There really wasn't a cognitive science of dogs. I just was interested in and fascinated by dogs. Why do we love dogs so much? Their responsiveness to us, I think is central to it. They are not unique as domesticated animals. Not unique as animals who are tame-able or friendly. But they are unusual in their responsiveness to us. And frankly, we like that a lot.
Alexandra Horowitz—a canine psychologist and authority on how dogs perceive the world—joins to talk about her latest book, ‘The Year of the Puppy,’ and share her knowledge about the relationship between humans and our canine friends.