Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know

• Author: Alexandra Horowitz
• Publication Year: 2010
• Page Count: 360

Containing up-to-the minute research and providing many moments of dog-behavior recognition, this lively and absorbing book helps dog owners to see their best friend's behavior in a different and revealing light.

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 2' 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. "Discover why your dog is so sensitive to your emotions, gaze, and body language. Dogs live in a world of ever-changing intricate detail of smell. Read this captivating book and enter the sensory world of your dog." -- Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation and Animals Make Us Human