How To Tame A Fox And Build A Dog

Author : Lee Alan Dugatkin
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 022659971X
Total Pages : 237 pages
Book Rating : 4.17/5 ( download)

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Download or read book How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog) written by Lee Alan Dugatkin and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2019-04-14 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tucked away in Siberia, there are furry, four-legged creatures with wagging tails and floppy ears that are as docile and friendly as any lapdog. But, despite appearances, these are not dogs—they are foxes. They are the result of the most astonishing experiment in breeding ever undertaken—imagine speeding up thousands of years of evolution into a few decades. In 1959, biologists Dmitri Belyaev and Lyudmila Trut set out to do just that, by starting with a few dozen silver foxes from fox farms in the USSR and attempting to recreate the evolution of wolves into dogs in real time in order to witness the process of domestication. This is the extraordinary, untold story of this remarkable undertaking. Most accounts of the natural evolution of wolves place it over a span of about 15,000 years, but within a decade, Belyaev and Trut’s fox breeding experiments had resulted in puppy-like foxes with floppy ears, piebald spots, and curly tails. Along with these physical changes came genetic and behavioral changes, as well. The foxes were bred using selection criteria for tameness, and with each generation, they became increasingly interested in human companionship. Trut has been there the whole time, and has been the lead scientist on this work since Belyaev’s death in 1985, and with Lee Dugatkin, biologist and science writer, she tells the story of the adventure, science, politics, and love behind it all. In How to Tame a Fox, Dugatkin and Trut take us inside this path-breaking experiment in the midst of the brutal winters of Siberia to reveal how scientific history is made and continues to be made today. To date, fifty-six generations of foxes have been domesticated, and we continue to learn significant lessons from them about the genetic and behavioral evolution of domesticated animals. How to Tame a Fox offers an incredible tale of scientists at work, while also celebrating the deep attachments that have brought humans and animals together throughout time.

Author : Lee Alan Dugatkin
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 022644418X
Total Pages : 237 pages
Book Rating : 4.85/5 ( download)

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Download or read book How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog) written by Lee Alan Dugatkin and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2017-03-23 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1959, biologists Dmitri Belyaev and Lyudmila Trut set out to speed up thousands of years of evolution into a few decades. They started with a few dozen silver foxes from fox farms in the USSR and attempting to recreate the evolution of wolves into dogs in real time in order to witness the process of domestication. Within a decade the experiments had resulted in puppy-like foxes with floppy ears, piebald spots, and curly tails. Along with these physical changes came genetic and behavioral changes, as well. Dugatkin and Trut examine the adventure, science, politics, and love behind it all.

Author : Lee Alan Dugatkin
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 022644421X
Total Pages : 237 pages
Book Rating : 4.15/5 ( download)

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Download or read book How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog) written by Lee Alan Dugatkin and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2017-03-23 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This true story of an amazing breeding experiment in Siberia is “part science, part Russian fairy tale, and part spy thriller” (The New York Times Book Review). Tucked away in Siberia, there are furry, four-legged creatures with wagging tails and floppy ears that are as docile and friendly as any lapdog. But despite appearances, these are not dogs—they are foxes. They are the result of the most astonishing experiment in breeding ever undertaken—imagine speeding up thousands of years of evolution into a few decades. In 1959, biologists Dmitri Belyaev and Lyudmila Trut set out to do just that, starting with a few dozen silver foxes from fox farms in the USSR and attempting to recreate the evolution of wolves into dogs in real time in order to witness the process of domestication. This is the extraordinary, untold story of this remarkable undertaking. Most accounts of the natural evolution of wolves place it over a span of about 15,000 years, but within a decade, Belyaev and Trut’s fox breeding experiments had resulted in puppy-like foxes with floppy ears, piebald spots, and curly tails. Along with these physical changes came genetic and behavioral changes, and with each generation, they became increasingly interested in human companionship. To date, fifty-six generations of foxes have been domesticated. In this book Trut, along with biologist and science writer Lee Dugatkin, tells the story of the adventure, science, politics, and love behind it all. Dugatkin and Trut take us inside this path-breaking experiment in the midst of the brutal Siberian winters to reveal how scientific history is made and continues to be made today. “The science is profound, but the authors write accessibly and engagingly—and their vulpine subjects are awfully cute, too. Of compelling interest to any animal lover.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “A cheerful, easy-to-read account. . . . spin[s] complex genetic science into a fascinating story about adorable foxes.” —Publishers Weekly “An extraordinary story.” —Times Literary Supplement

Author : I. Robinson
Publisher : Elsevier
ISBN 13 : 1483280098
Total Pages : 162 pages
Book Rating : 4.97/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Waltham Book of Human-Animal Interaction written by I. Robinson and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2013-10-22 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Waltham Book of Human-Animal Interaction: Benefits and Responsibilities of Pet Ownership discusses the scientific study of the relationship between man and animals, focusing on the behavior of companion animals, and how humans and animals affect each other's behavior. This first half of this book discusses research on benefits that have been found to accumulate from associations with animals, and the role of animals in care and therapy program. The responsibilities toward the animals kept, and how to enhance their care and welfare are considered in the next chapters. The human response to pet loss is also elaborated. This publication is beneficial to veterinary students and individuals concerned with the study of human-animal interactions.

