Journal of Mammalogy, 98(1):312–314, 2017

BOOK REVIEWS
Coppinger, R., and M. Feinstein. 2015. How Dogs Work. merely being subspecies of that one species. Indeed, that seems
University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois, xii + 244 pp. now to be a prevailing opinion among a number of animal tax-
+ 8 pl. ISBN: 978-0-226-12813-9, price (cloth), $26. onomists and systematists.
However, in arguing persuasively that what we call “dogs”
Coppinger, R., and L. Coppinger. 2016. What Is a Dog? must, in fact, be considered as a distinct species (C. famil-
University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois, xviii + 258 pp. iaris) from other canids, the Coppingers note the unique
+ 16 pl. ISBN: 978-0-226-12794-1, price (cloth), $30. behavior, domestic niche (i.e., habitat), and even similar
looks of wild dogs worldwide (the “unrestrained” dogs of the

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© 2016 American Society of Mammalogists, www.mammalogy.org
World Health Organization). Our domesticated companion
(pet) dogs, as well as our hunting, military, guide, fishing,
Raymond and Lorna Coppinger are among the world’s rela- and other working dogs (including the several hundred rec-
tively small number of truly distinguished scholars of canines ognized dog breeds), are the result of artificial (not natural)
(and former academic colleagues). In addition to numerous sci- selection, that is, of human-orchestrated breeding. Here, it
entific articles based on extraordinarily wide-ranging field and must be re-emphasized that the world’s domesticated dogs
laboratory studies over the years, they have produced 2 impor- represent but a small fraction, less than 15%, of all dogs (and
tant previous books: first The World of Sled Dogs (1977) and these are found primarily in the developed or industrialized
then Dogs: A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, world).
Behavior, and Evolution (2001). Thus, these 2 new books con- Of the world’s roughly 1 billion dogs sensu stricto, by far
sidered in tandem now offer us the culmination of their ground- most (over 85%) are wild dogs (only a few of which are feral).
breaking expositions of the ethology (i.e., behavior), evolution Wild dogs live mostly in loose association with human com-
(i.e., phylogeny), and ecology of dogs sensu lato (i.e., all mem- munities, variously in neighborhoods and villages, and around
bers of the genus Canis). garbage dumps. Those circa 850 million wild dogs are domes-
How Dogs Work will be a treasure to those with more than tic (not domesticated). Among other troublesome issues, these
a superficial interest in the behavior of dogs, be that of pet, many wild dogs are responsible for some 70,000 human rabies
working, sled, feral (escaped), or wild ones. It is a scholarly deaths per year.
text based on many years of research and reflection that will Depictions of dogs together with humans began to appear
be enlightening for the most demanding professionals in the 7,000 or so years ago (in mid Neolithic times), suggesting
field and college or university students in zoology, as well as that dogs must have arrived on the world stage at about that
fully accessible to any educated layperson with more than a time. The Coppingers conclude that the increasing numbers of
passing interest in dogs, wolves, coyotes, jackals, dingoes, ­more-or-less permanent human communities of that era, with
and related canids; the volume is an absolute must for dog their continuing production of edible wastes of garbage and
trainers. fecal matter, provided a new niche that was soon exploited by
In this book, the authors present cutting-edge findings, con- various wild animals, including a subset of wolves that could
clusions, and reasoned speculations on canid behavior that cope with foraging in relative proximity to humans. Essentially,
is sure to challenge many of the more simplistic, wishful, or natural selection resulted in reproductive isolation, and rela-
otherwise inane views all too prevalent in the popular and sci- tively quickly these wolves evolved worldwide into today’s
entific literatures on dogs. The interacting roles of evolution, staggering numbers of domestic dogs. Indeed, if this human-
genetics, and training and thus the balance between nature and created and human-associated niche were to disappear, dogs
nurture are fully explored. In their approach to the study of dog would soon meet the same fate. Thus, the Coppingers reject
behavior, the authors follow in the footsteps of Charles Darwin the currently more widely held notion of dog origins, namely
and Konrad Lorenz in their interpretation of behavior’s fitness that Neolithic humans captured wolf (or perhaps jackal) pups
consequences. and tamed (domesticated) them as working or pet dogs. While
In the second book, What Is a Dog?, the authors note that perhaps ruffling the feathers of some critics, the Coppingers
of all the world’s canids in the genus Canis—dogs, wolves, present a very careful and well-reasoned argument for their per-
coyotes, jackals, dingoes, and others—perhaps 95% are dogs. spective in What Is a Dog?
It turns out that all of these identifiably distinct forms can I have no hesitation in recommending both these books for a
mate with each other to produce fertile pups. Thus, following broad audience including mammalogists, ecologists, conserva-
Aristotle and Linnaeus, they should all be considered as being tionists, dog-related professionals, and anyone with more than
a single species, Canis lupus (or possibly even Canis famil- a passing interest in dogs; in addition, they are must reading for
iaris)—with the different kinds within that taxon therefore all members of relevant organizations (e.g., humane societies, the

