Domestication of the real thing?!

[claire_88]

Is it possibly to domesticate and train a pure bred wolf from a cub?

My boyfriend has a dangerous animal license for his job and is looking at getting a wolf or a pair, in a spare pen in the woods near to where his wild boar are kept.

I know they are highly unpredictable but from a cub would it be possible to eradicate the certain instinctual behaviours like we do with domesticated dog's?

[Caryll]

No. It has been proved that, although they may become quite friendly with one person, they will never be fully domesticated. There is always the wild inside.

I remember seeing a documentary about a guy in the USA who had a 'pet' wolf. She was quite loving towards him, but if anyone else tried to touch her she was very nervy & if they continued to try & touch her she would attack.

In the UK it's illegal to have a wolf or wolf hybrid.

[Stuart]

This is not a new idea, it has been tried many times before, ..from Wolf to domestic dog has taken thousands of years, no-one will manage that in any one wolf/dog.

[Moobli]

I agree with the other comments. I don't think it can be done and would stick my neck out and actually say I think it is unfair to try to tame a wild animal such as a wolf.

[Jon]

I agree with the others...

I went one a Wolf walk in Bedfordshire a couple of years ago.

Here; Walking with Wolves | UK Wolf Conservation Trust

They sniffed my hand and licked my knuckle (where I had a bruise worryingly) they had to have 2 handles holding onto a chain at all times (something to do with that health and safety rubbish ). They were very impressive. I think I have pictures somewhere too.. I took my Dad as part of his 60th Birthday present.

[Vislor]

The BBC 'The Secret Life of Dogs' Horizon documentary covered it and the answer is no.

A scientist raised one from a cub in her home with her family and dogs as an experiment and the wolf never behaved remotely domesticated.

Dogs are hardwired to follow humans. From 6 weeks of age they track micro muscle features in human faces to learn our emotions the same way we do. Its taken thousands of years for them to learn this.

In Russia they've been doing an experiment for something like 70 years now trying to domesticate one of their wild fox breeds and its been quite successful but its taken hundreds if not thousands of selective breedings to create a docile human friendly fox.

Interestingly the domesticated foxes developed exaggerated physical diversions from their wild cousins such as new widely varying pigments much like dogs have between breeds.

Dogs are unique. Theres not another animal on earth that could ever socially interact with humans the way dogs can. Other 'intelligent' animals might appear to be social with humans but its on a much shallower level than the innate hardwired relationships with dogs.

[jc24965]

I watched this a few months ago and found it very interesting.

[claire_88]

Originally Posted by Caryll

No. It has been proved that, although they may become quite friendly with one person, they will never be fully domesticated. There is always the wild inside.

I remember seeing a documentary about a guy in the USA who had a 'pet' wolf. She was quite loving towards him, but if anyone else tried to touch her she was very nervy & if they continued to try & touch her she would attack.

In the UK it's illegal to have a wolf or wolf hybrid.

The license held is a dangerous wild animal license, it covers lions/tiger/bears/ wolfs etc.. if the plan went ahead he would be able to keep it legally on that license.

Originally Posted by Moobli

I agree with the other comments. I don't think it can be done and would stick my neck out and actually say I think it is unfair to try to tame a wild animal such as a wolf.

Sorry for the delay on the reply been very busy, but it was a little discussion we were having and you guys on here have somewhat proved my point. As i was aware and with what you all have said it's an impossibility to do such a thing, tbh also if there is no real need for a wolf i would not see much point in keeping one either

[Billy Sitch]

Originally Posted by Moobli

I agree with the other comments. I don't think it can be done and would stick my neck out and actually say I think it is unfair to try to tame a wild animal such as a wolf.

I'll join the 'stick my neck out' crew as I think it's wrong to try too.

Also don't like to see birds caged either but that's another story

[Caryll]

Originally Posted by jc24965

I watched this a few months ago and found it very interesting.

As much as I dislike CM, that was very interesting.