He's wagging his tail, fetching the Frisbee, and eager to get petted—in short, Fido's living up to his title as "man's best friend." But the domesticated dog's got a special secret: in many ways, he's really a lot like a wolf. Using amazing close-up images she shot inside a real wolf lair, as well as museum-quality historical pictures and illustrations, award-winning author and photographer Jenni Bidner compares the pet pup with his wild ancestor. Why did dogs become dogs and wolves stay wolves? Should you ever have a wolf in the house—or a hybrid? And exactly why do dogs like to lick your face? Along the way, Bidner debunks popular myths about wolves and provides a true and fascinating look at their behavior.

In addition to being an accomplished photographer and award-winning author of over a dozen books—including The Kids' Guide to Digital Photography and Dog Heroes—Jenni Bidner is a canine (K9) handler with Illinois-Wisconsin Search & Rescue Dogs. This nonprofit organization assists police and fire departments in locating lost and missing people.