Our Oldest Companions: The Story of the First Dogs

by Pat Shipman

How did the dog become man’s best friend? A celebrated anthropologist unearths the mysterious origins of the unique partnership that rewrote the history of both species.

Dogs and humans have been inseparable for more than 40,000 years. The relationship has proved to be a pivotal development in our evolutionary history. The same is also true for our canine friends; our connection with them has had much to do with their essential nature and survival. How and why did humans and dogs find their futures together, and how have these close companions (literally) shaped each other? Award-winning anthropologist Pat Shipman finds answers in prehistory and the present day.

In Our Oldest Companions, Shipman untangles the genetic and archaeological evidence of the first dogs. She follows the trail of the wolf-dog, neither prehistoric wolf nor modern dog, whose bones offer tantalizing clues about the earliest stages of domestication. She considers the enigma of the dingo, not quite domesticated yet not entirely wild, who has lived intimately with humans for thousands of years while actively resisting control or training. Shipman tells how scientists are shedding new light on the origins of the unique relationship between our two species, revealing how deep bonds formed between humans and canines as our guardians, playmates, shepherds, and hunters.

Along the journey together, dogs have changed physically, behaviorally, and emotionally, as humans too have been transformed. Dogs’ labor dramatically expanded the range of human capability, altering our diets and habitats and contributing to our very survival. Shipman proves that we cannot understand our own history as a species without recognizing the central role that dogs have played in it.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Anthropology, Animals, Science, Dogs, Audiobook

272 pages, Hardcover

First published November 2, 2021

About the author

Pat Shipman is a professor of anthropology at Penn State University. Coauthor of the award-winning The Ape in the Tree, she writes for American Scientist and lives in Moncure, North Carolina.

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I recently finished Mary Roach's latest work "Fuzz" and was reminded how informative, exciting and entertaining good science writing can be. This book reminded me that it can often be to opposite. The book is certainly informative, and the author's knowledge is vast. Unfortunately, what she writes about mainly is human migration patterns with a smaller attention paid to how those migrations may have led to the domestication of dogs. The actual information covering how the human/dog bond grew could probably have been covered in a 4 page paper. The book reads like a Master's theses and the author never misses a chance to use an obscure scientific term when a perfectly familiar one exists. In fact, often she uses the familiar one and then shifts to the scientific one, thus proving she is a scientist. My wife started the book and quit because she didn't think it was worth the effort. I did finish it and she was right.

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve never been a big dog person, but since my niece got a puppy who stays with my family during the day so my mother-in-law can watch her, I have started to warm to our four-legged friends. This book examines what we know and can speculate about how humans and dogs began a friendship that has lasted tens of thousands of years. In doing so, it also looks quite a bit at our earliest forebearers.

There was a ton of information here that came as a surprise to me. For example, apparently many Neanderthal had blue eyes and freckles. (Not sure why that hasn’t come up in my previous readings.) By far the best part of the book for me was the many chapters spent on Australia, which has a very unique settlement pattern that notably didn’t include dogs in the beginning.

Overall, this is a great book to introduce you to the origins of humans interacting with dogs.

If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.

[Cody Lasko · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting accounting of all the possible historical ways in which dogs became “Man’s Best Friend”. I appreciated the book for what it is, but it is mostly dry accounts of disputed facts over the origin and relationship between man and the first dogs.

If ever there was a book that I went through and found myself at the end of it saying “meh”, then this was it.

It’s not bad. But it’s not particularly recommendable. Unless, of course, you want the deepest dive you can on the archaeological evidence of all of our continents’ dogs and their ancestors, without actually studying it in depth. If that’s the case, have at it. Otherwise I’ll bet there’s more captivating books out there.

[Robby Delvaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll give this 5 stars. My dogs are my best friends. They are there through the good times and they are there in the not so good times helping to brighten those times up. Definitely a subject I will be reading more of in the future.

[Kemp · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still don’t know much about the origins of the dog. Most likely Europe but the most interesting section was how early dogs were used in the arctic to both hunt and pull sleds. This small section may be the most focused section of the book on the dog’s origin.

I was puzzled that almost half the book covers Australia, its original inhabitants, including the dingo even though the dingo wasn’t domesticated and dogs were late to the continent. Facts aplenty were presented on how Australia’s first humans came to the continent and figured out how to survive and even thrive before Europeans arrived. I learned much but not about our oldest companions except that they didn’t evolve there.

The book throws a lot of history and theories about and Pat Shipman cites numerous studies and papers. She knows the stuff she writes about. Just don’t expect a definitive review of the first dog or the various subspecies. Much of what we know about early dogs is learned through the study of human settlements

I read the audiobook and Kate Mulligan provides a nice narration. It was easy listening through the plethora of dates, places, and theories will keep you thinking.

