Wolf hybrid snatches baby from crib

**nell67** · 07-23-2009, 06:29 AM

http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=10772995

**welderguy** · 07-23-2009, 06:51 AM

that dog would of never made it to the shelter if it was my child it snatched, I am a dog lover really i am but my first reaction ( well actually my only reaction) would of been shoot the dog.

**Winnie** · 07-23-2009, 06:55 AM

Nature will out Nell, and who in their right mind would leave any animal alone with a baby? On the other hand, the dog may have just been overly protective and felt the baby needed another mum.
Difficult one.
Personally I think breeding a wolf with a dog is wrong end of story.

**nell67** · 07-23-2009, 06:59 AM

I'm thinking the dog sees herself as the "alpha" female,and in the pack,the alpha is the only one to breed,if another does then the alpha takes the pups,right???

Cn't really fault the animal for going on instinct,but too bad the family didn't assert their roles in the pack more clearly to the dog.

**Rick** · 07-23-2009, 07:46 AM

I actually watched an interview with the father last night. He said the child was in a room by itself and somehow (he didn't know how) the door wasn't latched, which allowed the dog to get into the room. He said he heard his wife scream and went running to find the dog carrying the baby. He said the dog was trying to be very gentle with him otherwise he would have shot the dog on the spot. He said he didn't think the dog intended to hurt the baby it was just trying to care for it.

The announcer also said it was a good idea to bring a blanket home from the hospital so the dog could become acquainted with the baby's smell. It is also a good idea to record the baby's sounds and play them so the dog is familiar with the sounds. Finally, it's a good idea to apply some baby lotion so the dog becomes acquainted with the smell of the lotion. All that so when the baby comes home the dog isn't overwhelmed with new sounds and smells. I thought it was a great idea.

**Ken** · 07-23-2009, 08:03 AM

Originally Posted by Rick

The announcer also said it was a good idea to bring a blanket home from the hospital so the dog could become acquainted with the baby's smell. It is also a good idea to record the baby's sounds and play them so the dog is familiar with the sounds. Finally, it's a good idea to apply some baby lotion so the dog becomes acquainted with the smell of the lotion. All that so when the baby comes home the dog isn't overwhelmed with new sounds and smells. I thought it was a great idea.

We did the blanket thing for all three kids. First time, my oldest son, the beagle was not happy with the blanket, nor was he happy with my son. Those two never really hit it off that well, except for the time Ralph let my son step on him to reach cookies off of the counter.

Fourteen months later, we did the same thing for my daughter. Totally different reaction from Ralph. He rolled himself up in the blanket and wouldn't give it up. He guarded my daughter's room and refused to let my son in. He and my daughter were best of friends.

The youngest son got the same reaction as my daughter. Ralph loved him.

**DOGMAN** · 07-23-2009, 09:41 AM

In my opinion, there are no bad dogs- only bad owners. The dog was only acting on instincts, you can't ask a wolf dog (or any dog) to not behave like a wolf dog. As the owner/master its our job to create an environment that a dog can succeed in and to keep them safe. This wasnt the dogs fault...it was the parents fault

**2dumb2kwit** · 07-23-2009, 10:00 AM

About a year ago, I asked a friend of mine, how his dog was taking to the new baby. He said that his mother inlaw came over, and when she tried to pick the baby up out of the crib, the dog bit her.

He was in trouble, with his wife, for laughing and not yelling at the dog.
He said (to me...not his wife) "He protected my son, and bit my mother inlaw......Yell at him hell, I bought him a new toy and some treats!"

**Ken** · 07-23-2009, 10:01 AM

That's a real good dog.

**crashdive123** · 07-23-2009, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by Jason_Montana

In my opinion, there are no bad dogs- only bad owners. The dog was only acting on instincts, you can't ask a wolf dog (or any dog) to not behave like a wolf dog. As the owner/master its our job to create an environment that a dog can succeed in and to keep them safe. This wasnt the dogs fault...it was the parents fault

Agreed. Sometimes in an effort to "humanize" animals people forget that they are animals, and although we like to think we can communicate with and understand them, they are still animals that we probably don't understand quite as much as we think.

