When Wolves Kill Man’s Best Friend
BY Herschel Smith
1 year, 11 months ago
Although domestic dogs are generally accepted as wolf descendants, wolves are a completely different animal. It’s easy to see why much of the general human population places wolves on a pedestal. They are wild, majestic, smart, and perceived as relatable, given our tight-knit relationship with domesticated canines. Wolves don’t care about your suppositions, however. Given the chance, they will kill your dog.
Some might think that wolves and dogs would be friends, but all it usually takes is your dog getting a single whiff of a wolf to convince you otherwise. Hell, wolves aren’t even friends with each other. Here in Alaska I spent several years skinning for a local fur buyer and put up hundreds of wolves. I had wolf smell on me all winter long and any domestic dog I encountered either got its hackles up or wet itself.
The late Outdoor Life contributor Jim Rearden’s book Alaska’s Wolf Man, about the famed Frank Glaser, elaborates on the subject. Years after encountering a pair of mixed wolf-dogs, Glaser captured a male wolf and bred his own wolf-dogs to pull sleds. He noted that they had the distinct smell of wolves, and any time he pulled into the small town of Healy, any loose dogs cleared the street at the smell and sight of them.
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It’s not normal for wolves to attack humans, but it’s not unusual for them to kill domestic dogs—even in the backyard. Living in Fairbanks, Alaska, it’s never surprising to hear of wolves eating dogs “off the chain.” Another Fairbanks resident, John Reeves recently mentioned it on a Joe Rogan podcast appearance, and it’s true. When passing through the edges of populated areas, it’s not uncommon for wolves to prey on domestic dogs.
In 2007, there were packs of wolves in different parts of the Fairbanks area ravaging dog yards. A re-posted story written for the Fairbanks Daily News Miner by Tim Mowry that year talks about the winter of 1974-75 when wolves killed an estimated 165 dogs in the Fairbanks area.
There are some gruesome stories at the link. I suppose there’s always the exception (at one minute into the video).
But it doesn’t matter whether the threat to my beast is a Coyote, Wolf or big cat. I carry weapons and will use them to defend my family.
On January 5, 2023 at 1:55 am, robehr orinsky said:
Our last GSD is now 10 years old . I did not know the bitch had wolf in her until she was almost a year old and then I had already fell in love and it was too late . Dumbest GSD ever . Totally not trainable . But beautiful . Breath takingly beautiful! Breath takingly stupid too . Never again .
On January 5, 2023 at 7:51 am, George said:
He said wolves don’t normally attack humans. That is because they are generally not around humans.
Humans make good food; they can’t run as fast, have no claws, fangs, hooves or horns.
Read of the wolves that attacked the soldiers during WWI on the eastern front.
On January 5, 2023 at 10:59 am, Paul B said:
One wolf. A point does not make a line. Cute story, but would not assume all wolves are like Romeo.
On January 5, 2023 at 3:59 pm, Ned said:
I just saw a short video this morning of two dogs fighting a wolf. Wolf is about twice a big as the dogs, and appears to be killing one. If it was my dog or dogs, I would be shooting the wolf (easy shot) with a large projectile – not shooting video.