[Lilred]

It's true that any runnin hound is usually quite a distance from you..but a bear dog can be killed by a bear iffin the bear seen fit...there is cougar in the va mountains that have killed many a bear, cat and coon dog...and a pack of yotes will kill a beagle or small dog if the situation warrants it. A cornered coon will tear a dog plum to pieces too. It's a risk we all take runnin hounds.
However....if I did catch an animal attackin my dogs...and I could pull off a shot...it would most certainly bite that bullet...I dont care iffin it's a endangered snail..he'd git it.
As fer as wolves go...they have wiped out 1/2 the yote population in Yellowstone. (yep this is fact...Im a national geographic and histroy channel freak)
wolves can easily prey upon other dogs...and just about anythin else as fer as i'm concerned. If you was in yellowstone and bleedin from a cut er somthin...you are fair game to a wolf in my opinion.