What the Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs

What the Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs

2013 • 332 pages

Ratings1

Average rating4

15

If you're interested, you should go take a peak at the original post on my blog, you'll see that the Cat Warren responded to some of what I wrote – and was incredibly gracious, too.
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People are smart, just like dogs.


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. Somehow, Warren avoids this totally – not an easy feat. It probably helps that dog does far more fascinating things than just hiking through the woods or chasing a ball.

The stories about the others – her friends, colleagues, teachers, etc. – round out the book. It's not just about Warren and Solo, it's not just about the military/police efforts with training animals – it's about dedicated volunteers, K-9 officers and dogs all over the country (and the world) making a difference. In places and ways you wouldn't expect. Really? Sending in one guy and his dogs into Vietnam decades later to search for POW/MIA? Also, seeing how different dogs act differently, yet get the same job done was mind-boggling. Especially for dogs trained together/by the same person, you'd think they'd act similarly.

I imagine it's to spotlight the work of others, to not brag about Solo too much, to talk about things that she and her dog haven't done/seen/smelled – or whatever reason there is, I wanted more Solo. A lot more. I have no problem with the rest of the book, it's just that there's not enough Solo (or Coda).

Fascinating, entertaining, and educational – can't ask for much more than that.

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* Yes, I'm aware there are flaws in the thinking there.


May 15, 2015