Play Audiobook Sample
The Genius of Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter than You Think Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.09) - 176 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
The perfect gift for dog lovers and readers of Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz—this New York Times bestseller offers mesmerizing insights into the thoughts and lives of our smartest and most beloved pets.
Does your dog feel guilt? Is she pretending she can't hear you? Does she want affection—or just your sandwich? In their New York Times bestselling book The Genius of Dogs, husband and wife team Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods lay out landmark discoveries from the Duke Canine Cognition Center and other research facilities around the world to reveal how your dog thinks and how we humans can have even deeper relationships with our best four-legged friends. Breakthroughs in cognitive science have proven dogs have a kind of genius for getting along with people that is unique in the animal kingdom. This dog genius revolution is transforming how we live and work with dogs of all breeds, and what it means for you in your daily life with your canine friend.
Download and start listening now!
"This isn't, of course, a book you can't put down but it is a mind-changing look at the way dogs think and what they can be taught. I was actually looking for tips on the latest methods of dog training and what I found was a fascinating psychology lesson on the way scientists now think, dogs think. The author does use the unfortunate term- dognition, which I found annoying, but the information on dogs and other animals was (please forgive the term) mind-blowing. I don't think I will ever look into the eyes of a dog the same way again. I never dreamed that they were so intuitive. So, for all those dog owners who think your dog understands what you are saying, this book will explain to you that they do and how they do it. It is written in a very-readable style, full of anecdotes to help the reader understand the concepts."
— Pam (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“Many authors have tried to anecdotally capture the emotional bond between humans and dogs. Here at last is a book that digs deep into cognitive science to unravel the mysteries of the canine brain. Thoroughly researched and written in the likable voice of a brainy scientist sitting at your kitchen table, The Genius of Dogs is a fascinating look at what goes on between the ears of the animals we share our lives with. I found it entertaining, fast-moving, and filled with gee-whiz insights that gave me a new appreciation for the complex social intelligence of man’s best friend.”
— John Grogan, New York Times bestselling author of Marley & Me -
“The Genius of Dogs is a fantastic book. It makes it very clear that there are different kinds of intelligence. All dog lovers should read this book.”
— Temple Grandin, New York Times bestselling author of Animals Make Us Human -
“A fascinating, riveting, utterly engaging romp through the mind of man’s best friend. I promise: You will never look at your dog the same way again.”
— Maria Goodavage, New York Times bestselling author of Soldier Dogs -
“The definitive dog book of our time by the researcher who started a revolution.”
— Daniel J. Levitin, New York Times bestselling author of This Is Your Brain on Music -
“A masterful account of the way science is revealing just how smart dogs can be. Fascinating and highly readable.”
— John Bradshaw, New York Times bestselling author of Dog Sense -
“Based on Brian Hare’s game-changing research, The Genius of Dogs brilliantly explains the canine mind and in doing so illuminates the natural history of all intelligence. This book will captivate anyone interested in dog, ape, or human mentality.”
— Richard Wrangham, Harvard University, author of Catching Fire -
“A lovely book…Personal stories and facts from numerous research projects published in prestigious peer-reviewed professional journals make the book a delight to read.”
— Psychology Today -
“A scientific study that doubles as a warmhearted tribute to man’s best friend.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“A well-presented investigation into how dogs came to be.”
— Kirkus Reviews -
“This is the best book in existence, by far, for learning about the recent revolution in our understanding of the minds of dogs. And it’s fun, too.”
— Mike Tomasello, codirector, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology -
“The Genius of Dogs is not just about dogs and not just about genius. It’s an exciting detective story by two comparative biologists with amazing discoveries to report.”
— Bernd Heinrich, author of Mind of the Raven -
“With the help of some wolves, Russian foxes, New Guinea singing dogs, and a Labrador Retriever named Oreo, Brian Hare tells us about his fascinating search for an understanding of how dogs think and communicate.”
