What the Dog Knows Scent Science & the Amazing Ways Dogs Perceive the World

A firsthand exploration of the extraordinary abilities and surprising, sometimes life-saving talents of and#8220;working dogsand#8221;and#8212;pups who can sniff out drugs, find explosives, even locate the deadand#8212;as told through the experiences of a journalist and her intrepid canine companion, which andlt;iandgt;Theandlt;/iandgt; andlt;Iandgt;New York Times andlt;/Iandgt;callsandlt;Iandgt; andlt;/Iandgt;and#8220;a fascinating, deeply reported journey into theand#8230;amazing things dogs can do with their noses.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;There are thousands of working dogs all over the US and beyond with incredible abilitiesand#8212;they can find missing people, detect drugs and bombs, pinpoint unmarked graves of Civil War soldiers, or even find drowning victims more than two hundred feet below the surface of a lake. These abilities may seem magical or mysterious, but author Cat Warren shows the science, the rigorous training, and the skilled handling that underlie these creaturesand#8217; amazing abilities. andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Cat Warren is a university professor and journalist who had tried everything she could think of to harness her dog Soloand#8217;s boundless energy and enthusiasmand#8230;until a behavior coach suggested she try training him to be a and#8220;working dog.and#8221; What started out as a hobby soon became a calling, as Warren was introduced to the hidden universe of dogs who do this essential work and the handlers who train them.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Her dog Solo has a fine nose and knows how to use it, but heand#8217;s only one of many astounding dogs in a varied field. Warren interviews cognitive psychologists, historians, medical examiners, epidemiologists, and forensic anthropologists, as well as the breeders, trainers, and handlers who work with and rely on these intelligent and adaptable animals daily. Along the way, Warren discovers story after story that prove the capabilitiesand#8212;as well as the very real limitsand#8212;of working dogs and their human partners. 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.

andlt;iandgt;"What the Dog Knowsandlt;/iandgt; is a fascinating, deeply reported journey into scent, death, forensics and the amazing things dogs can do with their noses: sniffing out graves, truffles, bedbugs, maybe even cancer. But it's also a moving story of how one woman transformed her troubled dog into a loving companion and an asset to society, all while stumbling on the beauty of life in their searches for death."

"A former journalist, the author possesses a keen sense of detail and pacing that informs, entertains, and quickly draws readers into her life and work with Solo."

and#8220;Warren writes . . . with the research-forward focus of an academic and the sweat-and-scabs storytelling of someone who has lived in the field. andlt;iandgt;What the Dog Knowsandlt;/iandgt; is an incredibly poignant book about dogs and people and how the lost can become found again.and#8221;

and#8220;Warren writes with verve and provides rare insight into our working partnership with canines.and#8221;

and#8220;andlt;i andgt;What the Dog Knowsandlt;/iandgt; has so much to offer to handlers, trainers, and dog people in general. A full reporting of the stories here would rob you of the roller-coaster of emotions that Cat and Solo experience, and I want you to experience them for yourself. Warren is obviously a very skilled and entertaining writer, while never writing down to anyone from a high post. You will truly andlt;iandgt;likeandlt;/iandgt; Cat Warren as she reveals herself in the book, and youand#8217;ll feel her pride in her partner and#8216;Solo.and#8217;and#8221;

and#8220;A meaty, fascinating tour of not only what led humans to train dogs to sniff drugs, bombs and dead bodies, but also the science behind why dogs can be good at these tasks.and#8221;

and#8220;The author doesn't just talk about her experience. She explains the training and science labs. She explains what other trainers and handlers do. The reader will read about animal psychologists, forensic anthropologists, breeders and scent researchers. It's all explained in an easy-to-read yet detailed narrative. This is a fascinating book for dog lovers and for those who want to know more about how dogs help us each and every day.and#8221;

and#8220;Warren highlights the profound partnership developed between humans and dogs during their intense, but positive training, and in real situations. We are with her as she starts training her dog, and throughout the mistakes, triumphs, struggles, and rewards. I was entertained and educatedand#8212;much of what I learned about dogs I had never encountered in any other book. and#8230;The people and dogs who inhabit this world are unforgettable.and#8221;

and#8220;Working dogs, be they search and rescue, cadaver or explosive detection specialists, areand#8212;like their human partnersand#8212;a breed apart. They inhabit a world of complete commitment, utter dedication, and extraordinarily rigorous training. andlt;iandgt;What the Dog Knowsandlt;/iandgt; is greatly enriched by author Cat Warrenand#8217;s own love of digging. She and Solo take us on some fascinating detours through history and phony-baloney claims en route to the science, wonder and awe that all rightly surround dogsand#8217; noses.and#8221;

