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Inspired by her own canine companion from Longmont, “Who’s a Good Dog? And How To Be a Better Human” by Dr. Jessica Pierce offers an invitation to cultivate more thoughtful and balanced relationships with dogs by deepening one’s curiosity about what dogs experience.
With empathy for the challenges faced by both dogs and their human guardians, Pierce helps identify potential sources of fear and anxiety in a dog's life while offering practical solutions to nourish their physical and emotional well-being.
In this book, Pierce explores the common practices of caring for dogs, including exercise routines, dietary considerations, socialization, training methods and the use of tools like collars and leashes.
With the majestic Colorado mountains as her home base and as a former Longmont resident, she draws inspiration from nature and the world around her, observing the behavior of dogs as much as possible.
Pierce revealed that her inspiration for “Who’s a Good Dog?” was her beloved canine companion, Bella, who did not conform to society’s conventional expectations of a good dog. Bella can be described as cranky, selective about who could touch her and quite opinionated. Pierce shared that, over the 12 years of living with Bella, she came to realize that Bella was perfect just the way she was.
“All dogs are good dogs, and we, as humans and dog guardians, could be doing a little bit better to get along with them and give them what they need,” Pierce said.
Pierce highlighted the increasing challenges faced by pet dogs, particularly in the United States. She has observed that the way many people keep dogs often leads to stress, anxiety and frustration for the dogs. Pierce argues that the expectations of dogs have become unrealistic and that many guardians don’t even allow dogs to exhibit natural canine behaviors.
Pierce aims to provide a fresh perspective on dog walks, suggesting that they should be primarily for the dog’s benefit. Instead of viewing a walk as a chore and racing to cover a certain distance, Pierce advocates for a more dog-centric approach where dogs set the pace, choose the direction within reason and savor the joy of sniffing, which fulfills a fundamental need for dogs.
“Your dog is actually just trying to fulfill her need to sniff,” Pierce said. “Giving dogs the opportunity to have more choice and more agency … would be really good for everybody.”
Pierce acknowledged that her book bears a resemblance to behavioral psychology, but it transcends that by aiming to translate the vast body of research on canine cognition and emotions into actionable advice for dog guardians.
“What I aim to do is to make the huge and growing body of research into canine cognition and emotions available to dog guardians, to translate that for people into actionable advice,” Pierce said.
In essence, “Who’s a Good Dog?” challenges readers to rethink their relationships with their canine companions, emphasizing understanding, empathy and a deeper connection. Pierce points out that being a better human to one’s dogs involves understanding and embracing their true nature, needs and desires. The book is a call to all dog guardians to create more fulfilling and harmonious lives for their furry friends and themselves.
Pierce is a bioethicist with the Center for Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and has authored several other books about dogs such as “A Dog’s World” (2021), “Unleashing Your Dog” (2019, co-authored with Marc Bekoff), and “Run, Spot, Run” (2016).
Registration is open to join Dr. Jessica Pierce for an author talk on "Who's a Good Dog?" at the Longmont Library, on Nov. 8 from 6 to 7 p.m.
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