How Dogs Love Us

A neuroscientist finally and definitively answers the age-old question: What is my dog thinking?

A pioneering canine behaviorist draws on cutting-edge research to show that a single, simple trait--the capacity to love--is what makes dogs such perfect companions for humans, and to explain how we can better reciprocate their affection.

"Dog lovers and neuroscientists should both read this important book." -- Dr. Temple Grandin What is it like to be a dog? A bat? Or a dolphin? To find out, neuroscientist and bestselling author Gregory Berns and his team did something nobody had ever attempted: they trained dogs to go into an MRI scanner -- completely awake -- so they could figure out what they think and feel. And dogs were just the beginning. In What It's Like to Be a Dog, Berns takes us into the minds of wild animals: sea lions who can learn to dance, dolphins who can see with sound, and even the now extinct Tasmanian tiger. Berns's latest scientific breakthroughs prove definitively that animals have feelings very much like we do -- a revelation that forces us to reconsider how we think about and treat animals. Written with insight, empathy, and humor, What It's Like to Be a Dog is the new manifesto for animal liberation of the twenty-first century.

Published in hardcover as What the dog knows: the science and wonder of working dogs by Simon & Schuster, New York, c2013.

In How Dogs Love Us (2013), Gregory Berns chronicles the early days of his efforts to use brain imaging scans for the first time to study how dogs think and feel emotions including love. Berns argues that many dog owners and trainers limit their understanding of dog psychology to behavior, or how dogs physically react to different situations… Purchase this in-depth summary to learn more.

Have you ever wondered what your dog is really thinking? Our dogs mean the world to us and as owners we do our best to make sure they feel happy and loved, whilst also keeping them in line when needed. But wouldn’t it be so much easier if we spoke the same language and could ask what they were thinking or feeling? In his latest book, top dog trainer, Graeme Hall, reveals the secrets to understanding what your furry companion is trying to say and how they see the world. Drawing on 15 years of experience training over 5,000 dogs, and backed up with scientific evidence, he tackles all the tricky questions you’ve ever wanted to ask, such as ‘how do I tell my dog he’s been naughty?’ and ‘how long does a dog remember?’. Sharing his own personal stories and practical tips, Graeme demonstrates how to interpret your dog's body language and use that knowledge to build a stronger, more rewarding relationship, as well as how to avoid common mistakes. Whether you're a seasoned dog owner or a new pup parent, this book will change the way you think about your four-legged best friend.

Get the dog training results you’ve always wanted—combining love with the science of dog psychology Find the roadmap to success in the easy-to-follow Do No Harm Dog Training and Behavior Handbook. Foreword by Marc Bekoff, PhD, co-founder with Jane Goodall of the Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and author of 31 books Are you tired of spending countless hours poring over articles, books, and other training resources searching for the key to the relationship you dream of with your dog? The Do No Harm Dog Training and Behavior Handbook provides force-free, practical solutions to common and complex behavior problems for both dog trainers and pet parents. This comprehensive guide is a transformational problem solving gift to pet parents for the heartbeats at our feet. It is also designed for professional presentations, teaching basic manners classes, and includes private behavioral consultation Treatment Plans with citations and a detailed index to make finding topics easy. Learn how to prevent behavior problems before they escalate.

A pioneering canine behaviorist draws on cutting-edge research to show that a single, simple trait—the capacity to love—is what makes dogs such perfect companions for humans, and explains how we can better reciprocate their affection. “Lively and fascinating . . . The reader comes away cheered, better informed, and with a new and deeper appreciation for our amazing canine companions and their enormous capacity for love.” —Cat Warren, New York Times best-selling author of What the Dog Knows Does your dog love you? Every dog lover knows the feeling. The nuzzle of a dog’s nose, the warmth of them lying at our feet, even their whining when they want to get up on the bed. It really seems like our dogs love us, too. But for years, scientists have resisted that conclusion, warning against anthropomorphizing our pets. Enter Clive Wynne, a pioneering canine behaviorist whose research is helping to usher in a new era: one in which love, not intelligence or submissiveness, is at the heart of the human-canine relationship. Drawing on cutting-edge studies from his lab and others around the world, Wynne shows that affection is the very essence of dogs, from their faces and tails to their brains, hormones, even DNA. This scientific revolution is revealing more about dogs’ unique origins, behavior, needs, and hidden depths than we ever imagined possible. A humane, illuminating book, Dog Is Love is essential reading for anyone who has ever loved a dog—and experienced the wonder of being loved back.