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Part Wild: One Woman's Journey with a Creature Caught Between the Worlds of Wolves and Dogs
Part Wild is the unforgettable story of Ceiridwen Terrill's journey with a creature whose heart is divided between her bond to one woman and her need to roam free. When Terrill adopts a wolfdog—part husky, part gray wolf—named Inyo to be her protector and fellow traveler, she is drawn to Inyo’s spark of wildness; compelled by the great responsibility, even danger, that accompanies the allure of the wild; and transformed by theextraordinary love she shares with Inyo, who teaches Terrill how to carve out a place for herself in the world.
Over almost four years, Terrill and Inyo’s adventures veer between hilarious and heartbreaking. There are peaceful weekends spent hiking in snowy foothills, mirthful romps through dirty laundry, joyful adoptions of dog companions, and clashes brought on by the stress of caring for Inyo, insatiable without the stimulation of a life lived outdoors. Forced to move and accommodate the complaints of fearful neighbors and the desires of her space-craving wolfdog, Terrill must confront the reality of what she has done by trying to tame a part-wild animal.
Driven to understand the differences between dogs and wolves, Terrill spent five years interviewing genetics experts, wolf biologists, dog trainers, and wolf rescuers in the United States, Germany, Hungary, Sweden, and Russia. The fascinating results of her investigation make Part Wild as informative as it is moving.
A gifted writer able to capture the grace and power of the natural world, the complexity of scientific ideas, and the pulse of the human experience,Terrill has written a bittersweet memoir of the beauty and tragedy that comes from living with a measure of wildness.
Over almost four years, Terrill and Inyo’s adventures veer between hilarious and heartbreaking. There are peaceful weekends spent hiking in snowy foothills, mirthful romps through dirty laundry, joyful adoptions of dog companions, and clashes brought on by the stress of caring for Inyo, insatiable without the stimulation of a life lived outdoors. Forced to move and accommodate the complaints of fearful neighbors and the desires of her space-craving wolfdog, Terrill must confront the reality of what she has done by trying to tame a part-wild animal.
Driven to understand the differences between dogs and wolves, Terrill spent five years interviewing genetics experts, wolf biologists, dog trainers, and wolf rescuers in the United States, Germany, Hungary, Sweden, and Russia. The fascinating results of her investigation make Part Wild as informative as it is moving.
A gifted writer able to capture the grace and power of the natural world, the complexity of scientific ideas, and the pulse of the human experience,Terrill has written a bittersweet memoir of the beauty and tragedy that comes from living with a measure of wildness.
235 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2011
16 people are currently reading
687 people want to read
About the author
Ceiridwen Terrill
4 books24 followersI’m a writer and adventurer who loves to tell stories about humans and animals sharing home ground. I also write about people I admire who do important work on behalf of wildlife, trying to make a way for animals despite shrinking and fragmented habitats. I hope these stories inspire people to be better humans on the planet, because animals need all the help they can get.
I explore my own human foibles through memoir and science as I figure out how to live on the urban-wild border of Portland, Oregon’s 5,000-acre Forest Park. My home sits on city-protected lands that I share with elk, deer, beaver, coyote, pygmy and barred owls.
At Concordia University in Portland, I teach environmental journalism and science writing. When I’m not writing and teaching, I’m sailing the San Juans, jumping horses, topping out on Mount Hood, free-climbing through the narrow slot canyons of Utah, wildcrafting medicinal plants, or backpacking with Argos, my 100% pure American street dog.
I explore my own human foibles through memoir and science as I figure out how to live on the urban-wild border of Portland, Oregon’s 5,000-acre Forest Park. My home sits on city-protected lands that I share with elk, deer, beaver, coyote, pygmy and barred owls.
At Concordia University in Portland, I teach environmental journalism and science writing. When I’m not writing and teaching, I’m sailing the San Juans, jumping horses, topping out on Mount Hood, free-climbing through the narrow slot canyons of Utah, wildcrafting medicinal plants, or backpacking with Argos, my 100% pure American street dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
October 17, 2012
This is a tough one to review. It's well-written, but as a tale of someone who makes one bad decision after another -- decisions which affect everyone around her in mostly negative ways -- it gets old to have her continually play the victim. I finished the book really disliking the author and feeling bad for the animals in her care --- and for any animal unlucky enough to live in the immediate vicinity while her "wolfdog" was roaming the streets.
A primer for what not to do, I guess.
Also, for the people who are advocating Caesar Milan while reviewing this book: please, no. HIs training methods have been widely debunked among trainers and animal behaviorists, and throwing him into the mix would not have helped anybody.
A primer for what not to do, I guess.
Also, for the people who are advocating Caesar Milan while reviewing this book: please, no. HIs training methods have been widely debunked among trainers and animal behaviorists, and throwing him into the mix would not have helped anybody.
December 29, 2011
I think that obtaining any dog without reading about the dogbreed is wrong and moreso with a wolf mix. I think 3 years 4 months does not make an expert. Her story is typical of many dog breeds that require lots of work and much training.. As a companion to wolfdogs of varing content I am always interested in other peoples stories and could not pass it up. From the beginning I felt a sence of doom. This woman is very candid about events in her life - an abusive relationship, herself diagnosed as OCD. Wanting a wolfdog to protect her, (NOT) a husband that dissapeared in the world of computer games, but did she take the time to read about the "dog" she wanted. NO. My love of wolves found me reading Mech, Lopez, and the unbeliveable books by Lois Crisler (1960s) among many others. Someday I was going to have a wolf I thought. But then I found a book "All the loving Wolves" Living and Learning with Wolf Hybrids by Michael Belshaw (1990) and it became my Bible among many other books way before wolfdogs were well known about. And that begin my life with wolfdogs. She failed at knowing about the dog, some mistique for having a wolf and by far the commitment that goes with them. Most backyard breeder lie about wolf content if any at all. They are usually bred with Northern breed dogs because of similiar look. Siberians are well known for being Houdinis as well as smart enough to open the fridge, doors and whatever else, and I would guess that was what she mostly got. I see this book as her justification for killing Inyo because she was "Part Wild". She was part wild because there were no boundries, no consistant training, and being raised with two dysfuntional people - read Ceaer Milan's books, dogs are sensitive to their human companions emotional condition, even unconscious behavior on our part. Even part wolf will have heightened awarness which can result in distressful actions. This is a good read though. For what not to do. Her research after the fact is good as it intertwines in the story. I feel sorry for Inyo. To me this book is the authors way to justify her actions. Yes she did a lot because she loved Inyo, but if you don't instill that you are the alpha dog and maintain it with a large dog it is a diaster waiting to happen. Unfortunatly in the wolf/wolfdog world most people are ignorant of what they are getting into and if they are getting the real deal knowledge is power. The commitment runs it course after the puppy is no longer a puppy, or chews up that Armani pair of shoes. There are the challanges of maturity, especially when you are looking at 1 inch canines. I would and have done whatever possible to protect and give mine a good life. Petsmart puppy training, professional training, socializing and lots of love and companions other dogs, cats and me. They can be obedient, trained with voice and hand signals. Read it but "Ceiridwen Terrill will make you fully understand the differences between wild and domestic animals" is questionable.
