The Secret Life of the Dog is a BBC Horizon production that highlights recent research into a variety of issues relating to dogs and the dog-human bond.

For the last couple of weeks, this program has been all the buzz in dog training and dog club e-mail lists. Although the BBC blocked the program from viewers outside the United Kingdom, it is available on YouTube here in a six-part video, each part about 10 minutes in length.

The program addresses issues about how dogs were domesticated, and what their genetic history is - how they can read us and we them; how important they are for our health and well-being; how close they are genetically, but not behaviorally to wolves; how genetics controls aggression and nonaggression; how intelligent they are; and how their DNA holds great promise for treating many of the diseases that they have in common with humans.

At the end of the program, we know why the dog is "Man's Best Friend."

The program is well-made, full of information, and fascinating. Check it out.

Bruce and Tracy Willoughby have taught dog training for several years.