A book that will change how you think about dogs.

On my way home from a trip this past year, a book caught my eye in the airport gift shop. I had to pick it up for my plane ride home. This incredible book I found to read was “Inside of a Dog: What dogs see, smell and know”.

I was on my way home from a trip to pick up my very first puppy (Isla) and I was beaming with excitement. I had to know every single thing one could possibly know about dogs! I’d done plenty of research in the past, but of course it simply wasn’t enough.

I opened the book the minute I sat down on the plane and was completely hooked.

The scientific exploration

For those of you who like to explore the scientific background of theories, this book is definitely for you. That being said, I find it strikes the perfect balance between anecdote and scientific evidence with some very important observations about dogs and why they are the way that they are. 

Learning to observe

Horowitz tells a story about her dog, Pump, through little moments at the beginning of each chapter. These moments get you to think about your own dog’s behaviour, as she continues on to explain the science behind it. It’s an interesting writing technique and it helps to train readers to observe their dogs.

A new perspective

One of my favourite takeaways from the book is that Horowitz encourages the reader (and presumed dog owner) to see a dog not through your world, but through theirs. And that, is the very way by which we can begin to understand why they do things the way that they do. 

This book truly changed the way I think about dogs and it was a big inspiration for my post, “What dogs can teach us”.

You may not find the answers to explain your dog’s behaviour, but this book can help you start to understand them!

Have you read this book or similar books? Tell me what you thought and share your favourite books in the comments section below.