Of Wolves and Dogs

[Ericpwp]

I heard Michael Medved read this on the radio during a commercial break. I thought it was pretty good. I looked it up and thought I'd share.
Lesson from Nature: Do Better than Dogs - The Michael Medved Show

The New York Times recently reported on new research on the origin of dogs, with unexpected lessons about the vital connection between family values and self-reliance. Dogs are closely related to wolves – so close, in fact, that dogs and wolves can interbreed easily and some scientists don’t even accept the idea that they constitute separate species. But when it comes to mating and offspring there’s a big difference. As the Timesobserves: “Wolves mate for the long haul and wolf dads help with the young, while dogs are completely promiscuous and the males pay no attention to their offspring.”
When human beings behave like dogs, with promiscuous and uninvolved males, they become dependent like dogs, counting on some higher power–like government–to meet their needs. But when we act like wolves, with lasting relationships and involved fathers, we can take care of ourselves and live with dignity and independence, without relying on some all-powerful master and provider.

 

[oldpink]

Yep, that's a very good simile.
The only way that the alpha male and alpha female wolves ever mate with another wolf is when one of the two dies.
It's also worth commenting that discipline is scrupulously (somewhat brutally at times) enforced within the pack, another lesson that human society has left behind in too many corners.

 

[Stang51d]

That's interesting. I wonder if it will show up in Lobo, our dog/wolf mix.

 

[nakinate]

Shots fired! He's calling out a good portion of the nation. Dumb millenials!

 

[HamsterStyle]

Saved for later use. Thanks

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

The writers of the article were using a few points of difference to make a point. And, it'll stand up for people who don't know much about dogs or wolves.

Dogs filled a niche and adapted to survive in that niche. You can argue which species is the more noble (I guess), but you can't argue which one is the more successful. There's a bazillion more dogs than there are wolves.

And, I think the thing that irritates me, really, is them comparing my sweet and loyal dog to promiscuous dumb people.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Pet dogs, even working dogs, are like children mentally, and will show the behaviors and make the decisions that children make. They don't grow up because we don't want or need them to. Even if they're trained to retrieve our prey or protect our property, they do it for approval, as children would. Wolves have to grow up or die. They neither seek nor need approval. You have to respect them, even if you're shooting them to protect your livestock.

The only comparison with promiscuous stupid humans is that these humans have not been made to grow up. They've been coddled, provided for, and protected from the consequences of their actions. They've returned to an animal state because nothing was expected of them, and they're too lazy to take any initiative. Even a dog will grow up and feed itself if its support system is lost.

 

[oldpink]

The writers of the article were using a few points of difference to make a point. And, it'll stand up for people who don't know much about dogs or wolves.

Dogs filled a niche and adapted to survive in that niche. You can argue which species is the more noble (I guess), but you can't argue which one is the more successful. There's a bazillion more dogs than there are wolves.

And, I think the thing that irritates me, really, is them comparing my sweet and loyal dog to promiscuous dumb people.

I get your point, but I'll just say that anyone applying our artificial human values to animals is already making a mistake.
You can use how animals behave as an analogy to how human behavior is, but it's also a mistake to be offended about making that analogy.
The fact remains that dogs are polygamous, while wolves are monogamous.
Describing one as more "noble" than the other because of that difference is anthropomorphism.

 

[seedubs1]

Although.....to believe this, you have to believe in evolution.....which I'm pretty sure there's some INGOers that don't.....

(note: I believe in evolution)