skylar
Namaste' Kaleigh! Well once you are involved in this world it is hard to ever see yourself not in some way for all your life. But all things in life have ends and new beginnings. Many a day I have woken up thinking what the heck am I doing? seriously, but the wolves are in my life I have a responsibility to them and to the earth itself regardless.
It's not easy it is financially and even emotionally costly at times. You start thinking things like well how would **I** want to live were I them, what would make me happy were I a wolf, which is called what? anthromorphism I know I know but... I am no more above them just because they do not speak our language,they are every bit as deserving to receive honor and respect, that they are allowed to be who they are, as I am allowed to be.
You spend so much time with them that you just know how they are feeling at any given moment in time and you simply listen to that. They are intelligent if you have a clock in your hands they will want to take that apart to see how it ticks ha ha ;) so to create interactive games of solving for them is key to allow them to still use their minds.
They need to run as well so their bodies stay strong and well worked so large habitats and continuous expansion is key to that, as well as getting them out for hikes outside the perimeters of that containment. (This alone gets them out into their natural world to explore )
As far as your shepherd do you have paperwork on your friend? I have seen various shapes and sizes of shepherds from a more heavy set frame and thick legs and muzzle to a more streamlined shape such as what you describe. Almost like the differences you find between racing siberian huskys and show ones. But it does not help that there is so much inbreeding and careless breeding period of that breed either.It's a relatively new breed to boot so for it to have been ruined in so many lines in such a short period of time is very sad.
Without knowing more about YOUR dog I cannot say too much Kaleigh, I have seen a lot of shepherd mixes that have some wolf in them too out there, more and more as well. I have never heard a vet say tigerish ha ha wolves are very *cat/stealth* like where as dogs are a bit clumsy in comparison. If I had to say which big cat a wolf most reminded me of it would be a panther/cougar.
Namaste' Peter! I am very familiar with what you are talking about actually ha ha, but yes what an interesting question. In the wild wolves use their claws for many things it is like their knife and fork to them along with their teeth of course.
They use those claws to tear and rip tough hide and will hit bone along the journey of their fine dining experience ;) they will cross varied terrain however not just dirt and grasses but stone /rock /hard/rough terrain, the amount of travelling /running they do keeps the claws at a *reasonable* length.
Wolf claws ARE much thicker than a dogs actually, which it gives me an idea for a picture blog ;) . I could not take a single regular nail clipper system for large canines and it be able to cut my *adult* wolves claws with it, they are just TOO thick, (think dremel tool for that ask) but my guys claws stay reasonable, I never trim them. They are thicker and longer than any dogs claws I have ever seen in my life however.
Now the thing you are talking about the shedding, YES I have seen the wolves nails do this kind of reminds you of how a snake sheds it's skin almost. I too have always been fascinated by this but you are the first person EVER to actually say something and ya I know what your saying. It is important to note that my 8 pound shih-poo her claws also do this occasionally. One thing I can say is shedding is a part of all creatures lives in some way we all shed *something* skin/hair/ I often find black hollow nail shells /husks from pookie around the house.
I talked to some cat owners and their nails shed an outer husk too. As nails grow YES you are correct in that an outer layer will *shed*, in the wild wolves don't matt up like dogs do, (mother natures way of taking care of her own) nor do they have *owners* to cut their nails. Everything needs to take care of itself on such animals.
Domesticated animals will still have many things that will be similar to their wild counterparts just as there will be differences. The nail shedding occurs in your dog as it does in wolves. When wolves are tearing and ripping at their prey this will also help to peel off dead layers. This (shedding) will help to keep the nails strong periodically. :) My wolves nails consistently *shed* and are in various stages of such at any point in time when I examine their paws. :)
Hair and nails are made of a hard substance called keratin, which is an insoluable protein found in skin, and hair. You can read more about what that is here below which will help you to understand THAT aspect of things . Awesome question one of the best! ha
http://dictionary.webmd.com/terms/keratin
and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keratin
Posted: September 30th, 2009 | More Reviews From skynymph | Report This Comment