Unlikely Friendships - Jennifer S. Holland [31]
The wolf was completely responsive to the rottie’s overtures, happy for the attention. And after realizing Ulrok wasn’t content unless the pup was within licking reach, Heather let them share a bed so they could cuddle. The still-awkward pup tried to play with the big dog, and even licked Ulrok’s mouth and chewed his tongue to try to get him to regurgitate food, as wolves do in the wild. “He’d neutralize her with his paw if she got too excited, but Ulrok was so patient with her!”
The pup’s wolflike ways showed at mealtime as well. When it comes to food, wolves and well-fed domestic dogs are very different animals—not so much in what they like to eat, but in the lengths to which they’ll go to protect their lunch. Any self-respecting wolf challenged for her food will curl her lip and snarl, eyes wild and stance wide. The pup did the same, and Ulrok respected her space. “Here was this five-pound pup growling at this 120-pound dog, and he’d just back off and let her eat,” says Heather. “People think that if you raise a wolf in captivity, it’ll be like a pet dog. That’s not true. They are hardwired in different ways.”
That difference in temperament and behavior is one reason Heather wanted to make sure the wolf was exposed to her own species as soon as possible. So when the time was right, the pup was introduced to an old female wolf at the preserve named Morticia, who had been living alone for years. Happily, the two bonded from the start. “The pup breathed new life into the old wolf, who became more active having a young animal around. She was soon regurgitating food for her and teaching her wolf mannerisms and behaviors,” says Heather. More convinced than ever that the pup knew what she was, the preserve staff felt confident in plans to integrate her into one of their captive wolf packs when the day came that elderly Morticia would no longer be there for her young companion.
As for Ulrok, whose breed is known for its herding and guarding instincts, he’s now offered his parenting services to numerous animals at the facility, including tiger cubs, a baby gibbon, and even an injured leopard tortoise. “He really is the peace-love-and-happiness rottweiler of the world,” says Heather. “He was just destined for this life.”
{ISRAEL, 2000}
The Salty Dog and the Dolphins
BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN
KINGDOM: Animalia
PHYLUM: Chordata
CLASS: Mammalia
ORDER: Cetacea
FAMILY: Delphinidae
GENUS: Tursiops
SPECIES: T. truncatus
On the south side of Eilat in Israel, where the Red Sea creeps onto sandy, tourist-packed shores, a shaggy dog took a leap of faith.
His name was Joker, and one warm day in the spring of 2000 he simply showed up at Dolphin Reef, a beachy tourist attraction specializing in encounters with the popular marine mammals. He belonged to a family in town, but he seemed more at home on the Reef’s wooden pier overlooking the sea.
At first, the owners weren’t happy about their canine visitor. They were concerned that he’d chase the cats, chickens, and peacocks that lived on the property. But Joker kept coming—traveling every day from wherever he laid his head at night—and never raised a paw to the other animals. In fact, he seemed utterly disinterested in all species but one: the dolphins.
Dolphin Reef has a population of eight bottlenose dolphins all fathered by a male named Cindy, the so-called Don Juan of the pod. (Yes, “Cindy” is a male.) At times the animals have been given free access to the open sea and allowed to choose between the Reef and the wild. So while they do encounter humans and receive food, their behaviors remain quite natural—including their play.
Those acrobatics held Joker’s interest for many days. He sat on the dock and observed the dolphins as they gathered and squealed and splashed and rocketed through the waves. Then one day during feeding time, Joker abandoned his dry observation post and leaped in.