Yeah, so- I have made it clear already by now I don't think the wolves should have an alpha system with fights for dominance etc /at all/ seeing as it is highly inaccurate and based on inaccurate data based on captive stranger wolves kept together, however...
In case there is no chance at all of removing the alpha system entirely, I have some suggestions for improvements instead.
- Wolves should not challenge for alpha if they are infertile or have contraceptives enabled. The entire purpose of the alpha system is to determine who the breeding pair is, right? And it's all based on breeding rights, therefore animals who are on contraceptives should not be able to challenge for alpha, making it much easier to have control over who the breeding pair is in your packs. As it is now, you're basically forced to accept possibility of inbreeding or not getting pups anymore with no way to stop it save for splitting up the entire pack- you have no direct control over your breeding pair. You cannot make sure that your starting pair remain 'alpha' and continue breeding, as is the case realistically in a wolf pack, until they are too old to do so anymore, and you cannot choose who your replacement is. You also cannot choose their mate, as there is no guarantee the new wolf you introduce from the trading center will become alpha, even if everyone else has contraceptives. You basically have to disband the entire pack every time new pups grow up or else inbreeding or stalling in population could occur as one of your previous pair's offspring takes alpha position.
Basically, we should have the option to control our pack's breeding and who the "alpha pair" is to some extent via use of contraceptives. Wolves on contraceptives cannot breed, thus there is no reason for them to be alpha.
In case there is no chance at all of removing the alpha system entirely, I have some suggestions for improvements instead.
- Wolves should not challenge for alpha if they are infertile or have contraceptives enabled. The entire purpose of the alpha system is to determine who the breeding pair is, right? And it's all based on breeding rights, therefore animals who are on contraceptives should not be able to challenge for alpha, making it much easier to have control over who the breeding pair is in your packs. As it is now, you're basically forced to accept possibility of inbreeding or not getting pups anymore with no way to stop it save for splitting up the entire pack- you have no direct control over your breeding pair. You cannot make sure that your starting pair remain 'alpha' and continue breeding, as is the case realistically in a wolf pack, until they are too old to do so anymore, and you cannot choose who your replacement is. You also cannot choose their mate, as there is no guarantee the new wolf you introduce from the trading center will become alpha, even if everyone else has contraceptives. You basically have to disband the entire pack every time new pups grow up or else inbreeding or stalling in population could occur as one of your previous pair's offspring takes alpha position.
Basically, we should have the option to control our pack's breeding and who the "alpha pair" is to some extent via use of contraceptives. Wolves on contraceptives cannot breed, thus there is no reason for them to be alpha.