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What Dogs See, Smell, and Know
Scribner
September 2009
On Sale: September 15, 2009
368 pages
ISBN: 1416583408
EAN: 9781416583400
Hardcover
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Non-Fiction Pet-Lover
What do dogs know? How do they think? The answers will
surprise and delight you as Alexandra Horowitz, a cognitive
scientist, explains how dogs perceive their daily worlds,
each other, and that other quirky animal, the human.
Inside of a Dog is a fresh look at the world of dogs --
from the dog's point of view. As a dog owner, Horowitz is
naturally curious to learn what her dog thinks about and
knows. And as a scientist, she is intent on understanding
the minds of animals who cannot speak for themselves. In clear, crisp prose, Horowitz introduces the reader to
dogs' perceptual and cognitive abilities and then draws a
picture of what it might be like to be a dog. What's it
like to be able to smell not just every bit of open food in
the house but also to smell sadness in humans or even the
passage of time? How does a tiny dog manage to play
successfully with a Great Dane? What is it like to hear the
bodily vibrations of insects or the hum of a fluorescent
light? Why must a person on a bicycle be chased? What's it
like to use your mouth as a hand? In short, what is it like
for a dog to experience life from two feet off the ground,
amidst the smells of the sidewalk, gazing at our ankles or
knees? Inside of a Dog explains these things and much more. The
answers can be surprising -- once we set aside our natural
inclination to anthropomorphize dogs. Inside of a Dog also
contains up-to-the-minute research -- on dogs' detection of
disease, the secrets of their tails, and their skill at
reading our attention -- that Horowitz puts into useful
context. Although not a formal training guide, Inside of a
Dog has practical application for dog lovers interested in
understanding why their dogs do what they do. The relationship between dogs and humans is arguably the
most fascinating animal-human bond because dogs evolved
from wild creatures to become our companions, an adaptation
that changed their bodies, brains, and behavior. Yet dogs
always remain animals, familiar but mysterious. With a
light touch and the weight of science behind her, Alexandra
Horowitz examines the animal we think we know best but may
actually understand the least. This book is as close as you
can get to knowing about dogs without being a dog yourself.
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