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(as of Mar 01, 2025 14:20:08 UTC – Details)
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.
Customers say
Customers find the book informative and enjoyable. They appreciate the author’s insights into dogs and their sense of smell. The writing style is described as excellent, masterful, and readable.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
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Kindle Customer –
An underused sense
Great book even for non dog owners. It explores how people can use and exercise their sense of smell and introduces all sorts of training I hadn’t thought of.For dog owners, the last chapter is about the sport of nose work. If you’re not doing sports with your dog, nose work and Barn hunt are great for letting them use their noses.
Wayne Rash –
This is a book about dogs, but it’s also a book about smell
This is Alexandra Horowitz’s second book on dogs, but I hope it’s not her last. She has clear expertise in the things that dogs know and feel, and her research has formed the base of an exceptional book about dogs, but also about smell. Most of the book is about how dogs perceive smell, how they can process smell, and what they can do with this knowledge. However Horowitz also spends a significant portion of her book talking about smell. Smell, after all, is one thing that we have in common with dogs, and while they are vastly better equipped to use their sense of smell, it is still the only means we share that allows us to perform a chemical analysis of our environment. By learning about how humans smell, we can then use that knowledge to understand how dogs smell.I particularly enjoyed her descriptions of the various exercises that dogs go through when being trained in areas that involve smell, and I enjoyed even more learning about “nosing” as an amateur activity. I wish I could find a nosing class for my dogs.Speaking as an author of technical books, I’m envious of the skill Horowitz shows with language. Her descriptions are lush and full, her use of words is masterful. By the time I finally reached the end of the book, I was disappointed, not because the book was a problem, but rather that it ended, and I wanted to keep reading her magical prose.One tip – buy the hard cover. There’s a test. Horowitz will ask you how the book smells, and if you’re reading an electronic copy, you won’t have an answer.
Karen –
Not as good as Inside a Dog
This was an interesting book, but less interesting than Inside a Dog. This book was more about what it was like when the author tried to understand smell. The other book was more directly related to dogs.But I enjoyed it. Interesting, research-based, learned some things I didn’t know.
RoseJo –
Easy, interesting read
I first read “Being a Dog,” in 2016-ish after listening to an interview with the author, Alexandra Horowitz. I lborrowed the audio from the library, was entranced by the author’s stories of the ways she and her research assistants would try to understand dog behavior (spoiler alert: sniff where a dog had urinated), and added the book to my “Enjoyed This” list.Please note, although I like dogs in general, I have never been nor desire to be a dog owner (nor a pet owner of any kind). But I am an eclectic curioius reader. Also, before buying books for myself or others, I first read (or listen) to a library copy. If I believe I’ll read it again, then I’ll buy the book for myself. If I think others will like it or find it useful, then I add it to a list of books I’ve enjoyed that specific people might also enjoy.While reviewing my “Enjoyed This” list a few weeks ago, I realized “Being a Dog” would be the perfect book for an elderly out-of-state friend who loves dogs and loves science in general. She has just started to read it. When she is finished, she plans to re-gift it to her 13 year-old grandchild who is an advanced, avid reader.
Norman Epstein –
Dog lovers, science lovers â get this book!
A great read which combines a love of dogs and curiosity about their world of smell, with the rigorous scientific mind of an author doing serious research at Barnard on the sense of smell. Using a combination of personal experience (she has 2 dogs), careful academic research, and observation plus contacts with others in the field we get a glimpse into the dogâs world as experienced through its nose, and the mysterious science involved. This makes for fascinating (and often humorous) reading, brings us a better understanding of what our furry friends might be experiencing, as well as giving us practical suggestions to allow us to enhance our own appreciation of the smells around us, most of which go unnoticed. For lovers of dogs, science, and good writing this book is a treat. Thereâs something to learn on almost every page.
michael tanner –
OK, but not as good a read as the first book, a little disappointed
I very much enjoyed her first book, being a dog lover and dog socializer for seeing eye lab pups and autism golden pups.I always want to better understand these amazing animals and thier capabilites. However, in truth, I was somewhat disappointedin this second series book. It had some very interesting parts, but when it veered off into too many tangents about NON DOG relatedaspects of smell with humans, in medicine, in history, so in and so on I frankly got a little bored and wish it stay on topic, DOGS!
rabidreader –
Fabulous book, well researched and skillfully written
I think I’ve been reading too many self-published books lately because it’s such a nice change to read a well-constructed, artfully written book!! In addition to being well-researched with understandable data, it’s just a fascinating explanation of what is going on inside my dog’s head when his nose twitches! Thanks so much for this great book.
Gary Raham –
Valuable insights into a dog’s (and human’s) world of smell
I enjoyed this excursion into the world of smell. Horowitz visited a number of scientists working in the field and obviously spent a lot of solid research time exploring what we know about a dog’s world of smell. More importantly for the reader, she translates this research into entertaining prose that invites us all to pay more attention to our own human smellaramic sensory experiences. It’s an enjoyable read that provides plenty of resources to explore the subject in more detail.
Ma Jesus Espinosa M M –
No lo he terminado pero lo que llevo me encanta y no dudo en recomendarlo. Leer un libro de la Dra. Alexandra siempre será garantÃa de calidad.
Pete –
Interesting but deep book. Some of the non technical comments are very interesting. Some humour included which helps of keep it lighter reading. Fine author, who knows her stuff, and where to get more.
R –
Not just about dogs. A throughly expansive walk in the world of scent. A thrilling ride into a forgotten world. Sniff and enjoy.
Marshall Cant –
Dr. Horowitz is a fantastic writer that draws you in, holds your attention, and leaves you wanting more. Awesome book for dog lovers. Superb.
RicH –
I enjoyed this, and definitely a book you should read if you want to expand your insight into the canine psyche. I found that it prompted me to ask questions, and certainly I’m more sympathetic to letting my two boys enjoy their sniff times. Walks are more leisurely and led by them when off lead now. As others have said, a lot of the book is about the author’s olfactory journey, which is an interesting read, but possibly over emphasised in a volume about dogs (so maybe harshly, a star knocked off). That said, a good read for dogphiles.