"Konrad Lorenz nos conduce hasta los orígenes del «encuentro» entre el hombre y el perro, cuando se estableció la relación entre nuestros antepasados con el chacal y el lobo. Estos inicios han influido en todas las formas complejas de comunicación, obediencia, ocio, fidelidad y neurosis que han ido configurando la historia entre amo y perro". (Descripción editorial).

Nobel Prize winner Konrad Lorenz writes about his work with dogs, including his theory on their evolution and their relationship with humans. His writing is detailed based upon his closely notated experiences with his own canine friends. This is a different book to read when wanting to learn more about the canine race, as it doesn't really fall under the basic training books or cutesy doggy books.

I found it very interesting because he provides ideas that did indeed work with my down-home laid-back mellow American dogs. His dogs come off as rather aristocratic, which I enjoyed, as I still have doubts about the career ambitions of my canines.

Still, the work veers more toward science than easy reading, and at times, I couldn't get into his whole Germanic/Austrian Third Reich outlook. That is perhaps more of a reflection on me as a reader, but nevertheless, my honest opinion. Still, I would suggest it as an addition to any library for any guardian of dogs.

Book Season = Year Round ( )

(Alistair) And now a non-fiction review.

Originally a present to Amy, I've finally got around to reading Man Meets Dog myself. A reprint of a translated popular-zoology work originally written by a Nobel-winning Austrian scientist, Konrad Lorenz, in 1949, it still - in my opinion - holds up well today.

While I understand that some of his science, particularly in relation to his theories concerning canine evolution, has since been overtaken by later developments in the field, his observations on canine behavior - and in later chapters to a lesser extent, that of the cat - and their relationship with humanity are timeless, and charmingly illuminated by both personal anecdote and illustration.

Recommended for all dog- or cat-lovers out there.

( http://weblog.siliconcerebrate.com/cerebrate/2009/01/man_meets_dog_konrad_lorenz... ) ( )

Konrad Lorenz has been called "the father of ethology" (the study of animl behavior). Ok, so, he got a few things wrong. Dogs are not descended from jackels. But when he was writing Man Meets Dog there were no DNA tests. And believe it or not, there was "dog psychology" befoer Stanley Coren, and Lorenz got that pretty right. Furthermore, this book is entertaining. Would that more dog trainers and animal behaviorists would read it today. ( )

A must for all dog lovers... particularly those who know a chow. I admit, I have a strong affinity for this book in large part due to the fact that I found my soul mate dog (a chow mix who looks just like the dogs in the illustrations) about a week after finding the book. Humans and dogs evolved in tandem- where would we be without them? ( )