What is it with human beings and dogs? Why of all the species in all the world have these two formed such a close bond? A bond, moreover, that not only has obvious practical benefits to both parties, but that from all available evidence—scientific as well as anecdotal—often appears to be one of genuine mutual love? In seeking to answer these questions, Simon Garfield ranges widely: from cave paintings to today’s therapy dogs by way of greyhound racing, dog acts, DNA sequencing, cartoons, high art and much else besides. At one point, we meet a dog who can recognise the names of more than 1,000 objects and bring them when asked.
Garfield also suggests that the human-canine relationship is still evolving. Until the mid-19th century, most dogs were expected to work for a living. Then came the transformation to purely domestic pets. Now, over the past 30 years or so, they’ve become more like members of the family—a fact reflected in their changing names. Gone are the Fidos and Rovers of yesteryear. Instead, we’re far more likely to give our dogs the same names that we give our children, with Alfie, Charlie, Poppy and Bella leading the way in Britain. (One of the book’s many great snippets is that, for parents, looking at photos of their dogs produces very similar brain activity to looking at photos of their kids.) Garfield, mind you, is clearly uneasy about what seems to be happening next: dogs designed primarily to look cute—not least on Instagram.
Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av Reader's Digest UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av Reader's Digest UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
EVERY SECOND COUNTS: TIPS TO WIN THE RACE AGAINST TIME
Do you want to save 1.5 seconds every day of your life? According to the dishwasher expert at the consumer organisation Choice, there’s no need to insert the dishwashing tablet into the compartment inside the door.
May Fiction
An escaped slave's perspective renews Huckleberry Finn and the seconds tick down to nuclear Armageddon in Miriam Sallon’s top literary picks this month
Wine Not
In a time of warning studies about alcohol consumption, Paola Westbeek looks at non-alcoholic wines, how they taste and if they pair with food
Train Booking Hacks
With the cost of train travel seemingly always rising, Andy Webb gives some tips to save on ticket prices
JOURNEY TO SALTEN, NORWAY, UNDER THE MIDNIGHT SUN
Here, far from the crowds, in opal clarity, from May to September, the sun knows no rest. As soon as it’s about to set, it rises again
My Britain: Cheltenham
A YEAR IN CHELTENHAM sees a jazz festival, a science festival, a classical music festival and a literature festival. Few towns with 120,000 residents can boast such a huge cultural output!
GET A GREEN(ER) THUMB
Whether you love digging in the dirt, planting seeds and reaping the bounty that bursts forth, or find the whole idea of gardening intimidating, this spring offers the promise of a fresh start.
Under The GRANDFLUENCE Suzi Grant
After working in TV and radio as an author and nutritionist, Suzi Grant started a blog alternativeageing.net) and an Instagram account alternativeageing). She talks to Ian Chaddock about positive ageing”
Sam Quek: If I Ruled The World
Sam Quek MBE is an Olympic gold medalwinning hockey player, team captain on A Question of Sport and host of podcast series Amazing Starts Here
Stand Tall, Ladies
Shorter men may be having their moment, but where are the tall women?