Spirit of the Wolf in the Native American Culture - Page 1

I was reading the Monks of New Skete books. One of the cornerstone of theor philosophy is that the path to reach God is through the dog spirit.

Could someone point to some readup // literature on

1) The importance of Wolf // Dog  spirit in the Native American cultures?

2) More on the philosophy whihc ties the Dog to spirituality according to Monks of New Skete?

thanks

I know the Blackfoot believed that The Milky Way is the "Wolf's Trail" ,, The Route to Heaven. The Wolf is a messenger and guide to The Spirit World.

http://users.ap.net/~chenae/sacred2.html

Have you ever seen the Movie "Shadow Hunter" with Scott Glen and Benjamin Brat?  This movie upset some of the elders at the Navajo Reservation in Shiprock, New Mexico.  I thought it was good. If a wolf was seen near the Rez at Shiprock, I guarantee it would be said, it was a Shapeshifter or Skinwalker.  In "Shadowhunter" Benjamin Bratt, is really something! check it out if you get a chance.

I had to take a required course in Native Cultures of Alaska.  We were told in class that in the past, Alaska Nativies would kill a wolf, for it's fur or for other reasons, but they would not eat a wolf, because they believed that the wolves were their cousins.  If I remember correctly, he or his relatives might also be reincarnated as a wolf.  Eatting a wolf would seem like canibalism. 

Veronica