READ THIS: WHAT THE DOG KNOWS The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs by Cat Warren Our Coverage Sponsored by Maine Woolens
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Trudy was not a working dog: she was part German Shepherd and part Wolf.
You know that a book about dogs written by a woman named Cat is going to hold your attention and this one does. Cat’s previous work as a reporter fits conveniently with her “only child” German shepherd dog’s insatiable energy and independence. We are reminded of the essential roles performed by dogs throughout history. The book is a firsthand experience of how a good tracking dog and his human handler are trained. It is quite informative to learn how teaching dogs to alert on a scent is not a natural given but requires selective reinforcement and skill. The sheer amount of human scents that must be filtered through the able nose of the dog to find his subject is impressive. Humans must be trained as well. The writer takes us on several criminal operations, to foreign countries, and on a fascinating trip to discover historical burial sites in our own back yard with the dog as the hunter. I was not able to put this book down as the information was conveyed in an anecdotal first hand experience that made me feel as if I too was training Solo, the star dog of this book. Sit. Stay. Read.
Having lived with dogs my whole life, most recently a Shepherd mix and a Yellow Lab, I love learning about what makes them tick! What the Dog Knows, by Cat Warren is a fantastic book about her work with her German Shepherd, Solo. Cat Warren is an associate professor of science journalism at North Carolina State University, but above and beyond this, she is a dog-lover and endless student of the wonders of dogs, especially working dogs. Warren’s book takes us through a wonderful story about her introduction to Solo, initial behavioral challenges with the dog and how she challenged and developed him into a successful cadaver dog. They’re both so loveable and relatable! The book is INCREDIBLY informative, filled with scientific and anecdotal information about dogs, their biology and development into human companions and tools. Reading this book, I was impressed with the sheer quantity of information I got from the book because it was written in an easily-readable, story format, not one of just an academic, informative book. The reader gets to know Cat’s journey with Solo and learns with her along the way as SHE grows and learns with Solo. This book is great for anyone who has a dog and is curious about what drives them, or for someone just interested in learning more about “man’s best friend”. It also gives hope to all of us “amateur” dog owners that maybe we could turn our four-legged companions into a useful genius as well!
A surprising title with content that will knock your socks off, What The Dog Knows tracks the story of a great buddy, a working dog, Solo. Written by his owner and handler, an academic, the story wraps its tail around history, backtracking through myth, legend, and fact, to tell us all about how and why dogs track cadavers. Cadavers. We all have heard the news reports, and now we can find out the backstory, thanks to Cat Warren. In a well paced storyline, she brings us all to understand the "Science and Wonder of Working Dogs". Not just a K9, with a Jim Belushi finish, but mostly a happy tale, albeit at times, gruesome, of fascination. Pretending we understand our dogs gets a lot of us in trouble, as they train us. But this book takes training to a whole new level. Faced with the overabundant energy of her singleton, Solo, Cat Warren finds her way to a solution, and begins to prepare Solo for his career as a working dog. Sniffing out cadavers isn't just a walk in the woods. It's hard work, training, and although it may just be a game for the dog, at heart the good guy is helping resolve myriad mysteries and resolving pain and anguish. Pick up this Touchstone edition of What The Dog Knows and you'll appreciate your canine buddy all the more. As a matter of fact, it may be the best bed time story you can read him.
On some level, most people are aware of "working dogs," the kind that assist police in sniffing out bombs, drugs, cadavers, and more. However, never before has there been such an interesting, insightful, and endearing glimpse into the lives of these dogs and their relationships with their owners. What The Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs, is a beautifully and thoughtfully written book allowing readers an intimate look into the life of Solo, a cadaver dog, and his owner/trainer, author Cat Warren. Cat, a university professor and former journalist, begins training Solo when he is a puppy, as a way to reign in his energy in a positive way, and what follows are seven years of learning and growing together. For readers, it's fascinating to see the science and rigorous training that goes into honing the skills of these working dogs. The book is incredibly informative, yet also deeply touching, thanks to the personal history of Ms. Warren and Solo. An absolute must-read for any dog-lover, or anyone interested in learning more about the talented and hardworking animals that do so much for our society.
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Cat Warren is a professor and former journalist with a somewhat unorthodox hobby: she works with a cadaver dog—a dog who searches for missing and presumed-dead people. What started as a way to harness the energies of her unruly, smart, German shepherd puppy, Solo, soon became a passion for them both (though Solo thinks it’s simply a great game, with the reward of a toy at the end). They have now searched for the missing throughout North Carolina for seven years.
In WHAT THE DOG KNOWS: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs, Warren uses her odyssey with Solo to enter the broader world of scent-detection dogs, revealing the remarkable capabilities of working dogs, their handlers, and their trainers.
Taking the reader from crime scenes to training sites and science labs, talking and working with other handlers and trainers, and interviewing animal psychologists, forensic anthropologists, breeders, and scent researchers, Warren explains how working dogs can capture the hidden worlds their noses know and translate that arcane knowledge for humans. The fascinating concepts behind the complex capabilities of working dogs emerge as Warren weaves the world of science and dog cognition with her own experiences in the field—all with an unsentimental yet sensitive touch.
What the Dog Knows tells the stories of cadaver dogs, drug and bomb detecting K9s, tracking and apprehension dogs—even dogs who can locate unmarked graves of Civil War soldiers and help find drowning victims more than two hundred feet below the surface of a lake. Working dogs sometimes seem magical, as they distinguish scent, cover territory, and accomplish tasks that no machine is yet capable of. What the Dog Knows reveals the science, the intense training, and the skilled handling that lie behind those abilities—and shows why we keep finding new uses for the wonderful noses of working dogs.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CAT WARREN is an associate professor at North Carolina State University, where she teaches science journalism, editing, and reporting. She lives with her husband, David, and two German shepherds, Solo and Coda, in Durham, North Carolina. Visit www.catwarren.com.
WHAT THE DOG KNOWS
The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs
ISBN 978-1-4516-6731-8
Touchstone Books
