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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

#151

Post by lovich »

thebulgar wrote: post #111
sillysaurus3 wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your story clearly indicates this has nothing to do with it being a wolf. It happened to have a body that was capable of killing, yes. But the owner picked it up and slammed it whenever it misbehaved, and the owner actively encouraged it to kill things. If your parents did that, you would do the same thing. You see this kind of prejudice against pitbulls too. They're some of the sweetest dogs.

I don't know why you're getting downvoted. Pitbulls, golden retrievers, wolves--all technically the same species. The prejudice against certain breeds of "dog," or against "wolves," is no different from racism.

I've never seen this argument before, so I would be interested if you could expand on your point

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

#152

Post by pvaldes »

acdanger wrote: post #36
kolanos wrote: post #33

Alaskan Malamutes are apparently more closely related to wolves than domesticated dogs. I used to breed them, and while they're beautiful animals, I wouldn't recommend them as a pet. Unless you have a sled that needs pulling, that is. I've since moved on to Rottweilers and have a new found appreciation for domesticated dogs. A malamute, especially in the presence of other malamutes, will always see you as an "other".…

I made the mistake of getting a Malamute puppy, sight-unseen, from a breeder who dropped him off one December day. The first year was fine. It was an incredibly handsome dog and a good companion on hikes. Sometime during the second year his independent nature became more and more pronounced. He also began to be more assertive around other dogs, sometimes even treating them as prey (it attacked one of my parents small…

It depends on the dog and its previous experiences. I know a case of a malamute rescued in the street with signs of being abused (probably kidnapped to be used in dog fights). Turned to be a wonderfully loyal dog.

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

#153

Post by pvaldes »

StavrosK wrote: post #3
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…

Is it a dog or a wolf? Can the two species interbreed?

Both belong to the same species.

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

#154

Post by anthroDominator »

lovich wrote: post #150
anthroDominator wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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"

The word prison implies punishment, which is not always a component of domination.

Pet is a more open term, and represents the concept of an enjoyable living possession, retained without enslavement.

Enforcing submission may carry the possibility of punishment, but an equitable game can be achieved, even amid power differential.

Is the animal’s environment engaging and enjoyable, yet perhaps limited? Then congratulations, it’s your pet.

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

#155

Post by dmix »

mariodiana wrote: post #102
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…

"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.

If you lived in a rural area without kids and had tons of patience and a capacity for personal risk, then I don't see the problem really. But anything outside of that seems reckless and dangerous and any person doing that which results in any harm should be held personally responsible.

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

#156

Post by pmiller2 »

ams6110 wrote: post #143
pmiller2 wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

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

I didn't say it wasn't possible, just that no reputable vet will do it if wolves are not legal as pets.

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

#157

Post by wdewind »

interfixus wrote: post #149
disc wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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.

> 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.

Pitbulls as a general category have been around for hundreds of years and originated in Europe.

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

#158

Post by macspoofing »

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…

>Do you believe that if you can't domesticate an animal, that it's inherently and randomly violent?

Depending on the animal, but yes.

>People live with tigers.

We're talking about wolves.

>we humans are uncomfortable with anything that can possibly threaten us.

Maybe. In general one should have a healthy amount of respect for wild animals.

>And that wolf owner was more interested in having a killing machine than having a new member of their family.

You're drawing lots of conclusions from an online, off-hand remark.

>"Only get a wolf if you can stomach putting a bullet in its head after it brutalizes your kids."

No. The right answer is: never get a wolf to keep as a pet. This person you're talking about was acting unethically by having a pet wolf.

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

#159

Post by macspoofing »

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #124
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> it isn't evidence that wolves will maul children just because they're ambitious I agree, the research doesn’t say this. It says wolves offer a lower tolerance for making mistakes, a higher cost when things go wrong and fewer aids ( e.g. picking up on intonation, instinctive subservience) to help you along. You can do it. (Our ancestors did.) You’ll just have an animal vying for your seat in the pack, because it hon…

Ah, I didn't mean to give the impression that owning a wolf would be a good idea. It's certainly perilous, just like living with a tiger. I just think they can love you in their own way. If someone wants to explore the question, and they're doing so safely and only risking themselves, then it's probably no one else's business. On the other hand, it's hard to imagine how that could be done safely, so I concede. Thanks…

>I just think they can love you in their own way.

Usually it's not a good idea to anthropomorphize wild animals.

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

#160

Post by learnstats2 »

mannykannot wrote: post #45
learnstats2 wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems more likely to me that this has a human psychological cause, not a genetic cause. I suggest that - if humans associate e.g. droopy ears with being more friendly, this creates a positive feedback loop whereby those animals with droopy ears receive more positive interactions, show less fear and are modestly more likely to be selected by Belyaev's research for breeding, all other things being equal. Human bias…

That is an interesting reversal of the causality, though if selection is involved, there would be a genetic change in either case, so sorting out the cause could be difficult. Do people see droopy ears as more friendly? I guess it indicates that the animal is not particularly alert, and so unlikely to be on the verge of aggression.

Perhaps people today think droopy ears are more friendly just because (for example) the first domesticated animals happened by chance to have droopy ears.
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