Our Dogs, Ourselves

Our Dogs, Ourselves examines the complex relationship between humans and dogs in modern society. Author Alexandra Horowitz, head of Barnard College's Dog Cognition Lab, combines scientific research with cultural analysis to explore how dogs have become intertwined with human lives. The book investigates key aspects of human-dog interactions, including breeding practices, training methods, and legal frameworks around dog ownership. Horowitz examines topics from the language humans use with dogs to the ethical implications of contemporary pet-keeping practices. Through interviews, observations, and personal experience as a dog owner and researcher, Horowitz chronicles the evolution of dogs from working animals to family members. She addresses questions about dog cognition, emotion, and the growing "humanization" of pets in Western culture. The work presents a critical examination of how human choices and cultural attitudes shape the lives of dogs, while exploring what these relationships reveal about human nature itself. This investigation challenges readers to reconsider their assumptions about the bond between species.

Readers appreciate the book's exploration of the complex human-dog relationship and the examination of ethical questions around breeding, training, and ownership. Many note Horowitz's research-based insights and accessible writing style. Common praise focuses on the chapters about naming conventions and the legal status of dogs. Multiple reviews highlight the author's ability to make scientific concepts understandable. Critics say the book meanders and lacks cohesion between chapters. Some readers found certain sections repetitive of Horowitz's previous works. Several reviews mention that the academic tone can be dry. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (1,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (230+ ratings) Sample reader comments: "Great insights into how we anthropomorphize dogs" - Goodreads reviewer "Too much focus on semantics, not enough practical information" - Amazon reviewer "The chapter on breeding practices opened my eyes" - Barnes & Noble review "Feels like separate essays rather than a unified book" - Goodreads reviewer

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🐾 Author Alexandra Horowitz runs the Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College, where she studies how dogs perceive the world and interact with humans 🐾 The book explores the peculiar practice of purebred dog breeding, revealing that many popular breeds were only created in the last 150 years 🐾 Dogs are the only animals that can naturally interpret human pointing gestures and follow our gaze, suggesting a unique co-evolutionary bond 🐾 The word "pet" originally meant "spoiled child" before it came to refer to companion animals in the 16th century 🐾 Despite common belief, dogs don't experience guilt - their "guilty look" is actually a learned response to human disappointment or anger