Past life as a dog or just a mind reader?

After reading "Inside a Dog" by Alexandra Horowitz, I found myself quite content with some of the observations explained, but also a bit weary of some. I was extremely pleased that I was not the only one who believed dogs responded better to "baby-talk" in comparison to a normal voice tone. I actually sent this article to my brother as "proof" I wasn't crazy, though I'm sure he will still give me a hard time regardless =]. Along with that, I also enjoyed the comparison of dog packs to wolf packs, and the struggle humans have with their techniques of trying to enforce dominancy. It forced me to look back on my own experiences with dogs, whether it was owning my own dogs, dog sitting for neighbors, or my volunteer work at the humane society. When I saw people try to foce dogs to do something with strength, the dog would merely go into submission and only follow orders due to fear. Then there were the trainers who would use rewards, such as a scratch of the ear or even a well deserved biscuit, these dogs, they were only too willing to please, in other words, making them much more manageable and lovable companions. However, when I got to the discussions of how dogs perceive time, facial expressions, and scent, I found myself unconvinced. I do not see ow anyone could make these claims without having been said animal, and perhaps she might have been a dog in a past life, but I'm not so sure I would trust someone who made that claim either. A mind can only be understood by the one who possesses it.

-Maddie T.