Wolves? What wolves? Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?
These folks, for example: ‘They are absolutely huge:’ Wolves attack in Northern Saskatchewan as animals lose fear of humans
Articles like these got me interested in the question of whether any dog could out-fight or kill a wolf.
After all, rational man when he lived in the wilderness either domesticated wolves or tried to exterminate them. They developed breeds of dogs to hunt wolves and protect livestock from them.
The original Irish Wolfhound, now extinct due to the pernicious inbreeding standards of show dog clubs, is credited with with completely ridding England, Scotland and Ireland of wolves. However, accounts vary as to how these giant dogs were actually employed. Some say they were used in packs to hold the wolf at bay for human hunters. Others say the Irish Wolfhound could outrun a wolf, would catch a fleeing wolf on the run, grab the wolf by the back, and break its neck or back with a flinging maneuver while still on the run. Whatever -- the original breed no longer exists and would be hard to fit in a tripping canoe.
I've found hundreds of posts on the dog vs. wolf fight-to-the-death scenario. Everyone agrees that no breed of dog could survive an attack by a pack of wolves. But the question is: What about one-on-one? There seem to be four opinions.
1. The wilderness wolf, the ultimate wilderness survival predator, would tear any domestic dog to shreds. No contest. The wolf is a sort of super-canine. It does seem to be true that wolves have significantly more bite strength than any domestic breed.
2. There might be some dog breeds that would stand a chance, if only occasionally, against a wolf. But we're not sure and certainly not in agreement as to which breeds these are. Rottweiler - yes, no. Rhodesian Ridgeback, used to hunt lions in Africa - yes, no. Borzoi - yes, no.
3. The breeds with the best chance are those dogs that are actually used in wolf-heavy areas around the world as livestock guardian dogs (LGD's), usually in eastern Europe and Asia. These include dogs such as the Anatolian Shepherd, Caucasian Shepherd, Kangal and Russian Ovcharka.
4. The professional pit fighting breeds -- which have been scientifically bred for two centuries to have "game", allowing them to fight for hours without ever backing down -- would kill a wolf every time. 100%. No contest. This assumes the wolf stands and fights, and doesn't run away to survive for another day as its instincts may tell it to do. The fighting breeds frequently mentioned are the American Pit Bull Terrier, the Tosa Inu and the Bully Kutta. Skeptics say the wolf wouldn't stand and fight or run away; with its greater running speed, the wolf would make flesh-slashing runs at the fighting dog and not allow the pit fighter to latch on with its powerful jaws. The American Pit Bull is the smallest of the fighters and would probably best fit in a canoe.
A pack of two or three wolf-fighting dogs might be safer to protect against a pack of wolves, but do domesticated dogs, even the pit fighters, know how to strategize and fight in pack as wolves certainly do?
Ideally, the wolf-fighting canoe dog would also be a good bear-scaring dog, which might merit a discussion of the Karelian Bear Dog.
I know that many experienced canoeists will say that the most pestiferous mammals are actually rodents. So, keep in mind that the original bulldog, often crossed with terriers, was originally bred to catch and kill rats.
The point is this: If one is going to canoe with a dog -- which is not my cup of tea -- why not do so with one that is maximally protective and deterrent against large, predatory, dangerous animals.
These folks, for example: ‘They are absolutely huge:’ Wolves attack in Northern Saskatchewan as animals lose fear of humans
Articles like these got me interested in the question of whether any dog could out-fight or kill a wolf.
After all, rational man when he lived in the wilderness either domesticated wolves or tried to exterminate them. They developed breeds of dogs to hunt wolves and protect livestock from them.
The original Irish Wolfhound, now extinct due to the pernicious inbreeding standards of show dog clubs, is credited with with completely ridding England, Scotland and Ireland of wolves. However, accounts vary as to how these giant dogs were actually employed. Some say they were used in packs to hold the wolf at bay for human hunters. Others say the Irish Wolfhound could outrun a wolf, would catch a fleeing wolf on the run, grab the wolf by the back, and break its neck or back with a flinging maneuver while still on the run. Whatever -- the original breed no longer exists and would be hard to fit in a tripping canoe.
I've found hundreds of posts on the dog vs. wolf fight-to-the-death scenario. Everyone agrees that no breed of dog could survive an attack by a pack of wolves. But the question is: What about one-on-one? There seem to be four opinions.
1. The wilderness wolf, the ultimate wilderness survival predator, would tear any domestic dog to shreds. No contest. The wolf is a sort of super-canine. It does seem to be true that wolves have significantly more bite strength than any domestic breed.
2. There might be some dog breeds that would stand a chance, if only occasionally, against a wolf. But we're not sure and certainly not in agreement as to which breeds these are. Rottweiler - yes, no. Rhodesian Ridgeback, used to hunt lions in Africa - yes, no. Borzoi - yes, no.
3. The breeds with the best chance are those dogs that are actually used in wolf-heavy areas around the world as livestock guardian dogs (LGD's), usually in eastern Europe and Asia. These include dogs such as the Anatolian Shepherd, Caucasian Shepherd, Kangal and Russian Ovcharka.
4. The professional pit fighting breeds -- which have been scientifically bred for two centuries to have "game", allowing them to fight for hours without ever backing down -- would kill a wolf every time. 100%. No contest. This assumes the wolf stands and fights, and doesn't run away to survive for another day as its instincts may tell it to do. The fighting breeds frequently mentioned are the American Pit Bull Terrier, the Tosa Inu and the Bully Kutta. Skeptics say the wolf wouldn't stand and fight or run away; with its greater running speed, the wolf would make flesh-slashing runs at the fighting dog and not allow the pit fighter to latch on with its powerful jaws. The American Pit Bull is the smallest of the fighters and would probably best fit in a canoe.
A pack of two or three wolf-fighting dogs might be safer to protect against a pack of wolves, but do domesticated dogs, even the pit fighters, know how to strategize and fight in pack as wolves certainly do?
Ideally, the wolf-fighting canoe dog would also be a good bear-scaring dog, which might merit a discussion of the Karelian Bear Dog.
I know that many experienced canoeists will say that the most pestiferous mammals are actually rodents. So, keep in mind that the original bulldog, often crossed with terriers, was originally bred to catch and kill rats.
The point is this: If one is going to canoe with a dog -- which is not my cup of tea -- why not do so with one that is maximally protective and deterrent against large, predatory, dangerous animals.
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