Gray Wolf - Relationships With Humans - Wolves As Pets

Wolves As Pets

Tame wolves tend to be less predictable and manageable than dogs, as they lack any alteration of their predatory behaviour, and can thus not be fully trusted in situations where their prey drive can be given adequate stimulation. Wolves are generally easier to tame than other wild canids, as they maintain infant attachments to family members and owners much longer, and also form secondary attachments to strangers much more readily. However, in contrast to dogs, which are usually accepting of strangers throughout their lives, treating them almost as an extension of their pack, wolves become increasingly xenophobic and intolerant of strangers not part of their immediate pack as they age. Despite this, the keeping of wolves as pets has grown in popularity, with an estimated 80,000-2 million privately owned wolves being present in the USA alone. While dog pups still have the ability to be socialised at up to ten weeks of age, nineteen days may be too long to wait to begin socializing a wolf pup. Because wolf milk contains more arginine than can be found in puppy milk substitutes, an arginine supplement is needed when feeding pups below the weaning age. Failure to do so can result in the pups developing cataracts. While dogs readily, and actively form social bonds with humans, wolves can only do so in the absence of adult conspecifics. Pups under one year of age are generally not aggressive toward strangers, though their aggression increases with age, particularly during the mating season. Males may be more aggressive and difficult to handle than females. Wolves are difficult to contain in standard kennels, as they exceed dogs in observational learning and are able to quickly learn how to undo latches by simply watching their handlers do so. Once wolves learn how to escape confinement, it becomes nearly impossible to contain them.