THE YEAR OF THE PUPPY

A dog cognition researcher adopts a puppy and observes her development through a scientific and personal lens.

This guide to dog development is organized chronologically, from the birth of a litter of puppies through each week of their development until they are adopted. The book continues through one puppy’s first year as she adapts to home life, and the family members—Horowitz, her husband, her son, two older dogs, and a cat—adjust to her presence. The author folds plenty of scientific information about canine development and socialization into her personal narrative, using advanced vocabulary that’s defined in-text. In parallel with her observations of new family member Quiddity—Quid for short—the author tacks on information about a litter of puppies who are being raised to be working dogs, for whom the training and expectations are very different than for family pets. The book also features cute photos, fun lists (“Some things the puppy has eaten/chewed that are not for eating/chewing: an observational study”), and even an Ear Semaphore Code chart. Horowitz acknowledges that dog cognition researchers “can be too close to our subjects to see them well,” which may be especially true if the dogs are their own, but readers interested in a dog’s world and how humans and dogs communicate will find a wealth of information here.

A focused and earnest guide for young dog lovers.