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181st out of 602 books
—
916 voters
The Hidden Life Of Dogs
In this beautiful account of thirty years of living with dogs, wolves, and dingoes and of the ways their lives intertwined with her own, the novelist and anthropologist Elizabeth Marshall Thomas brings us a completely new understanding of dogs by writing a sort of deeply truthful ethological poem, a loving yet absolutely unsentimental chronicle of the lives of a dozen dogs...more
Published
(first published August 1st 1993)
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Aug 31, 2012
Kelly Maybedog Hawkins
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
No one
Shelves:
what-dogs,
what-non-fiction
This woman first let her dogs roam freely across busy streets and highways, even a freeway, watching and observing but not protecting them. She and the dogs are fortunate none were injured or killed.
Secondly, she then let them live outside with almost no human interaction or socialization and watched them devolve into a pack of wild animals. Um, yes, but is that really the hidden life of the dogs we know or just animal mentality, much like humans would do if left to fend for themselves in the w...more
Secondly, she then let them live outside with almost no human interaction or socialization and watched them devolve into a pack of wild animals. Um, yes, but is that really the hidden life of the dogs we know or just animal mentality, much like humans would do if left to fend for themselves in the w...more
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Somewhere in this book I recall the author calling herself a dog anthropologist. This egotistical idiocy completely blew my circuits. Call yourself a dog lover or a dog observer or a dog whatever that makes sense, but do not lump together the study of humankind with watching dogs copulate and take walks and form packs. I am not saying that the study of humans is necessarily more important than the study of animals but they are very different, in that we can relate to the humans we study because...more
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Excited though I was about reading this book, I almost didn't finish it as I was constantly appalled at the the author's irresponsible behaviour.
Right off the bat we meet Misha, a friend's intact male husky whom the author allows to roam his self-determined 130 square mile "territory". She seems to try and defend this inexcusable behaviour by bragging about the dog's ability to avoid being struck by a car and by stating that she never observed him mating with any female dogs. There is no doubt i...more
Right off the bat we meet Misha, a friend's intact male husky whom the author allows to roam his self-determined 130 square mile "territory". She seems to try and defend this inexcusable behaviour by bragging about the dog's ability to avoid being struck by a car and by stating that she never observed him mating with any female dogs. There is no doubt i...more
Because I'm the kind of person who can't contemplating adopting a dog without reading a ton of books about them. Overthinkers r us.
This seemed very slight to me -- I suppose I thought it would be more like her Tribe of Tiger, about cats and why they are the way they are (because yes, I overthink my kitties too!). Hidden Life of Dogs is more Thomas just watching her own dogs. And she's rather disingenuous about it -- "Oh, I just wanted to see what they did if they got to choose for themselves wi...more
This seemed very slight to me -- I suppose I thought it would be more like her Tribe of Tiger, about cats and why they are the way they are (because yes, I overthink my kitties too!). Hidden Life of Dogs is more Thomas just watching her own dogs. And she's rather disingenuous about it -- "Oh, I just wanted to see what they did if they got to choose for themselves wi...more
Okay, I think it is possible that if I had read this back in 1993 or a time known as before Cesar Milan, I would have rated this book higher. That said...The writing style of E.M. Thomas is like a memoir but about her dogs, recalling events during their life-times, aligning them with humanistic emotion. The tale of a the dogs were very moving. I think even more so for someone who has loved and lost a dog. (Regarding this cover, I don't understand why there's a dalmation on the cover when she had...more
This is an older book (1993) and with the prevalence of documentaries about dogs on cable television these days, it was not that revelatory to me (though of course at the time, it probably was. I think it is now regarded as a classic)Her body of work has no doubt been influential on many of the dog expert shows that train owners how to behave with dogs.
I own two dogs and enjoy the personal observations and accounts the author related about her pack. Her tone and writing was a bit stiff or odd to...more
I own two dogs and enjoy the personal observations and accounts the author related about her pack. Her tone and writing was a bit stiff or odd to...more
Some parts of this book are fascinating, others are a little bizarre. On the one hand, the author has some interesting insights on animal cognition as a lay person. Her stories about her dogs and their lives, loves, and emotional connections give some powerful credence to the current arguments in the scientific community that mammals have a greater capacity for cognition and emotional complexity than what previous generations were willing to admit. And her lovely descriptions of her dogs made me...more
The author never managed to find a consistent tone. She observed her dogs for a while, and wrote what amounts to a journal and how she saw their behavior. This wouldn't be a problem, but she keeps touting her approach as having some scientific bearing, when there's no strong methodology.
It does have some interesting information on behavior, particularly of pack dynamics, but there are probably better ways to get the same information.
It does have some interesting information on behavior, particularly of pack dynamics, but there are probably better ways to get the same information.
I don't even know where to start with this one. Many of the comments on other reviews of this book were spot on.
The author is one of the most irresponsible pet owners I've ever seen. She talks of letting her dog Misha roam where he wants while she follows and records his movements. She lets him cross busy highways, even.
