What the Dog Knows
Scent, Science, and the Amazing Ways Dogs Perceive the World
Cat Warren had tried everything she could think of to harness her dog Solo's boundless energy and enthusiasm until a dog trainer suggested she try training him to be a search dog. What started out as a hobby soon became a calling, as Warren was introduced to the hidden universe of dogs and handlers who do this essential work. Solo is only one of many thousands of working dogs all over the U.S., a group that includes cadaver dogs, tracking and apprehension dogs, dogs that can locate unmarked graves of Civil War soldiers, and even dogs that can find drowning victims more than two hundred feet below the surface of a lake. These abilities may seem magical or mysterious, but Warren shows us the science, rigorous training, and skilled handling that underlie these amazing abilities. Clear-eyed and unsentimental, Warren explains why our partnership with working dogs is woven into the fabric of society, and why we keep finding new uses for the wonderful noses of our four-legged friends.