Reviews (1)

Greene's Infectious Diseases
As a vet student, I purchased this for a small animal medicine course, but have used it for almost all of my classes. It would be an invaluable reference for the small animal practitioner or vet student and, in my opinion, is the most complete source for information of infectious diseases of small animals currently available. ... Read more

Book Description

"Wherever you find a firehouse, you will likely find a firedog or a story of one."

Working dogs are an often-overlooked segment of the canine population. The Firefighter’s Best Friend provides a rare look into a specific type of these dogs—those who have lived or currently live in the firehouses of Chicago. From the mutts in the 1870s who led the horse-drawn fire wagons, to citywide heroes, to the contemporary dogs that provide security, assistance, and companionship to today’s firefighters, the history and lore of Chicago firedogs is as rich as the city’s cultural heritage.

Whether at a fire, in the firehouse, or on the public relations circuit, these mascots play an important role in the day-to-day functioning of the Chicago Fire Department. They climb ladders, sound the alarms, fight fires, save children, break up fights, roll hose, exterminate vermin, protect property, and donate blood. And these public servants can play as hard as they work. . . playing basketball, visiting taverns and ballparks, socializing with neighborhood dogs, starring in the news, dining in style, and even hopping rides on the "L" and buses all by themselves. Trevor Orsigner and Drew Orsinger take readers on a tour of Chicago firehouses in their quest to document the lives and legends of every known Chicago firedog past and present.

As seen inDog & Kennel and Animal Fair magazines, and in the popular Dogs with Jobs television series.

A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance "I Am Me Camp" for children who have been hospitalized for burn injuries, a cause near to the hearts of Chicago firefighters. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Firedog Heros
In the past few years, firefighters have gotten increased, and deserved, attention and respect. But what of "that firefighter who is on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year"? That is the way Commissioner James T. Joyce of the Chicago Fire Department describes the firehouse dog in the introduction to _The Firefighter's Best Friend: Lives and Legends of Chicago Firehouse Dogs_ (Lake Claremont Press) by Trevor J. Orsinger and Drew F. Orsinger. It is no exaggeration to say that these dogs are for the most part not ornaments, not pets, but working dogs, busy with their responsibilities and taking them seriously. The authors are not firemen, but like many people, they admire firemen, and they realized that though there are volumes to record the history of the Chicago Fire Department, there were none devoted to its dogs. For some reason Chicago has a lot of these dogs, perhaps more than anywhere, and the stories here are funny, loving, and inspiring.

It is commonly thought that firedogs are just for show, good public relations for fire departments. They do get trotted out for photo ops and in parades, but many of the dogs here have valued roles as real worker dogs. Engine 30 has a dog named Thirty, a Dalmatian that has made 14,000 runs over the past nine years. Once on the scene, many dogs are eager to get into the work, helping to haul hoses or even entering buildings that are on fire. Many of the dogs are useful ratters. Dogs who stay in the firehouse are charged with guarding the valuables the firemen leave behind. It is significant that Chicago firehouse dogs do not have normal dog lifespans. Some of them die in the line of duty, boldly accompanying their men into burning buildings. Bruno of Engine 19 died from cancer caused by repeated smoke inhalation. Dogs do fall off speeding engines. Rags of Engine 24 stepped into water that had been electrified by a fallen wire and died, but his death ensured that his firemen avoided the same fate. One dog after another here is described as meeting death by being hit by a car at the scene. Sometimes dogs are too slow to move out and are run over by their own trucks, and more than one has been killed by being shut in the big firehouse door. Sometimes the fire station is in a bad part of town and the residents attack the dogs as symbols of authority. The other great hazard is obesity; the firemen all love to give their dogs table scraps.

