Comments on: ‘The Wolf in the Parlor’ is a fascinating read

By: Herb Behrens

Herb Behrens — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:00:19 +0000

Elaine’s dog was named “Charley”

Herb Behrens

By: KateH

KateH — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:56:41 +0000

I couldn’t finish the book because his attitude and choice of words put me off. I also don’t think he really explored the actual research that others - especially others who’ve worked on the evolution of dogs - as much as he came up with a ‘unique’ theory and tried to ‘find’ (i.e make) observations to fit it.

By: Glenye Oakford

Glenye Oakford — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:11:52 +0000

Interesting. I’ll look forward to your piece.

By: retrieverman

retrieverman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:00:07 +0000

The stories about the poodles are very nice, as is the central narrative, but I had a hard time enjoying it because he was ignoring certain new findings about the origin of the domestic dog.

By: retrieverman

retrieverman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:58:19 +0000

This is a better theory of the co-evolution of our two species: http://www.uwsp.edu/psych/s/27.....tion03.pdf

By: retrieverman

retrieverman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:56:48 +0000

Two problems with his theory:

1. Dogs were probably domesticated and distinct from wolves at least two thousand years before he thinks they first appeared. They are probably much older than that— at least 16,000 years old.

2. Humans have lost brain size, but it is in proportion to our body size. We are actually smaller since the end of the last Ice Age.

By: retrieverman

retrieverman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:53:37 +0000

I hate to be coy, but I have a piece coming out on it in the next week.

By: Glenye Oakford

Glenye Oakford — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:44:57 +0000

Retrieverman, please expand on your view.

By: retrieverman

retrieverman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:07:57 +0000

I’m talking specifically about his co-evolution theory. The dates don’t line up.

By: Liz Palika

Liz Palika — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:35:05 +0000

Oh, I didn’t say I agreed with ALL of it and I certainly am not an expert in the science aspects.

I said his journey through his research - sharing his interpretations of his research - and his becoming a dog owner was wonderful. I liked his observations of himself and the changes within himself. Not all of us can look inside ourselves and chronicle the changes as Franklin did.

As far as his observations regarding dog behavior, let’s face it - when we talk about dog behavior - there’s that standard joke: Put 100 dog trainers in a room and the only thing they’ll all agree upon is that the other 99 are wrong.

So I wasn’t looking at this as a training/behavior book and I don’t believe it’s marketed as a training book.