— Stanley Coren, author of Do Dogs Dream
The Genius of Dogs Listener Reviews
-
" great look into why dogs react the way that they do. "
— Jennifer, 2/12/2014 -
" Highly readable and enjoyable presentation of some amazing recent research into animal cognition, with a focus on dogs, told by some one who is obviously a dog lover. The discussion of behavioral vs. cognitive approaches to learning is wonderful. This book has added more to my understanding of dogs than anything else I've read or any training methodology I've observed. "
— Betty, 2/6/2014 -
" This is a very good book from authors who know a ton about dogs. However, it was too academic for me and I couldn't finish it. I was fine with the long history lesson, but then I wanted the authors to tell me how dogs think and how to interact better with my new puppy. I ran out of patience when they continued to discuss so much research. If you love text books, this is for you. If you were hoping for fun stories about how smart dogs are, skip this! "
— Lynn, 2/5/2014 -
" fascinating. Good theory as to how dogs were domesticated and lots of other new found evidence on just how wonderful dogs really are. Highly recommend. "
— Jan, 2/1/2014 -
" The Genius of Dogs is fascinating, fun, and filled with remarkable history and research from around the world in the growing field of "dognition." Understanding a dog's cognitive learning styles can help us understand their behavior, train them more kindly and effectively and give them better lives. As a professional dog trainer, I have been waiting for this book for over 10 years. It bridges the gap between Pavlov, Skinner, and the most recent revolutionary discoveries in canine cognition. A must read!! "
— Jenn, 1/6/2014 -
" Awesome book, very interesting a lot of history and references to the studies done. "
— Bev, 1/3/2014 -
" Some interesting and occasionally surprising information. Not a large amount of detail, but rather a fairly broad look at what is currently known, suspected, and being investigated about how dogs think and why they and humans evolved from mortal enemies to best friends. "
— Charles, 1/1/2014 -
" This is a book filled with charts and graphs. Don't let that fool you, this book is actually really interesting. It starts of slow, but then it gets intresting as the author gives personal examples and gets more into detail about his research. "
— Ashley, 12/17/2013 -
" This has some information about the evolution of dogs that I had read elsewhere, plus descriptions of the author's research. Three and a half stars, I guess ... "
— Amy, 10/24/2013 -
" Awesome! Great insight into both canines, evolution and people alike! I'm not the biggest fan of non-fiction and yet I couldn't put this down. "
— Alison, 9/25/2013 -
" Very interesting with lots of insights and information previously unknown to me. This helps a lot to better understand the relationsips with our family's dogs, past and present. "
— Steve, 7/23/2013 -
" Very comprehensive book on the dog mind, but I didn't learn anything new that hasn't already been published in other books on canine cognition. "
— Leah, 5/3/2013 -
" If I was just reviewing the first half of this book, it would get 4 stars. The research that the authors report on how dogs' brains work as a result of domestication is absolutely fascinating. Made the book difficult to put down. Alas, the latter half of the book isn't nearly as gripping. "
— Sheri, 2/10/2013
About the Authors
Brian Hare is a professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University, where he founded the Duke Canine Cognition Center.
Vanessa Woods is a research scientist, journalist, and author of children’s books. A member of the Hominoid Psychology Research Group, she works with Duke University as well as Lola Ya Bonobo in Congo. She is also a feature writer for the Discovery Channel, and her writing has appeared in such publications as BBC Wildlife and Travel Africa. Her first book is It’s Every Monkey for Themselves. She lives in North Carolina.
About Fred Sanders
Fred Sanders, an actor and Earphones Award–winning narrator, has received critics’ praise for his audio narrations that range from nonfiction, memoir, and fiction to mystery and suspense. He been seen on Broadway in The Buddy Holly Story, in national tours for Driving Miss Daisy and Big River, and on such television shows as Seinfeld, The West Wing, Will and Grace, Numb3rs,Titus, and Malcolm in the Middle. His films include Sea of Love, The Shadow, and the Oscar-nominated short Culture. He is a native New Yorker and Yale graduate.