Cat Warren

Very interesting, well written, memoir about scent dogs (especially cadaver dogs), their history, training, capabilities. Awesome endnotes. I liked this book and I learned a lot.

More of a personal memoir on the struggles of Cat Warren's entry and hobby with cadaver dogs than getting to know "scent, science, adn the amazing ways dogs perceive the world." The focus on pure bred dogs, a clearly defined line between human and animal, and her continued self deprecation was extremely distracting. I read the entire book hoping for more science, but it failed to produce.

What a fascinating book. The author adopted a dog who was an "only child" in its litter and thus not well socialized. But she found a niche for this dog as a cadaver dog and shares the experience and the knowledge she gained with the reader. It took dedication and hours of training for both Ms Warren and her dog Solo; she manages to convey both the rewards and tribulations they endured in a straight forward, unemotional manner.