It saddens me that wild wolves get blamed for the actions of feral dogs. The wolf is an easy blame for ranchers and those starving hunters with those expensive high powered rifles or low flying aircraft. And unethical people who abandon their wolfdogs in wilderness also contribute to the wolf being seen in a negative way. People need to be responsible, companion animals of any kind are a commitment not property that can be disposed of.
It saddens me that wild wolves get blamed for the actions of feral dogs. The wolf is an easy blame for ranchers and those starving hunters with those expensive high powered rifles or low flying aircraft. And unethical people who abandon their wolfdogs in wilderness also contribute to the wolf being seen in a negative way. People need to be responsible, companion animals of any kind are a commitment not property that can be disposed of.
February 25, 2012
Please note: Received this book from Goodreads giveaway.
Rough book - not the writing, just the struggles of every single living creature mentioned in the book. I don't think anyone made it out without a scratch.
I admire the author's candidness and honesty in admitting some pretty heavy mistakes. While her decisions were not the ones that I would have made (currently springing to mind is the idea that a destructive wolfdog needs two puppy friends, especially when the owners are drowning in debt), I have to give her credit for writing and choosing to publish this book. As I neared the end, it seemed to me that the author was attempting to make up for her mistakes by doing one of the only things left she could for Inyo: sharing her story in the hopes others will learn from it.
The book was written with wolf and wolfdog research and facts interwoven seamlessly throughout the narrative, which I think prevented the story from stalling and dropped some knowledge on me without me feeling like I was tricked into attending a lecture.
I'd recommend it.
Rough book - not the writing, just the struggles of every single living creature mentioned in the book. I don't think anyone made it out without a scratch.
I admire the author's candidness and honesty in admitting some pretty heavy mistakes. While her decisions were not the ones that I would have made (currently springing to mind is the idea that a destructive wolfdog needs two puppy friends, especially when the owners are drowning in debt), I have to give her credit for writing and choosing to publish this book. As I neared the end, it seemed to me that the author was attempting to make up for her mistakes by doing one of the only things left she could for Inyo: sharing her story in the hopes others will learn from it.
The book was written with wolf and wolfdog research and facts interwoven seamlessly throughout the narrative, which I think prevented the story from stalling and dropped some knowledge on me without me feeling like I was tricked into attending a lecture.
I'd recommend it.
July 10, 2016
Ms. Terrill writes about a subject I know something about - living with a wolfdog - in her memoir. Inyo, her wolfdog, was supposed to be her link from the human world to the wild. Inyo was supposed to be her protector, to keep her ex-boyfriend from taking control of her life again. Inyo was supposed to be the best dog ever - but things didn't work out that way.
Inyo didn't act like a dog. She acted like a wolf. She lived with Terrill for four years, and during that time, it was a strain on Terrill and her husband. Inyo couldn't or wouldn't stay within boundaries, escaping pens and houses equally. As she matured, she grew to dislike other dogs. Because of Inyo, Terrill kept collecting eviction notices, and Inyo kept collecting visits to animal control in and around Las Vegas.
If you have ever wanted a wolfdog, this book ought to be required reading. A bittersweet story that should resonate with those people who are interested in wolves, and domestication of dogs, Terrill explores the reasons why people might want wolfdogs, or even a wild animal as a pet. She searches for reasons for Inyo being the way she was, and how other animals are being domesticated around the world (foxes in Russia, for example). Her story should stand as testimony as to why wild animals should remain wild, rather than be 'adopted' into domesticity.
Inyo didn't act like a dog. She acted like a wolf. She lived with Terrill for four years, and during that time, it was a strain on Terrill and her husband. Inyo couldn't or wouldn't stay within boundaries, escaping pens and houses equally. As she matured, she grew to dislike other dogs. Because of Inyo, Terrill kept collecting eviction notices, and Inyo kept collecting visits to animal control in and around Las Vegas.
If you have ever wanted a wolfdog, this book ought to be required reading. A bittersweet story that should resonate with those people who are interested in wolves, and domestication of dogs, Terrill explores the reasons why people might want wolfdogs, or even a wild animal as a pet. She searches for reasons for Inyo being the way she was, and how other animals are being domesticated around the world (foxes in Russia, for example). Her story should stand as testimony as to why wild animals should remain wild, rather than be 'adopted' into domesticity.
June 19, 2012
So many reviewers have panned this book because the author wrote about the stupid decisions she made concerning having a wolf-hybrid animal. I liked the story because she DID write the book, to warn others about the pitfalls and disasters waiting for all involved.
The fact that the author’s personal life is also a disaster, it didn't surprise me that she chose to enter into what was so obviously a disaster in waiting.
I think to write about one's own screw-ups is admirable, especially when you can actually write well, which Terrill does.
This book should be required reading for anyone thinking they want some kind of "special" dog.
The fact that the author’s personal life is also a disaster, it didn't surprise me that she chose to enter into what was so obviously a disaster in waiting.
I think to write about one's own screw-ups is admirable, especially when you can actually write well, which Terrill does.
This book should be required reading for anyone thinking they want some kind of "special" dog.
April 5, 2012
Review book won on Goodreads.com on 1-31-12.
This was a truly inspiring and yet sad story. It is an unfortunate fate that awaits many of the wolf dogs that are bred each year. As beautiful as these animals are, I would much prefer to see wolves in their natural surroundings instead of their mixed offspring living in cramped pens for life. It seems when man gets involved with nature, the outcomes are not always what are planned or hoped for in the end.
While reading, I wondered if Inyo was not only acting on the natural ways of the wolf but also on the tension that she felt within her home. I feel that she knew the more she got out of her containment areas, the more time the author would spend with her running free in the early mornings and late nights. It seemed that is the only time when Inyo and the author were most happy and themselves. Inyo, in her wolfy way, seemed to be preparing the author to handle life's challenges on her own. The book photo with the author and Inyo shows a vision of both with focus, determination and strength. While the photo on the back inside flap, shows the author more relaxed and happy. Coincidence? Maybe...or not.
