A leading scientist applies the tools of neuroscience to understand how animals think

What does your dog really think about you?

To find out, Gregory Berns became the first neuroscientist to persuade dogs to lie in an MRI machine wide awake. Now we know more about our best friends than ever before – how varying capacities for self-control and different value systems set them apart as individuals, and how deeply they understand the words we speak to them. Berns’ discoveries have profound implications for how we communicate with and treat these beloved animals.

But he didn’t stop there. Berns also delves into the inner lives of sea lions, bats, dolphins, and even the extinct Tasmanian tiger. His revolutionary explorations are essential reading for animal lovers of all stripes.

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‘A fascinating overview of a fledgling field, which could lead to seismic shifts in the ways animals are treated.’

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‘An informed and humane exploration at the frontiers of animal sentience.’

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‘Berns mixes personal stories of dogs and dog lovers with elegant scientific experiments that show the surprising complexity behind many canine daily behaviours: a fun, fascinating and illuminating read.’

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‘One of the most delightful things about What It’s Like to Be a Dog is the attention Berns pays to each dog’s individual quirks.’

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‘The author explains that his purpose in writing this book is “to raise awareness of the mental lives of the animals with whom we share the planet”. In that, he succeeds. An impressive overview of modern neurology and the still-unanswered issues raised by our treatment of our fellow living creatures.’