More than 750 million of us share our lives with dogs. We love and cherish them. But this most adored of animal companions was once the wild and savage wolf. How did the astonishing transformation take place? This is the story of how the remarkable and enduring relationship between dogs and humans began, and why dogs have earned a unique and fundamental place in the human heart. Academy Award®-winner F. Murray Abraham narrates this Nature miniseries.
Part One: The Rite of the Dog
Thousands of years ago, as humans began to settle in villages, the wolf emerged from the wild and made the startling leap to "man's best friend." Once domesticated, dogs would accompany us through the centuries, playing an essential role in human history. In spectacular location footage, Nature shows how indispensable certain breeds have been to cultures and civilizations around the world. From the descendents of ancient wild dogs in Papua New Guinea, to the sled dogs of the Arctic's native Inuit, to a hairless breed though to have magical powers in Mexico, dogs have made a lasting impact.

Part Two: Dogs by Design
With over 400 internationally recognized breeds, the dog has a greater range of shapes and sizes than any other mammal. Humans have bred dogs to serve many roles: a hunter to fee us, a guard to protect us, a herder to give us mastery over other animals. Using sophisticated computer-generated graphics, this program explores today's competitive breeding and concerns about its effect on dogs' health and well-being. At the dawn of the 21st century, dogs are once more changing our world by their use in cutting-edge scientific research and life-saving medical care.