Wonderful information was presented on wolves, wolf dogs, and various studies and rescue programs for these beautiful animals with mixed genetics. How confusing and frustrating it must be for these halfwolf halfdog mixes to try to live within the confines of mans world while having the soul of a wolf! It would be like trying to contain the winds!
This was a truly inspiring and yet sad story. It is an unfortunate fate that awaits many of the wolf dogs that are bred each year. As beautiful as these animals are, I would much prefer to see wolves in their natural surroundings instead of their mixed offspring living in cramped pens for life. It seems when man gets involved with nature, the outcomes are not always what are planned or hoped for in the end.
While reading, I wondered if Inyo was not only acting on the natural ways of the wolf but also on the tension that she felt within her home. I feel that she knew the more she got out of her containment areas, the more time the author would spend with her running free in the early mornings and late nights. It seemed that is the only time when Inyo and the author were most happy and themselves. Inyo, in her wolfy way, seemed to be preparing the author to handle life's challenges on her own. The book photo with the author and Inyo shows a vision of both with focus, determination and strength. While the photo on the back inside flap, shows the author more relaxed and happy. Coincidence? Maybe...or not.
Wonderful information was presented on wolves, wolf dogs, and various studies and rescue programs for these beautiful animals with mixed genetics. How confusing and frustrating it must be for these halfwolf halfdog mixes to try to live within the confines of mans world while having the soul of a wolf! It would be like trying to contain the winds!
October 20, 2011
I really admire Terrill's bravery in telling the story of her wolfdog Inyo and illuminating the heartbreak and danger of trying to contain wild animals in human bonds. She went farther than personal memoir with a great deal of research into the challenges facing wild wolves, the still-debated origin of domestic dogs, and the "genetic tameness" experiments with foxes in Russia. She is also an accomplished writer and describes nature and its creatures in eloquent detail. Compelling and sobering.
August 19, 2012
The title describes Ms. Terrill as well as Inyo (at least during the time their lives were together). Her extreme adventures show her searching for wilderness experience outside the bounds of the ordinary. Telling her story as honestly as she did was exceedingly brave. To reveal your personal shortcomings is never easy and her choices with Inyo would have been different after her research.
Like dog ownership, what happens between human and animal is often a result of the owner and the owner’s choices. I found it admirable that throughout this troubling four years in her life she pursued a successful academic path.
By exposing the plight of wolfdogs, Terrill has done a great service to them. And there will continue to be controversy. Recently I’ve the opportunity to spend time with Arctic wolves, perhaps bred by one breeders in the Southwest Terrill mentions. And listen to a wolf refuge manager about how he places wolfdogs in homes. Much information confirmed Terrill's views that owning a wolfdog is a serious gamble on the unknown.
She is doing important work. I look forward to more of her beautifully written and important words.
Like dog ownership, what happens between human and animal is often a result of the owner and the owner’s choices. I found it admirable that throughout this troubling four years in her life she pursued a successful academic path.
By exposing the plight of wolfdogs, Terrill has done a great service to them. And there will continue to be controversy. Recently I’ve the opportunity to spend time with Arctic wolves, perhaps bred by one breeders in the Southwest Terrill mentions. And listen to a wolf refuge manager about how he places wolfdogs in homes. Much information confirmed Terrill's views that owning a wolfdog is a serious gamble on the unknown.
She is doing important work. I look forward to more of her beautifully written and important words.
February 26, 2012
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads.
This book is an emotional journey in which one dog owner must decide for herself the rights and wrongs in a situation where no one is the winner. I found this book to be a nice blend of research and facts and memoir. I learned much about wolves, wolfdogs, and canines in general, and at the same time, gained insight into the difficult life of the author and the personal battles she had to face both with and without her wolfdog, Inyo. I caught myself shouting at her mentally in her decision making, and she writes with a detail that makes the book easy to read, and more importantly, it's smooth in its transition between research and story.
Overall I give it 3.5 stars. Not being an avid animal lover, I feel like some of the more important emotional aspects were a bit lost on me. (That being said, I cried at the end result, having just put down my own dog a few months ago.) If you're a wolf fan, dog lover, or an animal lover in general, this book is a good read for you.
This book is an emotional journey in which one dog owner must decide for herself the rights and wrongs in a situation where no one is the winner. I found this book to be a nice blend of research and facts and memoir. I learned much about wolves, wolfdogs, and canines in general, and at the same time, gained insight into the difficult life of the author and the personal battles she had to face both with and without her wolfdog, Inyo. I caught myself shouting at her mentally in her decision making, and she writes with a detail that makes the book easy to read, and more importantly, it's smooth in its transition between research and story.
Overall I give it 3.5 stars. Not being an avid animal lover, I feel like some of the more important emotional aspects were a bit lost on me. (That being said, I cried at the end result, having just put down my own dog a few months ago.) If you're a wolf fan, dog lover, or an animal lover in general, this book is a good read for you.
February 19, 2013
This is a book that shows the reader why not to own a wild animal. The author decides after a run in with a boyfriend to get a wolf/dog for a number of reasons including security. Try as she might this pet is too wild to domesticate. The book is a tribute to that pet which she really loved. Terrill is extremely honest and brings out all her dirty linen including 2 failed relationships with men. She is so honest that you really have to admire her as she seams very approachable and would be great to know as long as she wasn't your wolf/dog owning neighbor. The book is very readible and well worth the time to read it.
May 19, 2013
After escaping an abusive relationship, Terrill adopts a wolfdog pup, hoping that the hybrid's wild independence will rub off on her. At the same time, she finds a new sense of security in her new boyfriend. Neither relationship turns out to be as stable as she hoped. The wolfdog incorrigibleness results in chronic escapes, a destroyed apartment, terrorized neighbors, and several incarcerations in the pound. Meanwhile, financial irresponsibility on the part of her spouse and the strain of caring for a difficult animal wear on Terrill's marriage. As the author tries everything from obedience classes to electrified enclosures to restrain her pet, she also makes an effort to understand her wild wolfdog, exploring the science behind the biology, psychology, and evolution of dogs and wolves. A fascinating, compelling memoir that's very personal but also quite informative.
October 25, 2013
This is a sad, heartbreaking, and somewhat infuriating book, and a story that is being repeated over and over because people don't pay attention to what this author learned. She tried to adopt a wolf-dog, and she failed. The story of the attempt and failure is full of lessons about why wild animals should not be treated as pets. My feeling reading this was that humans get a lot out of our relationships with animals, but the relationships are almost never reciprocal. In order to enjoy the experience of something wild, we lock it up in a cage, confine it, and try to train it to do what we want. I appreciate that the author recorded her experiences and wrote them up for people to read. I hope that many people read them, so that fewer people have to go through what she, and the wolf-dog, ultimately suffered.
