Sunday, March 13, 2011

Number One Thing I Never Thought to Hear in a Massage...

"Wolves and wolf-hybrids make the BEST pets! They're so sweet!"

In what universe, Lady?

10 comments:

Jennifer said...

?????
WTF? No. Just no.

Bag Blog said...

I had neighbors in NM who took in wolf/dogs after someone abandoned them - usually after the wolf became agressive. My neighbors kept them and took good care of them - in a large fenced area. They were dangerous for sure, but I loved to hear them howl at the moon.

FarmGirl said...

From what I understand, wolf hybrids can make excellent canine family members- when raised properly and treated at every second like the pack-living canine that they are. They can undoubtedly be sweet within their pack structure, it's part of their social behavior, but you can't cherry pick one aspect of an animal's natural behavior and ignore the rest. You have to stay the alpha at all times, or they'll see a power vacuum and try to step into it.

Keep in mind this is all just me going "well, duh" in my own head from what little I know of canid behavior beyond domestic dogs, and a couple of half-remembered success stories concerning hybrids. I have never interacted with a hybrid or a wolf, and I wouldn't choose to have one as a pet, myself.

Bag Blog said...

I read an article in Smithsonian years ago that wolves have specific pack tendencie - like vying for leader of the pack witout actually killing. But certain dogs often have instincts (killer) that do not blend well with wolves.

og said...

I've been around white fang wolves. They do have a strong pack instinct. You have to make damned sure they know who is boss, all the time. Otherwise you'll get bitten.

They are insanely strong and beautiful. So are nuclear devices. Amateurs need not apply.

Domesticated foxes, on the other hand, are starting to be common, and are amazing animals.
I would love to have one, someday.

North said...

Had a wolf hybrid in the family. Not aggressive in a dangerous sense, but very much a "Type A" personality. That is one pet that needs a _lot_ of room.

If you see your client again, you should tell her... nah. She won't listen.

Mike W. said...

It's a wild animal that could kill me. It's not meant to be a pet. Sheesh!

Shannon said...

I had a friend that owned a wold hybrid - she loved him, he loved her...nobody was allowed in the yard. Ironically, your post came up just two days after I had a friend tell me that his chihuahua had disappeared right before Christmas ~ turns out that the next door neighbor's wolf hybrid dug a hole under the fence and waited for the little guy to wander through it. Needless to say, it didn't end well for the chihuahua.

Old NFO said...

NOT. A. PET. Period...

Christina RN LMT said...

Yeah, I like my Italian Greyhounds. I'll take thousands of years of domestication over trying to "tame" a wild animal ANY day.

Og, thanks to your comment, I spent a good hour or so researching domesticated foxes. Very fascinating! If you have about $7000 lying around, you could have one as a pet NOW. Unless it's against the law in your state, of course.