This book owes everything to my two closest collaborators, my wife Ulla and her canine soulmate Sergio. In their different ways they forced me to revise my view of dogs from the dangerous, malodorous, drivelling wasters I once thought them to be, and to appreciate their empathetic and courageous nature.
My special thanks are due to the scientists, in particular Robert Wayne, Heidi Parker, Bridgett vonHoldt and Elaine Ostrander, who have together revealed the fascinating genetics on which this book is based. Many others deserve credit for their work, but these four stand out as genuine pioneers.
Others helped with particular sections, notably Ulla’s army of willing volunteer owners and their dogs. The Kennel Club, especially its Librarian and Collections Manager Ciara Farrell, was tremendously helpful. Dr Catherine Mellersh from the Animal Health Trust patiently explained the practical application of modern genetics to canine health, while Hayley Chow from the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home showed us what can happen when mistreated dogs need rehoming. Shaun Ellis and his partner Kim introduced Ulla and me to their wolves at their farm in Cornwall, brought to life by Shaun’s experiences with wild wolves in the forests of Idaho in the USA. Ethel Johnston and her husband John, along with Ewan Grant and Owen Macrae, enlightened me about the ways of working dogs on New Zealand’s sheep stations.
All authors need help to coax their manuscript into life. Danielle Hobart from Saint Clair in Dunedin, New Zealand, enthusiastically transcribed Ulla’s recorded interviews, while Robin Roberts-Gant refined her photographs. As always, my agent Luigi Bonomi and my editors Myles Archibald, Hazel Eriksson and Steve Dobell worked their magic.