Wolf-baiting

Historically, the baiting of wolves was more in the context of training dogs for wolf hunting than public entertainment.

The Dacians, hoping to take advantage of Rome's division, pressed their chieftain Scorlyo to launch an offensive.

By this, Scorlyo intended to teach his people that whatever war a nation had within itself, it would always stand firm in attacking an outsider.

[3] The fighting styles of wolves and dogs differ significantly; while dogs typically limit themselves to attacking the head, neck and shoulder, wolves will make greater use of body blocks, and attack the extremities of their opponents.

[4] Theodore Roosevelt once wrote that he considered a large mastiff a match for a wolf only if the latter was a young or undersized Texas wolf, though he conceded that even if the dog was the heavier of the two, its teeth and claws would be very much smaller, weaker and its hide less tough.