| We have been taking glimpses into wild wolf society | | | | completely drench the borders with such potent |
| to help us understand dog instinctive behavior (both | | | | scent that it would make human eyes water. They |
| good and bad) that we observe in our pets. We find | | | | groom and lick every bit of the new members to |
| fascinating organization and rigid structure in wild wolf | | | | remove the scent of the old wolf pack, and then |
| society, with swift, consistent, fair discipline and | | | | they rub their own scent on them. |
| clearly drawn lines of leadership, support, and | | | | Contrary to popular belief, much communication |
| boundaries. The importance of coordinated | | | | between rival wolf packs is simply that -- |
| participation from every wolf pack rank in the hunt, | | | | communication -- and not a challenge or threat. The |
| territorial fights, and really all other times, help us to | | | | alpha leaders constantly howl back and forth to each |
| understand the roles of dogs with different | | | | other about such things as how that year has been |
| personalities, how they seek to interact with us and | | | | for them, if the pack is well or if they have had hard |
| with other animals, and the kind of leadership and | | | | times, their victories, how much stronger the pack |
| boundaries that your domestic dog expects from | | | | has grown, and such. |
| you -- without which he is miserable! | | | | Wild wolves also howl friendly greetings to their |
| A wolf's sense of smell is at least 20 times stronger | | | | relatives. For example, an adolescent female may |
| than ours (and so is that of your domestic dog). A | | | | cross over to a rival wolf pack and become a part of |
| wild wolf's hearing is more than 40 times better. So | | | | it, never to return to her birth pack. Still, those in her |
| the scent of a wolf pack that is trespassing is picked | | | | birth wolf pack will howl news and salutations to her. |
| up by the pack that owns the land even if they are | | | | Relatives can cross territorial borders for a visit if |
| hours away from the trespassers. The wind carries | | | | first given an invitation; without invitation, though, the |
| scents and sounds. | | | | visitor would be fought for breaching the border. Her |
| Territorial fights are rare among rival wolf packs. Nine | | | | own pack would attack her, too, because that is |
| times out of ten, the trespassing wolf pack flees | | | | against wolf law. |
| when the wild wolf pack who owns that land shows | | | | Rival wolf packs always respect each other, and their |
| up. Even if the owning pack consists of only three | | | | respective alpha leaders honor the position of the |
| wild wolves and the rival wolf pack consists of nine, | | | | other as the leader of the pack. They acknowledge |
| the trespassers will still run. The landowner is the | | | | the achievements and activities of the other wolf |
| winner. | | | | pack. |
| If the trespassers refuse to leave, then the male | | | | Sometimes a wolf pack is more led by its female |
| alpha leaders will begin a fight. The wolf pack | | | | alpha than a male alpha leader. There is no sexist |
| members on both sides will stare as they look on to | | | | attitude in the world of animals. She will scratch the |
| see who will win. (Mares do the same thing when | | | | ground and lift her leg to remind the trespassers of |
| stallions fight.) | | | | the proper border. Only the alpha pair lifts legs to |
| The two alpha leaders rarely decide to draw blood on | | | | mark. All of the other members (male or female) |
| one another. It is more so a question of who raises | | | | squat. If a territorial dispute should erupt when one |
| his head the highest, or the first one to be pinned | | | | of the wolf packs is female led, the dispute might be |
| down on his back has lost. | | | | settled by a voice contest (howling) instead of an |
| Sometimes during the fight, in a clever ploy, a wild | | | | actual battle in which the pregnant leader could not |
| wolf on the side of the defending wolf pack will | | | | participate. |
| cross over to the other pack and steal a couple of | | | | So as you see, territorial fights are not all that |
| adolescents. The leader of the trespassers will look | | | | common among wild wolf packs, and when they do |
| at the theft, and thus lose the fight because of the | | | | occur, bloodshed is rare because things are normally |
| distractions. The victor alpha leader will not allow the | | | | worked out another way. Wild wolf society is replete |
| adolescents to return. They will become part of his | | | | with rules that apply to all wolf packs and which lend |
| wolf pack. | | | | stability to their members. |
| After a fight, the victors remark their borders. They | | | | |