
Think Like a Dog
How Positive Psychology Can Help Your Dog Thrive
Author: Jen Golbeck
Narrator: Jen Golbeck
Unabridged: TBD
Format: Digital Audiobook Download
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: 09/01/2026
Categories: Nonfiction, Psychology, Cognitive Psychology & Cognition, Self-help, Personal Growth
Synopsis
Do dogs’ brains work the same as humans? Are they capable of the same spectrum of emotions as us? Do they have a sense of self? What the heck is wrong with this crazy dog?
Like many of us, Jen Golbeck looked at her rescue golden retrievers and affectionately wondered what exactly was going on in their cute, fuzzy heads. But as a left-brained scientist, Golbeck set out to seek concrete answers—research and data—to back up the hunch that there’s a lot more going on beneath the surface of our pups’ funny looks and adorable, occasionally destructive, behaviors.
What she finds is a surprising relationship between positive psychology and how we might learn to think about how our dogs think in a whole new light. She introduces a mold-breaking concept that shifts our focus from solving problems and scolding “bad behavior” to building on strengths based on qualities like focus, vitality, and curiosity. Through fascinating case studies, real data, and paws-on-the-ground research and with Golbeck’s signature “encouraging” (Library Journal) prose, Think Like a Dog shows how to apply these ideas thoughtfully, consistently, and with compassion, to help our dogs not just behave better, but to truly thrive.