There are lots of fine pictures here of dogs happily sitting on their engines, climbing ladders, marching in parades, posing for formal pictures with their crews, obligingly wearing fire hats, and being petted by guys who love them. There are plenty of dogs named Smokey here, and also Sparky, Ashes, and even Arson. There are stories of the far less successful firepig, fireduck, firegoose, and firegoat. There are great stories of heroic dogs, and if one or two have become exaggerated in the retelling by the firemen, that is only a tribute to the love and respect the firehouse crews bear for their mascots. ... Read more

Book Description

Many Japanese once revered the wolf as Oguchi no Magami, or Large-Mouthed Pure God, but as Japan began its modern transformation wolves lost their otherworldly status and became noxious animals that needed to be killed. By 1905 they had disappeared from the country. In this spirited and absorbing narrative, Brett Walker takes a deep look at the scientific, cultural, and environmental dimensions of wolf extinction in Japan and tracks changing attitudes toward nature through Japan's long history. He discusses prominent Japanese naturalists, their theories of wolf extinction, and the development of Japan's scientific discipline of ecology, looking at how nation-building and industrialization in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries reconfigured relationships with the natural world in ways that led to the extinction of wolves.

Grain farmers once worshiped wolves at shrines and left food offerings near their dens, beseeching the elusive canine to protect their crops from the sharp hooves and voracious appetites of wild boars and deer. Talismans and charms adorned with images of wolves protected against fire, disease, and other calamities and brought fertility to agrarian communities and to couples hoping to have children. The Ainu people believed that they were born from the union of a wolflike creature and a goddess.

In the eighteenth century, wolves were seen as rabid man-killers in many parts of Japan. Highly ritualized wolf hunts were instigated to cleanse the landscape of what many considered as demons. By the nineteenth century, however, the destruction of wolves had become decidedly unceremonious. To contrast wolf killings in the decades before and after the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Walker looks at killings on the island of Hokkaido. The systematic erasure of one of the archipelago's largest carnivores--through poisoning, hired hunters, and a bounty system--elevated humans to spiritual and actual mastery over a part of the natural world.

The story of wolf extinction exposes the underside of Japan's modernization. Certain wolf scientists still camp out in Japan to listen for any trace of the elusive canines. The quiet they experience reminds us of the profound silence that awaits all humanity when, as the Japanese priest Kenko taught almost seven centuries ago, we "look on fellow sentient creatures without feeling compassion." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Reckless and Free
Wolves are a species that have been feared for centuries, perhaps because they are reckless and free, like lightning in a storm. Their history has been written down in an immensely enjoyable book called wolves by Candace Savage. In the book, Savage suggests many plausable reasons why man has always feared the wolf, reveals the routine habits of wolves, and tell the general lifestyle of a pack of wolves. Additionally, dozens of amazinly close-up photos of wolves in their natural habitat help support what Savage is saying.

Beyond the Myth...
Few creatures have been so misunderstood, so shrouded in myth... and such inaccurate myth... as canis lupus, the wolf. Wild and beautiful, in my mind the most beautiful of all creatures still walking our earth today (although in painfully diminishing and harrassed numbers), the wolf inspires fear in many. But then, ignorance often inspires fear. We need books such as this one - with text and photographic selection by Candace Savage, foreword by L. David Mech - to banish such ignorance and reveal to us something of this wild and wonderful animal. For not only is he beautiful, but he is also highly intelligent, and, yes, highly "civilized" in his ways.

Henry Thoreau, author of another of my favorite books, "Walden", said: "In wildness is the preservation of the world." I believe this with all the healthy wildness in my heart. On a journey some years ago to Alaska, I brought along little luggage, but many books... and many of these were about wolves. I realized how little I knew about this incredible animal. Like so many, I knew more the myth reaching back to my own childhood... the nasty child-eating beast of Red Riding Hood, the ravaging monster harrassing three little pigs.... and, later, Jack London's Call of the Wild. I saw movies that portrayed the wolf as a fearsome monster who freely stalked and killed human beings. I visited museums where the taxidermist had so positioned the wolf as to fully expose bloodied fangs in a nightmarish snarl, dear little bunnies lying gutted in the red snow before him. The wolf kills, as all animals must to survive and eat and feed their young, but the more I read and researched this animal, the more I was impressed with his intelligence and integrity. The first myth to go was the one that wolves will hunt down and attack a human being. That is simply false. They are intelligent enough to avoid if at all possible every encounter with man, but will defend themselves and their young with respectable ferocity. Rarely have I known of any species that has such a strong sense of family as does the wolf. If only we cared and nurtured our young as does a pack of wolves... Faithful for life to his mate, the wolf not only provides nourishment for his young, but fosters a sense of family that we can only envy in our society of broken families and latch-key children.

