A Dog's World - by Jessica Pierce & Marc Bekoff

Book Synopsis

From two of the world's leading authorities on dogs, an imaginative journey into a future of dogs without people

What would happen to dogs if humans simply disappeared? Would dogs be able to survive on their own without us? A Dog's World imagines a posthuman future for dogs, revealing how dogs would survive--and possibly even thrive--and explaining how this new and revolutionary perspective can guide how we interact with dogs now.

Drawing on biology, ecology, and the latest findings on the lives and behavior of dogs and their wild relatives, Jessica Pierce and Marc Bekoff--two of today's most innovative thinkers about dogs--explore who dogs might become without direct human intervention into breeding, arranged playdates at the dog park, regular feedings, and veterinary care. Pierce and Bekoff show how dogs are quick learners who are highly adaptable and opportunistic, and they offer compelling evidence that dogs already do survive on their own--and could do so in a world without us.

Challenging the notion that dogs would be helpless without their human counterparts, A Dog's World enables us to understand these independent and remarkably intelligent animals on their own terms.

Review Quotes

"I love creative approaches to science writing and this book - an imagining of what would happen to dogs if humans disappeared - delivers it all: fresh perspectives, top-drawer science and an original thought-provoking hook."---Jules Howard, Big Issue

"This book is an evolutionary thought experiment--untestable, informative and great fun. . . . A Dog's World appears to have all four paws on secure scientific ground as Ms. Pierce and Mr. Bekoff start from basic evolutionary and ecological principles to develop powerful predictions and insights into dogs as we know them today."---David P. Barash, Wall Street Journal

"This thought-provoking book examines what the world would look like if all of us annoying, treat-wielding, doggie-day-care arranging grown-ups suddenly disappeared and dogs could run free. We might like to believe our dogs would be lost without us, but the reality might surprise you."---Zibby Owens, Washington Post

About the Author

Jessica Pierce is a faculty affiliate at the Center for Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical School. Her books include Run, Spot, Run: The Ethics of Keeping Pets. Website jessicapierce.net Marc Bekoff is professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado Boulder. His books include Canine Confidential: Why Dogs Do What They Do. Website marcbekoff.com Twitter @MarcBekoff