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

by Patricia McConnell

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The critically acclaimed author of "The Other End of the Leash" offers fascinating insights into the canine mind--critical tools for a healthy relationship with a well-trained dog. In this remarkable book, renowned canine expert Patricia McConnell answers the questions of dog lovers everywhere. Do dogs have emotions like we do? More to the point, does my dog love me? Such questions have fueled bestsellers like Elizabeth Marshall Thomas' The Hidden Life of Dogs and Jeffery Moussaieff Masson's Dogs Never Lie About Love. Sharing riveting dog stories from her experiences, Dr. McConnell also offers accessible science that clues readers in to what's going on behind those puppy dog eyes. We learn the fascinating similarities and surprising dissimilarities in dogs' and humans' brains, and how current scientific studies have led McConnell to conclude without a doubt that dogs share a profound emotional life with us. The information found in this book will help readers have better-trained dogs, at the same time deepening their dog-human connections. For the Love of a Dog is a must-have for dog lovers everywhere."Highly recommended..."--library Journal Starred Review… (more)

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The Intelligence of Dogs: A Guide to the Thoughts, Emotions, and Inner Lives of Our Canine Companions by Stanley Coren (cammykitty)
cammykitty: More scientific than his How Dogs Think, but still quite readable. It also contains the famous/infamous ranking of American dog breeds by intelligence, but I still say Basset Hounds rank so low because they just didn't care about the test. What Basset Hound cares if you throw a blanket over them? It's certainly not an emergency.… (more)

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I didn't enjoy this book, and couldn't get very far, despite the mostly positive reviews it has received. The lure of more exciting texts pulled me away from this book. It might just be because I don't enjoy the tone of scientific-based texts. I did not feel like I could relate what I read with my own relationship with my dog, despite the author's constant use of anecdotes. I'm sure someone else could enjoy this book. Perhaps someone a little more left-brained than me! (

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oacevedo | Apr 9, 2019 |

Patricia McConnell has to be one of the best dog behaviorists writers in the US. This book is both funny, thought provoking and advanced enough to keep the interest of those of us who have read many, many dog books and worked with hundreds of dogs. It focuses on human and dog brain functions and emotions. Don't let that technical description scare you though. It is written in a very accessible style though so would not be inappropriate for the casual dog owner who wants to have a better relationship with their dog. (

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cammykitty | Jul 4, 2011 |

I liked this book quite a bit. It's a little repetitive in places, reading a bit like the chapters were written separately. Still, there was a pretty good flow. The pictures are really nice examples. I'm not as much interested in the debate of what emotions animals have since I already agree with the author that they must have them. Still one of the best dog books I've read and a good follow up on her other book "The other end of the leash"

JonathanGorman | Oct 31, 2009 |

Excellent book for dog lovers or those interested in animal behavior. The author does a great job of discussing current research, opinions and philosophies (as well as areas where current research is lacking) while still keeping the book lively and entertaining. This book also contains a very thorough and useful reference section. (

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eslee | Feb 22, 2008 |

This book was well-written, down to earth, and extremely interesting. McConnell's descriptions of dog behavior were apparent even in my well-mannered dog. Although it did not explain some of my dog's odder behaviors (what inevitably draws me to these kinds of books), it provided a background on how my dog acts on a day to day basis. Reccomended. (

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23eris | Mar 22, 2007 |

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Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
Patricia McConnell	—	primary author	all editions	calculated
Archer, Ellen	Narrator	secondary author	some editions	confirmed

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Audie Award (Finalist – Personal Development/Motivational – 2007)

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Patricia McConnell

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The critically acclaimed author of "The Other End of the Leash" offers fascinating insights into the canine mind--critical tools for a healthy relationship with a well-trained dog. In this remarkable book, renowned canine expert Patricia McConnell answers the questions of dog lovers everywhere. Do dogs have emotions like we do? More to the point, does my dog love me? Such questions have fueled bestsellers like Elizabeth Marshall Thomas' The Hidden Life of Dogs and Jeffery Moussaieff Masson's Dogs Never Lie About Love. Sharing riveting dog stories from her experiences, Dr. McConnell also offers accessible science that clues readers in to what's going on behind those puppy dog eyes. We learn the fascinating similarities and surprising dissimilarities in dogs' and humans' brains, and how current scientific studies have led McConnell to conclude without a doubt that dogs share a profound emotional life with us. The information found in this book will help readers have better-trained dogs, at the same time deepening their dog-human connections. For the Love of a Dog is a must-have for dog lovers everywhere."Highly recommended..."--library Journal Starred Review

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