This book provides not only fascinating information about wolves, but is filled with a breathtaking selection of photography that allows the reader a glimpse into the lives of these magnificent animals. I would follow this book up with an evening in a log cabin, fireplace roaring, wolves on the snowy horizon singing, with my favorite movie, "Never Cry Wolf," based on Farley Mowfat's book by the same name.

Excelent book about wolves and their lives
This book is an excelent source of knowledge and pictures of wolves. Covers Myths, nature of, and wolves everyday life. Book is FULL if excelent pictures. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The North Runner
This is one of the most heart-warming books I've ever read. Similar to R.D. Lawrence, I owned a wolf/dog hybrid in the wilderness of Alaska. We had many great adventures together. I eventually had to leave Alaska, and my best friend. This is one of my favorite books. I highly recommend reading it.

The story of a wolf/dog hybrid & the man who befriended him
R.D.Lawrence's book "The North Runner" is quite simply magnificent. It tells the true story of one man's friendship with a savage dog/wolf hybrid that sees man as his natural enemy, especially as he has been ill-treated since puppyhood.

When Lawrence takes the Hybrid into his home he finds that he has true savage on his hands, and that it will take all his skills as a naturalist to tame an animal that was more wolf than it was dog. This is not a sentimental book though Lawrence and the hybrid he names Yukon do become friends, rather it is a story about two creatures getting to know one another, in an unforgiving world.

Yukon is testament to man's inability to understand the mind and soul of a wolf. Lawrence eventually realizes that Yukon will never be a "people" dog and that the remainder of his life must be spent in the wild with wolves. And so Lawrence makes the ultimate sacrifice, he lets Yukon go, giving him the freedom that should have been his from birth.

This a poignant, funny, humorous and often sad book about a man and a hybrid and how they learnt to respect and love one another, yet never loose sight of which side of the fence that each belonged. For all nature lovers, especially those with a passion for dogs, wolves and hybrids.

Since I wrote this review in 2002, this book is now back in print which I am really pleased about.

I am also sad to say that R.D. Lawrence passed away in November 2003 aged 82 so for all you nature lovers out there, this is the time to stock up on his books before they go out of print again.

A DOG LOVERS MUST READ
AS ALWAYS AS I AM A FAVORITE READER OF R.D. LAWRENCE HE BEFRIENDS A WILD WOLF DOG AND FALLS IN LOVE WITH THIS ANIMAL WHO RELATES SO MUCH TO HIM. MR. LAWRENCE IN HIS MOST DISCRIPTIVE WAYS AS ALWAYS TELLS THE STORY OF HOW HE TAKES THIS WILD ANIMAL FROM AN NATIVE INDIAN WHO BEATS THIS ANIMAL SHORT OF DEATH AND SHOWS HIM PASSION AND IN TURN IN TIME THIS DOG RETURNS THE FAVOR IN SAVING HIS LIFE. A TRUE BOOK AND A MUST TO READ A DOG LOVERS AND A NATURE LOVERS BEST STORY EVER ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Political, social and natural history blend
Rick Bass' New Wolves (1-58574-265-1, $14.95) charts the return of the Mexican Wolf to the American Southwest and the controversies surrounding its preservation. Political, social and natural history blend in essays which survey the wolves and provide first-person observations. A recommended pick for any who love animals and natural history. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Great book, available everywhere but Amazon...
A great book of essays by Chuck Palahniuk, Elissa Schappell, Chris Offutt and others, and about dogs--the good, the bad, the ugly. But apparently Amazon isn't interested in selling it, so go to any of the other bookstores online or ask your local bookstore to order it. (Amazon has been listing it as Out of Stock, but it actually is available!!!)