Often she writes of the dogs very anthropomorphically. She speaks of dogs who are "married" because they mated and of their love. She even describes two dogs sexual encounter alm...more
The author is one of the most irresponsible pet owners I've ever seen. She talks of letting her dog Misha roam where he wants while she follows and records his movements. She lets him cross busy highways, even.
Often she writes of the dogs very anthropomorphically. She speaks of dogs who are "married" because they mated and of their love. She even describes two dogs sexual encounter alm...more
In this book, Thomas chronicles a few years spent watching her dogs while minimizing her interaction with them. This included allowing them to roam loose in urban areas, breed pretty freely, and harass each other and other neighborhood animals. While there's something to be said for watching dogs and observing their behavior in detail, responsible dog owners will grind their teeth.
Thomas' stated goal is to find out what really matters to dogs by removing humans from the equation. The problem wit...more
Thomas' stated goal is to find out what really matters to dogs by removing humans from the equation. The problem wit...more
This was the first book I read of hers since meeting her in person last year and finding her a ferocious force of nature (as expected), but maybe less...warm than I expected. (She's very 'New England-y'.) It did color my perception of the book, but only just a bit. (Like when she mentions the nasty neighbors in Cambridge who complained about the dogs, I shuddered a little. For the nasty neighbors. Who had more balls than brains and are hopefully all okay--her I would not mess with.)
The book tell...more
The book tell...more
The observations of dogs in this book were interesting, but the author's voice was annoying. She begins with the argument that dogs have consciousness and emotions and that framing her observations anthropomorphically is useful and probably unavoidable. I actually don't take issue with her argument, but the way she presents it makes me want to. At one point she describes an action she takes as shameful, yet the tone of voice sounded smug. And one description that really grated - saying certain p...more
This was an extremely quick, but extremely absorbing, read. Elizabeth Thomas asks the question that we should be appalled more science-minded people don't ask: What do dogs do when they're not with their people? She answers the question by following a husky, Misha, as he roamed around the city. (This did bother me a bit, but she assures us that he was very canny about cars. However, that doesn't help the fact that leashless dogs alarm some people, violate most laws and ordinances, and can turn p...more
Somehow - and I thought it was impossible - this book made me love dogs even more. Thomas really gets to the heart of so much dog behavior without over-anthropomorphizing.
She lived with a bajillion dogs. And for a while she lived in the snow and observed (and sorta lived with) a bunch of wolves in Northern Canada. And she explains the "whys" of so much of what dogs do - their relationships with each other and their relationships with humans. She love dogs even more than me and it feels like she...more
She lived with a bajillion dogs. And for a while she lived in the snow and observed (and sorta lived with) a bunch of wolves in Northern Canada. And she explains the "whys" of so much of what dogs do - their relationships with each other and their relationships with humans. She love dogs even more than me and it feels like she...more
This book is pretty outdated. The book was written in 1993. The author is well respected and was mentioned in the book I just finished "the moral lives of animals" by the author. However after having three dogs and three cats at one time. And living with people who also had three and three. So 12 animals I feel I'm a pretty good authority on animals. And the comments I would make are 1. No two animals behave the same. They all have their own personalities and with each group behavior would be di...more
I found the author to be a wildly irresponsible dog owner. She waited far too long to have who dogs, who free roam all around her town, spray and neutered. She had several liters of puppies because of this. This is the second book by this author that I have read and I get angry because of her ideals of "dog ownership". No dog should be allowed to free roam, dodge cars, and EAT DEAD UNKNOWN MEATS ALONGSIDE COYOTES! These are all recipes for an eventual disaster. One of her dogs even ran off and p...more
I added this book to my list just so I could state, for the record, that I hate this book and the author is the devil.
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The author tells the story of her close study of dogs, both domestic and wild, over a few generations (of dogs' lives). The author makes no claim of her approach being purely scientific, however, resulting in a story which may disappoint those seeking hard evidence of canine behavior presented by a so-called "qualified" researcher. The book is not an essay, nor is it intended for academicians; it is a narrative that is clearly constructed from both a dog-adoring heart and mind, and in many ways...more
I think my expectations of this book were that it would be a tad bit more scientific, perhaps with some reference materials accessed, some explanation (or deeper theories) of dog behavior. Alas, it was all anecdotes about the author's experiences with her own rather wild dogs, much of which bordered on the anthropomorphic. Still, the read (well, the listen, since I was listening to an audio version) was somewhat entertaining, and each time a dog passed, I felt sad. (Note: I listened to an abridg...more
In this book, Thomas spends much of her free time observing her pack of dogs, from alpha male Misha to bottom-of-hierarchy females Viva and Violet and the relationships they form with a minimum of human interference. Sometimes I felt like the author came off as cold towards her dogs, that she viewed them merely as a research project rather than her pets or members of the family. As a dog person, I was somewhat saddened when she made decisions that didn't jive with my own feelings.