Author : Zak George
Publisher : National Geographic Books
ISBN 13 : 1607748916
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.15/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Zak George's Dog Training Revolution written by Zak George and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2016-06-07 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A revolutionary way to raise and train your dog, with “a wealth of practical tips, tricks, and fun games that will enrich the lives of many dogs and their human companions” (Dr. Ian Dunbar, veterinarian and animal behaviorist). Zak George is a new type of dog trainer. A dynamic YouTube star and Animal Planet personality with a fresh approach, Zak helps you tailor dog training to your pet’s unique traits and energy level—leading to quicker results and a much happier pup. For the first time, Zak has distilled the information from his hundreds of videos and experience with thousands of dogs into this comprehensive dog and puppy training guide that includes: • Choosing the right pup for you • Housetraining and basic training • Handling biting, leash pulling, jumping up, barking, aggression, chewing, and other behavioral issues • Health care essentials like finding a vet and selecting the right food • Cool tricks, traveling tips, and activities to enjoy with your dog • Topics with corresponding videos on Zak’s YouTube channel so you can see his advice in action Packed with everything you need to know to raise and care for your dog, this book will help you communicate and bond with one another in a way that makes training easier, more rewarding, and—most of all—fun!

Author : Kellie Snider
Publisher : Fox Chapel Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1621871703
Total Pages : 330 pages
Book Rating : 4.05/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Turning Fierce Dogs Friendly written by Kellie Snider and published by Fox Chapel Publishing. This book was released on 2018-01-09 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn how to harness the power of worthwhile reinforcement to build safe, friendly behaviors in aggressive dogs. The positive training based, Constructional Aggression Treatment (CAT), as described in Turning Fierce Dogs Friendly, has proven successful for many pet owners and trainers around the world. As a functional approach to changing aggressive behavior, it offers a humane alternative to desensitization, counter conditioning, and distraction procedures. CAT typically produces long-lasting results in far less time than any positive treatment available, without the undesirable side-effects that are common with punishment procedures. The ultimate outcome is a once-aggressive dog that is now friendly. Inside Turning Fierce Dogs Friendly: Step-by-step instructions for performing CAT with aggressive dogs Understand the normal behaviors of all dogs, of specific breeds, and of your own individual dog How to be awake and aware of your dog’s behavior and your own Discover your dog’s worthwhile reinforcement for safe, friendly behaviors Advice for developing good observation skills and staying on task The issues that can make or break successful aggression treatment: consistency, safety, and follow-through Equipment, handling procedures, and preventing opportunities to practice undesirable behavior When to call a professional

Author : Cat Warren
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1451667329
Total Pages : 368 pages
Book Rating : 4.25/5 ( download)

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Download or read book What the Dog Knows written by Cat Warren and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2015-03-10 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Published in hardcover as What the dog knows: the science and wonder of working dogs by Simon & Schuster, New York, c2013.

Author : Lee Alan Dugatkin
Publisher : Harvard University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780674001671
Total Pages : 228 pages
Book Rating : 4.72/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Cheating Monkeys and Citizen Bees written by Lee Alan Dugatkin and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2000 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here biologist Lee Dugatkin outlines four paths to cooperation shared by humans and other animals: family dynamics, reciprocal transactions (or "tit for tat"), so-called selfish teamwork, and group altruism. He draws on a wealth of examples—from babysitting among mongooses and food sharing among vampire bats to cooperation in Hutterite communities and on kibbutzim—o show not only that cooperation exists throughout the animal kingdom, but how an understanding of the natural history of altruism might foster our own best instincts toward our fellow humans.

Author : Lee Alan Dugatkin
Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 0691242135
Total Pages : 208 pages
Book Rating : 4.32/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Altruism Equation written by Lee Alan Dugatkin and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2022-11-29 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a world supposedly governed by ruthless survival of the fittest, why do we see acts of goodness in both animals and humans? This problem plagued Charles Darwin in the 1850s as he developed his theory of evolution through natural selection. Indeed, Darwin worried that the goodness he observed in nature could be the Achilles heel of his theory. Ever since then, scientists and other thinkers have engaged in a fierce debate about the origins of goodness that has dragged politics, philosophy, and religion into what remains a major question for evolutionary biology. The Altruism Equation traces the history of this debate from Darwin to the present through an extraordinary cast of characters-from the Russian prince Petr Kropotkin, who wanted to base society on altruism, to the brilliant biologist George Price, who fell into poverty and succumbed to suicide as he obsessed over the problem. In a final surprising turn, William Hamilton, the scientist who came up with the equation that reduced altruism to the cold language of natural selection, desperately hoped that his theory did not apply to humans. Hamilton's Rule, which states that relatives are worth helping in direct proportion to their blood relatedness, is as fundamental to evolutionary biology as Newton's laws of motion are to physics. But even today, decades after its formulation, Hamilton's Rule is still hotly debated among those who cannot accept that goodness can be explained by a simple mathematical formula. For the first time, Lee Alan Dugatkin brings to life the people, the issues, and the passions that have surrounded the altruism debate. Readers will be swept along by this fast-paced tale of history, biography, and scientific discovery.

Author : J. David Henry
Publisher : Smithsonian Institution
ISBN 13 : 1588343391
Total Pages : 174 pages
Book Rating : 4.90/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Red Fox written by J. David Henry and published by Smithsonian Institution. This book was released on 2013-04-09 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this engaging introduction to the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), J. David Henry recounts his years of field research on this flame-colored predator. With its catlike whiskers, teeth, and paws, as well as vertical-slit pupils, the North American red fox not only resembles but often behaves like a feline, especially when hunting. Probing the reasons for these similarities, Henry reveals the behavior and ecology of a species that thrives from the edge of suburbia to the cold northern tundra.