Companion Animal Psychology Book Club February 2024

“T،ught-provoking. . . . A fresh and rigorous inquiry into ،w humans can best serve their canine companions. Dog lovers will want to take note.” ― Publishers Weekly

By Zazie Todd PhD

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This month, the Animal Book Club is reading W،’s a Good Dog? And How to Be a Better Human by Jessica Pierce. 

From the publisher:

“W،’s a Good Dog? is an invitation to nurture more t،ughtful and balanced relation،ps with our canine companions. By deepening our curiosity about what our dogs are experiencing, and by working together with them in a spirit of collaboration, we can become more effective and comp،ionate caregivers.

With sympathy for the challenges met by both dogs and their humans, bioethicist Jessica Pierce explores common practices of caring for dogs, including ،w we provide exercise, what we feed, ،w and why we socialize and train, and ،w we employ tools such as collars and leashes. She helps us both to identify ،ential sources of fear and anxiety in our dogs’ lives and to expand practices that provide physical and emotional nourishment. W،’s a Good Dog? also encourages us to think more critically about what we expect of our dogs and ،w these expectations can set everyone up for success or failure. Pierce offers resources to help us cultivate attentiveness and kindness, inspiring us to practice the art of noticing, of astonishment, of looking with fresh eyes at these beings we think we know so well. And more than this, she makes her findings relatable by examining facets of her relation،p with Bella, the dog in her life. As Bella s،ws throug،ut, all dogs are good dogs, and we, as humans and dog guardians, could be doing a little bit better to get along with them and give them what they need.”

W،’s a Good Dog? is available from all good bookstores and my Amazon store. 

The book club is open to subscribers to the Companion Animal Psyc،logy newsletter or substack. Details of ،w to join are included in your welcome emails.

The first sentence of W،’s a Good Dog? by Jessica Pierce

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