Summary of Alexandra Horowitz's Inside of a Dog / IRB Media (ePub)

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

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#1 Forget everything you think you know about dogs, and start to see them objectively. They are not as you think they are. Dogs do not dream. They do not love. They do not get bored. They do not get jealous, and they do not get depressed. Sure, they live in the moment and enjoy the pleasures of the palate and physical touch. But these are not reflective experiences, the kind that allow a dog to contemplate his existence, ponder the meaning of things, or even reflect on the possibilities of changing his mind. These are experiences of sensory activation and momentary euphoria-the same kind of experiences that make us feel good and that can lead us to feel a sense of well-being. The capacity for dogs to feel and understand such emotions is rudimentary at best. When I was a kid, my grandfather had a Saint Bernard, who was always happy to see me when I visited him at his apartment in Brooklyn. Saint Bernards are legendary for their gentle nature, and my grandfather assured me many times that the dog loved me very much. It was obvious, he said, when the dog looked at me with those big brown eyes: he loved me very much, because he wanted to protect me.

#2 Dogs do not dream, love, get bored, or get jealous. They do not get depressed or anxious. They are not as you think they are.

#3 Don't anthropomorphize.

#4 Don't anthropomorphize. Dogs do not dream, love, get bored, or get jealous. They do not get depressed or anxious. They are not as you think they are.