Publishers Weekly
07/10/2023
This thought-provoking treatise by University of Colorado bioethicist Pierce (Run, Spot, Run) meditates on the “ethical issues that arise in our caring relationships with dogs.” She encourages readers to grant dogs as much agency as possible while ensuring their safety and health. For example, Pierce speculates that “many dogs suffer from chronic anxiety related to” their inability to access food at will but acknowledges that keeping food available at all times often leads to overeating, recommending readers balance “what makes our dogs happy and what keeps our dogs healthy.” Taking a similar tack to whether owners should force “couch-potato dogs” to exercise, she suggests that humans should largely “respect our dog’s preferences” while allowing that it might sometimes be necessary to coax canines to get active for their own health. Pierce is less decisive on other topics, as when she urges readers to consider whether desexing dogs robs them of the fulfillment of mating and parenthood without going so far as to say that spading/neutering is unethical. Elsewhere, her stimulating considerations of “How long can I comfortably leave my dog alone at home?” and “Is training, by its very nature, coercive?” make for a fresh and rigorous inquiry into how humans can best serve their canine companions. Dog lovers will want to take note. (Sept.)
Longmont Leader
"Pierce’s book digs into understanding dogs, urging empathy and connection. She explores canine behavior, urging guardians to walk at the dog’s pace and embrace their nature. Her work transforms research into actionable guidance for fostering fulfilling relationships with our furry friends."
Marc Bekoff
Pierce is one of the leading canine bioethicists in the world. In Who’s a Good Dog? she carefully applies her deep and broad knowledge of ethics and dog behavior so that all canines—homed and free-ranging dog beings—can have the best lives possible, and so too can their human companions or the humans with whom they have contact. When dogs and humans form and maintain close, give-and-take relationships, it’s a win-win for all. In this landmark and readable book, Pierce tells us just how to do it.
Best Non-fiction and Popular Science Books of 2023 New Scientist
"Bioethicist Pierce wants us to make the most of our nonhuman relationships. In Who's a Good Dog?, she argues all dogs are good dogs, and shows how to better serve their innate dogginess."
Modern Dog - Connie Wilson
"Bioethicist and author Jessica Pierce has penned a wonderful guide to living life with dogs and improving your bond through respectful and joyful canine-human relationships. Who’s a Good Dog? examines how we can nurture kindness, attentiveness, and empathy when working, living, and training with our dogs."
Barbara J. King
How can we help our dogs live their best lives? With enormous insight and empathy, Pierce explains that rather than aiming for obedience from our dogs, we can work collaboratively with them to discover new and joyful ways of being together. She is a staunch advocate for honoring dogs’ true natures. I loved her kind and often humorous stories about living with Bella, who is a very good dog.
New York Magazine
There is of course so, so much more to enrichment for pets; I’d recommend starting with Pierce’s book if you want to know more.
Lisa Moses
Who’s a Good Dog? is sorely needed to fill essentially a void in the public conversation about the human-dog relationship. Pierce bravely asks us to examine our assumptions about our dogs’ emotional landscapes, and to consider our own actions and choices within those relationships. Her book is a comprehensive, accessible manual for people who have never before considered the basic ethical implications of living with a dog.
on "The Last Walk" New Scientist
A book that all loving pet owners should read.
Kathryn Gillespie
An astonishing book. Reading Who’s a Good Dog? is akin to the project Pierce asks of us: to adopt a beginner’s mind in relation to understanding the dogs we live with. There’s a sense with many of the questions posed in the book that there is much more to say—but this is also its beauty, that with incredible restraint, Pierce has created opening after opening for us to do the work of reflection (and theorization) ourselves. Original, well-executed, and engaging.
The Other End of the Leash
"Who’s a Good Dog? And How to Be a Better Human . . . is a beautifully-produced book published by The University of Chicago Press, has perhaps the greatest title and cover of any dog-related book I’ve seen in a long time, and has a nine-page index. . . . There is a lot of value in what Pierce has to say. She argues, convincingly, that our relationship is a collaboration-that dogs are doing their best to adapt to an alien culture, and we must do the same-to respect them as dogs, not extensions of our often unrealistic expectations. She begs us to be better observers of our own dogs, to have a 'beginner’s mind' and see dogs without the filter of who they should be, and what they should do."
Daily Mail - Ysenda Maxtone Graham
"Pierce implores us to rethink our relationships with dogs, so that they become more a collaboration than a state of dominance. . . . This is far from being one of those ‘how to be a good parent’ books written by a perfect mother of a perfect child. Pierce admits that her own beloved rescue dog Bella is far from perfect when it comes to supposed ‘good’ behaviour. . . . One of the most delightful traits of dogs is . . . their sudden boundless joy, which can manifest itself by their zooming round and round in crazy circles for no reason, so it looks as if they’ve lost their mind. We should keep a list, Pierce advises, of what gives our dog pure, unbridled joy, and we should come back to it often. I’ll do just that. Dogs will be dogs."
Library Journal
★ 09/01/2023
Deeply thought-provoking and frequently uncomfortable, this outstanding book asks readers to carefully consider not just the immediate physical needs of dogs but their emotional needs as canines and individuals. Bioethicist Pierce (A Dog's World) suggests that owners look at the world through the eyes of Fido and consider their needs, preferences, and desires. The typical "intensively homed" dog lives in small quarters and has no choice about when it goes outside; what it eats and when; whether to enter into relationships with other animals, mate, or get inoculated—is this in their best interests? If a dog doesn't "fit in" with the lifestyle of a family, Pierce asks how a household might adapt to make the dog more comfortable, rather than forcing the dog to change. Extensive notes and resources are provided, along with references to works by other noted experts in the field of animal cognition, training, behavior, and zoology. VERDICT This authoritative work asks how owners can provide their dogs with an environment to which comfortable, fulfilling adaptation is possible. Highly recommended for most collections.—Susan Riley
