If you’ve been to the Zoo lately, most of you have seen that the painted dog puppies don’t really look like puppies anymore. The largest pup, Luke, weighs in at 66 lbs. The smallest is Lucy at 54 lbs. Imara is still slightly larger at 68 lbs, but the kids are not far behind. A couple more months and the puppies should be about done with their growth. At almost eight months old, they have their adult teeth in and their faces are starting to look more adult-like. The most adult-looking dog to me is Hugo. He has a bigger head and even though Luke weighs more, Hugo seems larger in stature.
In addition to growing like weeds, the puppies and their personalities are still evolving.
On one hand, you have Bruce and Riddler, who seem to enjoy interacting with the keepers, and on the other hand, you have Alfred and Luke, who are a little shy and take some time to warm up. In my opinion, Luke is the most like his father, Brahma, in personality. He is a pretty reserved dog, very vigilant and observant. He is usually the one to sound an alarm call. Lucy and Riddler appear to enjoy hanging out solo on occasion, while everybody else likes to be on top of each other. The hierarchy is also still developing, but for now, Oswald is displaying traits of an alpha. Selina, sometimes with the help of Quinn, is the top female. This will probably change and depending on how the pack continues to develop, it could happen at any time. However, for the time being, Imara is still in charge, although her interference with the puppies has lessened. They are at the point where they need to work things out themselves. It is the way of the pack.
In the middle of July, we fed the pack their first carcass while on exhibit. Imara and the pups received a 70-lb processed (no head or guts) goat carcass. They had a great time with it, and being able to observe all of the natural behaviors that go along with this style of feeding was fantastic! In the wild, the entire hunt and kill is the best way for the pack’s bonds to strengthen. In captivity, it doesn’t get more natural than a carcass. Behaviors were exhibited that I hadn’t seen before. The amount of cooperation and sharing between Imara and the pups was amazing. You can see these behaviors in videos of dogs in Africa, but rarely get to see them in captivity. The puppies would take turns breaking down the goat. It was like a revolving door of dogs; as one dog tired, another one would take its place. They had it picked clean in under two hours.
We still do not have an answer to the most popular question that I hear while chatting with our guests – will we keep all of the puppies, and if not, where will they go? It seems likely that all or some of the males will move to another facility. There is a good chance a couple of them will form new packs for breeding. It’s also possible that a couple of the females will move out as well. Since Brahma’s passing, the pack has had to be managed a little differently than if we had an alpha pair. I am happy to say that I have been accepted into the Painted Dog Species Survival Plan (SSP) management group and I hope to contribute to all of the aspects of managing this species in captivity. The SSP officially meets next month and more decisions will be made, including the possibility of getting an adult male to breed with Imara. So come on out and see Imara and the pups while they are all still here!
Thanks so much for the inside info. They are a great pack to watch and I feel we are so lucky to have had them all for whatever time we can claim them…who knows maybe another pack will form here before they all split up?!?!
Congratulations on the SSP assignment!! You have worked hard for it and have some valuable insights to contribute!
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