This weekend, some friends decided to host a party. These particular friends have a pet timber wolf, and wanted some place to keep her during the party, so zaiah volunteered to wolf-sit for the weekend.
Wolves are big. Bigger than I thought. This wolf, Raksha, is also such a sweetheart, and curled up at my feet while I worked on the computer. Some days, I feel like I’m just an expensive suit and a volcano lair away from being a supervillain.
And this one is my own personal favorite. It’s amazing how easily such a large animal can vanish into even small amounts of brush. Makes me glad I’m not a prey animal!
Beautiful! I’m glad you were able to share time together. 🙂 Wolves are just so beautiful.
Beautiful! I’m glad you were able to share time together. 🙂 Wolves are just so beautiful.
Zoops, I wasn’t logged in; no wonder I had to do a captcha.
Sat through to read your whole icon. Very cool.
Zoops, I wasn’t logged in; no wonder I had to do a captcha.
beautiful. such pure energy.
beautiful. such pure energy.
What an appropriate name for a wolf!
Do you have to care for them differently than dogs? I’ve heard you did, but never really learned first hand.
The difference, from my still-somewhat-limited experience, is training. The human needs to be trained. A sloppy thinking and acting human is not likely to get themselves killed or in a dangerous predicament with a more domesticated canine. Whereas a wolf and many hybrids will out think a poorly disciplined human mind. Also, you have to be more protective of your beast. I can be fairly certain that my black standard poodle, Emma, can be around a mob of humans and not have her feelings hurt by some non-obvious actions/behaviors from the group. (Emma and Raksha are fast friends, btw, and my daughterling is working on a series of children’s books on The Poodle and the Wolf.) Raksha, however, was at our house to protect her from obnoxious human behavior.. and not really because her own behavior is that obnoxious.. though she did find the party decorations fun to shred and disassemble.
What an appropriate name for a wolf!
Do you have to care for them differently than dogs? I’ve heard you did, but never really learned first hand.
Sat through to read your whole icon. Very cool.
Just curious, but is that a pure wolf, or a specially-bred animal that’s like 75-95% wolf? I’ve heard that keeping a pure wolf as a pet is illegal in most places, but wolf-dog hybrids are generally okay, despite the fact that they’re supposedly slightly more dangerous to keep as pets than actual wolves. (At least, that’s what my father once said when I was young, but he’s never really proven to be especially reliable *or* unreliable about anything, so I have no idea how true any of that actually is.)
That’s actually a good question. I don’t know.
I’ve heard from several places, including from an online friend of mine who used to breed wolves, that purebred wolves aren’t generally dangerous but wolf/dog hybrids can have unpredictable temperaments. I don’t know from firsthand experience that it’s true, but I believe it probably is.
Here in Oregon, it’s my understanding that wolves and wolf/dog hybrids are treated the same way as far as the regulations around possessing them are concerned, and that it’s legal to keep a wolf with the appropriate permit.
Oregon Wolf Pet Laws
http://www.wolfdogalliance.org/legislation/statelaws.html
I was going to copy the relevant data, but it’s to long for a comment.
Wolves are pack animals. Give them an alpha, and all will be well. We’re just funny-shaped wolves to them (same thing with dogs). They are no more dangerous than the government, and probably have a lot more genuine goodwill.
Just curious, but is that a pure wolf, or a specially-bred animal that’s like 75-95% wolf? I’ve heard that keeping a pure wolf as a pet is illegal in most places, but wolf-dog hybrids are generally okay, despite the fact that they’re supposedly slightly more dangerous to keep as pets than actual wolves. (At least, that’s what my father once said when I was young, but he’s never really proven to be especially reliable *or* unreliable about anything, so I have no idea how true any of that actually is.)
Yeah, I didn’t get the value of some of these. “I’m a racist so I must be a villain”? A racist doesn’t even deserve the term “villain.”
Interesting story: A couple of days ago, we ended up in a long conversation about racism and racial stereotypes with one of the people who works at the Thai food restaurant down the block. Her husband is black, and that apparently was a problem for her mother, at least for a while (and from what she said, her mother still considers her children to be “black” rather than Asian, even though they look more Asian).
There are some people who cling to racist stereotypes who I wouldn’t necessarily say rise to the level of “villain,” even though those attitudes aren’t grounded in reality. It’s at least theoretically possible to hold racist beliefs without behaving in a destructive way toward specific individuals because of their race, though I reckon that’s probably a fairly uncommon trait.
Not intended as a defense of racist attitudes by any means, just an observation that not all people who hold racist beliefs necessarily want to string people up.
Yeah, I didn’t get the value of some of these. “I’m a racist so I must be a villain”? A racist doesn’t even deserve the term “villain.”
Great pictures. Let me know next time she comes visiting. Please…
Great pictures. Let me know next time she comes visiting. Please…
She’s gorgeous!
She’s gorgeous!
Those are beautiful pictures.
And she looks scarily intelligent…
She IS scarily intelligent. I suspect she’d probably be able to outsmart some folks I’ve met. 🙂
Those are beautiful pictures.
And she looks scarily intelligent…
Absolutely stunning!
Absolutely stunning!
So that’s the gene line that produced my German Shepherd’s lovely coloration!
So that’s the gene line that produced my German Shepherd’s lovely coloration!
Lovely! Hug a wolf for me!
Lovely! Hug a wolf for me!
wow, that wolf is so beautiful!
wow, that wolf is so beautiful!
Wow, she is absolutely beautiful. Wish we were visiting! 🙂 I’m supposed to tell you that David is sooooo envious:)
Wish you were visiting too!
I wish you were visiting, too! I miss you fiercely, and it would be awesome to see you.
Wow, she is absolutely beautiful. Wish we were visiting! 🙂 I’m supposed to tell you that David is sooooo envious:)
Wish you were visiting too!
