2 minutes alone with a single wolf and you would not live to explain the "kinship" it would feel tword you.
You're wrong and I have. A friend knew a woman who ran a wolf rescue here in Colorado. I spent maybe 15 minutes alone with the pack leader behind a 15' high fence around 5 acres. He was the alpha, a 220 lb timber wolf. It was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had in my life.
My friend had a mixed dog/wolf and in honor of his memory he would go visit this woman at her rescue west of Boulder, CO and donate bones from the butcher. I asked to go with and he said "Joe man, these are not dogs. They don't act like dogs and they'll tear you up if you don't know what to do around them." I said "I don't care, I've got to check these guys out".
So, we took his Dodge dually up there and introduced me to this woman. She asked me "Ever been around wolves?" I said "No, but I've owned two GSDs and I have no problem with big dogs". She said "Boy, you are in for a treat but I'll tell you what. Show no fear, don't back off and control your heart rate if you can. I cannot garauntee your safety and if they feel you're scared, you're done for."
Undaunted, I said "Well, let's go". She said "I'll introduce you to the pups first." We walk toward the 6' walled enclosure and I see about 6 pups, she opens the gate and we walk in and here they come, 6 of the cutest little fur balls you've ever seen, lol. That's when I made my first mistake. The boldest one comes forward and I crouch down to lure him closer. He wags his tail and jumps around distracting my attention. 10 seconds later the other five get me from behind, two have my jeans cuffs and three have my belt. They're trying to bring be down like an elk!
She says in a strong tone, but not yelling or paniced "Stand up dumb ***. Now you know why I said that these are not dogs?" At the time I didn't know if I could, these "pups" weighed 20 - 25 lbs each. Realizing that I better do as she said, I struggled to get up and they let go. She said "Stand up straight and look them straight in the eye". I did and they became much less aggressive. My crouching down was interpreted by them as submissive. One lesson learned.
Next on to the big guys. We leave that fenced area into another with 10' walls and walk toward her cabin. As we enter I notice the heavy musk smell and we are charged by 5 wolves. I remember thinking "This woman lives with wolves. She's insane and I'm trusting my life to her!". They stop fast at the doorway and she leads us in. They are skittish and alternately charge and draw back with thier head low. One, a pure white wolf jumps on the living room table and bares his teeth. Not just a dog snarl but full blown wolf warning unlike anything I'd ever seen.
She says "That's just Joker, ignore him." Ahem... A little easier said than done. She starts telling us the names and sexes of the wolves and the others come to sniff, then back off. We talk for a while and she tell us how she's doing, the problems she has with the landowners and the county and how happy she is that we brought her bones. Feeding wolves is expensive. :-D
While we banter a large female wolf is...a... staring at me. I ask what her name was and she tells me (I wish I could remember but this was back in '95). Now that this female has our attention she walks up and clamps down on my right tricep. Not drawing blood but she most certainly has my attention. I look at the gal who runs this place and she says "Huh.. that's unusual. Don't panic and watch your heart rate, she can feel how fast your heart is beating. I think she's testing you, don't pull away, this could be interesting".
I'm thinking "HOLY ****! I'm about to become shredded beef and this woman thinks it's "interesting"!!! Ok bud, calm down or this maybe your last day. Well it is a beautiful day in a beautiful place... ok. Starting to relax". The she-wolf starts pulling me toward the back door and all the other wolves have backed off. I look back at our friend, the long white haired old lady wearing lots of turqiose and silver and my eyes must have asked the question for me. She "Well, go on, she must be trying to show you something". Mind you this must have been quite a sight. Me, being led down the long set of back stairs by a huge female wolf clamped on my arm with the white haired Wolf Lady following, then my friend at the back trying to hold back his laughter".
The she-wolf leads me down the stairs, or rather pushes me by my tricep as she is to my right and just behind. Once down the stairs she leads me up an incline to a 12 or 15 foot high fence. Wolf Lady says "Oh, she wants you to meet Rocky, the Alpha wolf". I say "The Alpha? The biggest of the pack?". She says "yep". Gotta love country people. They are people of few words but you'd better listen. "Should I go in?". Wolf Lady says "I think you should or she won't let go and the pack won't respect you". Ok...... She opens the gate, I walk in and don't see anything in the pines. I turn and she shuts the gate behind me. WTF! "Aren't you coming in?" I ask. "Nope. Just remember what I told you. Be cool, stand your ground and don't run". Yeah, easy for you to say lady.
I feel a bit like a side of beef in tiger cage. I quash that thought thinking that it might get me killed. I shout "Yo, Rocky!" In my best Chicago accent and there is a noise, just a rustle at first and it grows louder.... It's his feet drumming against the ground as he hauls *** over the ridge. He's not stopping. I stand my ground and look straight at him. He is beautiful! All 220+ pounds of him! Black, grey and silver and those eyes, those slanted yellow eyes..... come at me at 20 miles an hour! He blasts against me like a linebacker and I struggle to not fall over. Thank Goodness I braced as I'm blasted back three steps!
Now we are together, his paws are on my shoulder as we stand chest to chest, his massive head against mine. My fear is gone, If I die now it will be a most glorious death of man and beast. Fear will now do me no good, I am in the moment, living in the moment as only a wild animal can. I have never felt so alive!!
I feel wetness corsing down my neck, it's not blood, it's saliva! He's licking me! We are like long lost friends! We both fall to the ground and wrestle and I'm laughing with a gusto that I never have, before or since. We played for what seemed like no time but was 15 minutes, at which time he came over to the she-wolf, they exchanged goodbyes and he bounded away, over the ridge and he was gone.
As I walked out it felt as though I had touched the finger of God. She-wolf led me back to the pack and they stayed back, even Joker never curled a lip at me. Wolf Lady said softly "They accept you now".
We said our goodbyes and we left. I had a bruise on my tricep for two weeks but there was not even the slightest puncture, I don't know how she-wolf did it. I showed that bruise off to everyone I know and have told this story a hundred times and it is true and I have witnesses. How could I make this up?
I have never been back. Maybe I was afraid that the next time may not be so magical or maybe I was afraid that it would become "routine" and the wonder of it would be lost.
This, my friend, is why I feel a kinship with my wolf bretheren and I would be hard pressed to kill one unless a life was in danger. What you say may be true for most people but this is what happened to me. I DO NOT RECCOMEND that anyone try this. :-D I can't explain to you why I did what I did, I just felt that I "needed to".The picture below is pretty close to what Joker was doing...
I don't think I will ever find a better dog. She liked to sneek out at night and go for a walk........did it almost every night for 5 years. I sure wish I never let her start taking those walks. She sure did enjoy it though.