November 24, 2016
As I read this book, the more I became interested in wolf dogs. Inyo's distinct sense of wildness and attachment to her owner was compelling. I learned a great deal about these wild hybrids, and followed the adventures of Inyo and her owner from puppyhood to the day when Inyo was ultimately put down. I was still inspired by this incredible story of a dog that should have never apparently happend, but I am glad did. For without her and her owner, this book would never have been possible. In fact, about 4 weeks after reading this, I was walking my dog and got to meet a big, white, long clawed wolf/husky mix. (I was surprised the owner openly stated the dog's breed, with the knowledge of it being part wolf.) It looked like an incredible creature, and this was the first and only time in my life I had seen one. Thank you Ceiridwen,for introducing me to the world of wolf dogs!!!
February 22, 2017
I want to be the woman in this book. She described it all so well. Who wouldn't want a wolf dog to traverse the wild with?
Yet there were so many horrible lessons in it to warn one, not to take on such a task.
Similar to folks who get Pit bulls and expect them not to fight or attack other dogs. Or get a Border Collie and try caging them all the time. As well as a friend of mine who got a Pug and expected it to live in the garage 24/7. People can be unconsciously cruel, by not learning about the breed.
Yet there were so many horrible lessons in it to warn one, not to take on such a task.
Similar to folks who get Pit bulls and expect them not to fight or attack other dogs. Or get a Border Collie and try caging them all the time. As well as a friend of mine who got a Pug and expected it to live in the garage 24/7. People can be unconsciously cruel, by not learning about the breed.
December 21, 2011
Well, this story certainly opened my eyes to the reality of wolfdogs. I have met a few, also met wolves and know that they are incredibly time consuming to have in your life. This book confirms how humans should not go messing around with animal gene pools and should not play out their fantasies of harboring "near wild" creatures. I shudder to think of how many wolfdogs are alive in the US right now. Want a dog? Get a dog.
September 28, 2011
Recommended reading for anyone who loves dogs and/or wolves, especially those who seek to understand the relationship between the two.
This book takes both an anecdotal and scientific approach to exploring the origins, characteristics, and fate of an interspecies hybrid, the wolfdog. It is the memoir of an intelligent, yet troubled woman who, while running from one damaging relationship, unwittingly throws herself into another: with a wolfdog named Inyo.
Drawn to wolfdogs by notions of their nobility, strength, and independence, Terrill believes that a bond with a wolfdog will provide her just the right kind of protection and healing she needs to recover from an abusive relationship. She buys Inyo (12.5% Siberian husky, 87.5% gray wolf) as a pup from a wolfdog breeder and begins a journey of research and discovery as she learns the challenges of caring for a part-wild animal in a domestic environment.
Even daily runs and weekend hikes through the wilderness cannot placate the natural drives that course through Inyo. Incidents of escape, howling, and predatory attacks make Inyo Terrill's full-time job, as she continually searches for ways to conciliate her. Terrill must move at least three times due to complaints from neighbors, no enclosure can seem to contain Inyo, and eventually Inyo's aggression escalates into attacks against Terrill herself.
Terrill includes a lot of fascinating information about wolfdogs based on both scientific studies and conversations with wolfdog breeders and rescuers. Ultimately, as both Terrill's experience and research reveal, wolfdogs are caught in limbo--neither wolf nor dog--and their lives manifest the struggle between conflicting drives and environment. Although tempermentally stable wolfdogs do exist and can live with their owners much as a fully domestic dog would, these dogs are the exception. By combining wolves and dogs, you can't guarantee that you will get the desired traits from both. It's a crapshoot, and the stakes are high.
This book takes both an anecdotal and scientific approach to exploring the origins, characteristics, and fate of an interspecies hybrid, the wolfdog. It is the memoir of an intelligent, yet troubled woman who, while running from one damaging relationship, unwittingly throws herself into another: with a wolfdog named Inyo.
Drawn to wolfdogs by notions of their nobility, strength, and independence, Terrill believes that a bond with a wolfdog will provide her just the right kind of protection and healing she needs to recover from an abusive relationship. She buys Inyo (12.5% Siberian husky, 87.5% gray wolf) as a pup from a wolfdog breeder and begins a journey of research and discovery as she learns the challenges of caring for a part-wild animal in a domestic environment.
Even daily runs and weekend hikes through the wilderness cannot placate the natural drives that course through Inyo. Incidents of escape, howling, and predatory attacks make Inyo Terrill's full-time job, as she continually searches for ways to conciliate her. Terrill must move at least three times due to complaints from neighbors, no enclosure can seem to contain Inyo, and eventually Inyo's aggression escalates into attacks against Terrill herself.
Terrill includes a lot of fascinating information about wolfdogs based on both scientific studies and conversations with wolfdog breeders and rescuers. Ultimately, as both Terrill's experience and research reveal, wolfdogs are caught in limbo--neither wolf nor dog--and their lives manifest the struggle between conflicting drives and environment. Although tempermentally stable wolfdogs do exist and can live with their owners much as a fully domestic dog would, these dogs are the exception. By combining wolves and dogs, you can't guarantee that you will get the desired traits from both. It's a crapshoot, and the stakes are high.
December 10, 2011
What a story this is! Part Wild by Ceiridwen Terrill is the true story of Ceiridwen trying to raise a wolf dog from the moment it was born. I loved this book so much! The writing is so good that I wanted to reach out and help her or give her a hug at least. Her husband gives her just as much trouble, if not more, than the dog does! There are funny and sad moments—this book has it all! It's a page turner for sure. Make it a point to read this book because you will love it and remember it when you are done.
(Gerard's review)
This is a sad story about how the author struggled with both her relationship with Inyo, her wolfdog (part dog, part wolf) and her husband. She truly believed that if she tried hard enough, she could make any relationship work only to be proved wrong by both her dog and her husband, Ryan. Both the dog and Ryan were part wild! She describes the different problems that came up with both the dog and Ryan. To protect the dog, she lied over and over again, moved from place to place because they got evicted, and finally gave up and had to have Inyo put down. She couldn’t make an enclosure sturdy enough to keep the dog contained and it would chew furniture, clothes and even doors!
Right from the start I didn’t understand why anyone would want a wolfdog. I was glad to see by the end of the book the author said to love dogs, you hold them close but to love wolves, you let them roam. This is an interesting book because it gave me some insight into a lifestyle very different from my own. It seems the author was admitting she made two big mistakes, one was getting a wolfdog instead of a regular dog and the second was marrying Ryan who was heavy in debt, drank and addicted to video games. I felt sorry for the author but was glad it had a happy ending. If you think it would be cool to have a wolfdog, I highly suggest you read this book first!