Three Goodread stars but definitely a low three.

[Gilda Felt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read The Invaders: How Humans and Their Dogs Drove Neanderthals to Extinction, I was expecting that this book would create the same level of interest. I was sadly disappointed.

Not that there wasn’t a lot of information. There was. Unfortunately, the same information was given over and over again. And most of that was more about humans’ evolution, not the dogs’. There was at least three chapters on how humans colonized Australia…without dogs.

What information given about the dog’s evolution from wolf is basically regurgitation from the previous book. There does seem to be more evidence that dogs have been around long enough for the premise of the first book to be true. But that could have been covered by an article.

It’s not a terrible book. And if you haven’t read the first book there’ll probably be a lot of new information. But if you have read the first book, I’d take a pass on this one.

[Hamlen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a short book - 200 or so pages of text. However, it would have been an even shorter book if the editor forced the author to remain on topic. Easily half the book had nothing to do with dogs, or canids of any type. Maybe if her title was "The Human Diaspora - and a Dog or Two" then I wouldn't be so disappointed.

I sense she is wrestling with a description of the historical human settlement of Australia. She concludes there was NO human / dog domestication in that space. Yet, she spends a good 5 chapters developing that contention. Net result, no discussion of humanities' oldest companion because the dogs weren't there.

With judicious editing this tale could have been more effectively told in 90 pages. Would Belknap / Harvard been able to sell a 90 page pamphlet for $26.95?

[Michael Cawley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many dingoes, not enough dogs. Does not live up to it’s title.

[Mira George-Greely · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always on the hunt for accessible and well-written scientific works, my thesis research brought me to Pat Shipman’s new book at my supervisor’s recommendation. And it did check these boxes. Usefulness for thesis citations, however…I’m feeling pretty mixed.

Shipman presents a lot of information in this book and utilizes Australia as a case study to demonstrate how some of these theories and ideas about dog domestication, human and dog migrations, and the human-dog relationship may have worked in practice. Overall, this is a decent structure and a well-chosen case study; however, it was very easy to fall into the Australia story and forget that this book is about a broader topic, given that the case study takes up about half the book. It was very interesting, however I found myself fighting the urge to skim or throw in the towel—but I acknowledge my research took me to Central and South America, and therefore I had to wrestle with actual application to my thesis in this section, which is what I’m chalking my issues up to.

In terms of more general information, Shipman provides a pretty good overview. Old and current theories are recounted and explained, and the jargon that comes along with the genetic aspect of the dog-human story is explained clearly and simply. I feel it was written very accessibly in this department, done in a manner in which members of the public lacking discipline-specific background knowledge and vocabulary would still understand and enjoy. There were some claims I questioned—for example, that domestic dogs were not present in South America until European contact (sorry, but it’s just not true)—and I wished for additional information in some areas. I expected a very cohesive overview of current and known ancient breeds from around the world stuck all in the same place in the book, and was disappointed here. I would have also liked to see some more relevant parallels drawn between different cultures and culture areas in terms of dog treatment. When reading the Australia case study, I found myself making a decent handful of annotations highlighting similarities with pre-contact Mesoamerica on this topic, but without my a priori knowledge this isn’t knowledge I would have gained or parallels I’d have noticed to draw from the book itself. I also felt a chapter on archaeological theories pertaining to this type of research early on in the book would have been useful—there are a lot of ways to conduct this type of research archaeologically and they can all lead to different results and interpretations, and especially where we’re recounting older hypotheses and ideas it’s a huge oversight not to include this (I know it’s dry, no one actually LIKES theory [and if you do you’re a weirdo, sorry to be the one to tell you!] but understanding it IS necessary).

Rated 3.5/5. In terms of general knowledge, a piece of me wishes this came out when I first started my program. It’s a great example of a literature review written with an eye towards public knowledge dissemination. I have my issues with it, but as an academic in the field writing on this topic as my research focus, admittedly with a very different regional specialization than is presented in this case study, I have no problem admitting I’m biased and others may enjoy this book more than I (which is not to say I did not!) and get a little more out of it.

[Marcel Uhrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prvá kniha roku a hneď lahôdka. Už predchádzajúci autorkin počin som chválil (https://lnk.sk/emf4), novinka potvrdzuje jej rozhľad, primeraná kombinácia znalostí antropológie, archeológie, zoológie, molekulárnej biológie, fylogeografie či histórie do hladko plynúceho popularizujúceho textu je až fascinujúca. Obzvlášť ma zaujala detailne vysvetlená problematika kolonizácie Austrálie ľuďmi ako aj "problém" dinga, celá kniha je veľmi up to date témy (ako najnovšie cituje práce z roku 2021, fakt, že napríklad toto v knihe chýba je asi len funkciou času uzávierky rukopisu: https://lnk.sk/qceg). Patetické slová, že psy sú ľudia a ľudia sú živočíchy sa do post scriptum hodia. Bavilo ma to.

