Denali- Redirected Dominance

Since the new Wolf Care Center construction is in full swing, there seems to be a slight increase in Aidan’s dominance over Denali, and subsequently, Denali’s redirection to Boltz.  While overall, the wolves have done well with the construction, any prolonged change in the surrounding environment can impact pack behavior.  In this week’s photo, Denali is forcing Boltz into a submissive posture with a behavior we identify as “Squash”, while Boltz struggles to break free.  You may be familiar with this behavior from observing Luna, she frequently displays this behavior to acquire possessions from her larger pack mates.  Notice that Aidan isn’t in the photo, this open display of status would not likely be tolerated by Aidan.