denali – Jul 31, 2008 12:00 AM

Written by Nanny Team Leader Ann Rasberry: Today the curator, Lori Schmidt, brought her dog Jake in to work with the pups. It is crucial that the pups have exposure to a large, growly canid before they are introduced into the exhibit pack. Submitting willingly and not showing fear are important skills for integration into the pack. Denali, not being as predatory at this point as his brother, bounded into the kennel in wolf lab before seeing Jake. By the time he realized that Jake was there, he was cornered and spooked. Jake was controlled by the curator, but Denali was not sure; he bolted from the kennel. He spent the rest of the session with a curved spine, ears back, a hackles response, and a T4 tail position, although his tail was wagging the whole time. He pawed at the fence and paced at the door; he seemed to want to go in with Aidan but was a little too afraid of Jake.