The first book of the year and immediately a delicacy. I liked also author's previous work (https://lnk.sk/emf4), the new one confirms her knowledge with the appropriate combination of data from anthropology, archaeology, zoology, molecular biology, phylogeography or history into a smoothly flowing popularizing words is fascinating. Particularly interested in the detailed issue of the peopling of Australia as well as the "problem" of dingo; the book is a very up to date in its topic (as most recently quoted papers from 2021), the fact that something is missing is just becouse published later (fro example https://lnk.sk/qceg). The pathetic words that dogs are humans and humans are animals fit in the post scriptum. I enjoyed it.

[Craig Amason · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part, this was a fun book. Shipman dives into the remote past to reveal, with a healthy dose of speculation, how wolves were eventually domesticated by humans. More importantly, the author explores why wolves were domesticated, how they were bred for desired traits, and how the relationship between canids and humans developed and thrived for the benefit of both species. I suppose the central thesis of the book is a controversial theory: that the domestication of wolves may have assisted homo sapiens in becoming the dominant hominid species that would eventually drive all others to extinction. The oversimplified version of the idea is that early humans could use dogs, with their heightened senses and hunting skills, to take down large prey more successfully and with less risk of injury or death. Dogs were less likely to be seriously injured or killed because their human hunting partners could use handmade weapons to kill large prey that the dogs trapped and/or cornered.

It would appear this book is an expansion of a 2021 study by the author of the evolution of the Australian dingo breed, introduced to the island continent by sailors from Asia. Shipman is an anthropologist at Penn State, which may already be a strike against her in biology circles where her conclusions have likely met with some resistance. I think her theories make pretty good sense. A large portion of the second half of this book is devoted to the dingo breed as an illustration of a "missing link" between modern dogs and the ancient gray wolves of Europe that were likely the first canids to be domesticated and are probably now extinct. This part of the book gets a bit heavy. The author could have summarized much of her earlier work for the sake of a popular science book (as opposed to a scholarly work). Still, this is an interesting study and particularly relevant given how wildly popular dogs are in this country these days.

[Peter Morell · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is not at all about what it proclaims. It is 80% about human migration from Africa to other continents - especially to Australia, and there is a maximum of 20% about dogs. The book contains a lot of repetitions, it's the same thing that gets written over and over again. Besides, it's all guesswork and conjecture - no concrete provable facts. This book is a complete waste of money, especially for people who are interested in dogs - it is NOT about dogs.


Denne bog handler slet ikke om det, som den proklamerer. Det er 80% om menneskets vandring fra Afrika til andre verdensdele - specielt til Australien, og der er maksimalt 20% om hunde. Bogen indeholder en masse gentagelser, det er det samme, der bliver skrevet igen og igen. Desuden så er det hele gætteværk og formodninger- ingen konkrete beviselige ting. Denne bog er komplet spild af penge, specielt for mennesker som interesserer sig for hunde - den handler IKKE om hunde.

[James Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

The material is very interesting, which it has to be to make up for the writing. It starts off well, but then definitely does shift into a different book on human migration patterns, as other reviews have noted.

It’s like the author wanted to write a book about human migration into Australia, but couldn’t do it standalone for some reason, and so combined it with a separate book about the origin of dogs. Yes, the comparison with dingoes is interesting, but it doesn’t justify multiple chapters in which dogs are barely mentioned. So if you’re interested in human migration patterns, great. But if you just want to learn about where dogs came from, maybe not the book for you.

The author also has a tendency to repeat portions the text. Certain facts or bits of analysis will be repeated two or three times throughout a chapter. This became a definite trend and I feel like the entire book could’ve been about 2/3 it’s length without losing much.

[Micah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contrary to popular belief, dogs owned by the homeless tend to be well behaved. I used to think this was strange, but after a while I realised a big part of it was that they’re constantly in close proximity to one another. They learn everything about one another and are often inseparable, far happier than the border collie we keep in a crate all day whilst we work our office jobs.

This book reminded me of that fact, and it is a read I would recommend to anyone with or without a dog. Our history as people is so intricately tied to dogs that it would be a mistake to isolate them from our understanding of ourselves and how we got to where we are today.

Dogs are people, and people are animals. This book was a bit technical at times, but the technical is needed when discussing the science and history of our relationship with these creatures.

