Wolves have killed four dogs and left one for dead in Watson Lake in the last few days.

Wildlife officials are warning area residents to watch carefully over their pets, and bring them inside for the night.

One of the attacks occurred while the dog was out for a walk with its owner.

'A dog was attacked (last) Thursday while out for a walk with its owner on a wooded trail behind his residence,' says a press release issued this morning by the Department of Environment.

'The dog was running into the trees and then back to its owner and repeating this several times until the dog failed to return.

'The owner then walked into the area where he had last seen his dog and observed a couple of wolves attacking his dog. He managed to scare off the wolves, but had to put his fatally-wounded dog down to stop its suffering.

'The second report concerned an incident on Sunday at a residence near the Watson Lake Airport when four wolves were seen attacking a dog approximately 40 metres from the residence.

'The owner was able to scare off the wolves and save her dog. The dog sustained numerous bite marks and puncture wounds but is still alive. The wolves were described as two large adult black and grey with two young pups.'

Lifelong Watson Lake resident Byron Dalziel said early this afternoon it's very unusual to see this level of wolf activity around the town, given other circumstances.

The former big game outfitter who continues to hunt regularly said he saw a wolf outside his window at his home on Watson Lake just the other morning. His neighbours phoned him last night to let him know five wolves had been seen running down the road.

'I mean, everybody is seeing them,' Dalziel said. 'It is very unusual because there is not much snow.

'They should be out catching game on their own. This is usual.'

It's one thing to see wolves come into town in years when deep snow makes it difficult to pursue prey, or in late spring after a rough winter, he said.

Dalziel said it's entirely another thing to see the wolves running about town in conditions when snow is low, the Rancheriso caribou have arrived at their winter range near the airport and there are plenty of moose about.

The wolves, he said, are usually never seen on the lake, but everybody is seeing them there.

'I mean, I have been in the hunting business all my like,' Dalziel said. 'It is kind of weird seeing them get this bold.'

He said it's a bit unnerving, because the adults are teaching the pups to eat dogs instead of caribou.

Wildlife officials have snares and a local trapper have been out setting snares and traps for the last couple of days.

'The advice to residents, from the conservation officers at this time, is for residents to remove any attractants, such as dog food, and to watch over their dogs, and not leave them out overnight,' reads the press release. 'And to be cautious when out walking their dogs during the day.'

The release says it's not unusual to see wolves in the Watson Lake area during the winter because of the presence of the caribou herd.

Officers received the first report of a problem Monday morning when a woman called to report her dog had been attacked and killed in her driveway last Friday night, with no evidence but a large amount of blood a few metres from the residence the next morning.

Another report received Monday and confirmed by a conservation office indicated wolves attacked a dog on its chain, and actually broke the chain while dragging the dogs into the trees.