I admit to being mildly sceptical of this book initially because the writer is not a dog ‘expert’ nor is he trained in behavioural learning. He is simply a journalist who has gotten obsessive about something that is scientifically mysterious, the question of why dogs and humans are so closely linked. And it turns out to be just what the dog world needed.
While reading I was also a little put out by his continued use of the terms “alpha and omega” dog until I appreciated that he didn’t seem to realize how they are now viewed as inaccurate terms to describe dog relationships (ever by the man , David Mech, who first coined them back in the 60’s).
It turned out that this book is exactly the one I have been looking for, for a very long time. A book that puts forward a hypothesis about why humans are so attached to dogs, why they seem to fit into our lives like no other animal. It truly explains very accurately and readably, why dogs experience emotions, and why they reflect back to us, our own emotions (and sometimes exaggerate them)!
I have often wondered why the human brain shrunk 12,000 years ago, as this shrinking process is shown in all domesticated animals. So why did OUR brains shrink at the same time dogs became domesticated? (their brains shrank too). Franklin explains his hypothesis with the exuberance and openness that we often miss in academic dog circles. Maybe people are too worried about being labelled foolish or irrational. Because of this, many of the questions that are needed to push forward the scientific work on dogs are just not being asked. It takes someone with no previous experience and no “baggage” on the subject, to really see these questions and ask them, no only ask them, but be willing to offer a hypothesis! I loved this book from start to finish, a really fantastic topic.