For the dogs
Dog Culture has a little of everything for the dog lover. Its funny at times, sad, and up lifting. This book is a collection of stories/essays about people and their relationship to dogs. Ken Fosters' story is probably the best one in the book. But this book also contains a Chuck Palahniuk (Author of Fight Club and Choke)essay about rescue dogs which is also very good. There were about two or three stories that just didn't seem to fit here, but all in all, collectively this is a very good read. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A joy to page through especially for dog lovers
Cow Dogs by master photographer David R. Stoecklein is a captivating treasury of full-color photographs featuring a cowboy's dog. Each page has a striking visual image of capable animals who are indispensable canine companions for working cowboys, accentuated with a tongue-in-cheek quote. A joy to page through especially for dog lovers, Cow Dogs is a unique and welcome addition to personal and community library photography collections -- as well as recommended browsing for dog lovers on or off of a cattle ranch. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Brings a whole new perspective to Wolves and Dogs
This book was extremely engaging and beautiful. The writing and pictures bring a whole new world beautifully. This book was designed so well, that it was very hard to put the book down when reading! It brought a whole new perspective to my view on my Siberian Husky, and no doubt a new relationship! This is a must read for all those wondering about the Wolf, and a definite with those who have dogs as companions!

Wolf Photography Perfection
This is the most beautiful wolf book I own. The book reads poeticly, and will make you seriously fall in love with this animal. You will see through the wolf's eyes. This is one of few books were the author photographed all wild wolves, and never "lived" with the pack to do it.

We are the Wolf!
Jim Brandenburg succinctly captures the essence of the wolf. The wolf has been so unfairly persecuted throughout our history; due on no small part to ranchers. Incredible photographs, this book will make you a wolf lover if you aren't already. Incredible text and photos!!!!

wonderful book for wolf lovers
This book had drown my attention at the very first sight, as I had been trying to find a good book with lots wolf photos for ages and fail at almost every bookshop I went to. The photos in the book are magnificent, also other then wolves, there are wonderful photos of landscape and other wildlife.

I'm really excited to read this book!
I know this isn't really a review, but I'm so excited to read/look at the pictures in this book (I just ordered it) I just had to say something. Wolves are my favorite animals and it always makes me a little angery when people talk about them as vicious man-eaters, because they're not. This book really looks like it sets the record strait. I'm really looking forward to reading this book! ... Read more

Book Description

The author, a noted Basenji breeder in her own right, has also been, since 1978.In this updated treatise about a breed new to this country, the author takes us on a long and intriguing journey into the dark continent of Africa where the Basenji was discovered and then brought to England to take its rightful place among the recognized breeds of the world.Why doesn't the Basenji bark?How can you train this most intelligent but independent dog to perform in the obedience ring?Learn how to prepare and race your Basenji in the thrilling sport of Lure Coursing.This book takes us through the history of the Basenji, the Basenji's personality, early influential breeders, and a discussion of the Basenji standard.We get new insights into whelping and caring for a litter as well as the secrets of keeping a Stud dog.Nominated by Dog Writer's Association as Best Breed Book of the year. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

BEAUTIFUL, EXOTIC HOUND
The basenji is a beautiful and exotic dog. They are very distinctive looking from their high, wrinkled foreheads to their doubly curled tails. Swift and long legged, the basenji moves with the grace of an Impala (the antelope, not the Chevrolet). Basenjis laugh and make a yodeling sound instead of barking. They also don't shed. Females come into season once a year whereas other breeds come into season twice a year.

Basenjis have a long established history. They were the beloved pets of ancient Egyptian nobility. They figured prominently in art and Egyptian culture. Anubis, the Egyptian God of the underworld had a basenji head. Basenji shaped footstools and paintings of the exotic dog graced Egyptian homes and can now be found in museums.

Basenjis were brought from Africa to Europe in the 1930s and have since become a loved and recognized breed worldwide.

