Laska: Adventures with a wolfdog

by Ronald Rood

When they bought Laska for a book-and-wildlife exhibit, the Roods figured that the young wolf-dog was just what they wanted. People could pet Laska and talk to her. Close contact might help them lose that fear of wolves that has persisted for centuries. That was how it was supposed to be. But the reputation of the wolf ran before her. One door after another closed hastily at Laska's approach. The Roods soon found that they had an animal that nobody wanted. Including themselves. For throughout his career as a naturalist, Ron Rood had been firm on one a wild animal can never become a pet. The animal may exhibit tame behavior, but there will always be that streak of wildness. The three-quarters of Laska that was dog - the friendly, easygoing Siberian husky - was the domestic pet the Roods wished to keep. The one-quarter wolf - razor-keen, alert, first timid and then bold - was the wild creature they wanted to let go. How do you keep the dog and release the wolf? How can you explain your unconventional companion to others? And can she coexist with the wildlife on a hundred acres of Vermont land? It was a problem and they were on the search for the answers.

188 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Wiley R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read this in years but I remember loving it.