Being a Dog

De: Alexandra Horowitz

Narrado por: Alexandra Horowitz

Alexandra Horowitz, the author of the lively, highly informative New York Times best-selling blockbuster Inside of a Dog, explains how dogs perceive the world through their most spectacular organ - the nose - and how we humans can put our underused sense of smell to work in surprising ways.

What the dog sees and knows comes mostly through his nose, and the information that every dog takes in about the world just based on smell is unthinkably rich. To a dog there is no such thing as "fresh air". Every gulp of air is full of information.

In Being a Dog, Alexandra Horowitz, an eminent research scientist in the field of dog cognition, explores what the nose knows by taking an imaginative leap into what it is like to be a dog. Inspired by her own family dogs, Finnegan and Upton, Horowitz sets off on a quest to make sense of scents. In addition to speaking to experts across the country, Horowitz visits the California Narcotic Canine Association Training Institute and the Stapleton Group's Vapor Wake explosives dog training team; she meets vets and researchers working with dogs to detect cancerous cells and anticipate epileptic seizures or diabetic shock; and she travels with Finnegan to the West Coast, where he learns how to find truffles. Horowitz even attempts to smell-train her own nose.

Being a Dog is a scientifically rigorous book that presents cutting-edge research with literary flair. Revealing such surprising facts as panting dogs cannot smell to explaining how dogs tell time by detecting lingering smells, Horowitz covers the topic of noses - both canine and human - from curious and always fascinating angles. As we come to understand how rich, complex, and exciting the world around us appears to a dog's sense of smell, we can begin to better appreciate it through our own.

©2016 Alexandra Horowitz. All rights reserved. (P)2016 Simon & Schuster

Great!

The narration was great and engaging. The information was easy to understand and fascinating. If you wonder how your dog experiences the world this is a great book.

A new world perceived

I enjoyed Ms Horowitz's first book enough to buy copies for my dog owning friends. This time I'm extending my recommendations to friends who are doctor's, people with exploring curiosity and those who enjoy examining the world around them. The joy Ms Horowitz takes in exploring the worlds of noses, both of dogs and humans, is too exciting to be missed.

Interesting!

The author was a little monotone at times but the content is engaging and informative. I could have done without some stories (e.g. the wine smelling) but I agree that the world seems different now that I learned how intricate smell is. And I definitely appreciate my dogs even more than before.

A Fun Listen to What the Nose Knows

The passion for the author's work comes through in this self-narrated work. A fascinating, behind the scenes look at a dog's amazing sense of smell, and our own obtuse response to it.

Fascinating, yet narrowly focused on the nose

Based on the title, I was expecting a more well-rounded account of what it might be like to be a dog. To my surprise - and some annoyance - the entire book is focused singly on dogs’ sense of smell.

While the book is fascinating and I definitely enjoyed learning about the various aspects of olfactory - in humans as well as dogs, it felt like it went on for far too long about this singular subject. I would have liked to learn more about other aspects of “Being a Dog”.

Smell more!

I learned that I should pay more attention to smell. The book is a little wordy but an interesting listen. If you're a Dog person or you're crazy about dogs, I'd recommend it.

Somewhat Misleading Title

I was going to write a more detailed review, but then I saw N. Rogers "Lacks Specificity on Dogs" review and they said most of what I wanted to say and more. So please read theirs for more detail. I will add that I did enjoy the book but was really looking for more emphasis on the dogs rather than smelling, specifically human smelling. My only other, somewhat negative comment, was with the narration. I think that Alexandra Horowitz did a fairly good job (I did give 4 stars), however, for being the author, I would have expected a more animated narration. I came out with the feeling that she simply, sometimes robotically, read the text as opposed to "narrating" it, there were several places where she awkwardly paused were I was sure there was no comma. All in all, however, it is a minor complaint.

I will never take scent lightly

Loved this book. I do scentwork with my dog as a sport and this book made me even more aware of how good this is for my dog ! And I now sniff things mow intently to truly appreciate the gift of being able to do so. Thank you for this great study

Too much about sniffing

It seems that most of the book was about the author learning how to smell. I really wanted to learn about dogs, not her.

Wow

As a dog trainer and lover I was curious about the book. Once began to listen I enjoyed the book more than any other I have read or heard about dogs and their abilities before. So now I am off to go read her other book. Thank you Alexandra Horowitz's for your extensive research and personal experiences. I have and will continue to recommend this book to both my clients and friends.