This book is a treasure trove of history about a delightful ancient breed. The pictures alone will delight any reader. Basenjis are truly special, lovable dogs.

Excellent resource on the history
This is a must have anyone that loves the Basenji. It is filled with an excellent history of the Basenji breed.

Best book on Basenjis
I own and love these dogs. This book helped a lot in answering many questions about the breed. A must for any Basenji household.

A good resource on the breed for breeders
I bought this book because I thought it would give me more of the day to day sense of what my life would be like with a Basenji, but really, I found it to be more geared for people who are into breeding and showing more so than for just us pet people. The history information was a nice addition, though.

Excellent book for learning more about this noble breed
I have read many books on the Basenji. This is the most comprehensive. If you were to buy only one basenji book, this is the one. ... Read more

Book Description

"Delphi, What Being on Earth Is All About" testifies to the tremendous contribution that the animal kingdom wishes to make to the healing of the earth and humanity’s heart. These extraordinary animal stories, as well as golden retriever Delphi’s own journey from show dog to master teacher, may cause the reader to laugh or to cry or simply to whisper, "Yes!" "Delphi" is a celebration of life that moves us to recall and respond to the need for and responsibility of each of us in the circle of life. While generating an ever expanding circle of respect, community and cooperative communication, "Delphi" explores, confirms and reinforces the interconnectedness that brings hope and empowerment to our daily lives in a time of changing paradigms. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Closed Hearts can't Hear
A wonderful book! Delphi's Message reaches the hearts and consciousness of all who are open to receive it. Closed hearts can't resonate to the magic and the wonder of the Circle of Life. If we listen we can begin to heal heart, mind and soul, and in so doing assist mankind in regaining its lost postion in The Circle, where no thing is above another, and where peace and harmony govern.

An Inspiring Story
If you have ever wondered what your animal friends are thinking, or if you would like to go deeper into your relationship with all living beings, then this is the book for you! Delphi the golden retriever uncovers a world where all life is speaking and relationships are based in the heart. From show dog to interspecies communicator to teacher, Delphi has done it all. Read her story and discover the joy of "What Being on Earth Is All About"!

Maybe it's funny to some people
From the starting point of a dog which is "so untrained" that the owner is unsure it's ready to function at an animal show much less in civil society, and the premise that this dog nonetheless "talks" through its master and reveals "great secrets", it would seem this book would have nowhere to go but up, but alas, it goes down from there.

Skip this book and spend a while looking at NASA's photographs from the Hubble Space Telescope to get a real sense of the beautifully lonely vastness of the universe and the value of sticking together as living beings.

Dare to open your heart ...
If you sense that there is magic and wonder in the interchange between nature and animals and yourself, this is the book for you. Or, if you are frightened by sights and sounds beyond yourself, this is the book for you.

Each one has a purpose in life. We are all here to help, says Delphi. The stories in this book are based on animal communication classes taught by the author, Pat Jepsen, and her golden retriever partner Delphi. Transformation is the way in every chapter. I found breathtaking moments of clarity and remorse. From the heart center, we are expanded into the circle of life. ... Read more

Book Description

A combination illustrated field guide, fact book, and folklore collection, "Prairie Dogs" is a unique and practical guide to these intriguing creatures and their social structure. Unlike other rodents, prairie dogs live in colonies and have long inspired humans with their complex social interactions. Up until the mid-1800s they were found in large numbers throughout most of the states west of the Mississippi, coexisting with buffalo and antelope on the broad plains. But farming, ranching, and urban sprawl have all contributed to a dramatic reduction in their numbers. For some species, they are now endangered.

