The Grace of Dogs

In the bestselling tradition of Inside of a Dog and Marley & Me, a smart, deeply moving exploration of why dogs and humans connect so powerfully, and whether dogs have souls. Now in paperback!

Root's search for the canine soul began the day his eight-year-old son led the family in a moving ritual at the burial service for Kirby, their beloved black lab. In the coming weeks, Root found himself wondering: What was this thing we'd experienced with our beloved family dog? Why did the loss hurt so poignantly? And, Why did my son's sacramental act feel so right?

The author, a Princeton-trained theologian, draws on biology, history, theology, cognitive ethology (the study of animal minds), and palaeontology to trace how in our shared history, humans and dogs have so often helped each other to become more fully ourselves. He explores questions like: Do dogs have souls? Is it accurate to say that dogs "love" us? What do psychology and physiology say about why we react to dogs in the way that we do?

The Grace of Dogs paints a vivid picture of how, beyond sentimentality, the dog-human connection can reasonably be described as "spiritual"--existing not for the sake of gain, but for the unselfish desire to be with and for the other, and to remind us that we are unconditionally worthy to receive and share love.