Think Like a Dog: How Positive Psychology Can Help Your Dog Thrive

The surprising science that explains how and why your dog thinks and acts from Jen Golbeck, the “internet’s dog mom” behind the popular Golden Ratio Squad online community and the author of the “fascinating” ( First for Women ) The Purest Bond .

Do dogs’ brains work the same as humans? Are they capable of the same spectrum of emotions as us? Do they have a sense of self? What the heck is wrong with this crazy dog?

Like many of us, Jen Golbeck looked at her rescue golden retrievers and affectionately wondered what exactly was going on in their cute, fuzzy heads. But as a left-brained scientist, Golbeck set out to seek concrete answers—research and data—to back up the hunch that there’s a lot more going on beneath the surface of our pups’ funny looks and adorable, occasionally destructive, behaviors.

What she finds is a surprising relationship between positive psychology and how we might learn to think about how our dogs think in a whole new light. She introduces a mold-breaking concept that shifts our focus from solving problems and scolding “bad behavior” to building on strengths based on qualities like focus, vitality, and curiosity. Through fascinating case studies, real data, and paws-on-the-ground research and with Golbeck’s signature “encouraging” ( Library Journal ) prose, Think Like a Dog shows how to apply these ideas thoughtfully, consistently, and with compassion, to help our dogs not just behave better, but to truly thrive.