Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

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

nytimes.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

141–150 of 160 posts

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

#141

Post by jjtheblunt »

nthompson wrote: post #57

When wolves got reintroduced to Idaho, a few hillbillies went up into the primitive area and stole some pups, and they circulated around as pets. My buddy had one, and it scared the shit out of me. It was 130lbs of killing machine. They could tell it to kill anything, and it would do it. Their neighbor's dog had been biting them, so it was the first to go. Then they'd set it on foxes, which is could run down with eas…

It got shot rather than alternatives because the humans in charge were hillbillies, per the beginning of the story? Sucks all around, though, regardless.

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

#142

Post by Spooky23 »

oh_sigh wrote: post #139
refurb wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can do some google searches about wolves as pets and it's fascinating. Domesticated dogs adjust quite readily to a pack pecking order. Wolves will with a lot of training, but they never stop trying for the top spot. It's a constant battle. Also, if their pack leader looks sick or injured, the wolf will take that a signal to make a move for top spot. I've heard of owners twisting an ankle and hobbling around and t…

> Domesticated dogs adjust quite readily to a pack pecking order. Wolves will with a lot of training, but they never stop trying for the top spot. It's a constant battle. This makes sense, and it makes me wonder if an even more 'subservient' human creature should be, or is being (unintentionally) created. Individually, the wolf is greater than the dog. However, a pack of dogs could easily take down a wolf. Wolves are…

I doubt it.

Slavery, including slavery where attempts to breed slaves for particular traits has existed in various forms, and there doesn’t appear to be a situation like dogs where people live to serve.

Our social conditioning is strong enough that I would guess that it slows down genetic changes. Why bother with eugenics when marketing works just fine?

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

#143

Post by ams6110 »

pmiller2 wrote: post #126
derefr wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious—do people get "pet" wolves spayed/neutered? Because that basically sounds like the behaviour of non-neutered cats; it goes away completely when their gonads do.

What kind of vet is going to neuter a "pet" wolf?

Simply tranquilize it, with a dart if necessary, and snip snip.

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

#144

Post by interfixus »

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #106
macspoofing wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Your story clearly indicates this has nothing to do with it being a wolf How do you figure that? The entire article basically talked about how you can never domesticate a wolf.

Do you believe that if you can't domesticate an animal, that it's inherently and randomly violent? Every single one, in all cases? People live with tigers. You'd never say that they were domesticated. The majority of the time, this works fine. you only hear about cases where they turn on their owner, which is rare. I've spent a long time thinking about this question, and it seems like the ultimate truth is that we hu…

You get my upvote for your last two paragraphs, and because you shouldn't be voted to oblivion simply for disagreement.

As for your comment further up the chain: No, pitbulls are not sweet. Pitbulls are unpredictable monsters. Where I live, they are prohibited, and for good reason.

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

#146

Post by int_19h »

partiallypro wrote: post #94
KozmoNau7 wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The alpha thing has been soundly disproven.

In some animal groups, yes (like humans); but as far as I know, not in wolves. There may be some challenging views, but it is far from disproven entirely. Some of the anecdotes people have shared with "tame" wolves seem to back the idea of a pecking order.

Quite the opposite - the wolves was where it was disproven most thoroughly, by observation of packs in the wild (and noticing that they're nothing like packs in captivity).

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

#147

Post by disc »

interfixus wrote: post #144
sillysaurus3 wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you believe that if you can't domesticate an animal, that it's inherently and randomly violent? Every single one, in all cases? People live with tigers. You'd never say that they were domesticated. The majority of the time, this works fine. you only hear about cases where they turn on their owner, which is rare. I've spent a long time thinking about this question, and it seems like the ultimate truth is that we hu…

You get my upvote for your last two paragraphs, and because you shouldn't be voted to oblivion simply for disagreement. As for your comment further up the chain: No, pitbulls are not sweet. Pitbulls are unpredictable monsters. Where I live, they are prohibited, and for good reason.

> No, pitbulls are not sweet. Pitbulls are unpredictable monsters.

Do you have any direct experience with a well-loved, housebroken pitbull? In all my experiences with the breed, the only thing they're aggressive about is snuggling. /anecdata

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

#148

Post by AdamJacobMuller »

refurb wrote: post #65
nthompson wrote: post #57

When wolves got reintroduced to Idaho, a few hillbillies went up into the primitive area and stole some pups, and they circulated around as pets. My buddy had one, and it scared the shit out of me. It was 130lbs of killing machine. They could tell it to kill anything, and it would do it. Their neighbor's dog had been biting them, so it was the first to go. Then they'd set it on foxes, which is could run down with eas…

You can do some google searches about wolves as pets and it's fascinating. Domesticated dogs adjust quite readily to a pack pecking order. Wolves will with a lot of training, but they never stop trying for the top spot. It's a constant battle. Also, if their pack leader looks sick or injured, the wolf will take that a signal to make a move for top spot. I've heard of owners twisting an ankle and hobbling around and t…

> if their pack leader looks sick or injured

So, basically, if I'm sick instead of my dogs taking it as an opportunity to spend all day in bed with me sleeping, my wolf is going to look at as an opportunity to take me out? Great.

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

#149

Post by interfixus »

disc wrote: post #147
interfixus wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You get my upvote for your last two paragraphs, and because you shouldn't be voted to oblivion simply for disagreement. As for your comment further up the chain: No, pitbulls are not sweet. Pitbulls are unpredictable monsters. Where I live, they are prohibited, and for good reason.

> No, pitbulls are not sweet. Pitbulls are unpredictable monsters. Do you have any direct experience with a well-loved, housebroken pitbull? In all my experiences with the breed, the only thing they're aggressive about is snuggling. /anecdata

Yes I have. She was sweet as sweet can be. But I never got to trust her.

They are bred for fighting. Not all that bright, and with fuses that are known to blow without apparent reason. Too many cases of owners suddenly attacked and maimed.

It's an American thing which has spread to the rest of us. Thirty years ago, we never saw these muscle- and fighterbreeds. I don't believe we were the poorer for it.

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

#150

Post by lovich »

anthroDominator wrote: post #137
mariodiana wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"That's not to say wolves can't be pets […]" Is it just me, because everything you've just said seems to suggest that wolves can't be pets.

Depends on your perspective with regard to the rearing of pets. It’s probably just not very appropriate according to your particular personality, and perhaps slightly offensive to typical sensibilities. But there’s something admirable about a companion that requires a degree of vigilance, and expects domination in exchange for honest respect. In a sense that sort of presence does you the favor of keeping you sharp fo…

Might just be me, but I feel like if you have some animal with you that'll kill you or your kids the second it gets a chance that it falls closer towards "prisoner" rather than "pet"
Post reply on HN