From: srlee@beta.lanl.gov (Stephen R Lee)
Subject: Re: More Wolf Hybrid Opinions
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 17:36:47 GMT

In article <1992Nov18.233817.28441@nmt.edu> iguana@nmt.edu (Shawn Clever) writes:
>
>How bout an opinion from a hybrid owner???  Many of you seem to know everything
>about them, yet you have never owned one or just believed everything you have
>read in the papers...
>
>First of all, Yes, emphatically yes, a Wolf-hybrid is different.  Training
>methods are different.  Dealing with the animal on a personal level is 
>different (than with the average mutt)  The responsible hybrid owner researches
>these differences and understands them-- learns to deal with them.

No argument here.

>
>Just a few of these are that hybrids are extremely intelligent-- more so than
>the average dog...  

I have heard this many times.  No evidence to support this has ever been provided.
I am not saying that hybrids are not intelligent.  I am just saying that there
is no evidence to support that they are more or less intelligent than their
domestic counterparts.  Note that I am not talking about anecdotal evidence.

>They respond differently to the same cues that you give
>a dog.  They appear to have a greater perception of bodygestures and human
>expressions than most dogs do.  

This is indeed correct.  However, this does not indicate greater intelligence.

[stuff deleted]

>
>Hybrids require a different type of approach... They are not dogs, it is true.
>It is also no guarantee that you will get a docile family pet, or a wild
>animal searching for it's first opportunity to return to the pack.  

Correct.

>As a responsible hybrid owner, though, one should be aware of this.  Problems 
>arise when people purchase these animals and do not bother to find out how they 
>are different.  

That is exactly correct, and this is a very large part of the problem.


[more stuff deleted]

>However, to condemn the entire breed and legislate their end is unrealistic.
>Not all of them are aggressive.  Some yes, some no, but really no more than
>many of the other domestic breeds... In experience, I find that many of the 
>smaller dog breeds are far more aggressive.

I am not necessarily in favor of legislating their end.  I am not in favor of
them, however.  I think that there are many responsible hybrid owners out there,
such as yourself.  However, there are a much larger segment of the population
that get hybrids because they want to own a "wolf" with no comprehension
of what this really means.  They just saw White Fang or something and thought
it would be neat.  When it turns into a disaster, they have the animal
destroyed or try and donate it to a wolf preservation group somewhere (most
of which refuse the animals).  The result?
                 1. The public's negative image of the wolf is further
                    supported, making re-introduction of real wolves into
                    the wild much more difficult;
                 2. The reputation of breeds such as Alaskan Malamutes and
                    Siberian Huskies is damaged due to their "association"
                    with WH
                 3. The hypothetical animal in this story, who has suffered
                    from what I call an identity crisis all of its life, has
                    its life come to a tragic end.  Very sad.
Is this fair?  Of course not, but it is reality.

>
>Responsible ownership is the key-- not legislating the elimination of Hybrid
>ownership.

No argument here.  I would hope that people would choose of their own free
will not to own a hybrid, and instead donate money to further the plight of
the wolf in nature, and perhaps get a domesticated canine.

>
>Shawn Clever
>(iguana@jupiter.nmt.edu)

-- 
============================================================
Stephen R. Lee                 | 
OooWoo Racing Kennel           | I'd rather be driving sled
E-Mail: srlee@beta.lanl.gov    | dogs.
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