Well, as mentioned in Speedracers thread, Nikita the wolfdog was very ill over the weekend. Unfortunately, he was not able to hold on untill I could get him help yesterday evening. He had already passed away by the time I got home. He is the second dog I've lost in less than a years time. He was born January 5th 1999, and came home to me 5 weeks later. I took pictures of him every week for his first year, to chart his growth. Being a wolfdog, I had to fight tooth and nail to protect him from those who were certain that this gentle, timid, and loveable mutt was somehow going to get out and terrorize the neighbourhood. In fact, he was more afraid of the neighbours, than they were of him, and the last place he ever wanted, was to be on the other side of that fence. We had a morning routine that absolutely had to be followed, or he would be upset at me for the entire day. When I would open up the bathroom window to vent the shower moisture, he would come up to the window and start howling. Of course, I would howl back. This would eventually turn into a big noisy cadence of the both of us trying to be louder than the other. Coming home from work would be much the same activity, followed by him pushing his head between my knees, and pushing me as hard as he could by his shoulders while I would rub his back. The silence this morning was louder than any racket that we ever created for our morning ritual. The Pyrs knew something was wrong, and they couldn't decide whether they wanted to be inside or out all evening yesterday, after I took care of the requisite duties. I am going to miss him terribly.
Was it a genetic illness or did he die of some bug he caught? Sorry to hear about it. I love large dogs and hope to get a house with enough land to justify owning one.
He either got stung or bit by some venemous bug. There are plenty of brown recluse spiders, scorpions, and other nasties that proliferate in rural Texas area. He had a reaction to this bite or sting, and by the time I was able to get an appointment with the vet, it was too late.
My sincerest condolences. Misconceptions die hard. I've always heard that wolfdogs are never really tame. I was skeptical. I am generally skeptical of "always" and "never." I am not surprised that the myth is wrong.
Thank you all. Well, Wolfdogs are not exactly fido either. Nikita required an extremely dominant and tough environment throughout his life. His intelligence far bettered the smartest dog you would ever find, and he could have cared less if I was happy with what he was doing or not. He tried, all the way up untill recently, to be the "top dog" over not just the other dogs, but even me as well, and this was with being neutered at four months old. Being so close to pure wolf that he was, his instincts were far stronger than a regular dog. Only one cat had ever wandered into the yard, and lived. Three others were returned to one of my next door neighbours after I found them. He also killed a skunk - without getting sprayed by it in the process - as well as a rabbit and numerous birds. However, this "big bad wolf" loved kids, despite being teased relentlessly by one sorry excuse for a parents whacked out monster in my old neighbourhood. If anyone he didn't recognize came around, about all you'd get to see is his butt, as he would go run behind the shed or something, and then peek around the corner to watch. Once a bit of bravery built up, he would then come out and watch, keeping a hard stare on the person, the whole time. He was one, that I would not allow anyone in the yard with - just in case. They do not make a good family pet, and I am one that will vehemently try to talk an individual out of getting one. If, after all the potential doom and gloom prospects don't waver the individual, then I might point them in the general direction of where to look to get one - if they seemed to have grasped the concept of what they're getting into. For all of the challenges, grief, and stress, I loved him dearly. However, because of all of the challenges, grief, and stress that comes with the territory of wolfdog companionship, I will not be getting another one. For as much of a challenge as these guys are, they are the easy part. It's the rest of the world that gangs up on you, waiting for the slightest hint of a problem, that causes the most problems.
Sorry to hear about Nikita, Sounds like you understood him well, which is often not true about other owners of the mix.
I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I'm not a "dog person" myself, but I've had to have several cats put to sleep over the years because of illness. It always sucks! (Why do we humans love creatures that are bound to die so much earlier than we are?)
Many thanx to everyone for their support. It is going to take a very long time to get over losing him.
Sorry to hear of your loss Wolfman. Be it expected or not, it's always hard to deal with the loss of our close companions & friends. My deepest sympathy to you. -m.
