Synopses & Reviews
A firsthand exploration of the fascinating world of and#8220;working dogsand#8221;and#8212;who seek out missing persons, sniff for explosives in war zones, and locate long-dead remainsand#8212;through the experiences of a journalist and her canine companion, an incorrigible pup named Solo.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Cat Warren is a university professor and former journalist with an admittedly odd hobby: She and her German shepherd have spent the last seven years searching for the dead. Solo is a cadaver dog. What started as a way to harness Soloand#8217;s unruly energy and enthusiasm soon became a calling that introduced Warren to the hidden and fascinating universe of working dogs, their handlers, and their trainers.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Solo has a fine nose and knows how to use it, but heand#8217;s only one of many thousands of working dogs all over the United States and beyond. In andlt;iandgt;What the Dog Knowsandlt;/iandgt;, Warren uses her ongoing work with Solo as a way to explore a captivating field that includes cadaver dogs, drug- and bomb-detecting K9s, tracking and apprehension dogsand#8212;even dogs who can locate unmarked graves of Civil War soldiers and help find drowning victims more than two hundred feet below the surface of a lake. Working dogsand#8217; abilities may seem magical or mysterious, but Warren shows the multifaceted science, the rigorous training, and the skilled handling that underlie the amazing abilities of dogs who work with their noses.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;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 remarkable and adaptable animals daily. Along the way, she discovers story after story that proves the impressive 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 dogs is woven into the fabric of society and why we keep finding new uses for their wonderful noses.
Review
and#8220;Warrenand#8217;s painstaking research on the history and science of working dogs debunks myths and explains what is knownand#8211;and how much remains unknownand#8211;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;
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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;
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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;
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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;
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and#8220;Enter the fascinating world of working dogs.and#8221;
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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;
Review
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;
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"Enter the fascinating world of working dogs."
Review
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;
Review
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;
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“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.” < b=""> Maria Goodavage, author of < i=""> Soldier Dogs <> <>
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“Move over CSI, and make way for Cat Warren and her forensic dog Solo to grab and keep your attention. What the Dog Knows is beautifully and compelling written—not only could I not put it down, I didn't want to.” < b=""> Patricia B McConnell, PhD, CAAB, author of < i=""> The Other End of the Leash <> <>
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“What the Dog Knows 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.” < b=""> Spencer Quinn, author of < i=""> Dog on It <> <>
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“Enter the fascinating world of working dogs.” < b=""> Temple Grandin, author of < i=""> Animals in Translation <> and < i=""> Animals Make Us Human <> <>
Review
“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 educated—much of what I learned about dogs I had never encountered in any other book. …The people and dogs who inhabit this world are unforgettable.” < b=""> Stacey O'Brien, author of < i=""> Wesley the Owl <> <>
Review
“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.” < b=""> Amy Hempel, author of < i=""> Reasons to Live <> and < i=""> The Dog of the Marriage <> <>
Review
"What the Dog Knows 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 more— a realization of the intelligence, determination and decency of these animals, a story both wonderful and wise." < b=""> Lee Smith, author of < i=""> The Last Girls <> <>
Review
“Working dogs, be they search and rescue, cadaver or explosive detection specialists, are—like their human partners—a breed apart. They inhabit a world of complete commitment, utter dedication and extraordinarily rigorous training. What the Dog Knows is greatly enriched by author Cat Warren’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 dogs’ noses.” < b=""> Sue Russell, author of < i=""> Lethal Intent <> and < i=""> The Illustrated Courtroom <> <>
Review
“Warren’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.” < b=""> Bruce DeSilva, Edgar Award-winning author of the < i=""> Mulligan <> crime novels <>
Review
and#8220;Warren writes with verve and provides rare insight into our working partnership with canines.and#8221;
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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;
Review
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;
Review
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;
Review
and#8220;In this combination of history, science, and memoir, North Carolina State journalism professor Warren looks at the ways in which domestic animals have been able to assist humans, specifically the world of cadaver dogs, drug and bomb detecting police dogs, and tracking dogs. The author quickly gains the reader's sympathy with humorous accounts of her first days with Solo, the cadaver dog she's owned since birth, and earns the reader's respect with a well-researched chapter that calls into question much of the accepted and fluctuating statistics regarding dogs' superior sense of smelland#8230;. A welcome and necessary addition to the growing body of literature on the subject.and#8221;
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and#8220;Fantastic and#8230; should be mandatory reading for any police dog handler or trainer.and#8221;
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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;
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"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;
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"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."
Review
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."
Review
"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!"
Review
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;
Synopsis
andlt;B andgt;A firsthand exploration of the fascinating world of "working dogs"--who seek out missing persons, sniff for explosives in war zones, and locate long-dead remains--through the experiences of a journalist and her canine companion, an incorrigible pup named Solo. andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;pandgt;Cat Warren is a tenured university professor and a journalist with what she acknowledges is an odd hobby: She and her dog have spent the last seven years searching for the dead. In andlt;Iandgt;What the Dog Knowsandlt;/Iandgt;, Warren recounts her adventure into the world of missing persons, and what she's learned about the capabilities of canines in the process.andlt;BRandgt;
It all started as an effort to harness the wild energies of her German shepherd puppy, Solo, who had a fine nose but didn't play well with others. Before long, Warren and Solo were training with the police K9 unit in Durham, North Carolina, called out to sniff the parks, woodlands, and cul-de-sacs for bodies of the missing. Warren leads us onto trails of mystery that are sometimes solved, and often not. At investigator and handler trainings, "body farms," and crime scenes, she works and talks with forensic anthropologists, detectives, and dog handlers--learning why dogs are particularly well suited for this type of work, and how people are helping them get even better at the task. Along the way, she offers a fascinating exploration of canine intelligence and training, and she digs deep into scent research to unveil the amazing science behind a dog's ability to smell what humans can't even fathom.
Combining the science-writing chops of Mary Roach with the visceral appeal of books like Inside of a Dog, Warren offers a unique perspective on special place that working dogs have in our society, and in our hearts and minds.
Synopsis
A firsthand exploration of the fascinating world of “working dogs”—who seek out missing persons, sniff for explosives in war zones, and locate long-dead remains—through the experiences of a journalist and her canine companion, an incorrigible pup named Solo. Cat Warren is a tenured university professor and a journalist with what she acknowledges is an odd hobby: She and her dog have spent the last seven years searching for the dead. In What the Dog Knows, Warren recounts her adventure into the world of missing persons, and what she’s learned about the capabilities of canines in the process.
It all started as an effort to harness the wild energies of her German shepherd puppy, Solo, who had a fine nose but didn’t play well with others. Before long, Warren and Solo were training with the police K9 unit in Durham, North Carolina, called out to sniff the parks, woodlands, and cul-de-sacs for bodies of the missing. Warren leads us onto trails of mystery that are sometimes solved, and often not. At investigator and handler trainings, “body farms,” and crime scenes, she works and talks with forensic anthropologists, detectives, and dog handlers—learning why dogs are particularly well suited for this type of work, and how people are helping them get even better at the task. Along the way, she offers a fascinating exploration of canine intelligence and training, and she digs deep into scent research to unveil the amazing science behind a dog’s ability to smell what humans can’t even fathom.
Combining the science-writing chops of Mary Roach with the visceral appeal of books like Inside of a Dog, Warren offers a unique perspective on special place that working dogs have in our society, and in our hearts and minds.
About the Author
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;