Dogs are invented creatures - invented by humans in the sense that we have been continually shaping and changing them for at least 15,000 years. We are also continually shaping and changing the nature of our relationships to our dogs, fitting them into our lives in different ways, and finding new jobs for them to do. This means that the modern dog, his world, and his involvements with humans are quite different today from what existed a century ago. This is a book about the modern dog, a series of "snapshots" of various aspects of how we interact with dogs, how society responds to dogs, how our relationships with dogs have changed over history and where dogs fit into our personal and emotional lives. Often it is how people respond to and interpret the actions of dogs (and dog owners) that has a greater effect on the dog's life than the behaviour patterns that have been programmed into the dog's genes.
