Coming September 2026
The Wolf That Chews Rocks
Why your dog is weird, according to science.
A funny, affectionate journey through the evolution, behaviour and baffling inner life of dogs, told through one spaniel-shaped catastrophe.
About the book
A wolf, an ape and several catastrophic decisions.
The Wolf That Chews Rocks is a funny, illustrated popular-science book about dogs: what they are, where they came from, why they behave as they do, and what on earth made an ancient human look at a wolf and say to his kids:
Sure. Let’s bring that into the house.
Part memoir, part science, and part prolonged attempt to explain one spectacularly ill-advised animal, it follows Baxter through a lifetime of poor decisions, unnecessary enthusiasm, digestive catastrophes and encounters with objects no civilised creature should ever regard as lunch.
Along the way, it explores evolution, domestication, archaeology, scent, intelligence, emotion, disease detection and the ancient partnership between humans and dogs — with original illustrations throughout, because some of Baxter’s life choices really do have to be seen to be believed.
Coming in September 2026 in hardback, audiobook and ebook.
Advance reader copies
Fancy reading Baxter before everyone else?
I’m looking for a limited number of advance readers who enjoy funny nonfiction, popular science, dogs, or ideally all three.
Selected readers will receive a free advance copy before the book is published in September 2026. In return, I’m asking for an honest review around launch.
And maybe you can post about it on social media too. That would be nice.
Applying does not guarantee a place, and there is no obligation to leave a positive review. I’m looking for readers who genuinely think this sounds like their sort of book and who are likely to finish it before publication.
What selected readers will receive
- A free advance copy of the book
- Early access before publication
- A chance to help launch Baxter into the world
Selected readers will receive both a PDF and an ebook file.
Apply to be an advance readerRead an extract
An ape, a wolf and a panther walk into a bar…
Read an extract and meet the household of apex predators who inspired the book.
Read an extract