This is a fascinating examination of the behaviour of the author's own and very special pack, which is mainly comprised of huskies, the domesticated dog closest to the root ancestors of all our canine pals - the wolf. But the owner of a Dachshund or even a Labrador (now America's number one pick) will find less of relevance to understanding their companion. We follow Thomas as she ingeniously follows her huskies on hundred mile jaunts in and around the "wilds" of Cambridge. Massachusetts. We listen with great interest but a sense, mainly, of the strange, not the familiar, as her huskies are allowed to recapitulate the lifeways of their feral relatives right in the suburban back yards and city streets. As other reviewers have commented, one is constantly distracted by the thought of how irresponsible the "experiment" is of giving such latitude to any pet, let alone a breed so notoriously unpredictable and aggressive. Do we really want quasi-wolves roaming at will? In the end, despite the high quality of the writing, I personally gathered very much less than I'd expected (from the title and liner notes) towards any new insights about my "Fido".

This book is interesting as one person's take on the behavior of her dogs; but certainly not a scientific study! What dog owner or pet owner isn't full of anecdotes regarding what their pet has done, or the many ways that our pets show us that they are thinking and feeling creatures? Plus, her background in studying wolves helped me to think more about the roots of the behavior of the dogs in my life. However, I disagree with her practice of letting the dogs roam free. Also, not spaying/neutering was just irresponsible, especially since she describes several unwanted pregnancies/litters; and there are literally millions of unwanted animals in this country alone. Regarding not using a leash, my own dog was roaming free in the park last year, suddenly got spooked, and ran onto a busy street and was hit by a car. The author was lucky that this did not happen to one of her dogs that she allowed to roam free. So, I tended to disagree with her practices, which I felt did not show enough concern for her animals; but her insights were interesting to consider.

I thought this book was a very enjoyable book to read. Thomas is a fascinating individual who does an excellent job of seeing right through dogs and making great observations. I especially loved following the lives of the dogs and the dog pack as a whole from when they are born to their emotional deaths. Those who commented that this book is lacking statistical information and scientific observations are really missing the point. If you want a boring book on dog pyschology get something else. But if you want an intriuging and fun book that really makes you think, get this. You'll love it.

This is an interesting book that describes the Dodoth, a indiginous tribe from Uganda. It is extremely easy to read but a little on the dry side. Only read if you are interested in anthropology or you may have a hard time getting through it.