A detailed resource both for armchair naturalists and observers in the field, this concise handbook provides an accurate, informative portrait of prairie dogs and their natural surroundings. Included in this title are detailed guides to the behavior, biology, and ecological impact of the various species of prairie dogs. An important focus covers the interactions between family members and groups, a complex and sophisticated arrangement of bonds, communication, and support that helps these animals survive in harsh conditions. Also discussed is the equally complex relationship between prairie dogs and their predators, including snakes, ferrets, and raptors, which have complex behaviors of their own, adapted in response to prairie dog activities. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Brief, informative overview
This book is readable and decently-written. I found myself wishing for more in-depth information. The book is illustrated with good-quality drawings. I enjoyed it, but craved more depth. Probably unrealistic of me to expect it from a book with 150 or so pages of text.

The book has a brief coverage of relevant Indian legends, a surprising amount of information on details of the different species of prairie dog, how the prairie dog fits into the ecosystem, and decent coverage of animals with close ties, such as the black-footed ferret. The main place I felt "shorted" is the brief coverage of prairie dog behavior.

A highly enjoyable, information-packed book
The newest addition to the outstanding "Johnson Nature Series", Prairie Dogs: A Wildlife Handbook by wildlife expert Kim Long is an amazing, informative, "reader friendly" guide to a fascinating species of small mammal. Prairie Dogs thoroughly documents the species, habits, and habitats of the prairie dog as well as relating myths and folklore. A highly enjoyable, information-packed book Prairie Dogs is enthusiastically recommended reading for anyone with an interest in these sociable, energetic creatures and a welcome addition to school and community library wildlife reference collections. ... Read more

Book Description

From the gray wolf and the dingo to the South American bush dog and the whistling hunter, this book covers the wild dogs that have been free spirits on every continent except Antarctica and have thrived in all environments. Described are dogs that roam free over the planet, the hottest and driest parts of Africa and Australia, the wettest forests of New Guinea and South America, and the coldest parts of the Arctic Circle. This up-to-date account discusses the skills, personalities, and lifestyles of these dogs. It includes information on wolves, foxes, coyotes, jackals, and dingoes, as well as details about rare dogs such as the dhole and the South American bush dog. Also provided are insights into the extraordinary group coherence of wild dogs; their faithfulness and intelligence; their ability to learn, remember, and solve problems; and what they have in common with domesticated dogs. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Their spirit lives on.
This book posed a few intriguing questions for me, in which animal lovers, biologists, social theorists and others might also be interested. The authors have backgrounds in animal behaviour, neuroscience in animals, and animal communication, cognition and welfare.

Dogs belong to the family Canidae, ground-living carnivores with around 36 species, although some of these species interbreed. The lineage is around 40-50 million years old, originating in North America. They reached Europe around 5-7 million years ago, where the well known grey wolf is though to have evolved, who then passed back into North America, amongst other places, around 700,000 years ago. All domestic dogs appear to derive from one ancestral species-Canus lupus-the grey wolf. Latest evidence suggests dogs were first domesticated around 135,000 years ago, perhaps as old as early homo sapien (p12).

A variety of wild dog characteristics can be found in the domestic versions, with some notable exceptions.

Short-sightedness is probably a domestic trait only (p45). All dogs move their ears and head around to pinpoint location-originally location of prey. Domestic dogs have two photopigments in their eyes, unlike humans with three, meaning they are slightly colour blind (compared to us). Smell is, of course, well developed, and they can tell which direction an animal/person was moving-an important hunting ability (p49). Wild pups must not stray from the den, and so domesticates can reasonably learn to stay at home. Howling (in wolves) is used to increase distances between clans and individuals. (I think there is more here-sex?, hunting prospects?, group development?). Sniffing in all dogs is intimately related to pair bonding and territorial marking. There is a variety of vocalisation forms in wild dogs, such as short distance barks, yelps, and whining, with some co-opted for dog-human communication-eg human sentence upwards inflections reflect some whining communication, etc. Barking, though variable in type and frequency, occurs in all canids, despite common misconceptions. Regurgitating food to the young is also common to all canids (I have a collie who as a puppy managed to steal my dinner from my mouth once-totally innocently of course).

Grey wolves, as opposed to some other canids, have a strong vertical social structure. Occasionally submissiveness is ignored by a superior, due to hierarchal threat, or occasionally the inferior won't submit, and an individual may occasionally be forced out of a clan entirely (sound familiar? p94).

