There is no better parent than a wolf. While the pups are growing up, they are showered with care and affection from both parents as well as from the other adult members of the pack. Long hours of carefree play, ear tugging and chewing and group howls are enjoyed by all.

A mother wolf dedicates herself wholeheartedly to her pups and the patience, tenderness and joy she shares withthem is a beautiful thing to see.

These pups are probably about three months old. Their mother is taking them on a morning jaunt to discover the fascinations of summer. At this shallow spot on the river she let them watch the red darts of salmon glide by beneath the water. The pups' curiosity was bridled by what was to them, some pretty serious water! By fall they will be old enough to learn their mother's techniques of catching salmon. She wades through the water, herding the fish into the shallows and then snatches them with her paws or teeth.

After their lesson, they return to the pack's rendezvous site where they will sleep away the heat of a July afternoon.