I imagine it’s more just about probability of aggression under stress. A frightened domestic animal may have an aggressive response, a feral animal is more likely to have an aggressive response, and a wild animal even more so. In this case, though, it sounds like the animal was either just really very weak and/or had a more passive response, which is good because that picture is so cute for some reason.
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For the simple fact that the listicle nature of BB’s feed contains thumbnails, the first thing I saw in my head was a good boy wolf wearing a gingham shirt.
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Not around my part of the woods you don’t!
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The makers of corn based whisky, oxy and meth come to mind.
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Oooh great obscure movie. Terrance Stamp plays a weird Satan in a cameo part.
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Um… no. They have a similar ancestor and are related, but a wild wolf is normally not something you want to fuck with.
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No, no they are not. Depending on which taxonomist you talk to they are either different species entirely or different subspecies.
Either way, dogs are the product of over 10,000 years of selective breeding in which we very carefully made them friendly and tame and not dangerous to us. Wolves are wild animals who would think that we are as delicious as deer but a lot slower and easier to catch, if not for the fact that we have exterminated them from the vicinity of our homes the world over because they have a distressing tendency to eat us and the herbivores we have domesticated.
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I think there is some evidence that humans have domesticated themselves. Too lazy to search for the article though. Unless I get a treat. Do you have a treat? Treat!
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I believe that a wolf can reason.
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I thought it was a different subspecies for sure (canis lupus vs. canis familiaris?)?
But you’re right on about the 10,000 years of domestication and it’s role in making sure that our puppers do not attack us.
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Yeah I do believe that being able to assess a situation and respond accordingly is something wild animals can do. But always being able to assess what reaction is appropriate isn’t something most people can always do when applying concerted effort, so it wouldn’t make sense to expect it from a wolf.
Now watch that have been some movie quote I don’t know about!
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A domestic wolf is not something that I want to fuck with.
Wolves aren’t either jokers or insecure like many dogs, wolves are serious.
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You could say the same about hillbillies.
You could say the same about hillbillies.
Also, a domestic wolf is a dog. An actual wolf is not domestic, even if raised by people. I knew one once, and it behaved very differently from dogs. For one thing, it had no natural deference to humans.
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Does speciation preclude interbreeding or doesn’t it?
I thought that it did, but then, well, any of us can have neanderthal ancestors is my current understanding, so what gives, I just don’t know anymore.
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Those eyes
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Well, as far as I know, dogs, wolves, and coyotes can all interbreed successfully. And yes, humans and neanderthals did also, but were different subspecies (I think that’s right). Neanderthals were most certainly not homo sapiens, but were homo neanderthalenis (or whatever the latin is). Same relationship that a dog and a wolf would have, both of whom are canis, but one is lupus and one is famliaris… I think I’m getting this right. Certainly a more science person can correct me if I’m wrong.
So, a subspecies of the same species?
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The original wolves who were domesticated were not as ready to eat us as the other wolves were - it makes complete sense that some of the current wolves are also not as ready to eat us as the other wolves are. There is variation among wolves, they’re as exposed to natural selection as any other species.
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I used to think speciation meant the line between the ability and inability to successfully interbreed fertile offspring. A few years ago a biologist acquaintance set me straight, and by set me straight I mean made me realize it was a way more complicated and debated topic than I understood. I still don’t understand, but at least now I know I don’t understand! 
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But I wouldn’t, because making prejudicial cracks about poor rural people doens’t amuse me.
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