Secret Life of Dogs: We Are Family

Dogs are the most diverse species of mammal on the planet - there are an incredible 340 breeds each with their own distinctive appearance, character and super-power. Great Danes are an incredible 20 times bigger than a Chihuahua; Dobermans naturally guard us, while a Poodle will comfort. But why are they so different? Where in the wild did they originate? And how much do we really know about them? In this series we discover that all 340 breeds fall into three very characterful and distinctive dog tribes: the guardians, the workers, and the companions.

Wednesday, June 27
Episode 3 – We Are Family
Dogs share over 99% of their DNA with the grey wolf, and yet during their more than 10,000 year history within our homes, several key features have emerged to mark them apart - most importantly the incredible bonds they can form with us. As the world's first domesticated animal, we've spent longer around our canine companions than the wheel, and as such they hold a special place in cultures around the world; in fact new science is revealing how even looking into your dogs' eyes releases love hormones in us both, just one reason our two species have grown closer than ever before.

Secret Life of Dogs, Wednesday at 8 p.m. on PBS 6.