How Dogs Work

Long ago, in a land no longer remembered, lived a clan of fairies, well-hidden from men and kings. Their peaceful existence went undisturbed and unnoticed until... Thus begins a magical tale of fairies and humans, of kings and queens and princesses, of lovers and others-a tale set in a fairy-tale world of enchanting beauty and unspeakable horrors. Kim is a strikingly beautiful fairy princess who one day finds herself coming to the aid of a wounded, human soldier. Fairies are forbidden to have contact with humans, so Kim is risking the wrath of her father, the king, to save the soldier's life. And although she's promised to wed Huw, the bond that she and the soldier develop will last them a lifetime. Soon, Kim acquires magical powers that no other fairies in her clan have ever had. Could it have something to do with the elf, whose life she's also saved? The fairies concoct their magical potions and conduct their special ceremonies-strictly out of sight of any human observers. Kim's parents are left only to shake their heads in frustration at the antics of their precocious, but talented, daughter. "Perhaps you should have nine daughters just like you to torment you to the end of your days, Kimberlyn," her mother pronounced on her in frustration one day. So, indeed, Kim and Huw are blessed with nine fairy babies-well outside of the normal numbers of one or two. The nine little fairy babies grow up soon enough, and quickly begin to frustrate Kim with their antics, finally causing-and then helping to resolve ...the climactic episode where love and loyalty endure and win over all. How well do we really know dogs? People may enjoy thinking about them as “man’s best friend,” but what actually drives the things they do? What is going on in their fur-covered heads as they look at us with their big, expressive eyes? Raymond Coppinger and Mark Feinstein know something about these questions, and with How Dogs Work, they’re ready to share; this is their guide to understanding your dog and its behavior. Approaching dogs as a biological species rather than just as pets, Coppinger and Feinstein accessibly synthesize decades of research and field experiments to explain the evolutionary foundations underlying dog behaviors. They examine the central importance of the shape of dogs: how their physical body (including the genes and the brain) affects behavior, how shape interacts with the environment as animals grow, and how all of this has developed over time. Shape, they tell us, is what makes a champion sled dog or a Border collie that can successfully herd sheep. Other chapters in How Dogs Work explore such mysteries as why dogs play; whether dogs have minds, and if so what kinds of things they might know; why dogs bark; how dogs feed and forage; and the influence of the early relationship between mother and pup. Going far beyond the cozy lap dog, Coppinger and Feinstein are equally fascinated by what we can learn from the adaptations of dogs, wolves, coyotes, jackals, dingoes, and even pumas in the wild, as well as the behavior of working animals like guarding and herding dogs. We cherish dogs as family members and deeply value our lengthy companionship with them. But, isn’t it time we knew more about who Fido and Trixie really are? How Dogs Work will provide some keys to unlocking the origins of many of our dogs' most common, most puzzling, and most endearing behaviors. An "entertaining and informative" look at the evolutionary biology that explains canine behavior, with photos included (Lynette Hart, author of The Perfect Puppy ). What actually drives dogs to do the things they do? What's going on in their fur-covered heads as they look at us with their big, expressive eyes? Biologist Raymond Coppinger and cognitive scientist Mark Feinstein know something about these questions, and this is their guide to understanding your dog and its behavior. Approaching dogs as a biological species rather than just as pets, Coppinger and Feinstein distill decades of research and field experiments to explain in simple terms the evolutionary foundations underlying dog behaviors. They examine the central importance of the shape of dogs: how their physical body (including the genes and the brain) affects behavior, how shape interacts with the environment as animals grow, and how all of this has developed over time. Shape, they tell us, is what makes a champion sled dog or a Border collie that can successfully herd sheep. Other chapters explore such mysteries as why dogs play; whether dogs have minds, and if so what kinds of things they might know; why dogs bark; how dogs feed and forage; and the influence of the early relationship between mother and pup. Going far beyond the cozy lap dog, Coppinger and Feinstein are equally fascinated by what we can learn from the adaptations of dogs, wolves, coyotes, jackals, dingoes, and even pumas in the wild, as well as the behavior of working animals like guarding and herding dogs. Isn't it time we knew more about who Fido and Trixie really are? How Dogs Work provides some keys to unlocking the origins of many of our dogs' most common, most puzzling, and most endearing behaviors. Contents......Page 8 Foreword by Gordon M. Burghardt......Page 10 1. What Are Dogs Like?......Page 14 2. What Makes Ethologists Tick?......Page 30 3. The Shape of a Dog Is What Makes It Tick......Page 50 4. The Shape of Behavior......Page 68 5. The Rules of Foraging......Page 90 6. Intrinsic Behavior......Page 118 7. Accommodation and Behavior......Page 134 8. Emergent Behavior......Page 156 9. Play......Page 180 10. Minding the Dog......Page 206 A Last Word......Page 232 Acknowledgments......Page 238 References......Page 240 Index......Page 250 Two experts, drawing on decades of research and field experiments, unlock the origins of many of our dogs most common, most puzzling and most endearing behaviors, and explore such canine mysteries as why dogs play, why they bark, how they feed and forage, why they guard and herd and much more.