Customer Reviews

Nature: Dogs That Changed the World

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The first time I watched this program, I was amazed at all the interesting facts I hadn't known about my three mutts, and I enjoyed the photography of dogs working and frolicking and just being dogs in such a wide variety of ways. The second time I watched, I paid closer attention, and the importance of what these scientists were saying struck me. If the reasoned speculation of this documentary is true (much of it is yet unproven) humans owe a debt of gratitude to dogs for enabling our entire culture.

Dogs were the first animals to be domesticated, and they domesticated themselves. It wasn't our doing. Of course, the wolves who chose to live near, and then with humans didn't consciously choose to create a new species, but the domestication of the dog led to all sorts of other advancements. Dogs improved our ability to hunt, using their superior senses of smell and hearing. Dogs guarded our homes. Dogs helped us domesticate other animals, such as sheep and goats. The abilities of dogs permitted us to live in harsh environments, such as the Arctic, where we could not have survived alone. And all along the way, they have been loving companions, members of our families.

The importance of this documentary is hard to overstate. First, if you take away the domestication of the dog, then we would still be hunter-gatherers, probably less than a hundred million in population, and just another insignificant animal on the planet. ( As would be the wolf.) The knowledge contained in all the books on Amazon would not have been obtained if not for the success and lifestyle changes granted to us by our association with dogs. The co-evolution of two species has made all this possible. Homo sapiens cannot be rightly said to be a species in and of itself; it is a member of a species complex including Canis lupus familiaris, as well as cows, pigs, chickens, wheat, corn, etc.

The second important implication to take away from this documentary is: considering how critical the dog has been to our entire way of life, what other species might we associate with to our mutual advantage? We are currently driving species to extinction faster than we can even identify and catologue them. What fantastic advances in knowledge and culture might we be denying ourselves by blindly marginalizing and destroying other species?

Most people who watch this documentary may not be as awestruck as I have been by the magnitude of its implications. The documentary itself is not making these far-reaching claims, merely suggesting them. Even if you are just looking for some entertainment, you should find this program highly enjoyable. It contains excellent photography and travels all around the world as it explores the ordinary and extraordinary dog.

I just watched part 1 of this program on PBS last night. It was so good that I decided to come to Amazon and buy the dvd. I was amazed at the historical evolution of our 4 legged best friends. I found myself saying out loud "Wow" over and over again. It's that good. It gave me a new appreciation for my dogs and also talked about the relationship humans have had with dogs from the beginning. They are amazing animals, incredibly adaptable and historically very important to the survival of the human race. I will be buying this dvd to see part 2 and I'm sure it will be equally as enlightening and entertaining as the first part. Even if you aren't a dog owner I think you could appreciate the significance of dogs in our lives and the gifts they have bestowed on us throughout time.

This is a fascinating program following the development of our relationship with dogs. Through the same genetic information now indicating where on earth man developed and how he changed, scientists are following the dramatic changes the dog has undergone, including how special, how wondrous is the canine link to us

This is possibly the best video I have ever seen about the evolution of dogs and how their relationship with people came to be. If you want a video that will 'fill in the gaps' on some of this information, don't miss this opportunity. It is beautifully, wonderfully done.

My wife and I found this video to be very informative and entertaining. Better than I had hoped it would be when I bought it. The only downside is that for us it has limited replay value. Well worth watching once. Then loan to your friends and relatives.

I am an avid competitor in dog bowls and I take veterinary exams when I'm only 14. This video is great if you want to learn the basic background of dogs and I highly recommend it! Very interesting video.

Very informative! Enjoyed every minute of the two part series! I'm an avid canine lover so this one is a great addition to the DVD collection.

I saw this program on PBS last night and first thing this morning looked it up and purchased it here. My husband and I both really enjoyed the in depth look at the Dog's history in society and many of the different view points of evolution. Really a great show, one of the best I've seen in a long time, and the only I've felt was worth purchasing to watch again.

This is a great family video. It's very educational and at the same time interesting. We and our grandkids loved it.

One of the most informative and entertaining show that I have ever seen. I purchased 5 copies for Christmas presents for dog-loving family and friends. A copy should be in all primary and secondary school libraries.