How Did DOGS Become the Perfect Pets?

How Did DOGS Become the Perfect Pets?

From Tony Robinson's Cunningcast by Tony Robinson

November 6, 2025 · 56 min · Season 3 · Episode 9

About this episode

Tony explores the complex relationship between humans and dogs, examining how dogs became the perfect pets.

Tony is a great dog lover but sadly since he made ‘Do Our DOGS Really Love Us?’ In Series 1 he lost his beloved Holly-Berry, a rescue Westie. He has since tried another dog ‘adoption’ which didn’t work out so well, so today, Tony wants to explore how and why dogs have become the ‘perfect’ pets and our sentimental attachments to them in life and death. How and do we bond with our dogs, and why is it so difficult when we don’t?    In this 'dogcast', Tony is exploring humanity’s deep and complex relationship with dogs: from the ancient domestication of wolves to our modern emotional bonds with fashionable breeds with the veterinary behaviourist Prof Daniel Mills and Dr Stephanie Howard-Smith, a cultural historian of dogs and their humans.   Hosted by Sir Tony Robinson | Instagram @sirtonyrobinson   Producer: Melissa FitzGerald | X @melissafitzg   With   Daniel Mills, Professor of Veterinary Behavioural Medicine, University of Lincoln | www.lincoln.ac.uk/researchatlincoln/meetourexperts/danielmills/   Daniel is a leading veterinary behavioural medicine specialist at the University of Lincoln, recognised internationally for his work on companion…

People in this episode

Host: Tony Robinson

Guests: Prof Daniel Mills, Dr Stephanie Howard-Smith

Topics covered

  • dogs
  • domestication
  • human-animal relationship
  • pet ownership
  • emotional bonds

Keywords

  • dogs
  • pets
  • domestication
  • human-animal bond
  • veterinary behaviourist

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Lincoln

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