Recently in the news, is a case where a dog who is part wolf
was removed from it's owner's home, as a potential threat to society. An order
to euthanize was given, and then due to public outcry, that order was changed
and the animal has since been moved to live out it's life in a wolf sanctuary.
While the public was galvanized from an emotional point of
view, care needs to be given to the issue of wolves being kept in captivity and
being treated as a pet. Wolves are not dogs, but dogs are all descended from
wolves, and many still carry some of the potential instincts which can cause
deadly results. One of the reasons cited for the original order to euthanize
was because of the high prey drive towards cats associated with domesticated
wolves. Unfortunately, the animal may not be able to differentiate between a
small animal and a baby or young child.
While all breeds differ, basic behaviors which are found in
wolves can also be found in most domestic dogs. The behaviors may occur less
often and with less severity, but the potential is still there in any canine.
Most often in a dog bite attack, one of the basic instincts of the dog overtakes
their behavior, and the result can be severe or even deadly. Knowing some of
the instinctual drives which are in a dog can possibly help to avert a tragic
case of being bitten by a dog.
Dogs are basically predators, which means that they will
chase something that is running. In many dogs, this may not be a problem but in
many other dogs, it can be triggered just by a simple game of play. A dog may
interpret a child chasing a ball as a prey and begin the chase. This is an
extremely strong instinct in a wolf, no matter how well domesticated, and is
one reason why you should not have wolves as pets.
Dominancy is very prevalent in all dogs, which comes from
their lineage of the wolf. The urge to be the Alpha dog stems from this
instinct, and can result in a seemingly docile pet suddenly becoming very
aggressive in an effort to become the "pack leader". Many situations
which result in injuries from a dog bite began with this very situation.
Many dog attack injuries result from a dog being
territorial. This is also traced back to the wolf. If any dog or wolf perceives
that his territory is being threatened, it will defend that territory. This
where dog attack injuries most commonly come from, a dog thinking that someone
is going to take their food, or claim a favorite toy.
No one should have a wolf as a pet, period. They're too
complex, and too different from domesticated dogs to be able to be around the
general public. Injuries from a dog bite can be avoided if you educate yourself
as to the proper care and behavior around any dog.