For example, he...more
For example, he...more
I really liked this book, but at the same time I can understand why this book has generated a lot of unfavorable reviews. The author has some very unconventional ways of being with her dogs which upset people. Following the Husky named Misha for hours around Cambridge, Mass., as he braved traffic and other hazards is a biggie. But still, I found this book fascinating and very moving as she recounts the lives of numerous dogs in her family. Her love and deep respect for them is indisputable. Beth...more
I liked it for the way it helped my thinking pivot in relationship to dogs. That insight alone - that dogs are worthy of respect in and of themselves, that we can be still and listen to them - that merits 4 stars. I think this book had an artful editor; it could have easily been over the top in one way or another and instead it is measured, while being engaging and proposing by the very process that we look at the world from a dog's point of view.
Given to me by Susan Cooper and passed on to my...more
Given to me by Susan Cooper and passed on to my...more
Jan 31, 2008
Sarah
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
half-read-won-t-finish
I couldn't get all the way through this. The author states that it's okay to anthropomorphize dogs, since they do the same with us. I'm fine with that. What I couldn't get past was the fact that the author apparently doesn't understand the physiology of dogs.
For instance, she speaks about a male dog meeting his mate after she has had a litter of puppies. The male dog, not being able to see the puppies (who are under their mom's thigh), still seems to know that the puppies are there. The author...more
For instance, she speaks about a male dog meeting his mate after she has had a litter of puppies. The male dog, not being able to see the puppies (who are under their mom's thigh), still seems to know that the puppies are there. The author...more
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Feb 04, 2011
Mortalform
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Dog lovers and the canine curious
Recommended to Mortalform by:
insightful friends
Shelves:
farm-girl,
non-fiction
Nothing more than what it presented itself as; a series of observations. The value and importance of the book likes in the acuity of observation of canine behaviour and the accessible text that reads like a series of short stories. For me brought about some startling reflections on my own dogs and past behaviours that had confused me. Made me realize how much we overlook of our pets lives, much like the lives of furniture, rarely noting what daily events are of import to them.
A must read for anyone interested in animal behavior, especially canine behavior. Elizabeth Marshall Thomas brings her 30 plus years of experience to this work and elevates it from an anecdotal read to accessible sociobiology for the public. Very interesting and extremely challenging to the reader as Thomas describes some of her decisions and reactions. The dog as a pack animal is a familiar concept now with the popularity of Cesar Milan but Thomas paved the way for him, I believe.
Thomas opened a whole new world to me with her explanation of what dogs want and the rationales for behavior that we humans often find puzzling. Her family of dogs reverted to more wild-wolf type behavior when she gave them lots of space in the country - but once again became urbanized upon returning to city living in the house with humans. What dogs want most is other dogs, she says. Relations with humans are a substitute for that primal wish. Yet her dogs seem to have been the central focus of...more
I am not a dog-person (not that I don't like them, I just would choose a cat over a dog) but I did enjoy the little perceived knowledge that the author shared. The real kicker, for me, is that the illustrator was my sister's old roommate. My personal beef is that I am a shelter-animal advocate and didn't like how many litters the author's many dogs kept having: neuter or spay please! Also, it is laughable that she thinks she is not being anthropomorphic.
Although I found some of this book interesting (being a dog lover) most of it had me horrified and pissed off.
She let her dogs run loose through busy streets and highways, let them breed indiscriminately (including letting one of her dogs kill another dogs puppies) and threw them all in a outdoor pen when they became inconvenient to her lifestyle.
I don't agree with most of the ways she treated and raised her dogs either.
I don't recommend this book.
She let her dogs run loose through busy streets and highways, let them breed indiscriminately (including letting one of her dogs kill another dogs puppies) and threw them all in a outdoor pen when they became inconvenient to her lifestyle.
I don't agree with most of the ways she treated and raised her dogs either.
I don't recommend this book.
This woman is sort of a nut case. Not a very scientific set of observations IMHO. An enthralling read though in part because you keep waiting for something bad To happen. If I had been the owner of the husky she cares for while some friends are away for a year I would have been pissed! She lets This dog escape and just roam wherever he likes while following on her bike to observe his behavior.
I remember this book on the "best seller" lists at the time of original publication (~1993), and wanted to read it then, but never got around to it.
Now I'm living with dogs and consider it my responsibility to know more about them. I was delighted to have an experienced observer of dogs, who has lived with them for many years as my guide to understanding our dogs' behavior.
Now I'm living with dogs and consider it my responsibility to know more about them. I was delighted to have an experienced observer of dogs, who has lived with them for many years as my guide to understanding our dogs' behavior.
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| Ehhhhh | 1 | 21 | Feb 18, 2008 08:34am |
Elizabeth Marshall Thomas is the author of The Harmless People, a non fiction work about the Kung Bushmen of southwestern Africa, and of Reindeer Moon, a novel about the paleolithic hunter gatherers of Siberia, both of which were tremendous international successes. She lives in New Hampshire.
More about Elizabeth Marshall Thomas...
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