Wonderdog: The Science of Dogs and Their Unique Friendship with Humans

by Jules Howard

Overview

A celebration of dogs, the scientists who've lived alongside them, and how canines have been key to advancements in science for the betterment of all species.

Almost everywhere there are humans on planet Earth, there are dogs. But what do dogs know and understand of the world? Do their emotions feel like our own? Do they love like we do? What do they think of us?

Since our alliance first began on the hunt and on the farm, our relationship with dogs has evolved considerably. And with domestic dog population rising twenty per cent in the last decade alone, it is a bond that will continue to evolve. In order to gauge where our relationship with dogs goes from here, author and zoologist Jules Howard takes a look at the historical paths we have trod together, and at the many scientists before him who turned their analytic eye on their own four-legged companions.

Charles Darwin and his contemporaries toyed with dog sign language and made special puzzle boxes and elaborate sniff tests using old socks. Later, the same questions drove Pavlov and Pasteur to unspeakable cruelty in their search for knowledge. Since then, leagues of psychologists and animal behaviourists have built upon the study of dogs and their much-improved methods have fetched increasingly important results: dogs have episodic memory similar to ours; they recognise themselves as individuals; and, in addition to their expert sense of smell, dogs’ noses can even detect thermal radiation.

With the help of vets, ethologists, neurologists, historians and, naturally, his own dogs, Wonderdog reveals the study of dogs to be key in the advancement of compassion in scientific research, and crucial to making life on Earth better for all species.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781639366095
Publisher:	Pegasus Books
Publication date:	02/13/2024
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	882,312
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Jules Howard, author of Wonderdog, is a wildlife expert, zoology correspondent, science-writer, and broadcaster. He writes regularly for many publications, including the Guardian, and appears regularly on television in the United Kingdom. He is the author of several nonfiction books and lives in London.

Table of Contents

Prologue 9

Introduction 13

Section I Sit, Stay 23

Chapter 1 From streets they came 25

Chapter 2 Emancipation Day 45

Chapter 3 Sacrificed for science 59

Chapter 4 The Brown Dog Affair 73

Section II Fetch, Retrieve 91

Chapter 5 Alpha, beta, doubter 93

Chapter 6 Skinner, unboxed 113

Chapter 7 The cognition ignition 123

Chapter 8 How nature met nurture 137

Section III Meet, Play, Love 155

Chapter 9 What is it like to be a dog? 157

Chapter 10 Flip, the switch 175

Chapter 11 The power of play 193

Chapter 12 To see love coming 215

Epilogue: … and see love depart 239

Acknowledgements 245

Research notes and further reading 247

Index 279

Editorial Reviews

"A fresh and vibrant account of what we’ve learned about dogs from Darwin to today. With a cast of familiar and almost-forgotten characters, Wonderdog tells us why dogs do the things they do – and what it tells us about ourselves. Full of compassion and intrigue, this is scientific storytelling at its very best."

Zazie Todd

"Turning wolves into dogs took knowledge, insight and a few cheeky treats along the way. This book contains all three, and is the perfect companion to any dog lover."

Ben Garrod

"Wonderdog succeeds in drawing readers in and delivering reliable scientific information packaged in compelling and sometimes heart-warming anecdotes. I have no doubt that even the science-phobic among dog lovers can find Wonderdog exhilarating."

Forbes

"With Wonderdog, Jules Howard explores the highs and the lows of science's sometimes troubled relationship with the domesticated wolf with which we share our homes and lives. With his characteristic lightness of touch, Howard takes us on a journey of discovery that will leave no dog-lover unmoved, and no dog-hater unconverted. A splendid, entertaining and hugely informative read!"

Adam Hart

"Jules Howard's Wonderdog is a wonderful, fact-filled, and easy-to-read journey into the heads and hearts of dogs—who they are, what they know, and what they feel. It's essential to know and respect how these fascinating animals sense their worlds so that we can help them adapt to ours—so they can get all they need as they negotiate a human-oriented world. Howard does a masterful job blending the latest science with doses of common sense as he covers what we know and still need to know to give dogs the best lives possible. Wonderdog is a must-read."

Marc Bekoff

"A wonderful book! I loved it. Informative and engaging."

Virginia Morell

"Wonderdog offers readers a whirlwind tour of 150 years of research on the minds and behavior of man’s best friend. From Darwin and Pavlov to the latest research in canine science, Wonderdog reflects first-rate scholarship yet reads like a detective novel. This book puts Jules Howard in the top ranks of contemporary science writers."

Hal Herzog

"Wonderdog is a paean to these clever, flexible, charming animals who sit and walk alongside us — and also a humane, thoughtful consideration of the science using and about dogs. You'll want to read it with a dog by your side, so you can regularly turn to them admiringly and tickle their ears."

Alexandra Horowitz

"A brilliant history of how we came to know our best friends better - the trials and tribulations, the highs and lows. Jules Howard reveals how we came to know dogs better and how that's helped us understand ourselves."

Professor Alice Roberts

"The book about dogs I never knew I needed, full of answers to questions I never thought to ask. A fascinating and eye-opening read for anyone that has ever loved a dog."

Jess French

"Highly entertaining and informative."

BBC Focus

Praise for Jules Howard:

"A refreshingly self-aware exploration of the most intimate moments in nature and how the incredible variety of life has led us to frame our own thoughts about this near-ubiquitous biological drive."

National Geographic - Brian Switek

"Howard has written with Bill Bryson-like wit about the sex of pandas, dinosaurs, frogs, flamingos, hedgehogs, insects, and other creatures. Readers may laugh while they learn."—

Booklist

"Howard's jubilant sense of discovery and his delight in telling what he has found make him a bright, cheeky guide to an intriguing and essential part of the natural world."

The Dispatch

"A writer who blends professional expertise in zoology with charm, wit, and a cockeyed sense of humor. What better guide through nature's red-light district could one ask for?"

Natural History Magazine

10/01/2022

British zoologist, author of children's and adult titles about the natural world, and TV host Howard thoroughly explores the science of dogs in this title. Howard explains how much dogs truly understand of the world, how they feel their emotions, and, most importantly, what their relationships to humans mean for them and for us. The author dates his research back to Darwin and moves through time to discover where these questions began and how they have evolved over the years. The research is separated into three sections: the medical use of dogs, the sociology behind dogs, and the emotional connection. Howard has very clearly done his research on the subject, which is supplemented throughout the book with numerous footnotes, which sometimes border on being overwhelming. What he does well, however, is incorporating his own stories throughout the research to make it more informal while still being informative. VERDICT This is a solid study on man's best friend that can be enjoyed by the casual reader or the historian alike, with an exceptional balance of entertainment and educational value.—Sarah Filiberto

Library Journal