The Modern Dog: A Joyful Exploration of How We Live with Dogs Today

by Stanley Coren

Evaluates the cultural, literary, religious, and economic ways in which the human race has shaped its relationship with dogs throughout the past 15,000 years, sharing the stories of how certain breeds came into being and how dogs have become entangled in human political, legal, and evolutionary processes. 35,000 first printing.

Genres: Dogs, Animals, Nonfiction, Science

288 pages, Hardcover

First published December 2, 2008

Reviews

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well...the author is a bit of a sexist old guy, and I'm not sure why the reader needs to know that his colleague at Modern Dog magazine (where many of these essays were first published)is"a beautiful blond woman with a lot of drive and intelligence". I'm a wee bit sensitive to blond comments of any sort, as well as to physical descriptions of women in writing when similar airtime is not given to men (as in "Brad was a perky brunette with a great sense of humor"). But, other than that, reading this book was not a horrible waste of time.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

*sigh* I love Coren's works. His books are among my favorite.
Every time he publishes a new one I think "surely he can't outdo himself yet again... the last one was the best ever!" ... and then he does.
This one is no exception. He always has some informative tales, historical facts and tidbits, anecdotal wisdom that dog lover's didn't realize they didn't know, wanted to know and were thrilled to find out!
I can't decide which is my favorite: "Is there a patron saint of dogs? ... well... there are something like four, actually..."
or the Egyptian lore,
or "the evolution of the gun dog",
or his terrier tale...

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far, I really enjoy reading this book. It provides new information that I never thought of before. It tells little stories of how dogs were helpful in WWII and are even used today to help save lives. It talks about the different breeds and how they got their start in becoming popular.

I really liked the part where it talks about how to understand dogs and what their barks mean. I have always wondered what my dog was saying to me and this book helped me to start to decifer it.

So far, this is the best book written by Stanley Coren. He is my favorite dog book author. I also really enjoy his How to speak dog--which focuses more on understanding what your dog is saying.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has many interesting stories about history of dogs and the dogs of famous people around the world from ancient to modern times. My only criticism of this book is in Chapter 23 (Best Friends and Bed Partners) where Coren speaks incorrectly about canine hierarchy, giving outdated and misdirected advice. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say that the book came out 6 years ago, and there is now (2014)a better understanding of canine social structure and behavior. Other than that, it's a fun read for dog lovers.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed every one of Stanley Coren's books that I've read, and this one is no exception. Although not as full of practical, live-with-your-dog information as others, it was an enjoyable read nonetheless. There were some elements I didn't care for, but I'm pickier than most. If you enjoy learning fun, but not so necessary, facts about dogs from history, culture, and anecdotes, you would probably enjoy this book.

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each chapter is independent from each other. It is really good to read a little at a time and he brings in folk tales and other odd explanations of why dogs do this or that as well as explaining things scientifically. I really enjoyed it.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coren is the great explicator of the bond between humans and dogs...I read everything this guy writes about dogs.

[Mary]

Fun book to read

[Kellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some selections were interesting to me, but overall I had expected more from this book.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the stories and miscellaneous trivia about dogs and their intersection in our lives.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A MAB-magazine article book. It reads like the series of magazine articles that it is.

[Benjamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light reading, the chapters are adapted from articles and many of the topics have been covered in other dog books.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was excellent. It had a great deal of insight into the human/dog relationship and had some fascinating information I did not know - for example that the presence of domesticated dogs may have tipped the balance in favor of Cro Magnon man over the Neanderthal. I had also never considered dogs as the original GMO creatures but certainly it is true that we have been genetically altering them from the very beginning. The tracing of the development of hunting dogs, for example, from the slow moving patient pointers needed for the slow process of loading a muzzle type gun (you know, put in the powder, wrap something in paper, insert the bullet etc.) to the excitable fast moving spaniels that flush out everything for the 'hunter' who can then blast away with his automatic weapon. There were tragic, harrowing tales of dogs executed by the CIA, by the US Army, by rescuers during Katrina, and beautiful inspirational stories of human/dog bonding. I highly recommend this book to any dog lovers out there.

[Debra Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Egypt "If a household dog died, grief was expressed as if a person had died: the dog's master shaved off his eyebrows and the hair on his head and body. (If a cat died, a man was required to shave off only one eyebrow.) My dog says that is only fitting as he is more important than any old cat!
This is turning out to be a very great read full of interesting facts regarding not only dogs, but their relationship to us; their humans. Stanley Coren believes than we "co-evolved" with dogs. Because dogs were part of the life of Cro-Magnon man, they had an edge over Neanderthals and became the dominate species.
I first read his "How to speak Dog-Mastering the Art of Dog-Human Communication" and found it very informative, still can't speak doggish, but I do understand my dogs better.
I recommend his books if you are like me, a dog-lover!

[TheIron Paw · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very easy, entertaining read for dog lovers. The book is a collection of articles about dogs, making it easy to pick up and put down - ideal for a bedtime read. The book contains a plethora of interesting facts and speculations about dogs: their origins to whether there will be dogs in heaven (for heaven's sake: of course they'll be there). Non-dog enthusiasts may well find this book a little much - but then they're not likely to pick it up in the first place.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable and educational book. I learned a lot about the history of dogs and how a changing society has impacted dog breeding. There were lots of really cute and heartwarming stories throughout the book about human/dog interaction. I knew dogs were great but this book still amazed me at some of the things I learned they could do and be used for.

[Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely fantastic collection of stories and factoids sure to entertain and warm the hearts of dog enthusiasts and the curious reader alike! This book is also a good choice for easy reading because it is broken into short, maneagable stories perfect for passing the time in the breaks of a busy schedule.

[Syd Dickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of all of Coren's books this I found to be the most entertaining, his narrative was relaxed in comparison to some of his other books. I loved all of the anecdotes and I will return to this book many times for a lighthearted read about the history of our best friends.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief overview of the history and interaction of the dog. Fast read, really enjoyable, covers a broad range of information, stories, myths, and facts.

[Saylaveev · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's nice to be able to read this book whenever you wish. Each chapter is a totally separate story.

[Sanfordgrant · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book seems to be a little blah for me, it is very cool for its content.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was a little more historical and anecdotal than i was expecting, but i will try another title by this author.