I read a book some years back where the author raised his family in the Canadian North with about a dozen semi-tame wolves. As long as he maintained “top wolf” status, his wife, as his mate, and their kids, as his cubs, were safe.
But he was challenged every week or two by one of the male wolves, and had to beat the tar out of it with a short club he wore on his belt at all times.
The life sounded a little too exciting to me.
Last night on the Science Channel, I saw a documentary where a film maker followed a pack of hyenas in his jeep, day and night, for like a year. By the end, he was able to sit on the ground with his movie camera, and they would come around and nuzzle him like golden retrievers. Mind you, 4 hyenas will attack and drive off or tree one lioness. Pretty crazy, but the hyenas “accepted” him as a member.