At the end of the last glacial period, about 15.000 years ago, in the territories now occupied by Bonn, in Northern Germany, a group of humans began to select puppies from a family of dogs. Probably this cubs have a certain docility and attractiveness toward their human companions, but the reason why our ancestors started this selective process remain unknown. However, humans have since deep manipulated dog genetics. The first part of ORIGINS is a journey into the most distant period in which the most ancient dog breeds were born.
Unlike cats which have remained almost uniform in shape throughout their history dogs have developed into a myriad of different breeds, ranging from the diminutive Chihuahua to the massive Irish Wolfhound. This book traces the origins of the domestic dog from its first beginnings as a wolf and then explores how the varieties came about. When looking for the origins of breeds we concentrate on those areas from which we have the earliest and most complete information, notably Egypt and the Middle East, which saw the birth of the earliest urban civilisations. The direct successors to the rulers of Egypt and the Middle East were the Greeks and then the Romans to whom Europe owes so much of its thought, culture and material civilisation. It is to these ancient peoples, perhaps, that we owe the spread of so many breeds into such a wide area.
"For the Love of Dog will help you answer a most important question—'What is it like to be a dog?'—and show you how to enrich your dog's life." MarcBekoff, PhD, author of Dogs Demystified "… an illustrative, whimsical journey to better understand the dogs we love, or even just the dogs who wag past us on the sidewalk. For the Love of Dog … will forever change the way you look at your four-legged friends." —Maria Goodavage, New York Times bestselling author of Top Dog A visual celebration and exploration of the connection between dogs and humans. Pilley Bianchi pens a love letter to dogs and dog ownership through observations, lessons, and wisdom gained from her family dog Chaser, the popular subject of her father's New York Times bestselling book Chaser: Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words. Chaser was dubbed "the smartest dog in the world" before crossing the rainbow bridge in 2019. New Yorker and New York Times illustrator Calum Heath's charming black-and-white illustrations throughout add a unique graphic style to this gifty package, making it an irresistible volume for anyone devoted to dogs. For the Love of Dog takes the reader on a journey of all things dog, with chapters that cover the history of dogs and how breeds developed from wolves, dog philosophy (i.e., What if we were to look at each other as if through the eyes of a dog, with the same capacity for enthusiasm and appreciation of others?), tips and tricks for good dog behavior compliments of Chaser, how dogs elevated to their current status as human's best friend, and much more. Filled with practical advice and insightful knowledge, this lively illustrated volume teaches us how to better understand our dogs and forge a deeper bond with them.
Learn to communicate with your dog—using their language “Good reading for dog lovers and an immensely useful manual for dog owners.”—The Washington Post An Applied Animal Behaviorist and dog trainer with more than twenty years’ experience, Dr. Patricia McConnell reveals a revolutionary new perspective on our relationship with dogs—sharing insights on how “man’s best friend” might interpret our behavior, as well as essential advice on how to interact with our four-legged friends in ways that bring out the best in them. After all, humans and dogs are two entirely different species, each shaped by its individual evolutionary heritage. Quite simply, humans are primates and dogs are canids (as are wolves, coyotes, and foxes). Since we each speak a different native tongue, a lot gets lost in the translation. This marvelous guide demonstrates how even the slightest changes in our voices and in the ways we stand can help dogs understand what we want. Inside you will discover: • How you can get your dog to come when called by acting less like a primate and more like a dog • Why the advice to “get dominance” over your dog can cause problems • Why “rough and tumble primate play” can lead to trouble—and how to play with your dog in ways that are fun and keep him out of mischief • How dogs and humans share personality types—and why most dogs want to live with benevolent leaders rather than “alpha wanna-bes!” Fascinating, insightful, and compelling, The Other End of the Leash is a book that strives to help you connect with your dog in a completely new way—so as to enrich that most rewarding of relationships.
In The Curious History of Irish Dogs, David Blake Knox tells the remarkable stories of each of the nine breeds, and reveals how they have become inextricably linked to the human beings with whom they share the island.
“An informative, well-written book on the evolution of all canids, including the wild types (wolves, coyotes, jackals, and dingoes)…Recommended.”—Choice Of the world’s dogs, fewer than two hundred million are pets, living with humans who provide food, shelter, squeaky toys, and fashionable sweaters. But roaming the planet are four times as many dogs who are their own masters—neighborhood dogs, dump dogs, mountain dogs. They are dogs, not companions, and these dogs, like pigeons or squirrels, are highly adapted scavengers who have evolved to fit particular niches in the vicinity of humans. This book present an eye-opening analysis of the evolution and adaptations of these unleashed dogs and what they can reveal about the species as a whole. Exploring the natural history of these animals, canine behavior experts Raymond and Lorna Coppingers explain how the village dogs of Vietnam, India, Africa, and Mexico are strikingly similar. These feral dogs, argue the Coppingers, are in fact the truly archetypal dogs, nearly uniform in size and shape and incredibly self-sufficient. Drawing on nearly five decades of research, they show how dogs actually domesticated themselves in order to become such efficient scavengers of human refuse. The Coppingers also examine the behavioral characteristics that enable dogs to live successfully and to reproduce, unconstrained by humans, in environments that we ordinarily do not think of as dog friendly. A fascinating exploration of what it actually means, genetically and behaviorally, to be a dog, What Is a Dog? is likely to change the way beagle or bulldog owners reflect on their four-legged friends.
This “informative account” of canine evolution will “appeal to dog lovers with a curiosity about the origins of their favorite companion.” (Publishers Weekly) Many have made the case that dogs have evolved from wolves but the evolutionary link between wolves and dogs remains a mystery. In How the Dog Became the Dog, Mark Derr posits that the dog’s evolution from wolf was inevitable due to the mutually beneficial nature of the relationship between wolves and hunter-gatherer humans. How the Dog Became the Dog presents the domestication of the dog as a biological and cultural process that began with a reciprocal cooperation between dogwolves and humans that evolved over time, from the first dogs that took refuge with humans against the cold at the end of the last Ice Age, to the 18th century, when humans began to exercise full control of dog reproduction, life, and death, through centuries of natural and artificial selection that led us to the many breeds of dogs we know and love today. “A transporting slice of dog/wolf thinking that will pique the interest of anyone with a dog in their orbit.” —Kirkus Reviews
