I am more concerned about the parasites that came in with them (forming hydatid cysts) than I am with their size relative to the timber wolf that was here. According to Val Geist, average wolf size can double or shrink to half just with variations in the food supply in as little as five generations.
We just got back from walking our dogs.
I always carry my pistol as we see cougar tracks here and have had bears spotted just up the road from us.