The difference, from my still-somewhat-limited experience, is training. The human needs to be trained. A sloppy thinking and acting human is not likely to get themselves killed or in a dangerous predicament with a more domesticated canine. Whereas a wolf and many hybrids will out think a poorly disciplined human mind. Also, you have to be more protective of your beast. I can be fairly certain that my black standard poodle, Emma, can be around a mob of humans and not have her feelings hurt by some non-obvious actions/behaviors from the group. (Emma and Raksha are fast friends, btw, and my daughterling is working on a series of children’s books on The Poodle and the Wolf.) Raksha, however, was at our house to protect her from obnoxious human behavior.. and not really because her own behavior is that obnoxious.. though she did find the party decorations fun to shred and disassemble.
Wolves are amazing creatures. If in your travels you ever find yourself near Colorado Springs, I highly suggest visiting The Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center. It’s an amazing place, with wonderful wolves, foxes, and coyotes.
Link: http://www.wolfeducation.org/
My sister lives near there, though I doubt I’ll find myself out that way any time soon.
Wolves are amazing creatures. If in your travels you ever find yourself near Colorado Springs, I highly suggest visiting The Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center. It’s an amazing place, with wonderful wolves, foxes, and coyotes.
Link: http://www.wolfeducation.org/
That’s actually a good question. I don’t know.
I’ve heard from several places, including from an online friend of mine who used to breed wolves, that purebred wolves aren’t generally dangerous but wolf/dog hybrids can have unpredictable temperaments. I don’t know from firsthand experience that it’s true, but I believe it probably is.
Here in Oregon, it’s my understanding that wolves and wolf/dog hybrids are treated the same way as far as the regulations around possessing them are concerned, and that it’s legal to keep a wolf with the appropriate permit.
Interesting story: A couple of days ago, we ended up in a long conversation about racism and racial stereotypes with one of the people who works at the Thai food restaurant down the block. Her husband is black, and that apparently was a problem for her mother, at least for a while (and from what she said, her mother still considers her children to be “black” rather than Asian, even though they look more Asian).
There are some people who cling to racist stereotypes who I wouldn’t necessarily say rise to the level of “villain,” even though those attitudes aren’t grounded in reality. It’s at least theoretically possible to hold racist beliefs without behaving in a destructive way toward specific individuals because of their race, though I reckon that’s probably a fairly uncommon trait.
Not intended as a defense of racist attitudes by any means, just an observation that not all people who hold racist beliefs necessarily want to string people up.
She IS scarily intelligent. I suspect she’d probably be able to outsmart some folks I’ve met. 🙂
I wish you were visiting, too! I miss you fiercely, and it would be awesome to see you.
My sister lives near there, though I doubt I’ll find myself out that way any time soon.
Oregon Wolf Pet Laws
http://www.wolfdogalliance.org/legislation/statelaws.html
I was going to copy the relevant data, but it’s to long for a comment.
Wow, beautiful wolf! Not often you get pictures of one, never mind one this well groomed 🙂
Wow, beautiful wolf! Not often you get pictures of one, never mind one this well groomed 🙂
She is gorgeous. I love wolves.
She is gorgeous. I love wolves.
Wolves are pack animals. Give them an alpha, and all will be well. We’re just funny-shaped wolves to them (same thing with dogs). They are no more dangerous than the government, and probably have a lot more genuine goodwill.
oh she’s simply gorgeous. Such beautiful expressions, too. 😀 I’d frame that one of her looking through the trees.
oh she’s simply gorgeous. Such beautiful expressions, too. 😀 I’d frame that one of her looking through the trees.
Those pictures are amazing… I love them 🙂
Those pictures are amazing… I love them 🙂
Really gorgeous photos, as already mentioned, gives me a glimpse of my own girl’s more wild genetics at work in her husky-hybrid coloring. But also, several of those pictures really capture her emotional intellect, in a way that is easily as relatable as a domesticated dog.. Which is awesome (and kind of surprising! Now I know where that look comes from, haha)
Really gorgeous photos, as already mentioned, gives me a glimpse of my own girl’s more wild genetics at work in her husky-hybrid coloring. But also, several of those pictures really capture her emotional intellect, in a way that is easily as relatable as a domesticated dog.. Which is awesome (and kind of surprising! Now I know where that look comes from, haha)
she’s absolutely beautiful– and i’m deeply envious. i’ve never considered myself a dog person– not that i dislike them or anything; just not that type of pesonality, and i’ve had canine friends– but i think i could be part of a wolf’s pack. Provided they accepted me, of course (which i’ve heard is more the question than if you accept them).
she’s absolutely beautiful– and i’m deeply envious. i’ve never considered myself a dog person– not that i dislike them or anything; just not that type of pesonality, and i’ve had canine friends– but i think i could be part of a wolf’s pack. Provided they accepted me, of course (which i’ve heard is more the question than if you accept them).
Envy! I wish I had a pet wolf to hang out with.
Envy! I wish I had a pet wolf to hang out with.
You say she’s big but there’s nothing in the pics for scale. Will you tell me how high she was at the top of her shoulder? At the top of her head? how long is she w/o tail? She is quite lovely.
Idon’t know her measurements, but here’s a picture of her and my cat Liam together (apologies for the poor quality, it came off my cell phone camera).
Liam was utterly fascinated by her, and followed her around everywhere.
You say she’s big but there’s nothing in the pics for scale. Will you tell me how high she was at the top of her shoulder? At the top of her head? how long is she w/o tail? She is quite lovely.
Idon’t know her measurements, but here’s a picture of her and my cat Liam together (apologies for the poor quality, it came off my cell phone camera).
Liam was utterly fascinated by her, and followed her around everywhere.