Once a Wolf: The Science Behind Our Dogs’ Astonishing Genetic Evolution

Sykes (The Seven Daughters of Eve), an Oxford genetics professor, delivers an uneven look at how wolves evolved alongside humans into docile companions and helpers. The book is rich with details about how humans have studied and shaped dog evolution, including profiles of researchers Shaun Ellis and Farley Mowat, who studied dogs’ evolutionary roots by living among wolf packs in the wild; and dog breeding case studies, such as how Victorian naturalist and sportsman Dudley Coutts Marjoribanks engineered the golden retriever to include “all the features required for a modern gun-dog.” Sykes also explores the diverse relationships humans have with dogs, or dog surrogates, ranging from working dogs on a New Zealand wool farm to the companionship between a Scottish academic and his robotic dog. Along with an obvious fluency with genetics, Sykes also has a gift for rendering complex concepts, such as mitochondrial DNA or genetic microsatellites, accessible to lay readers. However, passages outside his specialty, such as a discussion of cave paintings or a selection of interviews with dog owners, can come across as filler. Including moments of fascinating history and insight alongside a few too many discursive moments, Sykes’s survey ends up being less than the sum of its parts.[em] (Mar.) [/em]