(Karen's review)
(Gerard's review)
This is a sad story about how the author struggled with both her relationship with Inyo, her wolfdog (part dog, part wolf) and her husband. She truly believed that if she tried hard enough, she could make any relationship work only to be proved wrong by both her dog and her husband, Ryan. Both the dog and Ryan were part wild! She describes the different problems that came up with both the dog and Ryan. To protect the dog, she lied over and over again, moved from place to place because they got evicted, and finally gave up and had to have Inyo put down. She couldn’t make an enclosure sturdy enough to keep the dog contained and it would chew furniture, clothes and even doors!
Right from the start I didn’t understand why anyone would want a wolfdog. I was glad to see by the end of the book the author said to love dogs, you hold them close but to love wolves, you let them roam. This is an interesting book because it gave me some insight into a lifestyle very different from my own. It seems the author was admitting she made two big mistakes, one was getting a wolfdog instead of a regular dog and the second was marrying Ryan who was heavy in debt, drank and addicted to video games. I felt sorry for the author but was glad it had a happy ending. If you think it would be cool to have a wolfdog, I highly suggest you read this book first!
(Karen's review)
February 24, 2012
I knew going in that this book was not going to be a happy tale, but it caught me up anyway. I couldn't help but fall in love with Inyo, anyway. This book is about one woman's mistakes and trials and heartbreaks, and what she does to try to fix them when everything seems to go wrong.
Part memoir, part canine research, Part Wild grabbed me from the very beginning and I just couldn't stop reading. Her reminiscences are loving and touching, but blunt with truth, even the unpleasant ones. Her factual research interspersed throughout is laid out in easy-to-understand layman's terms and presented fairly. Terrill doesn't try to hide from her mistakes, because ignoring them would mean ignoring everything she's learned because of them, because of Inyo.
Life is never an easy journey. For someone who wants to see how someone can pull through in spite of that, read this book. Wolves are not simply wild counterparts to dogs. For someone who wants to understand the difference, read this book. Most of all, for someone who wants to know what it is to love something wild, please read this book. Just be prepared for some heartache along the way.
Now before I get too emotional ;), I think I'd better sign off. Thank you Ceiridwen.
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
Part memoir, part canine research, Part Wild grabbed me from the very beginning and I just couldn't stop reading. Her reminiscences are loving and touching, but blunt with truth, even the unpleasant ones. Her factual research interspersed throughout is laid out in easy-to-understand layman's terms and presented fairly. Terrill doesn't try to hide from her mistakes, because ignoring them would mean ignoring everything she's learned because of them, because of Inyo.
Life is never an easy journey. For someone who wants to see how someone can pull through in spite of that, read this book. Wolves are not simply wild counterparts to dogs. For someone who wants to understand the difference, read this book. Most of all, for someone who wants to know what it is to love something wild, please read this book. Just be prepared for some heartache along the way.
Now before I get too emotional ;), I think I'd better sign off. Thank you Ceiridwen.
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
September 17, 2020
Hi friends anyone reading this review stop now if you don’t want to know the ending!
I read this book when it first came out and got to almost the end where she had to put her beloved wolf dog down and couldn’t handle it.
On the one hand I understood it.
On the other being in a similar situation ie having as a companion a wolf dog but being perhaps 30 years older than the writer I was able to put up a six foot fence in the large backyard of the house I own in the SF Bay Area and still have this marvelous and gallant and slightly demented by now 17 year old wolf.
The writer came to speak on a book tour and I went to see her speak with some friends, perhaps before I read the end of the book.
I listened with rapt attention as she spoke until she got to the point of having to put her wolf down and then I was howling, sobbing, heartbroken, tears streaming down my face I had to leave.
I felt so badly for her and more so for her wolf dog. I doubt that her wolf was a malamute as one reviewer suggested.
What I recall is that she could not find a home with her wolf and he was big and strong and dragged her around.. and finally after living homeless and maybe he bit her I can’t recall in the forest with giant wolfie she put him down.
I also did not do my due diligence when my friend from up north came down to the rock and gravel store I worked at part time with some puppies! I was part owner of a wonderful white lab Akita mix named Annie and thought it might be nice to have a companion for her. That part worked out great Annie was Rudy’s best friend for the many years they spent together before Annie passed away at 17 years old.
However owning (for lack of a better word) a wolf dog was way way way way more than I expected.
The good and the bad:
Getting to know a partially wild animal whom no one, not even experienced wolf trainers could “train”, was and is an amazing, exasperating, expensive, and interesting experience.
After Roo (my wolf-dog) and I became co-inhabitants he was only 5 weeks old and I was 50 (god, that seems like a lifetime ago) I became more and more aware as the weeks went by of what this undertaking meant. First of all he was the runt of the litter. And also what I thought of as the cutest. He had the most markings his litter mates were all one color and Roo looked the most wolfie. I was a wolf idiot! My friend whose pups these were and whose parents “bred” wolf dogs said are you sure you want to do this? He told me raising a wolf was different then a dog.
Come to find out in one of the many wolf books I read after I adopted him wolf-dogs with the most markings are the most wolf like ie the wildest perhaps, the most independent, the ones with the most wolf like traits.
However before I did any research on wolf dogs I decided to try it and on many occasions I gave the little monster back to Gino to care for.. ostensibly so Roo could be with his litter mates but also because the little guy seemed like he had been weaned too early and was really a handful and as Gino said the “most independent of the litter.
What that meant then was that Roo seemed terrified of me and any other human and would run like a mad man away from me (in the house). On the other hand he would howl his little head off if I tried to “crate him”. I tried that as per some vets and Ginos recommendation. He wanted to be near me but not held or restrained. He wanted to be able to get away if humans entered the house. As time went on it only got worse. If you tried to corner him or catch him or even look at him he would shake and grin in abject terror like a cartoon wolf and pee and poo all over himself.
It all got much better after I put an 8 foot “wolf fence” up around my back yard. Then I would leave my back door open and Roo might whoof (not bark) and skunk out the back door and hide up high in the bushes and trees or stand at the top of the hill in what was now his wolf ness es domain and watch like the wolf in dances with wolves. Keeping an eye on the stranger dangers in my house and not come in till they left or not come into the house at al... for days..
I wanted Roo to have a happy good life and and every day took him for long walks. However he was like a tractor on that leash. He would get down really low and drag me up the hill. If a person looked at us or came too close he would drag me the other way. Yes I got a gentle leader first of the nose lead kind which he hated!!! And then of the harness variety which sort of worked.