**oldsoldier** · 07-23-2009, 05:26 PM

I just feel sorry for the poor animal. Years ago their was a big "fad" in this area to have a "hybrid" as a pet that led to a flood of puppy mills breeding wolf hybrid puppies for sale. Unfortionatelly neither the people breeding them nor the people buying them had ay clue what they were doing what they were turning out were not wolves nor were they dogs. What they ended up being in many cases depending on the amount of "inbreeding" were some VERY unstable animals. Unfortionatelly it wasn't the fault of the animal. Being part Cherokee Indian and a member of the wolf clan I have always felt a conection to these beautiful animals so much so i learned everything i could about them trained with a couple of naturalists/wolf experts and in conjunction with the ky. state DNR and the local humane society started a hybrid foster program and took care of over 100 of these magnificant animals that were surrendered,siezed or simply dumped because their ownes didn't want them after the cute puppy stage. So don't blame the poor animal it was likely acting on instinct thinking the child was in danger and trying to move it to a safer "den" Blame the foolish owners for not knowing what the he## they were doing and had NO BUSINESS ownig the animal to start with!!!

**oldsoldier** · 07-23-2009, 05:28 PM

Okay gang my apologies for my rant... But this is one of my major gripes.....People screwing with nature and trying to make something nature never intended to be.

**nell67** · 07-23-2009, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by oldsoldier

I just feel sorry for the poor animal. Years ago their was a big "fad" in this area to have a "hybrid" as a pet that led to a flood of puppy mills breeding wolf hybrid puppies for sale. Unfortionatelly neither the people breeding them nor the people buying them had ay clue what they were doing what they were turning out were not wolves nor were they dogs. What they ended up being in many cases depending on the amount of "inbreeding" were some VERY unstable animals. Unfortionatelly it wasn't the fault of the animal. Being part Cherokee Indian and a member of the wolf clan I have always felt a conection to these beautiful animals so much so i learned everything i could about them trained with a couple of naturalists/wolf experts and in conjunction with the ky. state DNR and the local humane society started a hybrid foster program and took care of over 100 of these magnificant animals that were surrendered,siezed or simply dumped because their ownes didn't want them after the cute puppy stage. So don't blame the poor animal it was likely acting on instinct thinking the child was in danger and trying to move it to a safer "den" Blame the foolish owners for not knowing what the he## they were doing and had NO BUSINESS ownig the animal to start with!!!

+10 on everything you said oldsoldier,I think that deserves some reputation!

**pocomoonskyeyes** · 07-23-2009, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by Jason_Montana

In my opinion, there are no bad dogs- only bad owners. The dog was only acting on instincts, you can't ask a wolf dog (or any dog) to not behave like a wolf dog. As the owner/master its our job to create an environment that a dog can succeed in and to keep them safe. This wasnt the dogs fault...it was the parents fault

I slightly disagree.People and Animals do have one thing in common. Each has it's own personality and just as there are people that are bad so are some animals,intentionally or unintentionally. Some are smarter than others even within the same breed. While we can't and shouldn't expect them to ignore their instincts. Neither should we expect them all to be good. I think ANYONE who is going to get ANY kind of animal should educate themselves as much as possible, BEFORE they get an animal. I don't care if we are talking about dogs, cats, snakes, fish, horses or fowl... ANY animal. It is irresponsible to say the least and even sometimes cruel. From this point I agree that the owners might be at fault.
Now having said that, I would like to add that I don't fault the animal. It was most likely following one of the scenarios some of you have described. Either thinking it was ALPHA, or just being overly protective. I had a dog that would take any newborn animal and try to be the mother,knowing her particular personality we had to watch her around ANY kind of baby,cat or human or whatever. She just wanted to mother it,period.
There are bad dogs,bad cats bad _______ you fill in the blank.While most aren't,some are,I don't know if it is Physiology, psychology, pathology, or whatever.
Take my horses for instance, we have one that LOVES people,but doesn't get along with horses.We as owners have to take that into account. Another Likes women but not men or kids. Another likes just about everything but dogs, go figure. Some horses are known as mankillers. I don't think there is such a thing as an untrainable horse... but how much time and effort is it gonna' take? A month, a year, a decade? That horse is neither good nor bad, it's just what it is, itself.
But to stereotype an animal as they are all good or all bad isn't fair or right.