Dogs have been continually shaped and changed by humans for at least 15,000 years. We are also continually shaping and changing the nature of our relationships to our dogs, fitting them into our lives in different ways and finding new jobs for them to do. This means that the modern dog, his world, and his involvements with humans are quite different today from what existed a century ago. This is a book about the modern dog, how we interact with dogs, how society responds to dogs, how our relationships with dogs have changed over history and where dogs fit into our personal and emotional lives. Science, folklore, religious writing, tradition, and the actions of political bodies all affect the interactions between humans and canines. In this book are many stories of how certain types of dogs came to be, how dogs have gotten entangled in political and legal systems and some exciting new ideas about how dogs probably influenced human evolution. There are also stories of the odd, compassionate, and even heroic behaviours that some dogs have been known to demonstrate.

Through it all, Dr. Coren, the most consistently popular author of dog books ever, provides his own humorous and insightful commentary, personal stories, and guidance.