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 BOOK REVIEWS 313

World Health Organization, pest-control agencies, breed asso- ancestors were able to exploit the rich herds of ungulates on
ciations, and kennels clubs). African savannas, shifting their life habits from fruit-gatherers
to carnivorous hunters. How could the loss of VNO’s sexual
—Arthur H. Westing, Westing Associates in Environment, function contribute to such a profound change of life style? Our
Security, & Education, 134 Fred Houghton Rd, Putney, VT pre-human ancestors were tropical forest-dwellers, and mainly
05346, USA; e-mail: [email protected]. frugivorous; they also had the peculiarity of being monoga-
mous, a typical family group being composed of one adult
Literature Cited male and one or a few females. Savanna ungulates were too
Coppinger, L. 1977. The world of sled dogs: from Siberia to sport large and too fast for a single hunter, so our ancestors adopted
racing. Howell Book House, New York. communal hunting. They started building and living in more or
Coppinger, R., and L. Coppinger. 2001. Dogs: a startling new less permanent settlements, where females mainly took care of
understanding of canine origin, behavior, and evolution. complex domestic affairs, while males went out hunting. And

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Scribner, New York. they became bipedal and, thus, better adapted to an open envi-
ronment like the savanna. Their large humanoid brains and the
DOI:10.1093/jmammal/gyw164
development of language also largely contributed to their effi-
Published online October 21, 2016
cient colonization of this new habitat.
As Stoddart argues, the problem is that a female whose
estrus is advertised by her body odor will inevitably attract sur-
Stoddart, M. 2015. Adam’s Nose, and the Making
rounding males. And if her monogamous male is absent hunt-
of Humankind. World Scientific Publishing Co.,
ing, there is a great chance that she will be impregnated by
Inc., Hackensack, New York, xxii + 258 pp. ISBN:
another male, a socially and evolutionarily intractable situa-
9781783265183, price (soft cover), $28.
tion! By virtue of the ADAM mutation, and of the bipedal pos-
© 2016 American Society of Mammalogists, www.mammalogy.org ture hiding the genital parts of the body, the reproductive status
of female pre-human ancestors ceased to be perceptible, mak-
ing monogamous pair-bonding, communal living, and hunting
This book tells the story of the central role played by the sense
compatible, to the benefit of the female, whose offspring would
of smell in the evolution of Homo sapiens. Consider the fol-
be protected, and to the male, with less risk of being cuckolded.
lowing: Do you feel comfortable with your natural body odor?
The central theme of this book is that this unique combination
Children do, but most adults do not. Huge batteries of apocrine
gave way to the cultural development of H. sapiens.
scent glands, active after puberty and mainly concentrated in
Professor Stoddart is a classically trained zoologist, from
hairy axillary parts of our body, emit fatty acids and some ste-
the University of Aberdeen (Scotland, United Kingdom).
roids that, with the help of the millions of bacteria living on our
Although his doctoral dissertation was on population dynam-
skin, envelope us with what may be called our “olfactory signa-
ics of water voles, he soon became interested in the study
ture.” Perhaps the above question even prompted you to uncon-
of olfactory glands and in all aspects of the sense of smell.
sciously sniff your armpit! In general, we tend to consider our
Adam’s Nose, and the Making of Humankind is his 4th book
natural body odor as rather unpleasant and spend much time,
on mammalian olfaction and the second on the human sense
energy, and money washing it away.
of smell. He is probably the best suited person to tackle the
Indeed, we do not want to smell as humans, but the very
central theme of this book; while showing an excellent knowl-
ancient and extended use of perfumes shows that we do not
edge of olfaction, he displays command of a vast realm of
want to be odorless either. And what are perfumes anyway, but
