Living Well with Wolves and Dogs
This chapter discusses the bonds and relationships that exist between humans and different types of canids. A crucial point is that the social bond between humans and wolves that changed into domestic dogs is the source of both major pleasures and major conflicts between humans and their canid companions. Large domestic dogs have the anatomy of serious predators combined with a confidence in their interactions with humans that can lead to aggression and grave conflict. In contrast, wolves and high-percentage crosses between wolves and dogs tend to be timid, retreating when faced with unfamiliar humans. The chapter then addresses the “danger” presented by various breeds, including wolves and wolf-dogs, and challenges a number of points of received thinking, including the notion of the equivalency of “wild” and “dangerous.” A major aspect of the “danger” from a canid is associated with size above all else, which is to be expected in dealing with large predatory animals.