An introduction to dogs that provides statistics and facts about more than twenty-five of the most popular dog breeds.

Offering a scientifically informed perspective on canines and their relations with humans, two biologists take a close look at eight different types of dogs--household, village, livestock guarding, herding, sled pulling, pointing, retrieving and hound. 34 halftones.

Dogs keep us company, provide unconditional love, share in the ups and downs of our lives and every day an adventure. You’ll love these 101 dog tales of family, friendship, fun. How do dogs do it? Even non “dog people” fall under their spell. Our dogs make us better people. If we rescued them, they rescue us back. If we’re sad, they comfort us. If we need to have more fun, they show us how. They are our therapists, our role models, and our best friends. You’ll laugh a lot, tear up at times, and nod your head in recognition as you read these tales about the magical experience of sharing life with a dog. From hilarious to heroic, mischievous to miraculous, and everything in between, you’ll enjoy a wide variety of entertaining stories about the magic of dogs. And your purchase of this book will help support the important work of American Humane, creating a better life for dogs everywhere.

Presents profiles for different dog breeds that include the breed's country of origin, size, coat color and pattern, grooming difficulty, and exercise needs, along with advice on how to choose the right dog, care for it, and understand its behavior.

Every dog owner knows intuitively that there's something special about the high degree of mutual understanding and empathy that exists between humans and their proverbial best friends. Now, an internationally renowned Hungarian ethologist (a specialist in the scientific study of animal behavior) traces the roots of this unique relationship back to the unusual circumstances in which the two species co-evolved over many millennia. Drawing in part on close observations of his own two pet dogs, Flip and Jerry, the author argues that the longstanding alliance of dogs and humans arose from behavioral traits present in the original wolves from which all modern dogs are descended. Wolves, like humans, are highly intelligent social predators, with well-developed cooperative problem-solving and communications skills, giving them distinct advantages in their developing relations with humans. These basic intellectual skills were refined and enhanced over tens of thousands of years, resulting in the enormously varied "artificial animals" we see today. Although the book's specific focus is on dogs, it ranges far afield to discuss in an easy-going, accessible style recent experimental and theoretical work on the behavior of other animals, and especially on their interactions with humans. A highly personal work, If Dogs Could Talk makes the case that the social and emotional bonds between dogs and humans are indeed special, and that they ought to form the basis for our treatment of dogs. Moreover, the author concludes, by closely observing the cognitive behavior of dogs, we can also learn a good deal about how the human mind works.