disciplines, biological as well as sociological. This theme
fragrances derived from sexual scent glands of mammals—
was already posited in his last book The Scented Ape: The
such as musk deer, civet cats, and beavers—and from plants
Biology and Culture of Human Odour (Stoddart 1990), but
such as frankincense (Boswellia spp.) that mimic those fra-
only as a tentative hypothesis; many elements supporting the
grances? Mate choice and the advertisement of the female’s
hypothesis were later discovered, e.g., the ADAM mutation in
reproductive status are controlled in most species by the sense
2003. Many of the 138 bibliographic references are less than
of smell, our oldest sense, which appeared long before vision
10 years old, some as recent as 2014.
and hearing in animal evolution. Most mammals have a double
The introduction vividly presents the various facets of the
olfactory system: the main or nasal one, whose olfactory mes-
problem and gives the Ariadne’s thread of the book. The 1st
sages are transmitted to the rational brain, and the vomerona-
chapter states our enigmatic relationship with smell; humans
sal organ (VNO), located between the nasal passages and the
do not want to smell as humans, but they are enamored with
mouth, whose olfactory messages are sent to the emotional
fragrances and perfumes that remind us of our animal origins.
brain. The VNO is specialized on sexual olfactory messages
The next 5 chapters examine all biological aspects of the ques-
and elicits nonrational, innate reactions that trigger the repro-
tion; the central ones are summarized above. Scientific aspects
ductive process.
are kept to a minimum and described very clearly and simply.
After acquiring trichromatic color vision and after a muta-
The references are given as footnotes. The style of the book is
tion called ADAM decommissioned the VNO from its role
direct and narrative and meant for a broad readership.
in triggering innate reproductive behavior, our pre-human
314 JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY

Stoddart then draws upon his impressive cultural knowl- are a bit short, and a list of figures with page numbers would
edge to explore further biological and sociological hypoth- have been helpful.
eses: the effects of body odors, especially of hormones The last chapter may be read on its own as a remarkable
such as androstadienone, on our behavior, physiology, and overview and synthesis of the book if you are really short of
mate choice; the evolution of armpits emitting our olfactory time and willing to accept the arguments without proof. But
signature, helping us to find histocompatible mates and to I strongly advise you to read this excellent book in full!
strengthen monogamous pair bonds; the biological bases of
the culture of perfumes; the historical repression of the sense —Éric Le Boulengé, Université catholique de Louvain, Earth
of smell in Western culture; and the response of arts to this and Life Institute, Biodiversity Research Centre, Carnoy, Croix
repression. du Sud 4-5 Bte L7.07.05, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium;
Stoddart’s book is very rich, scientifically well grounded, e-mail: [email protected].

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and full of subtle but sophisticated humor. I read it with enor-
mous pleasure and was reminded of G. Evelyn Hutchinson’s Literature Cited
An Introduction to Population Ecology (1978) with its cultural Hutchinson, G. E. 1978. An introduction to population ecology. Yale
richness. For example, I read with delight the descriptions of University Press, New Haven, Connecticut.
Cleopatra’s encounter with Marc Antony, the poems of Robert Stoddart, D. M. 1990. The scented ape. The biology and culture of
human odour. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United
Herrick, of Homer, of Saadat Hasan Manto, and the Song of
Kingdom (reprinted with corrections, 1992).
Solomon, all celebrating the body scent of the beloved, and the
perfect transcription of Karl Huysmans’ vignette Le Gousset. DOI:10.1093/jmammal/gyw163
A few minor errors remain; the legends of figures 5.1 and 5.3 Published online October 6, 2016