I’ve been looking forward to receiving my copy of Tim Lewis’s new book, The Biology of Dogs: From Gonads Through Guts to Ganglia for a few weeks now, given all the buzz it has generated. And wow. I have not been disappointed.
Lewis is a professor of biology at the University of St. Thomas (MN), lives with two sheep-herding Border Collies and “hovers on the edges of the dog agility and canine freestyle worlds with his wife who competes in and teaches these sports.” So he’s got the chops: Solid science and two feet firmly planted in dog poop and hairy couches.
He’s also a wonderful writer. Here’s from the Introduction: ( Somewhere in the book he asks us if we’ve read it and pleads with us to do so: “It’s the best part.”.)
“While I would never say this in public nor personally admit to it [which, of course, he has both just done–see why I love this guy?], I am told I am a geek. Worse, an academic geek. Even worse than that, I am a scientist geek. But wait, it gets even worse, so you probably won’t be inviting me to your parties: I am a biologist.”
Full disclosure here: First, does something sound familiar? An author with a background in the biological sciences who lives with and is gobsmacked in love with dogs? So take my words with a grain of salt. Second, I haven’t begun to have time to read the entire book, which I like to do before writing reviews. But I wanted to get this out there soon, because it deserves a big audience. No doubt I’ll be writing posts based on topics inspired by chapters in the book, chapters like “A Float Down the Digestive System,” “A Side Quest to Look at Diet and Feeding Your Dog,” and “Home Base: The Brain.”
Here’s a set of facts from the book that people like me love knowing:
“Cells are tiny, right? It takes 10 trillion to build one 30-pound (14 kg) dog. Picturing 10 trillion is difficult. OK, it is darn near impossible without making analogies. It is more than the current estimate of galaxies in the universe, but that is not going to help. If each of your dog’s cells were as large as an average grain of sand, they would fill a box 35 feet (10.6 m) on each side. That is a three-story house with 1200 ft squared (111 m squared) on its first floor, a midsized but tall home.”
And here’s his perspective that fits so closely with mine. It might not be yours, but I love that he is so clear about it:
“Recently I heard one of the current great dog authors, an animal behaviorist, at a national professional dog trainer’s conference, say that it really does not matter what goes on inside a dog’s head, that neuroscience offers nothing to work with for understanding dog behavior. His point was that you don’t need to know how a car runs to drive it. I am making the argument in this book that, if you do know how the car runs, you will appreciate the car (I really mean the dog here) a lot more. You won’t feel as stupid when you hear a grinding sound that you can’t identify, and you will give the mechanic a lot more to work with, which will save you time and money.”
As the person whose earliest memory is lying on the living room carpet with my dog Fudge, staring into her eyes and wondering what was going on in her brain, I say “Hear Hear!” You can champion Operant Conditioning, as I do, and focus on the ABC’s of it while being fascinated and informed by understanding what’s going on inside your dog body and brain. As one reviewer of Biology of Dogs said: “Turns out the inside of a dog is not too dark to read…”. Kudos to Dogwise for publishing the book, and to Dr. Lewis for taking us on what will no doubt be a magical mystery tour of canine wonderfulness.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: Ridiculously warm weather for early November, and gloriously sunny besides. We all know the other shoe is going to drop, but what a wonderful breath of summer before winter starts in earnest.
I’m still playing with my new macro lens, please be patient with me. I have no idea why I am so into paws lately, but, well, there it is.
I have some asters that are still in full bloom, the only flowers left on the farm. Saturday it was so busy with insects that the buzzing noise was approaching OSHA limits.
This photo of Nellie is far from perfect, the focus isn’t quite right, but I love it’s celebration of whiskers. And Nellie loves it when I go out with my camera. It’s actually hard to get far enough away from her to take her picture now.
Some of the best color still on the farm is in the geranium leaves. I am learning how color crazed I am–the lack of it is the hardest part of winter for me. It’s not the cold, it’s the month after month of black/brown and grey. But it’s not gone yet!
Here’s hoping there is beautiful color in your life this week. And good books? Let us know what you are reading, and if you’ve read Tim Lewis’s book yet. I’m going to savor it all week.
HFR says
Just ordered it. My 2 favorite things, dogs and biology. Thank you!
Trisha says
HFR: Knew you’d be on board!
Kat says
Reading your blog is dangerous to my bookshelves. They’re already overloaded enough (it isn’t hoarding if it’s books, right?) and you keep reviewing fabulous books that I want to add to the collection. I just finished Ken Ramirez The Eye of the Trainer a week or so ago, followed it up with Temple Grandin’s updated Thinking in Pictures and, since there’s been a delay in shipping Karen London’s new book to my address, now I’m reading random fiction I find around the house. There are four bibliophiles that live here so I’m always finding books I’ve never seen before. The one I started last night is Horten’s Miraculous Mechanism, a young adult book full of adventures and wonder. I’m about 1/3 of the way through and it’s a fun read and not terribly demanding (something I appreciate in our current reality).
I appreciate living in the evergreen state where I have green year round. The five long years I spent in graduate school in Nashville showed me just how depressing a grey monochrome world can be. There was one evergreen tree on campus. It was ridiculously far from my seminars but I’d build in extra time on my way in and my way home just to be able to pass that one spot of color. Here’s hoping colors linger for you and winter is short.