Also had many long ass experiences at various off leash dog parks around the Bay Area. Again that was like me with dancing with wolves. Roo up on the plateau where he could see me and generally staying in sight.
He would not cross the bridge at the dog park (pt Isabel) for you dog walkers but rather would swim across to the other side in case the wolf’s only predator (a person) was on the bridge. Or he would take a detour through the wetlands on the other side of the bridge foraging for little wild animals to try and catch. Sometime he would just lope away into the distance on his long gangly legs with nary a look back. Id call for him and beg for him to come back. I’d wait patiently as my friends said sorry got to go make dinner and the sunset and the moon rose and I waited
and waited
I’d try getting in my car and driving slowly away (at the bulb) and he might follow me and he might get in or he might not.
It was fricking insane.
Why did I do this to myself and to him.
I wanted to give him as wild and free and happy life as u could. He was ecstatic off leash! He loved the water. Especially liked to lie down in it. And run with other dogs through the waves and the sand.
My favorite place in the world might be Chrissy Fields in SF where on one side is the bay with colorful windsurfers and kite boarders going toward open ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge and on the other side are paths for people and bikes. There are also fenced off beautiful restored wildlife habitats with sage and native plants there Roo would love to jump over the fence if too many people walking on the beach and he would run and I’d hop the fence and run after him and the ranger would run after both of us. If we all froze it would look like one of those taxidermied diaramas in the natural history museum,
Roos still alive and here I am talking about him and not the review.
I read this book when it first came out and got to almost the end where she had to put her beloved wolf dog down and couldn’t handle it.
On the one hand I understood it.
On the other being in a similar situation ie having as a companion a wolf dog but being perhaps 30 years older than the writer I was able to put up a six foot fence in the large backyard of the house I own in the SF Bay Area and still have this marvelous and gallant and slightly demented by now 17 year old wolf.
The writer came to speak on a book tour and I went to see her speak with some friends, perhaps before I read the end of the book.
I listened with rapt attention as she spoke until she got to the point of having to put her wolf down and then I was howling, sobbing, heartbroken, tears streaming down my face I had to leave.
I felt so badly for her and more so for her wolf dog. I doubt that her wolf was a malamute as one reviewer suggested.
What I recall is that she could not find a home with her wolf and he was big and strong and dragged her around.. and finally after living homeless and maybe he bit her I can’t recall in the forest with giant wolfie she put him down.
I also did not do my due diligence when my friend from up north came down to the rock and gravel store I worked at part time with some puppies! I was part owner of a wonderful white lab Akita mix named Annie and thought it might be nice to have a companion for her. That part worked out great Annie was Rudy’s best friend for the many years they spent together before Annie passed away at 17 years old.
However owning (for lack of a better word) a wolf dog was way way way way more than I expected.
The good and the bad:
Getting to know a partially wild animal whom no one, not even experienced wolf trainers could “train”, was and is an amazing, exasperating, expensive, and interesting experience.
After Roo (my wolf-dog) and I became co-inhabitants he was only 5 weeks old and I was 50 (god, that seems like a lifetime ago) I became more and more aware as the weeks went by of what this undertaking meant. First of all he was the runt of the litter. And also what I thought of as the cutest. He had the most markings his litter mates were all one color and Roo looked the most wolfie. I was a wolf idiot! My friend whose pups these were and whose parents “bred” wolf dogs said are you sure you want to do this? He told me raising a wolf was different then a dog.
Come to find out in one of the many wolf books I read after I adopted him wolf-dogs with the most markings are the most wolf like ie the wildest perhaps, the most independent, the ones with the most wolf like traits.
However before I did any research on wolf dogs I decided to try it and on many occasions I gave the little monster back to Gino to care for.. ostensibly so Roo could be with his litter mates but also because the little guy seemed like he had been weaned too early and was really a handful and as Gino said the “most independent of the litter.
What that meant then was that Roo seemed terrified of me and any other human and would run like a mad man away from me (in the house). On the other hand he would howl his little head off if I tried to “crate him”. I tried that as per some vets and Ginos recommendation. He wanted to be near me but not held or restrained. He wanted to be able to get away if humans entered the house. As time went on it only got worse. If you tried to corner him or catch him or even look at him he would shake and grin in abject terror like a cartoon wolf and pee and poo all over himself.
It all got much better after I put an 8 foot “wolf fence” up around my back yard. Then I would leave my back door open and Roo might whoof (not bark) and skunk out the back door and hide up high in the bushes and trees or stand at the top of the hill in what was now his wolf ness es domain and watch like the wolf in dances with wolves. Keeping an eye on the stranger dangers in my house and not come in till they left or not come into the house at al... for days..
I wanted Roo to have a happy good life and and every day took him for long walks. However he was like a tractor on that leash. He would get down really low and drag me up the hill. If a person looked at us or came too close he would drag me the other way. Yes I got a gentle leader first of the nose lead kind which he hated!!! And then of the harness variety which sort of worked.
Also had many long ass experiences at various off leash dog parks around the Bay Area. Again that was like me with dancing with wolves. Roo up on the plateau where he could see me and generally staying in sight.
He would not cross the bridge at the dog park (pt Isabel) for you dog walkers but rather would swim across to the other side in case the wolf’s only predator (a person) was on the bridge. Or he would take a detour through the wetlands on the other side of the bridge foraging for little wild animals to try and catch. Sometime he would just lope away into the distance on his long gangly legs with nary a look back. Id call for him and beg for him to come back. I’d wait patiently as my friends said sorry got to go make dinner and the sunset and the moon rose and I waited
and waited
I’d try getting in my car and driving slowly away (at the bulb) and he might follow me and he might get in or he might not.
It was fricking insane.
Why did I do this to myself and to him.
I wanted to give him as wild and free and happy life as u could. He was ecstatic off leash! He loved the water. Especially liked to lie down in it. And run with other dogs through the waves and the sand.
My favorite place in the world might be Chrissy Fields in SF where on one side is the bay with colorful windsurfers and kite boarders going toward open ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge and on the other side are paths for people and bikes. There are also fenced off beautiful restored wildlife habitats with sage and native plants there Roo would love to jump over the fence if too many people walking on the beach and he would run and I’d hop the fence and run after him and the ranger would run after both of us. If we all froze it would look like one of those taxidermied diaramas in the natural history museum,
Roos still alive and here I am talking about him and not the review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2012
Read for book club. Our group had strongly divergent responses with some stronger than usual personal connections either positively or negatively. I tended to dislike the writing when it came to both her personal narrative and the detailed research. She mentions working on a PhD but never specifies what she was studying. Presumably something about wolves, dogs, or wolf-dogs. The book seemed to me like an awkward mashup between an intimate memoir and a well-documented scientific research report.
