Origins Of The Domestic Dog

First published in 1957, The Domestic Dog is the introduction to the history of man’s best friend, with special reference to Great Britain. After discussing the natural history of the Canidae and the possible sources of domestication, Mr. Vesey-FitzGerald surveys the career of the domestic dog from its beginnings in pre-historic times through to its present position as household companion and pet. He pays particular attention to the early literature of the dog and, even more particularly, to representations of the dog by the great artists of the world, since he believes that much of the history of the individual breeds can be traced in this way. He discusses the part played by the dog in war, in sport, and in the day-to-day occupations of man. He traces the development of breeding for Show and the growth of the Dog Show from the local rivalry of a few enthusiasts to a vast and complicated business, and considers the effect of breeding for Show on the dog as an animal. Finally, he discusses the most controversial subject, the classification of the domestic dog, and gives brief histories and descriptions of the various breeds. This book will be of interest to students of history, veterinary science as well as to anyone with a love for dogs.

Xiaoming Wang and Richard H. Tedford combine their research with Mauricio Anton's impeccable reconstructions to present a remarkable portrait of canids over the past 40 million years. Wang and Tedford cull their history from the most recent scientific research conducted on the vast collections of the American Museum of Natural History and other leading institutions. With their rich fossil record, diverse adaptations to various environments, and different predatory specializations, canids are an ideal model organism for the mapping of predator behavior and morphological specializations. They also offer an excellent contrast to felids, which remain entrenched in extreme predatory specializations. The innovative illustrated approach of this book transforms the science of paleontology into a thrilling visual experience, and it forms the perfect accompaniment to an extremely important branch of animal and fossil study.

Second edition of a classic text on canine science and behavior, incorporating two decades of new evidence and discoveries.

A scientific analysis of dogs, their behaviour, and their relationships with humans.

Unlike cats which have remained almost uniform in shape throughout their history dogs have developed into a myriad of different breeds, ranging from the diminutive Chihuahua to the massive Irish Wolfhound. This book traces the origins of the domestic dog from its first beginnings as a wolf and then explores how the varieties came about. When looking for the origins of breeds we concentrate on those areas from which we have the earliest and most complete information, notably Egypt and the Middle East, which saw the birth of the earliest urban civilisations. The direct successors to the rulers of Egypt and the Middle East were the Greeks and then the Romans to whom Europe owes so much of its thought, culture and material civilisation. It is to these ancient peoples, perhaps, that we owe the spread of so many breeds into such a wide area.

Recognizing the significant advances made in the field of animal genetics in the ten years since the first edition of "The Genetics of the Dog", this new edition of the successful 2001 book provides a comprehensive update on the subject, along with new material on topics of current and growing interest. Existing chapters on essential topics such as immunogenetics, genetics of diseases, developmental genetics and the genetics of behaviour have been fully updated, while new authors report on the latest advances in areas such as genetic diversity of dog breeds, canine genomics, olfactor.