OK, they might look a bit like a great potential pet, but as dog-like as they are, you really don't want one of these at home. They're spotted hyenas - and they're native to sub-Saharan Africa. And I guarantee you that they're tougher and stronger than they look. (They're also more closely related to cats than to dogs, but that's another story.)
Anyway, on the day we set out to film at the Oakland Zoo, I had at least a inkling of what to expect. In the 1990s, an old friend of mine had worked with spotted hyenas at the Berkeley Field Station for the Study of Behavior, Ecology and Reproduction. At the time the facility had more than 30 hyenas, and they were studying their behaviors (vocalizations, family structures, etc.). When I first saw the animals it was clear that they're pretty much one big muscle. Mostly jaw. My friend informed me that the mothers usually have two cubs, but that only one generally survives. Basically one cub kills or starves the other. I found that hard to believe – I mean they're just little babies aren't they? Then she showed me a newborn that had been rejected by its mother (basically beaten out in the competition by it's litter-mate). It was so cute and tiny. I asked if I could hold it. She said, "depends if you want your finger bitten off or not." OK, maybe she was exaggerating (or maybe not) but after watching the tiny cub crawl around on a blanket, it was clear: The thing could already growl and screech like a small adult. And it already had serious teeth, a strong jaw and a major attitude.
So I pretty much knew that these hyenas at the Oakland zoo were going to be more tiger than dog. Still, you have to see them up close to really get their power. And there are really few, if any, animals like them. Their ability to digest bone, their matriarchal structure, the idea that the female has a "phallus." I really recommend you check them out. And please, no matter how cute they look, I'd avoid petting them!