and#8220;andlt;Iandgt;What the Dog Knowsandlt;/Iandgt; is first the story of the relationship between a hard-working cadaver dog and his human companion. But that deeply felt relationship opens the way to an exploration of the working dog world and in doing so becomes something moreand#8212;a realization of the intelligence, determination, and decency of these animals, a story both wonderful and wise.and#8221;

and#8220;In a series of accounts that sometimes read like detective stories, Cat Warren and#8230; takes us through the steps needed to create dogs that search for peopleand#8212;both living and deadand#8212;while describing her life and her special bond with a German shepherd named Solo.and#8221;

and#8220;The capabilities of these specially trained working dogs are remarkable. The author provides fascinating insider information about a meaningful partnership that has important legal and personal consequences.and#8221;

and#8220;Cat Warren has captured both the magic and the best science behind the success of the modern working dog. This book masterfully shows how even the best technology cannot compete with our best friends. If you have ever wondered what dogs are truly capable of this is the book for you.and#8221;

and#8220;It doesn't take a dog-lover (such as myself) to appreciate Cat Warren's remarkable andlt;Iandgt;What the Dog Knowsandlt;/Iandgt;. Prepare to be enthralled and enlightened by this story of Solo and his mistress whose clear, lively, personal and intelligent writing will nail you from page one. It's a toss-up as to who is more fascinating--the dog people or the dogs themselves--in this wonderful and altogether unique book.and#8221;

and#8220;andlt;iandgt;What the Dog Knowsandlt;/iandgt; is a fascinating exploration into the minds and characters of some very special dogs. No one who cares about dogs should miss this smart, funny, and at times surprisingly moving book.and#8221;

and#8220;Enter the fascinating world of working dogs.and#8221;

and#8220;A beautifully written, fascinating, heartwarming, and oft-hilarious homage to working dogs. A must-read for anyone who wants to know more about four-legged working heroes. I'd like to shake Solo's paw for inspiring Cat Warren to write it.and#8221;

and#8220;Move over CSI, and make way for Cat Warren and her forensic dog Solo to grab and keep your attention. andlt;iandgt;What the Dog Knowsandlt;/iandgt; is beautifully and compelling writtenand#8212;not only could I not put it down, I didn't want to.and#8221;

and#8220;Warrenand#8217;s painstaking research on the history and science of working dogs debunks myths and explains what is known--and how much remains unknown--about canine abilities and behavior. By combining this hard information with anecdotes about training Solo, accounts of searching the North Carolina woods for dead bodies, and the stories of other trainers and their dogs, she has produced a book that is both informative and entertaining. Although her love for Solo is palpable, she remains analytical and clear-headed, never romanticizing what he or other working dogs do.and#8221;

and#8220;A gifted story-teller, Cat Warren takes us on a fast-paced journey into the scentsand#8212;some foul, some sweet, some softer than a breezeand#8212;of police detective work. This is a book for anyone who loves dogs, and has watched them catch a scent on the wind or in the leaves on the ground, and wondered about that brilliant organ they possess: the nose.and#8221;

"Just finished andlt;iandgt;What the Dog Knowsandlt;/iandgt;, Cat Warren's wonderful new book about the training of her cadaver dog, Solo. This is a real treat for serious dog people: informative, compelling, moving, sad, funny, the works. I loved it."andlt;u1:pandgt;andlt;/u1:pandgt;

and#8220;Fantastic and#8230; Should be mandatory reading for any police dog handler or trainer.and#8221;

"More than a fascinating, inspiring look into the world of dogs and how dogs learn, What the Dog Knows illuminates--and celebrates!--the special bond we share with dogs. If you have ever loved a dog, you must read this book. I loved it!"

and#8220;Delving into the history of working dogs, Warren mixes personal memoir with historical fact to present a fascinating and comprehensive work.and#8221;

and#8220;Warren teaches science journalism at North Carolina State University and has strong investigative and storytelling skills, which makes the book all the more enthralling and engaging. This book offers new avenues to learn about the cognitive and emotional lives of oneand#8217;s own dogs, and is highly recommended by this reviewer.and#8221;

and#8220;Itand#8217;s a lively read, rich with details on the exhausting and rewarding process of training a working dog, but in the end, you realize that the process is really about bonding in a way that transcends and#8212; or perhaps sidesteps knowing.and#8221;

and#8220;A combination of memoir, history, and science that is so very readable that itand#8217;s like sitting down for a cup of coffee and a conversation with the author.and#8221;

Cat Warren is an associate professor at North Carolina State University, where she teaches science journalism, editing, and reporting courses. She lives with her husband and her German shepherds, Solo and Coda, in Durham, North Carolina. Visit CatWarren.com.andnbsp;