Dogs: a Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior and Evolution: Amazon.co.uk: Ray Coppinger: Books

Amazon.co.uk Review

Dogs: A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behaviour, and Evolution was written by behavioural scientists Raymond and Lorna Coppinger who have raised hundreds of different dogs of various breeds, raced sled teams, and published professional and popular works on canine behaviour. This book, their manifesto, covers their views of canine evolution and treatment by humans and offers deep insight, provoking theories, and controversial ideas regarding our relationship with them. Though some of the material is most appropriate for readers with some zoological background, much of it is written for a general audience--one that cares about dogs not just for what they offer humans, but for their own sake. Arguing that much of current thinking about dogs' evolutionary history is misguided, they share their own rather complex story of wolf-like animals coevolving with permanent human settlements and only recently being subject to directed breeding and artificial selection. This is interesting enough, but they go on to take issue with the use and treatment of dogs, some of which they claim is bad for dog and human alike. Pure breeding, making companion animals of inappropriate breeds, and even some uses of disability assistance are assailed for neglecting genetic and other hardwired aspects of canine life. Surprisingly little is known for sure about dogs' lives and behaviour, so the Coppingers' contribution is a welcome, if occasionally unsettling, eye-opener. --Rob Lightner

Synopsis

Biologists, breeders and trainers, and champion sled dog racers, Raymond and Lorna Coppinger have more than four decades of experience with literally thousands of dogs. Offering a scientifically informed perspective on canines and their relations with humans, the Coppingers take a close look at eight different types of dogs - household, village, livestock guarding, herding, sled-pulling, pointing, retrieving, and hound. They argue that dogs did not evolve directly from wolves, nor were they trained by early humans; instead, dogs domesticated themselves to exploit a new ecological niche: Mesolithic village dumps. Tracing the evolution of today's breeds from these village dogs, the Coppingers show how characteristic shapes and behaviors - from pointing and baying to the sleek shapes of running dogs - arise from both genetic heritage and the environments in which pups are raised. For both dogs and humans to get the most out of each other, we need to understand and adapt to the biological needs and dispositions of our canine companions, just as they have to ours.

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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

A fascinating look at dogs 19 Feb 2004

By Kurt A. Johnson

Format:Hardcover

This book is a fascinating examination of the familiar dog by a professor of biology, who is also a former sled dog racing champion and dog trainer, and his wife, who is also an expert at the raising and training of dogs. Studying where dogs came from, what they are and where they are going, the authors reach some startling conclusions. They reject that idea that Mesolithic hunters stole wolf puppies to originally domesticate dogs, instead following the flow of adaptation to suggest that the path of domestication leads through the Neolithic garbage dump!

After that, the role and attributes of modern dogs are examined. Finally, the explosion of genetic "diseases" among purebred dogs is examined, and its causes laid bare.

This is a fascinating look at dogs. Much that I have noticed about the dogs in my life has been explained to me, and a great deal of food for thought given. I highly recommend this book; it will answer many questions, including some you never thought to ask.

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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

Best book on dogs ever 5 May 2003

By A Customer

This is the best book I have read about dogs. This book revolutionised the way i thought about dogs. It got away from the cliche of how man domesticated wolves - dogs domesticated dogs by hanging round settlements. More, it outlined for me the way the dog had evolved. If you are looking for a quick book about how to deal with your dog, this isn't it. But if you are interested in dog evolution and the relationship between man and dog, it is a must.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful

A fascinating book about what dogs really are! 26 Aug 2001

By Gr�nqvist Alva V

I really enjoyed this book! There was a lot of information about village dogs, their beahviour and way of living. Like Coppinger I believe that we can learn more about the behaviour of our pet dogs by studying these village dogs rather than wolves.

There was also a lot about livestock-guarding dogs and why they behave so differently around sheep than do Border Collies and other herding breeds. This information was new to me, and I was thrilled to learn so much new stuff about dogs. Definitely a book I can recommend to people that want to learn more about what dogs really are.