[Risto Pyykkö · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shipman knows his stuff, but he needs an editor. The book starts, as a book about dog evolution should, with dog evolution - but then the author forgets what he is writing about and goes on at great length and detail about the Aboriginal settlement of Australia - which played no part in the domestication and evolution of dogs. He returns to his topic briefly, but then absentmindedly wonders off to the settlement history of South America - which played no part in the domestication and evolution of dogs. A baffling book.

[Debbie Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this four stars -- even though I think the dry, academic, lecturing voice could have been more engaging. Science and history writing is exciting these days. They read like novels, but not this book. Still, there is enough interesting information to warrant a four. I gave it a three because the title implies it is a book is mainly about the evolution and the domestication of dogs. But the dogs seem to be a side story in the book. I kept wondering when are we getting back to the dogs.

[Daniel McCarthy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn’t agree more with the review from”Lynn”. I kept waiting and waiting and waiting to read about the story of dogs…. And it simply never really materialized in any substantial way for me. Should have been a PhD dissertation on the migratory patterns of modern humans who may or may not have have a wolf, pre modern dog or modern dog with them.

Don’t get me wrong, there is interesting information in here…. Just very little of it to do with dogs.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very informative and interesting to read, but it wasn't so much about dogs as it was about people moving around the earth tens of thousands of years ago and the early canids like wolves and foxes that they interacted with. There were entire chapters where dogs weren't even mentioned. It wasn't at all what I was expecting to read about, but I still found it interesting enough to keep reading.

[Sharyn Marzullo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting Reading.

This is an easily understood , fascinating delving into the history of our very basic relationship with that furry ball of love sleeping beside you. I heartily recommend it for everyone who wonders how this amazing connection began. It talks about how it began in many different parts of the world, and how canines have evolved from wolves .

[Lubna · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a lot that I found interesting about this book. The author provides plenty of fascinating information about the history of human-dog companionship and basically how we turned wolves into our cute fluffy companions, how dogs helped humans hunt better, protect themselves better and how the arrangement must have bern mutually beneficial otherwise we would never have been able to domesticate dogs. Humans have long formed deep emotional bonds with their dogs to the extent that even thousands of years ago dogs were given elaborate ceremonial burials in some parts of the world. Definitely an interesting book and it has me wanting to read further on the subject.

[Emily Lee · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's a thesis about migration with dogs used as a selling point, when a good portion of the book either isn't about dogs, or misunderstands canids completely. The writer starts with the premise that humans like stories and that we should be cautious of constructing narratives that don't fit the evidence, and then goes on to do that over and over again. Very disappointing.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pat Shipman continues her masterful study of humans, dogs and the populating of the world.
I would have enjoyed more time spent on the Gravettians, but I think the previous book ( The Invaders) covered more of that topic.
The Australian and American cases are explored in the last half of the book, going into good detail about Australia.

[anarcho-lesbian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, first and foremost: this is a book for anthropologists, or people with a curiosity for/knowledge in human evolution and hominin migration patterns AND for people who are willing to go on a long journey with zero dogs for a while, which sounds counterintuitive to the book’s while situation, but whatever. Only then will you like this book. Which is to say I really enjoyed it yeehaw!!!!!

[Geoff · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author is a knowledgeable anthropologist but this book contains surprisingly little information about dogs. It mostly discusses human evolution and migration. Some links are made to dogs but humans are the main part of the story. The author points out that Australians didn’t make extensive use of dogs and then provides three dog free chapters about human migration to Australia.

[Glenn Harden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read a lot about dogs, but this book brings together all the latest research on prehistoric human migration and what that tells us about human-canine relational history. The chapters on the peopling of Australia and their relationship to dingos were especially fascinating to me. Recommended for dog lovers.

[Stacey Tucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book of 2022! Thanks Jesse and Lauren for gifting this to me! This book gave me Sapiens vibes! Learned so much about the origins of dogs and valued how humans over time adjusted their behavior towards these animals that nourished and protected them.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting history of how/why dogs became domesticated and the humans that contributed to that as well as why some canids didn't become domesticated. Not exactly an easy read but I did come away with a better understanding of the evolution of the dog/human relationship.

[LRKK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essentially a fine summary of human evolution and migration with a twist - by focusing on the symbiotic relationship between dogs and humans Shipman brings new perspective to the story of both. But be aware - this is a book of science.

[Paul French · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vastly entertaining. Pat's knowledge is expansive and her communication style breaks down complex topics into digestible pieces.

I never before considered how complicated it really must have been over the course of tens-of-thousands of years for dogs and humans to domesticate each other.

[Ioan Pop · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've learned more about human migration from this book than I have in all my life.