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

Zoologist Howard (Death on Earth) enlists the help of veterinary professionals, psychologists, ethologists, neurologists, historians, and others in this eclectic history of dogs. They were the first animals to be domesticated some 30,000 years ago, Howard notes, and their population is on the rise (up 20% since 2000 in the U.S. alone). In tracking “how we came to know the mind of dogs,” Howard explains that many scientific advancements came at the creatures’ detriment; Howard describes how Pavlov’s early research on dog digestion used brutal surgical methods that were standard at the time, and how vivisections performed without anesthesia were common procedures in the 19th century (as well, Howard outlines the activists who worked to stop the practice). He traces modern studies, too, such as the 1994 launch of the “The Family Dog Project” in Hungary, which made dogs a “big deal in the cognitive research community.” Researchers have since learned that canines can communicate through gestures with humans and can learn from play. 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. Agent: Olivia Davies, United Agents. (Nov.)