A Wolf In The Parlor

Jon Franklin, a science writer, makes a good case for the co-evolution of humans and dogs in this book. Related only by the fact that both species are mammals, the differences are monumental and being bipedal opposed to four-legged, is the least of them. Traceable in the evolutionary scheme, after the last ice age, the average human cranial capacity shrank by 5 to 10 percent. Whether that is relevant to the results is argueable. Humans are humans. Dogs are dogs. And they have been genetically altered in hundreds of ways to bring forth specific breeds with special characteristics. Look at the list of breeds recognized by the Kennel Clubs and the points on which they are judged in countless dog shows. The dog's pedigree is traced back to the wolf with subtle changes made over the millenium and finally the present breeds we now know reflect their owners attitudes and even physical attributes.

Critique by Naomi Sherer