Science of Dogs - DVD

More than 600 million claim residence in households across six continents... and now they may have dethroned dogs as the most popular pet on earth. An exterminator, fierce hunter and favorite companion aloof and affectionate at the same time the cat leapt out of the wood and adopted us on its own terms thousands of years ago. But how did man and beast form their unconventional relationship? From mummified cats unearthed in Egypt

Called by one philosopher "the noblest beast God ever made," dogs have served humankind in more ways than any other animal. You'll see loyal canines at work as they search for buried victims of an earthquake disaster, assist the physically disabled, and pull sleds in the blizzard conditions of Alaska. Find out how dogs are trained to "act" on the Lassie television show, and meet dogs that served as messengers on the battlefields of WWII

In the ultimate canine ancestral story, National Geographic explores the genetic journey from wolf to dog. Travel back 100,000 years to meet the "mother of all dogs" and trace the evolution of her descendents over the eons, even as we evolved ourselves -- from cave dwellers to modern humans. Find out what scientists are learning about dogs' unique ability to communicate with humans, and how powerful brain chemicals work to cement our af