The pawprints of history : dogs and the course of human events / Stanley Coren ; illustrations by Andy Bartlett.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Coren, Stanley.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Dogs--History.

Dogs.

Animal intelligence.

Behavior, Animal.

History.

Medical Subjects:

Behavior, Animal.

Dogs.

Physical Description:

xiii, 322 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Free Press, [2002]

Summary:

Over the Course of Three Decades, noted psychologist and renowned dog expert Stanley Coren has amassed a truly remarkable collection of stories, some of which he has shared with characteristic charm in his celebrated previous books. Now, in The Pawprints of History, the stories themselves are the focus and readers have the undiluted pleasure of sharing in Coren's unique trove. A lighthearted romp through the ages with a special eye out for man's best friend, Coren's vignettes of dogs in the great dramas of human history are a delight. As history's great figures strut across the stage, Coren guides us from the wings, lovingly picking out the canine cameos and giving every dog of distinction its day. He vividly depicts the dogs who have played a significant role in the lives of many historical figures, and shows how their relationships with their people have directly influenced the course of world events. In this unparalleled chronicle, we see how Florence Nightingale's chance encounter with a wounded dog changed her life by leading her to the vocation of nursing. We learn why Dr. Freud's Chow Chow attended all of his therapy sessions and how the life of the Fifth Dalai Lama was saved by a dog who shared his bed. We see the obsessive love of King Charles II, who gave his spaniels hereditary titles of nobility so that they might go with him into the House of Lords. From canines who accompanied the rulers of ancient Egypt to those belonging to the presidents of the United States, dogs have been companions as well as political symbols and instruments of public relations -- including Calvin Coolidge's collie Prudence Prim, who had a cheerful collection of fancy hats, and Bill Clinton's chocolate Lab, Buddy, who made timely appearances to help his master through photo ops. Even when the four-footed witnesses are not the decisive characters, it is gratifying to know that, for instance, in the thick of the Battle of Germantown, George Washington called a case-fire solely to return General Howe's beloved fox terrier, who had wandered out of Howe's tent and across enemy lines. When the Earl of Wilshire's springer spanied nipped the Pope's toe, he may not have precipitated the English Reformation, but he certainly didn't help matters. From war to art, across the spectrum of human endeavor and achievement, there often stands, not only at his side but leading the way, man's beloved "best friend." In this definitive collection of canine greatness, bursting with tales of famous figures and their four-legged catalysts of every breed and possible disposition, from lapdogs to four-legged warriors, from sleuthing hounds to sedentary pugs, Coren convincingly documents that wherever are found the footprints of history, there too one will find the pawprints.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Sentinels and Symbols 1

Chapter 2 The Saint and the Irish Dogs 15

Chapter 3 The Angry Prince and the Welsh Dog 27

Chapter 4 The Devil Dog of the English Civil War 35

Chapter 5 The Companions of the Prussian Emperor 51

Chapter 6 The Conquistador's Dogs 67

Chapter 7 The Dogs of the Scottish Writer 81

Chapter 8 Dogs in the Opera House 95

Chapter 9 The Talking Dog 115

Chapter 10 The Dog on the Therapist's Couch 127

Chapter 11 For the Love of Dogs and Other Beasts 143

Chapter 12 The Dog Shogun 157

Chapter 13 The Dog Law and the Mary Ellen Case 167

Chapter 14 The Emperor and His Dogs of Misfortune 181

Chapter 15 Conversations with Dogs 197

Chapter 16 The Lion Dogs of the Forbidden City 215

Chapter 17 The Indian Fighter's Dogs 237

Chapter 18 The Virginia Farmer's Foxhounds 251

Chapter 19 The Dogs in the Oval Office 263

Chapter 20 The Counter-factual History of Dogs 291.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 311-316) and index.

ISBN:

0743222288

OCLC:

49387521