Chaser: Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words
*Starred Review* There probably isn’t another breed of dog with the drive to work as the border collie, so it is no surprise that the dog that knows more than 1,000 words is that breed. Chaser arrived in the author’s household as an eight-week-old puppy, destined for the dual role of pet and research subject. From the start, she demonstrated a quick ability to learn, a strong herding drive, and an open and accepting personality, all of which made her the ideal dog for training and for advanced learning. In a warm, folksy narrative style, Pilley describes the steps he took in teaching words to Chaser: along with learning the standard herding commands, Chaser was also taught to differentiate between her toys by their names. Pilley artfully describes his training techniques, which can be extrapolated to any dog, and shows us exactly how Chaser learned. When the author and a colleague published a scientific paper on Chaser’s achievements, her fame went viral, and she was invited to demonstrate her genius on TV. This marvelous blend of good science and heartwarming dog story will inspire all of us to reexamine our canine friends. --Nancy Bent