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

· Simon and Schuster
3.8
229 reviews
Ebook
368
Pages
Eligible
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About this ebook

NOW FULLY REVISED AND UPDATED! The beloved #1 New York Times bestseller that “causes one’s dog-loving heart to flutter with astonishment and gratitude” (The New York Times Book Review).

The instant classic on the mind of the dog is now updated to include the latest results in the booming field of dog cognition. What do dogs know? How do they think? The answers will surprise and delight you as cognitive scientist Alexandra Horowitz 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.

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 human emotions and even the passage of time? What is it like to have such good hearing that they notice the bodily vibrations of insects and the hum of a fluorescent light? Horowitz’s engaging narrative allows us to replace our urge to anthropomorphize dogs with a true understanding of the canine experience. What’s it like to use your mouth as a hand? How does a tiny dog manage to play successfully with a Great Dane? Why must a person on a bicycle be chased?

This fully revised and updated edition also reflects the latest findings on canine perception, dogs’ understanding of our emotions and of our language, and the evolving story of domestication. Some discoveries are not only informative but curiously amusing, such as dogs’ asymmetrical nostril use and their alignment with the earth’s magnetic field when pooing.

Much more than a scientific exploration; Inside of a Dog is a love letter to dogs, filled with personal observations and practical advice for people who live with dogs. With a light touch and the weight of scientific authority behind her, Horowitz offers an unparalleled exploration into the minds of our beloved four-legged companions.

Ratings and reviews

3.8
229 reviews
Tyler Durkota
August 13, 2015
I like the way Horowitz writes, and her little anecdotes were eloquent and strongly reminiscent of experiences I have had with my own dog. Also there is a lot of interesting science she presents to explain a dog's perspective and ways of interacting with the world. It is scientific but not detached, which I think can be hard balance to reach.
14 people found this review helpful
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Sheryl Galloway
December 23, 2014
It help me to understand my dog more than I did. The big words she use I did grasp to well, but I made it! through alright. I did enjoy on how dogs are. Next time I buy pine or sage shampoo hopefully she will like that better than rolling in fish guts!
13 people found this review helpful
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Thomas Wysocki
February 22, 2015
An easy read that brings up interesting and useful points about how your dog perceives the world which in turns can help you better understand why they do the things they do.
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About the author

Alexandra Horowitz is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know; On Looking: A Walker’s Guide to the Art of Observation; Being a Dog: Following the Dog into a World of Smell; Our Dogs, Ourselves: The Story of a Singular Bond; and The Year of the Puppy: How Dogs Become Themselves. She teaches at Barnard College, where she runs the Dog Cognition Lab. She lives with her family of Homo sapiens, Canis familiaris, and Felis catus in New York City.

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