Ghost Dancer

Ghost Dancer, (a.k.a. Ghosty or Ghostess), was born in the first week of July in 1990.  Her parents came from 12 years of selective breeding to try to create the perfect wolf-dog cross: an animal that looks like a wolf and acts like a dog.  Ghosty was the perfect example of this not being the case.  Even being only 25% wolf (75% malamute), Ghosty could never have lived in a house.  Ghosty was a very confused animal for most of her life – not knowing whether to be a wolf or a dog.  Even with people who know and raised her, she bit half of the time and licked half of the time.

Ghosty and her sister, Dancing Bear, lived with an intense pure wolf named Shaman most of their lives.  They were known as the “cackle sisters” because of their constant bickering with each other.  Ghosty and Bear both wanted to be the alpha female, but they never could figure out who the winner was. 

When Bear and Shaman fell ill in 2003, Ghosty was separated from her companions.  To sooth her loneliness, she was introduced to another single wolf-dog named Yaqui.  As is the case when any wolf is put in with an animal they don’t know, the potential for fighting or strong bonding is always there. What actually happens when two new wolves are put in together is really dependent on their individual personalities. When Ghosty and Yaqui were put in together, there was a lot of howling and barking. Even a year later, they continued to bicker and fight at the smallest provocation. Ghosty’s favorite game became stealing all of Yaqui’s food and growling at him if he complained. Both Ghost and Yaqui were so strong-willed and testy that they couldn’t figure out how to live together.

To preserve peace around the refuge we separated Ghosty and Yaqui.  The now ancient Ghosty moved into an enclosure that was adjacent to the staff kitchen.  She seemed to enjoy the months she spent near the kitchen, coming inside each morning for a warm breakfast, a leg massage and a quick romp around to find some trouble.  Even at 13 years of age, Ghosty still insisted on climbing up on the couch and countertops, tearing up anything in sight, and physically intimidating anyone she could.  When she lost her balance and bumped into someone, she whipped around, growled and snapped in their face.  She never wanted to hurt anyone, but she definitely wanted everyone to respect her space.

Ever the obstinate old girl, Ghosty soon struck up a fierce rivalry with a younger wolf-dog named Luna who lived in the next enclosure.  They spent hours running up and down the fence line, barking, growling and howling at each other.  When Leo (a wolf-dog with a broken leg) moved in to be Luna’s mate, Ghosty flirted with him just to annoy her.  Ghosty couldn’t have been happier.  Then, in July 2008, Ghosty passed away while surrounded by her human family at the amazing age of 18 ½.