Customer Reviews

The Lost History of the Canine Race: Our 15,000-Year Love Affair With Dogs

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I got Mary Thurston's THE LOST HISTORY OF THE CANINE RACE, expecting to learn some interesting bits about the heritage of our best friends. What I found was all that and so much more. From the mysterious circumstances surrounding the emergence of dogs at the end of the Ice Age, to a profoundly eloquent examination of canine "history in the making" and the emergence of a global pet society on the advent of the 21st century. Ancient Egyptian dog mummies, medieval Turnspits, Victorian dog shows, the valiant American K9 Corp of WWII, and so much more. Beautifully illustrated throughout, The Lost History offers something for everyone who's ever lived with a dog, pure or mixed breed. A must-have addition to pet libraries everywhere, this book has changed the very core of my relationship with canines.

This well-researched, entertaining and readable book makes a subtle omission. While laying out a convincing case for the wolf origins of domestic dogs, there is little discussion of how early canines migrated from their beginnings in Asia to every continent. The early chapters shift focus from stone age times in Europe to the civilisation of Ancient Egypt, where, the author states, exotic dogs such as Basenjis were "imported" from Africa (overlooking the fact that Egypt is in Africa). How did Asian wolves become African Basenjis? And how did wolves come to Australia?

Unfortunately, Africa is not mentioned in the book's index, making an indexed study of "The Lost History" difficult.

This is an important book, the kind you keep and don't loan out for fear it won't be returned. Most books about dogs are mostly pablum: descriptions of what each breed what developed for, a few heartwarming stories. This book describes a lot of the dark side of the human-dog relationship. I was stunned at descriptions of the way the Spaniards used vicious dogs against the Indians of South America, the endless work loads of "turnspits" and cart dogs, and much more. This has the best description I have seen of how social class has affected the lives of dogs. I never realized how many kinds of dogs have been allowed to die out because they were considered lower class. A must read!

The dedication of Mary Elizabeth Thurston's book says it all. She dedicated this book to her grandmother, who taught her the importance of spoiling dogs. This is a person who knows the love of sharing their life with their dog, and writes about dogs from her heart and soul. I think the chapter that stirred the deepest interest was the Dogs of War. These brave dogs and their handlers have often been forgotten, but in Thurston's book they are not only remembered, but truly honored for their contribution to the freedom we enjoy today. Thank you for writing, not just a informational book, but one that shows how much our lives are intermingled with our canine companions.

Obviously as a dog owner, I am the prime audience for this book and i did enjoy it. Though I was a bit disappointed, to be honest. I thought there would have been more about the domestication of dogs and I was surprised by the lack. But this was a good book that functions more of a historical overview on the relationship between humans and dogs. Sections of it were downright heartbreaking (particularly the chapter on war dogs), but it really was just an overview, lacking in a lot of details. And some of that lack was explained since archaeologists and historians have typically tended to focus on humanity and even many war records were destroyed regarding dogs. I was surprised that the entire continent of Australia was mentioned, with their dingoes, only in passing. Still, it was a fast read and it did have enlightening sections. I guess my only real complaint was that I wanted more information!

My uncle bought me this book when I was younger when I was literally obsessed with animals. Nothing much has changed and I only now recently picked it up to reread it. I am positively intrigued about the history of dogs in relation to human beings. It is a very definitive and placidly argumentative book pointed towards the notorious connection between humans and their dogs.

It's interesting how the author takes a perspective of human history in relation to how we have viewed our pets and how intertwined our thoughts have become with the canine race. Even if somebody is mildly interested in dogs and their evolution through the centuries in relation to humans they should pick up this book. Opinion is left at the curbside and fact is presented in an easy to read format that is not only truly realistic but also down right fascinating for any curious reader.

I'm a dog lover and thought I knew everything canine. Apparently not! This book is chuckfull of information and trivia. I especially enjoyed the chapter on US Army dogs and how unfair the US government has been to them. A must read!

After getting past the very unpleasant history of Man and Dog..., well it wes never truly finished. But the book is an excellent read and has a place on your book shelf. She presents some interesting modern potential actions that us dog people can take, too. Last chapter and the one on war-dogs was the best.

this is a wonderful book about dog orgins, i read it several years ago, and bought my own copy, a delightful read with lots of information.