Chaser: Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words - Hardcover

Pilley, John W.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0544102576 ISBN 13: 9780544102576

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013

Synopsis

A" New York Times" Bestseller The amazing story of a very smart Border collie who is redefining animal intelligence. Chaser has a way with words. She knows over a thousand of them more than any other animal of any species except humans. In addition to common nouns like house, ball, and tree, she has memorized the names of more than one thousand toys and can retrieve any of them on command. Based on that learning, she and her owner and trainer, retired psychologist John Pilley, have moved on to further impressive feats, demonstrating her ability to understand sentences with multiple elements of grammar and to learn new behaviors by imitation. John s ingenuity and tenacity as a researcher are as impressive as Chaser s accomplishments. His groundbreaking approach has opened the door to a new understanding of animal intelligence, one that requires us to reconsider what actually goes on in a dog s mind. Chaser s achievements reveal her use of deductive reasoning and complex problem-solving skills to address novel challenges. Yet astonishingly, Chaser isn t unique. John s training methods can be adopted by any dog lover. Through the poignant story of how he trained Chaser, raised her as a member of the Pilley family, and proved her abilities to the scientific community, he reveals the positive impact of incorporating learning into play and more effectively channeling a dog s natural drives. John s work with Chaser offers a fresh perspective on what s possible in the relationship between a dog and a human. His story points us toward a new way of relating to our canine companions that takes into account our evolving understanding of the way animals and humans learn."

About this title

Review:

"Chaser is the most scientifically important dog in over a century. Her fascinating story reveals just how sophisticated a dog s mind can be."
Brian Hare, coauthor of "The Genius of Dogs
""After you read "Chaser," you will realize that you may have underestimated the intelligence of your dog. Marvelous insights into a dog s mind."
Temple Grandin, author of
"Animals in Translation" and "Animals Make Us Human
""This is an extraordinary book, full of warmth and wisdom that has the potential to forever change the way we look at dogs. While Chaser herself seems extraordinary, maybe she is also every dog, in showing us what every dog is capable of. Maybe not every dog can learn over a thousand words, but every dog I have ever known can read our heart, and that, to me, is the great secret between dogs and humans that we are just now learning, and which is so deeply evident in this wonderful book: Chaser loves people, and because of that love she will do anything asked of her, even learn the names of one thousand toys! Dr. John Pilley s work with Chaser is not only a loving affirmation for readers who already know how much they adore and trust the ability of dogs, but is also a game-changer for skeptical scientists, who must find themselves, after reading this remarkable book, inching closer to recognizing the full humanity of dogs."
Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, author of "When Elephants Weep "and "Dogs Never Lie About Love
""A Border Collie that understands lots of words won t surprise people who work with these inventive dogs, but what makes John Pilley s tale special is his dogged determination, long after his retirement from teaching psychology, to keep his own brain fizzing with all the new words and techniques and ideas he needs to learn to get his results published in a respected science journal."
Bruce Fogle, author of "The Dog s Mind "and "The Encyclopedia of Dogs
""If a truly great book leaves one better for having read it, then "Chaser" is quite simply a masterpiece. Dogs and those of us who love them owe to debt of gratitude to the brilliant, courageous author and his equally heroic subject."
Jennifer Arnold, author of "Through a Dog s Eyes"

"An engrossing and remarkable tale." -- "The Bark" "A delightful memoir that offers a challenge to behavioral psychologists and inspiration for pet lovers."" -- Kirkus Reviews" "This marvelous blend of good science and heartwarming dog story will inspire all of us to reexamine our canine friends."" -- Booklist, "*starred* review "

From the Back Cover:

Chaser is the most scientifically important dog in over a century. Her fascinating story reveals just how sophisticated a dog's mind can be. Brian Hare, coauthor of The Genius of Dogs
If a truly great book leaves one better for having read it, then Chaser is quite simply a masterpiece. Dogs and those of us who love them owe a debt of gratitude to the brilliant, courageous author and his equally heroic subject. Jennifer Arnold, author of Through a Dog's Eyes
This is an extraordinary book, full of warmth and wisdom, that has the potential to forever change the way we look at dogs. Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, author of When Elephants Weep and Dogs Never Lie About Love
After you read Chaser, you will realize that you may have underestimated the intelligence of your dog. Marvelous insights into a dog's mind. Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation and Animals Make us Human
Chaser and John Pilley reveal the true depth of the bond between humans and dogs. The real lesson here is how, given enough time, innovation, and love, there are no limits to what can be accomplished with one s own dog. Steve Duno, author of Last Dog on the Hill and coauthor of Leader of the Pack
Incredibly inspiring and heart-warming. Bernd Heinrich, author of Winter World, Mind of the Raven, and Life Everlasting

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About this edition

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0544102576
• ISBN 13: 9780544102576
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 260