Instinct Interrupted: From Wolf Wisdom to Leash Control – A Behavioral Inquiry

For millennia, wild canids have demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for self-regulation through environmental interaction and instinctive behavior. This paper explores the residual self-healing intelligence in domestic dogs, tracing its roots to wolf autonomy and examining how modern human interventions—through diet, confinement, and veterinary protocols—may inadvertently suppress these natural tendencies. Grounded in behavioral science, veterinary ethics, and evolutionary biology, this inquiry challenges conventional caregiving models and proposes a framework for reintegrating canine agency into modern pet ownership.