A new book was published this summer that counters many of the prevailing theories in many dog training manuals. And what a welcome and very useful addition to the canine bookshelf it is.

In Defence of Dogs is written by John Bradshaw, an eminent biologist who founded and directs the Anthrozoology Institute at the University of Bristol.

Bradshaw has studied dogs for over twenty-five years and, as one would expect from his background and training, writes with scientific authority on how dogs evolved to become man’s closest other species.

In the process, he dismisses the premise that has informed many recent dog training methods - namely, that studying wolf pack behaviour helps us to understand dogs and their relationship with us.

Because dogs share 99.96% of their DNA with the grey wolf, it is easy to understand why some researchers have assumed the wolf to be a useful model in understanding the psychology of dogs. Bradshaw convincingly argues that this is not a worthwhile exercise in understanding dogs.

The domestication of the dog began well over ten thousand years ago. Over this period, and though sharing much DNA, much wolf-like behaviour in dogs has been lost.

He points out that dogs form mutually co-operatively flexible, family groups - like authentically wild wolf packs; and do not follow alfa-dominant patterns found in artificially constructed, captive wolf packs.

Man has mythologised the wolf into a species to be hated, feared, and hunted almost to extinction. As a consequence few grey wolves now exist, and those that do come from a diminished gene-pool containing only the smartest, wildest wolves - the ones as wary of man and as separate from dogs as it is possible to imagine.

In one experiment, wolves and dogs were tested to see if they could get food out of a closed box. The wolves scrabbled away at it until the box broke, while the dogs would just turn to their humans and ask for help.

In recent years there has been a glut of very successful - though to my mind very prescriptive and bossy - books and television programmes where some little dictator - I avoid using ‘Caesar’ - or tweed or leather-clad dominatrices exert their will over some poor canine, thought to be recalcitrant.

These ‘behaviourists’ base many of their methods on research conducted only into captive wolf packs and, consequently, expect that the dog/wolf that we invite into our homes to be always on the lookout to assume dominance over us. Bradshaw completely dismisses this idea.

Bradshaw is particularly interesting when he details how some early, wild canines adapted to being in close contact with humans, with both species appreciating the mutual benefit of this arrangement and reinforcing the long established bond between us.

The book devotes several interesting chapters dealing with the extraordinarily highly developed canine senses of sight and smell; and how data is communicated using ‘pee-mails’.

The later sections of the book challenge the principles behind current pedigree breeding. Personally, I think that Bradshaw fails to understand what drives us to maintain the canine heritage that is pure-blood breeding. In some aspects, he echoes the arguments made by those behind the contentious Pedigree Dogs: Exposed television programme.

However, he can be praised for exposing as risible, training methods which use bullying, whistles, clickers and electric shocks. Though not a training manual, the book deals with how puppies develop socially and are trained to become adult dogs (this happens within the first three or four months).

At times this book is not an easy read. It is densely rich with academic research (Bradshaw’s normal outlet is scientific papers) and he is not always a wholly comfortable narrator; but this said, it is well worth doggedly persevering with as it throws serious, new and convincing light onto understanding man’s best friend.

A dog is not just for Christmas - but this book could be.

In Defence of Dogs by John Bradshaw is published by Allen Lane at £20.