My favorite quote from the book was her quote: "Hungarian ethologist Adam Miklosi put it this way: 'I wouldn't say one species is smarter. If you assume an animal has to survive without human presence, then wolves are smarter. But if you are thinking that dogs have to survive in a human environment where it's very important to follow the communications of humans, then in this aspect, dogs are smarter" (p. 128). I do think her book has a wealth of research about dogs, wolves, and wolf-dogs for people interested in those topics and pointers to reading more.
My favorite quote from the book was her quote: "Hungarian ethologist Adam Miklosi put it this way: 'I wouldn't say one species is smarter. If you assume an animal has to survive without human presence, then wolves are smarter. But if you are thinking that dogs have to survive in a human environment where it's very important to follow the communications of humans, then in this aspect, dogs are smarter" (p. 128). I do think her book has a wealth of research about dogs, wolves, and wolf-dogs for people interested in those topics and pointers to reading more.
March 13, 2013
Sometimes it's better to go into a book without expectations. Upon starting Part Wild, I expected to be further educated above and beyond anything else. Problem was I've been reading all manner of dog/animal books lately - perspectives by biologists, cognitive scientists, philosophers, and more - and so there was not a lot of factual info here that was new to me. However...this book as a story was just terrific. The story of a woman with a troubled life that is identified with an animal that is 80-something percent wolf. The 2 of them go through some tough times, some of them involving love interests or a husband, some involving neighbors. The escape for both Terrill and Inyo (the wolfdog) was literally an escape - into the wilderness for multi-day hikes. But ultimately those hikes seemed to be the only time Inyo felt fully at ease.
I won't give any more of the plot away but will just leave it at this: while this book was not as full of scientific information as I'd hoped, it was, instead, full of a great, oftentimes heart-wrenching story and was well worth the read.
I won't give any more of the plot away but will just leave it at this: while this book was not as full of scientific information as I'd hoped, it was, instead, full of a great, oftentimes heart-wrenching story and was well worth the read.
February 7, 2012
Writing leaves much to be desired. Hard to follow narrative.
October 9, 2012
I did not like this book. I feel like it should be common sense that wolves and dogs should not be crossbred, so I was frustrated by the premise itself.
September 8, 2017
Ceiridwen Terrill wanted a wolfdog to protect her from an abusive boyfriend. Instead, long after the man who terrorized her vanished from her life, she would become the protector of the young animal too much of a wolf to live among humans, too much of a dog to survive without them. The looming tragedy of the young wolfdog Terrill named Inyo is evident to the reader, heartbreakingly hidden from Terrill until the bitter end of Part Wild, a chilling journey through the shadowy, legally-murky world of wolfdog owners and breeders.
“. . . I’d been living with Eddie in a small Texas town. He’d brought me a couple of mixed-breed puppies after the first bruises had shown,” Terrill writes. But when she finally fled, leaving the dogs behind, “Eddie” left a message on a friend’s voice mail: “. . . her dogs are dead.”
“Leaving my dogs meant failing them, and there was nothing I could do to make it right.” The closest she could come to atoning for what seemed her own failing would be to rescue a dog and keep it safe. She made that promise to herself.
And then she met her first wolfdog. “While the other shelter dogs pawed the chain link, desperate for human touch, (he) lurked at the back of his cage, keeping as much distance from me as he could. . . I saw the wolf in him, a certain wildness in his yellow eyes, his body hunched and ready to run.”
She had fallen in love again, with another unattainable being. And began the quest for a wolfdog of her own.
It began with an online search at a sanctuary for rescued animals, whose operator accepted Terrill’s down payment for an animal from its shelter, only to renege and refuse to refund her money. “That’s considered a donation to our sanctuary here, and we really appreciate it.”
(She would later learn such havens are perpetually cash-strapped, as many owners of captive wolves and wolfdogs abandon them once the animals morph from cute puppies into large and often emotionally-unstable predators. And those are perhaps the lucky animals, the ones who aren’t simply dumped into a wild their human upbringing hasn’t prepared them to survive in.)
Like the myriads who write to advice columnists asking how they can adapt to an unsuitable relationship, Terrill ignored the warning signs. Signs such as the aggressive and destructive behavior and habitual lack of interest in humans she witnessed in the pair of wolfdogs whose breeder assured her, “Both of them are so good-natured I know the pups will come out gorgeous and sweet-tempered.”
The puppy Terrill received, who she named Inyo, was as gorgeous as promised. But sweet-tempered? Yes, Inyo bonded with her, howling miserably all day while Terrill was away. (A behavior that garnered repeated nuisance citations from her Reno, Nevada, neighbors, drained money from Terrill’s slender bank account as a student to bail Inyo out of the pound, and led to evictions by irritated landlords.)
If only they had more room and fewer neighbors, Terrill reasoned desperately, things would be all right. But even a move to rural acreage wasn’t big enough to satisfy Inyo’s innate urge to roam. With incredible tenacity, Inyo dug, chewed, and climbed out of every enclosure Terrill could devise, even disabling an electric fence. When she began attacking neighbors’ livestock and pets, the pawprints were on the wall.
It was Terrill’s turn to look for a sanctuary, or face the ultimate solution. To her credit, she turned her heartbreak into a cause, shining a light onto the fates of wild creatures imprisoned for the pet trade – or worse. Plentiful notes and an extensive bibliography at the back of Part Wild fill in readers on much of Terrill’s research without interrupting the flow of her beautifully-written personal story. I highly recommend her book for anyone with an interest in dogs, wolves, or the way in which we humans interact with the other creatures whose world we share.
“. . . I’d been living with Eddie in a small Texas town. He’d brought me a couple of mixed-breed puppies after the first bruises had shown,” Terrill writes. But when she finally fled, leaving the dogs behind, “Eddie” left a message on a friend’s voice mail: “. . . her dogs are dead.”
“Leaving my dogs meant failing them, and there was nothing I could do to make it right.” The closest she could come to atoning for what seemed her own failing would be to rescue a dog and keep it safe. She made that promise to herself.
And then she met her first wolfdog. “While the other shelter dogs pawed the chain link, desperate for human touch, (he) lurked at the back of his cage, keeping as much distance from me as he could. . . I saw the wolf in him, a certain wildness in his yellow eyes, his body hunched and ready to run.”
She had fallen in love again, with another unattainable being. And began the quest for a wolfdog of her own.
