you mentioned. But on the note of no domestic animals avoid some examples of drooping ears, while I'm sure you could find supporting cases, that does not seem to be the norm for horses nor cats. And opposite that, elephants seem to have drooping ears. While the claim might be valid, it feels weak.

Re: Wolf Puppies Are Adorable, Then Comes the Call of the Wild

#19

Post by 19192312 »

narag wrote: post #16
rbanffy wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My grandpa had a Vizsla... She believed she was my nanny.

I was raised along Jackelyne, a belgian shepherd that believed she was my bodyguard. We have plenty of stories of people running, climbing to trees...

Which illustrates that many dog owners are irresponsible assholes.

Re: Wolf Puppies Are Adorable, Then Comes the Call of the Wild

#20

Post by sethammons »

This reminds me of some program I watched. They took wolves raised by people and dogs, and then, separately, placed the animal in near reach of food that was in a cage. The dogs eventually realized they could not get to the food and looked at people for help. The wolves never sought human intervention and continued trying to get at the food on their own.
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