Also of interest is that African wild dogs have a flatter social structure than grey wolves, which appears to be proportional to their 'harsher' environment-that is, elements of in-group competition and in-group rivalry are reduced when conditions become more hazardous-group hierarchy in this sense is an evolved 'luxury', so to speak (p103-104). (This idea has interesting implications to social inequality in humans). Also, species which have a high degree of predatory enemies have less infighting and high co-operation rates (p141). Also of note is that an African wild dog rejected by its clan has little chance of survival from both predators and through stress-induced immune deficiency.

In a social hierarchy, ritualised and stereotyped acts are common (sound familiar?). Sometimes a group of young males may turn on an alpha male and expel or kill him (sound familiar)?. Interestingly, being an alpha male may not relate to being the best hunter-appearance, confidence and adherence to social rituals give social status, not killing/athletic success.

In many clans every female comes into oestrus at the same time, and pseudo pregnancies also occur in females within a clan, where they produce milk and may even suckle pups not of their own-obviously a group survival strategy (p114). (It is not clear whether this only occurs in related individuals-selfish gene theorists take note!). Higher levels of oestrogen in African wild dogs create more male pups in their litters (p117). I am also aware that sometimes pups within a litter have different fathers.

The larger the pack the larger the prey that is hunted (p123). Dingos in Australia also use deception in hunting. Interestingly, wolves in captivity are known to watch gatekeepers open latches and learn to do this themselves, whilst domesticates generally do not (p147). Also, wolves wait until the coast is clear before attempting to escape. This 'escape intelligence' has obviously been somewhat nullified by domestication. However, wolves are not willing to learn tricks, unlike domesticates. Dogs are also better than chimps in reading a persons eyes-a trait of group hunting (p158-9). 'Glancing' is observed in dogs between food bowls and owners, or between balls and owners.
It is also suggested that human smell is so poor partly because we have used dogs for hunting in our recent evolutionary history (p165-6). (It has even been suggested elsewhere that language may have been facilitated by this reduction in our need for smell, whereby flatter faces and the migration of the larynx to the back of the throat increased vocalisation range).

The future of the wild dog is unclear. It is stated that many rehabilitation and reintroduction programs of all species fail due to problems with animal behaviour-eg they haven't learnt to hunt, they lack predator cognition, they don't follow park boundaries etc. It appears group species like the wolf are less likely to survive in closer contact with humans than the more parasitic and solitary species such as foxes, coyotes, and also cats. (Once group habits are fractured, group species tend to perish). I like to think the 'spirit of the wild dog', so to speak, 'knows' this (or in Darwinian form-a portion of the gene pool has been selected)-and so lives on within the human group. Maybe the unfairly expelled wolf from the pack lives on today in my lounge room.

Opportunity, adaptability, co-operation, humility, wildness-we have much to learn from them. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

wonderful
This is a wonderful book with lots of amazing wolf and landscape pictures. While some people might be disturb by some of the dead animals in the picture, as a animal lover I reckon this book had shown the reality of the nature truthfully, and I really love this book.

Beautiful Photos
This is an excellent book on artic wolves. I enjoyed reading about their lives. If you are not in the mood to read the photos are worth the cost of the book.

It takes a village-the wolf still knows what we've forgotten
Brandenburg's experience shows the wolf as a loving and compassionate family-oriented animal that is as wild at heart as they come. These highly intelligent creatures seemed to stay a step ahead of their distant watchers. This leads to some hilarious encounters and a tear jerking ending. Follow this up with "Brother Wolf."

like nature-this book will fascinate and teach men for ever
nature : men still has to learn wolf : learn men how to understand nature a must for wolf-lovers ... Read more

Book Description

Hampton tells the remarkable three hundred year odyssey of the American wolf. What was once North America's most reviled beast, pursued to extinction throughout the United States, has become, in the last half century, a symbol of wilderness, tolerated and even desired over much of its former range.
... Read more