Walk like a Werewolf

 The photo below has been circulating the internet recently and has caused quite a stir because of the size and more importantly the height of the wolf ( provided there is no deliberate falsifying of size relation here, that is ) as it is hanging in the photo. Granted, it does provide a creepy and disturbing image, especially to those who have been eye witness to upright canines throughout the world.

Original post of photo : http://www.cryptozoology.com/

 The post that accompanies this photo is as follows :
"On November 18, 1935, on the third day of deer season, near Flint around Rhody Creek Trail, despite good weather and a great layer of tracking snow, there were absolutely no deer to be seen.What suddenly sounded like horses running, a massive timber wolf ended up being shot rather than a deer that day. Gutted and dragged into town to be weighed and measured; it weighed 182 pounds even after being gutted, measuring seven feet, 11 inches tall hanging vertically, and stood 39 inches at the shoulder.
http://www.flintexpats.com/2009/01/big-bad-wolf.html"
Mind you, timber wolves can sometimes grow to some pretty impressive sizes, but
take a good look at this wolf's back legs in the photo.
One of the most interesting things I have ever read, and which has stuck in the back of my mind ever since, is a paragraph written by Wang & Tedford in their book on canine evolution, which is one of my favorite books in my vast library of zoology, cryptozoology, and high strangeness.
It reads ...
"Large, wolflike pursuit predators were in particular the direct consequence of the opening up of the landscape"
Later, they go on to say...
" These changes were reflected in the terrestrial vertebrate community by an increasing cursoriality ( the ability to run fast and for a long time ) among predators and prey. 
This greater ability to run is clearly reflected in the fossil history of canids, which shows increasingly erect standing postures(emphasis mine), progressively lengthened limb bones, and restricted movements of the joints."

Evolution of a species is directly related to environment.
Could the werewolf, Dogman, Mandog, upright canine be a direct result of evolutionary necessity rather than something sinister and supernatural?
It certainly is another card to lay on the table of hypothesis in our research. Canines originated on this continent and expanded into Afro-Eurasia around 5-7 million years ago, and into South America roughly 3 million years ago.
They've certainly had a long time to become not only one of the world's top predators, but to change dramatically according to nature's guidelines.
I hope this post finds everyone well and having a great day!
Til next time....
Your Mistress of the Mysterious,
Raven Meindel