Wonderdog: How the Science of Dogs Changed the Science of Life

Description

How dogs defied science and changed the way we think about animals What do dogs really think of us? What do dogs know and understand of the world? Do their emotions feel like our own? Do they love like we do? Driven by his own love of dogs, Charles Darwin was nagged by questions like these. To root out answers, his contemporaries toyed with dog sign language. To reveal clues, they made special puzzle boxes and elaborate sniff tests using old socks. Later, the same perennial questions about the minds of dogs drove Pavlov and Pasteur to unspeakable cruelty in their search for truth. These big names in science influenced leagues of psychologists and animal behaviourists, each building upon the ideas and received wisdom of previous generations but failing to see what was staring them in the face - that the very methods humans used to study dogs' minds were influencing the insights reflected back. To discover the impressive cognitive feats that dogs are capable of, a new approach was needed. Treated with love and compassion, dogs would open up their unique perspective on the world, and a new breed of scientists would be provided answers to life's biggest questions. Wonderdog is the story of those dogs - a historical account of how we came to know what dogs are capable of. It's a celebration of animal minds and the secrets they hold. And it's a love letter to science, through the good times and the bad.

Jules Howard is a UK-based zoological correspondent, science writer and broadcaster who writes for the Guardian, BBC Wildlife and Science Focus. His books for adults include Sex on Earth (2014) and Death on Earth (2016), shortlisted for the Royal Society of Biology Book Prize. He has appeared regularly on TV and radio shows, including Good Morning Britain, BBC Radio Five Live, BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 4, Springwatch Unsprung and Channel 4's Sunday Brunch.

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, biological anthropologist, broadcaster and author of 'Ancestors' * Full of insight and brilliantly researched, Wonderdog is a delightful read and a fascinating look at how much more there is to learn from man's best friend. * Kate MacDougall, author of 'London's No. 1 Dog Walking Agency' * 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. * Dr Jess French, veterinarian, zoologist, broadcaster and author of 'Puppy Talk' * 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 journey of discovery that will leave no dog lover unmoved and no dog hater unconverted. A splendid, entertaining and hugely informative read! * Professor Adam Hart, scientist, broadcaster and author of 'Unfit for Purpose' * 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. * Professor Ben Garrod, evolutionary biologist, primatologist and broadcaster * 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, University of Colorado, author of 'Canine Confidential: Why Dogs Do What They Do' * Howard's portrayals of the villains and heroes in the research world of the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries makes for fascinating reading [...] his transformed view of love is a fitting end to an account describing the arc of dog research as bending towards just treatment for dogs. * Barbara J. King, anthropologist and author of 'Animals' Best Friends' * 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, author of 'Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals' * 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, professor and bestselling author of 'Inside of a Dog' * A wonderful book! I loved it. Informative and engaging. * Virginia Morrell, author of 'Animal Wise' * An informative homage to dogs and to the scientists who have tried to get to the bottom of dog psychology -- Ysenda Maxine Graham * Daily Mail * 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 * In his book Wonderdog, the zoologist Jules Howard writes that dogs, unlike wolves, make eye contact with humans. They have a specific facial muscle group for those "puppy dog eyes", and after sustained human contact, according to one study, their oxytocin levels soared. The spike was much more pronounced in their owners, though. This directs us to the more important thrust of Howard's book, which is that the question isn't how well dogs love us; it's how we are changed by loving dogs. Fascinating and profound. -- Zoe Williams * The Guardian * Amusing and enlightening [...] It's a celebration of "a vibrant and engaging era in the history of animal science", and a love-letter to man's best friend. -- Mark Whitley * Countryman * In Wonderdog, science writer Jules Howard explores how for centuries scientists have studied dogs ... many gems are there. -- Julia Llewellyn Smith * The Mail on Sunday * Heartwarming -- Kevin Maher * The Times * Zoologist Howard (Death on Earth) enlists the help of veterinary professionals, psychologists, ethologists, neurologists, historians, and others in this eclectic history of dogs [...] Howard peppers in charming stories of his own childhood dog, Biff, giving the survey equal parts heft and heart: 'We had all the hallmarks of love for one another, Biff and I.' This is just the thing for dog lovers. * Publishers Weekly * This insightful historical account of the study of canine minds is essentially a love letter to science, through the good times and the bad [...] Engagingly written, 'Wonderdog' is a refreshing celebration of dogs' minds. * Your Dog * This book tells the fascinating story of how we came to understand the complex minds of dogs, while making key discoveries about ourselves along the way. * Woman's Own *