Product Description

Scientist, author, and dog lover Stephen Budiansky draws on cutting-edge genetic research to reveal what really makes your dog tick, and why

With originality and keen insight, Stephen Budianksy offers an unprecedented look into the evolution and psyche of man's best friend. In The Truth About Dogs new evidence from behavioral science, archeology, neuroscience--and the Dog Genome Project--probes the unique relationship between Homo sapiens and Canis familiari.

Writing with an eye toward improving our relationships with our dogs, Budiansky discusses the enigma of the dog's very early evolutionary divergence from the wolf, and how the dog found the perfect survival niche in a symbiotic bond with humans. Just as we are genetically programmed to seek signs of love and loyalty, dogs are genetically programmed to complement this foible of ours. In fact, in the dog's evolutionary path, cognitive skills, and social constructions lies the key to understanding these wonderful but odd creatures. After this wry and informed tour of the world from a dog's-eye view, we'll never look at our pets the same way again.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #421161 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-04
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .44 pounds
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 272 pages

From Amazon.com
Prepare to have any illusions about your canine companion totally shattered. In writing The Truth About Dogs, author Stephen Budiansky (The Nature of Horses) is determined to uncover the true nature of our beloved beasts, and it's not always a pretty picture. The introduction presents a basic question: why on earth have we allowed these disease-carrying, biting, destructive, and expensive animals into our lives? We know why--it's because we love them, warts and all. So does Budiansky, and once you read past his inflammatory introduction, you'll find a book that presents a new way of looking at old behaviors.

His insistence on the recent evolution of separate breeds, even those generally considered to have originated centuries ago like the Mexican hairless, is sure to be controversial. His interpretation of recent behavioral research may raise some hackles as well, and begins with an examination of pack behavior in wolves. While wild packs have only one dominant male and female, we often expect our dogs to behave submissively to an extended family of dominants--not only can that be difficult, but some of their natural "submissive" behavior can be extremely frustrating. Face-licking is an easy example of this poor conduct; Rover thinks he's showing submission, but Grandma's not thrilled with having an 80-pound shepherd jumping on her. In discussions of more general behaviors, Budiansky's examinations of the motivation levels present in different breeds seems to explain much about the success or failure of obedience training. While you may raise your eyebrows and frown through a few of his assertions, this fresh look at old assumptions makes a fascinating read for anyone who's ever loved a dog. --Jill Lightner

From Library Journal
Budiansky, a scientist, former editor of Nature, correspondent for the Atlantic Monthly, and author of six books on animal behavior, including If a Lion Could Talk, debunks many commonly held beliefs about the dog: "most if not all of the conventional explanations of where dogs come from, how they ended up in our homes, and why they do what they do just have to be wrong." No B.F. Skinner behaviorist, he is a firm believer in the influence of genes. Citing scholarly sources and using a sense of humor that allows him to transform some difficult concepts into lay reader's language, Budiansky explains natural selection and the genetic basis of appearance, behavior, social interactions, sensory abilities (i.e., sight, smell, and hearing), aggression, and communication. He questions whether dogs are capable of love and loyalty or whether their behavior is strictly expedient. His answers will satisfy passionate dog lovers and serious scientists alike. Recommended for undergraduate collections serving students of animal behavior and public libraries with intellectually sophisticated patrons. [Budiansky is also the author of The Battle of Wits: The Complete Story of Codebreaking in World War II, reviewed on p. 92.DEd.]DFlorence Scarinci, formerly with Nassau Community Coll. Lib., Garden City, N.
-DFlorence Scarinci, formerly with Nassau Community Coll. Lib., Garden City, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
In this humorous but fact-based book, Budiansky, a scientist, author, and dog-lover, uses scientific and genetic research to explain why dogs do what they do and are the way they are. In a conversational and entertaining way, the author shows how dog behavior is much more complex and interesting than we have previously thought, and how that behavior is firmly grounded in the breed's successful evolution. He reveals how the entire species is, in fact, a brilliant evolutionary success, which is owed entirely to its uncanny ability to worm its way into our homes and to our peculiar humanness that allows this to occur. A correspondent for the Atlantic Monthly, Budiansky is also the author of several other highly acclaimed books, including If a Lion Could Talk: Animal Intelligence and the Evolution of Consciousness (1998) and The Nature of Horses (1997). Kathleen Hughes
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