For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend

The renowned author of The Other End of the Leash "sheds new light on the emotional lives of animals" (The Washington Post) in this thoughtful and engaging exploration of man's best friend.

"Compelling . . . a wonderful blend of scientific knowledge, stories about real dogs and their behavior, and scenes from the author's life with her own dogs . . . [For the Love of a Dog] will make you think--but it will also touch your heart."--Associated Press

For those of us who deeply cherish our dogs but are often baffled by their behavior, For the Love of a Dog is a revelation--offering dog owners everywhere a new understanding of the complex web of emotions that sometimes bind, and other times damage, our relationship with dogs. As animal behaviorist and zoologist Dr. Patricia McConnell tells us in this remarkable book, more and more scientists accept the premise that dogs have rich emotional lives, exhibiting a wide range of feelings, including fear, anger, surprise, sadness, and love. McConnell suggests that dogs express emotions in ways similar to humans, and shows us how to read the more subtle expressions hidden behind fuzzy faces and floppy ears.

Those who consider their dogs part of the family will find For the Love of a Dog engaging, enlightening, and utterly engrossing. Packed with informed speculation and intriguing accounts of man's best friend at his worst and at his very best, this book is a treasure trove that will teach us how to have a richer, more rewarding relationship with our dogs.