It began with an online search at a sanctuary for rescued animals, whose operator accepted Terrill’s down payment for an animal from its shelter, only to renege and refuse to refund her money. “That’s considered a donation to our sanctuary here, and we really appreciate it.”
(She would later learn such havens are perpetually cash-strapped, as many owners of captive wolves and wolfdogs abandon them once the animals morph from cute puppies into large and often emotionally-unstable predators. And those are perhaps the lucky animals, the ones who aren’t simply dumped into a wild their human upbringing hasn’t prepared them to survive in.)
Like the myriads who write to advice columnists asking how they can adapt to an unsuitable relationship, Terrill ignored the warning signs. Signs such as the aggressive and destructive behavior and habitual lack of interest in humans she witnessed in the pair of wolfdogs whose breeder assured her, “Both of them are so good-natured I know the pups will come out gorgeous and sweet-tempered.”
The puppy Terrill received, who she named Inyo, was as gorgeous as promised. But sweet-tempered? Yes, Inyo bonded with her, howling miserably all day while Terrill was away. (A behavior that garnered repeated nuisance citations from her Reno, Nevada, neighbors, drained money from Terrill’s slender bank account as a student to bail Inyo out of the pound, and led to evictions by irritated landlords.)
If only they had more room and fewer neighbors, Terrill reasoned desperately, things would be all right. But even a move to rural acreage wasn’t big enough to satisfy Inyo’s innate urge to roam. With incredible tenacity, Inyo dug, chewed, and climbed out of every enclosure Terrill could devise, even disabling an electric fence. When she began attacking neighbors’ livestock and pets, the pawprints were on the wall.
It was Terrill’s turn to look for a sanctuary, or face the ultimate solution. To her credit, she turned her heartbreak into a cause, shining a light onto the fates of wild creatures imprisoned for the pet trade – or worse. Plentiful notes and an extensive bibliography at the back of Part Wild fill in readers on much of Terrill’s research without interrupting the flow of her beautifully-written personal story. I highly recommend her book for anyone with an interest in dogs, wolves, or the way in which we humans interact with the other creatures whose world we share.
November 6, 2021
Ceiridwen Terrill adopts a wolfdog—part husky, part gray wolf—named Inyo to be her she ( like most people ) is drawn to Inyo’s wild side and is excited for the adventure. She doesn’t realize what will come in the future having a wild animal as a pet.
Through four years, Terrill and Inyo’s adventures veer between humorous and heart wrenching. There are peaceful weekends spent hiking, silly episodes of play, depressing realizations, and clashes brought on by the stress of caring for Inyo, insatiable without the stimulation of a life lived outdoors. Forced to move and weigh the complaints of fearful neighbors against the desires of her space-craving wolfdog, Terrill must confront the reality of what she has done by trying to tame a part-wild animal.
In the end, she realizes a Wolf is not a house pet and this book is not only a warning to those who backyard breed wolf dogs but also a reminder that the wild will always be wild.
Through four years, Terrill and Inyo’s adventures veer between humorous and heart wrenching. There are peaceful weekends spent hiking, silly episodes of play, depressing realizations, and clashes brought on by the stress of caring for Inyo, insatiable without the stimulation of a life lived outdoors. Forced to move and weigh the complaints of fearful neighbors against the desires of her space-craving wolfdog, Terrill must confront the reality of what she has done by trying to tame a part-wild animal.
In the end, she realizes a Wolf is not a house pet and this book is not only a warning to those who backyard breed wolf dogs but also a reminder that the wild will always be wild.
December 30, 2024
Really great and at times, crushing story about wolfdogs, and why they are so utterly ill suited for any kind of environment we can offer them. There’s really no bad actors, or at least everyone is acting out of a place of love and admiration for these really beautiful animals but the result is so much harm, suffering and ultimately these frankenstein creatures which don’t belong anywhere at all - in the wild or any type of indoor environment.
I loved how all the sides were shown so eloquently through the author’s own personal story. It’s amazing the lengths she goes to and how creative she was, even when every possible thing went wrong and I was sure she would give up, she’d come up with something else. And while there’s some questionable choices made, there’s a lot of introspection and very deep compassion
I loved how all the sides were shown so eloquently through the author’s own personal story. It’s amazing the lengths she goes to and how creative she was, even when every possible thing went wrong and I was sure she would give up, she’d come up with something else. And while there’s some questionable choices made, there’s a lot of introspection and very deep compassion
February 17, 2025
Really great and at times, crushing story about wolfdogs, and why they are so utterly ill suited for any kind of environment we can offer them. There’s really no bad actors, or at least everyone is acting out of a place of love and admiration for these really beautiful animals but the result is so much harm, suffering and ultimately these frankenstein creatures which don’t belong anywhere at all - in the wild or any type of indoor environment.
I loved how all the sides were shown so eloquently through the author’s own personal story. It’s amazing the lengths she goes to and how creative she was, even when every possible thing went wrong and I was sure she would give up, she’d come up with something else. And while there’s some questionable choices made, there’s a lot of introspection and very deep compassion
I loved how all the sides were shown so eloquently through the author’s own personal story. It’s amazing the lengths she goes to and how creative she was, even when every possible thing went wrong and I was sure she would give up, she’d come up with something else. And while there’s some questionable choices made, there’s a lot of introspection and very deep compassion
March 6, 2021
I've always been enamoured with the wolfdog. Ever since my preteens, a lady moved onto the street with 2 part wolf/husky. I used to walk them for her, leashed, sometimes with my younger brother. The dogs were a mom and her pup, Metah and Nahanni. When the pup was around 2 she didn't want us walking them anymore.... I never thought anything of it. I was 13 so on to the next thing. While illegal in Alberta, it would be fine to own one in BC. IF YOU think you want a Wolf hybrid READ THIS BOOK FIRST! I'm over my obsession of a wolf dog. I want a dog, a faithful companion. There is so much to know. I still love wolves, they'll always be a spirit animal to me. They deserve to remain wild. Thank you for telling your story.
September 20, 2017
I would only recommend this to anyone who loves wolfdogs and/or has a deep understanding and desire to validate having made tough decisions. If it were for a broader audience, then this would be 3-4 stars! It was extremely well written and well researched to the extent one could misuse it as a primer for wolfdog companionship. At first, I didn't like how the author wove in her own personal struggles, but later came to see them as a way to demonstrate how humans can feel part wild, between two places, too.
September 12, 2023
I thought this book was truly wonderful and the only reason I’m giving it 4/5 stars is because as a dog trainer, some of the writing about domesticated dogs “wanting” to please humans isn’t entirely correct but it was a really good book, her story kept you hooked and it was full of insight about the irresponsibility and selfishness of humans breeding wolf dogs
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