Dog: Pure Awareness (Paperback)

The Book is a psychological and ultimately spiritual exploration of the human-dog connection. People think of their dogs as companions, as partners, and as members of their family, and this book takes that idea seriously. The mind of the dog is approached as someone who lives with us and knows us, sometimes better than anyone else in the world. The book answers questions that all of us who live with a dog have asked: what is she thinking when she stares into my eyes? how does he know when I am feeling sad or anxious? why is she so happy to see me when I've been gone for only 10 minutes? The answers in The Book come from an original and revealing combination of relational psychology and shamanic understanding. The connection between a human and her dog is treated as a relationship: two beings in close connection who find strength and a sense of belonging in each other. Using psychological concepts such as attunement and perceptual awareness, the book explores the ways in which human and dog experience and understand each other. But the book goes beyond purely psychological theory. Because dogs dwell only partly in our human world and partly in the world of nature, they have a shamanic understanding of the power of the natural world and the power of connection. When we are close to a dog, we are in touch through our dog with the natural world. When we are close to a dog, we are in touch with the connectedness of all things. The Book is written in a clear, non-technical style that will appeal to all dog lovers. It validates people's experience that their dog is deeply important to them. It is also a serious theory of the human-dog connection which will be of interest to professionals such as psychologists and veterinarians. It is appropriate for consideration in college and veterinarian school courses which deal with the human-animal bond. Dog: Pure Awareness is a psychological and ultimately spiritual exploration of the human-dog connection. People think of their dogs as companions, as partners, and as members of their family, and this book takes that idea seriously. The mind of the dog is approached as someone who lives with us and knows us, sometimes better than anyone else in the world. The book answers questions that all of us who live with a dog have asked: what is she thinking when she stares into my eyes? how does he know when I am feeling sad or anxious? why is she so happy to see me when I've been gone for only 10 minutes? The answers in Dog: Pure Awareness come from an original and revealing combination of relational psychology and shamanic understanding. The connection between a human and her dog is treated as a relationship: two beings in close connection who find strength and a sense of belonging in each other. Using psychological concepts such as attunement and perceptual awareness, the book explores the ways in which human and dog experience and understand each other. But the book goes beyond purely psychological theory. Because dogs dwell only partly in our human world and partly in the world of nature, they have a shamanic understanding of the power of the natural world and the power of connection. When we are close to a dog, we are in touch through our dog with the natural world. When we are close to a dog, we are in touch with the connectedness of all things. Dog: Pure Awareness is written in a clear, non-technical style that will appeal to all dog lovers. It validates people's experience that their dog is deeply important to them. It is also a serious theory of the human-dog connection which will be of interest to professionals such as psychologists and veterinarians. It is appropriate for consideration in college and veterinarian school courses which deal with the human-animal bond.