P.S. I’m still trying to wrap my head around a 35 lb dog’s cells being the equivalent of a three story house size filled with sand. Clearly I must live with an enormous skyscraper; all 103 lbs of him.
PAULA T COTTER says
Putting this book on my Christmas list!
MJ Marijane says
Ordering book forthwith ( love an opportunity to use that word). Re paws, I have been a ” paw noticer’ most of my life w/ dogs— which is most of my 77 years. People look at you funny when you look at their dog and day, ” wow, great paws,” but as someone who has had working dogs, GSD and BC, and raised runners ( nat’l #1 ,coursers,) Afghan Hounds ( yes, they do Rally, Agility and Nose work, too), feet are critical.
Charlotte Kasner says
Learn to love the monochrome! Here in snow-starved London, England I cherish the few days of snow that we get when the world turns the colour off. I find myself blinking and wondering if all the cones in my eye cells are broken. Best of all, even time seems to stand still as running water is frozen.
Camille Asmer, CDBC says
“Recently I heard one of the current great dog authors, an animal behaviorist, at a national professional dog trainer’s conference, say that it really does not matter what goes on inside a dog’s head, that neuroscience offers nothing to work with for understanding dog behavior.”
I hate that he heard this from a leading dog book author, especially announced at a conference. I had naively hoped that we had come further in the training world than this.
Thank you for sharing this book. I, for one, firmly support understanding neuroscience and biology as related to dogs. It’s only fair that if we want to live with and train our dogs, that we see them as a whole, inside and out, not just a thing to command. There are soooooo many amazing things about dogs! Whoever said this at the conference has no appreciation for the animal he’s working with and I feel so sad for his(or her) dogs. Their relationship could be so much better than it is. I cannot wait to read this book! Thank you again for sharing. So glad you highlighted this book for us. As always, we can depend on fantastic information from you!
Debby Gray says
I’ve been told that I’m a geek and in an earlier life I was a biology teacher. I also fell in love with dogs so of course as soon as I finish writing this I’m going to order the book.
Trisha keep playing with your new macro lens and showing us the results.
Lindy says
Love the smell of dog paws!
Linda says
Yes to paws!!! I wish I could share some of my favorite pictures! And how they smell, I’m glad I’m not the only one that thinks so.
Mike B says
Lindy my youngest daughter loves the smell of paws. Sounds like a very interesting book may have to check it out.
Jean says
You’ve peaked my interest. I’m going to check out the book. On a side note/just for fun: Why do dog paws smell like fritos? (inspired thoughts because of the comments on dog’s paws & the macro lens): I’m imagining a photographic series of comparing different breed dog paws. (I love my coonhound’s big paw pads!)
LisaW says
I love paws, too. It might be the places those paws have been, the adventures they’ve felt, the movement of dreams. I don’t know. . .
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9cgr0tmnmt1jrcy/AAAV22knvTl72PCOvPfnPS90a?dl=0
Alison says
Hi Trisha and everyone,
My clever ten-year old human friend is getting a puppy in mid-December, do you have any recommendations for her bookshelf in advance?
I am thinking Dragon, Unicorns, Chimeras and Clickers….
thanks!
Bruce K says
Hi Trish,
I do appreciate your book reviews. “Puka’s Choice” and “Zoobiquity” were amazing and I am currently enjoying “Treat Everyone Like a Dog’. Before I purchase this book, I want to make sure that it is more than a geeky biology book. Does he shed some light on the causes of allergies, on what is the best diet for a dog, whether we should neuter\spay? Does the book talk about the biology of fear and aggression? Thanks
Helen Parker says
Oh another book I want to read! And buy.
But fortunately- actually it’s really unfortunate- I live in Australia.
Usually I can cope with the exchange rate and think I am actually gonna be able to by this book.. yippee.
Then the shipping kills ne.
It’s usually TWICE the exchange rated price. 🙁
So my bookcase is gonna be bereft of this one along with Ken Ramirez’s and so many others.
(My library is mean and never buys my recommendations either.)
Bereft.
Julie says
Paws are cool. I loved photographing my old girls fuzzy feets.
https://flic.kr/p/2je8z8W
Melanie Hawkes says
I loved human biology in high school, even more than Japanese which I studied at university. The human body is fascinating, so I can’t wait to read this book! Thank you for recomending it!
Trisha says
Bruce, it is a general geeky biology book. I’m guessing it doesn’t go into the depth you’re looking for. I like its section on diet but it is general and probably not anything you dont know.
Trisha says
Alison: Well, now, what do I say? How do I not mention The Puppy Primer, and then, yet, not feel self serving about it? And hiw about Kikopup videos, they are great!
Trisha says
Love the fuzzy feet Julie!
Trisha says
Helen : I was stunned when I visited Australia and saw the prices of books. Argh, poor babe!
Alison says
Thanks for your puppy primer response, Trisha . I had already recommended Family Friendly Dog Training to my friend’s mom, who devoured it 😁
JOAN L LINDBERG says
I’m guessing that review you quote from the new book is by Alexandra Horowitz. She wrote a book back in 2010 titled “Inside of a Dog”. I LOVE that book, she combines the biology with the behavioral. The title is from a joke by Groucho Marx…”.Outside of a book, a dog is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read”.
Trisha says
Yes, it’s a great book, Joan! And as great a title. I wrote about it when it came out and gave it a rave review.