Episode Overview

Podcast: How to Be a Better Human
Episode Title: How to experience the world like a good dog (w/ Alexandra Horowitz)
Host: Chris Duffy
Guest: Dr. Alexandra Horowitz (Dog Cognition Lab, Barnard College)
Release Date: January 12, 2026

In this episode, host Chris Duffy sits down with canine cognition expert Dr. Alexandra Horowitz to explore how understanding the way dogs perceive the world can inspire humans to be more present, empathetic, and joyful in everyday life. The conversation delves into the science behind dogs' extraordinary sense of smell, the narrative traps humans set for themselves, how laughter and play can draw us into the present, and practical exercises in perspective-shifting for anyone, whether dog-lover or not. Drawing from Horowitz's books, including "Inside of a Dog" and "On Looking," the episode offers actionable tools for noticing more, breaking out of egocentric habits, and even running simple experiments that heighten your appreciation of your dog—and your world.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Dog's Extraordinary Sense of Smell

• Dogs vs. Humans: Sensory Worlds

  • Dogs experience the world predominantly through smell, not sight.

  • Their olfactory abilities are vastly superior to humans, letting them perceive complex "stories" in scent (00:40).

  • Quote:

    "If you can smell a spritz of perfume in a small room, a dog would have no trouble smelling it in an enclosed stadium and distinguishing its ingredients to boot...a dog smells an entire story from start to finish."
    — Narration by Penpen Chen, [00:40]

  • Dogs detect hormonal changes, illnesses, and emotional states via a specialized vomeronasal organ (00:40).

How Looking Through a Dog’s Perspective Opens Ours

• Finding Magic in the Mundane

  • Horowitz shares how her book "On Looking" emerged from deliberately seeing her neighborhood through different lenses, inspired by her dog's walks (04:29).

  • Purposefully walking with experts and novices reveals hidden detail and meaning in everyday environments.

  • Quote:

    "Every time you stop and stare up at the building while your dog's nose is staring down at the sidewalk, there's something there you haven't seen before...as soon as you notice one thing, it leads to another thing to notice. And so it's contagious."
    — Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, [06:34]

• Dogs as Teachers of Presence and Curiosity

  • Dogs’ focus on scents or small events draws humans into deeper noticing, breaking habitual inattention in routines (06:34).
  • Noticing with a dog prompts perspective-taking and empathy for both dogs and humans.

The Science of Canine Emotions (and Ours)

• The "Guilty" Dog Look: What’s Really Happening?

  • Horowitz’s famous study on whether dogs feel guilt resolved that the so-called "guilty look" is triggered by owner cues, not by an inner sense of wrongdoing (11:14).
  • Quote:

    "It was not whether they did something wrong...it was whether the owner thought they had eaten the food...the dogs give the most guilty look."
    — Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, [12:36]

  • The study reveals how humans project narratives onto pets, reshaping what we think we see based on our own expectations (13:32).

• Empathy and Narrative Traps

  • Humans often misattribute motivations to others (dogs and people), often projecting their own stories outward (13:32).
  • Quote:

    "We can prompt that narrative into existence and believe that it is outside of us, when in fact it is entirely coming from us."
    — Chris Duffy, [13:32]

Laughter, Play, and Living in the Moment

• Humor is in the Details

  • Duffy and Horowitz discuss how paying attention primes us for laughter and delight in small things, especially with dogs (15:42).
  • Playful behavior in dogs (and humans) also has evolutionary and social purposes, facilitating social bonding and stress relief (17:30).

• Dog Laughter and Play Signals

  • Dogs have a "play pant"—a breathy exhalation—analogous to laughter in humans and other primates, but subtle and only detectable up-close (17:35).

  • Quote:

    "They do have a play pant...It's a kind of sound like a chimpanzee might make in play."
    — Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, [17:35]

Concrete Tips for Noticing More (and Shifting Perspective)

• Walk with Someone Else's Eyes (22:14)

  • Take a walk with someone who notices different things (e.g., a geologist, doctor, or artist), and let their gaze guide your attention.
  • Even alone, pick a theme or object to focus on (roofs, birds, colors) and collect observations.

• Multisensory Exploration

  • Try leading with your nose: Seek out scents, mimic your dog’s curiosity, and even get down to their level to see their visual world (25:52, 28:06).

  • Quote:

    "If you do want to laugh, follow your dog's nose to where they're sniffing on the street...Other people will laugh at you. You're getting a laugh because you're down on the tree guard and, like, trying to smell whatever they're so super interested in."
    — Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, [28:06]

• Perspective as a Foundation for Empathy

  • Seeing the world from another’s perspective—human or canine—builds empathy and reduces egocentrism (30:34).

  • Quote:

    "When we understand that other people and other animals don't experience the world exactly the same way we experience it, I think that's a fundamental building block of empathy and of care for others."
    — Chris Duffy, [30:34]

Dogs as Social Catalysts and Mirror for Reflection

• Dogs Encourage Sociability

  • Dogs create connections between strangers, acting as social lubricants and conversation starters (31:19).

• Rethinking Ownership

  • Horowitz discusses her discomfort with the term "dog owner," preferring "live with" to reflect a more mutual relationship (32:19).

• Humbling Relationship: Who’s in Charge?

  • The famous Seinfeld joke reflects on how much humans cater to dogs' needs (32:45).

• Dog Behavior and Human Interpretation

  • Many so-called "misbehaviors" are sensible from a dog’s perspective (jumping, sniffing, licking), especially in context (40:45).

Practical Experiments and Applications

• Scent Scavenger Hunt: Lay a scent trail in your home with a hidden treat and see your dog’s tracking ability in action (43:50).
• Shaking Behavior Study: Observing when dogs shake can reveal insights about transitions in behavior (40:45).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On how noticing leads to laughter:

  "There is a ton of pleasure for me in noticing, in noticing anything, just the delight of noticing it, which isn't inherently funny, right. But just it's almost like, oh, like, who knew."
  — Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, [15:42]

• On empathy and perspective:

  "Perspective taking is always a good exercise at home."
  — Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, [42:19]

• On the joys (and humility) of life with dogs:

  "Carrying their poop around a little bag, like, is kind of an amazing, humbling part of living with dogs in a city."
  — Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, [33:05]

Important Timestamps

• 00:40: The dog's sense of smell and perception of time (narration)
• 04:29: Dr. Horowitz on reframing her neighborhood walks, perspective-taking
• 11:14: The "guilty look" study and its implications
• 15:42: Laughter, presence, and noticing details
• 17:30: Dogs’ play, pleasure, and how it elicits joy in humans
• 22:14: Practical tips on noticing and seeing through others' perspectives
• 28:06: The joys and laughs of following your dog's nose; sensory world immersion
• 30:34: Empathy, perspective, and societal benefits
• 43:50: At-home experiment—scent scavenger hunt for your dog

Actionable Takeaways

• Expand your world by slowing down and shifting your mode of attention—walk "dog pace" and look (or sniff!) for what you usually miss.
• Practice empathy by deliberately viewing situations (with dogs or people) from the other's perspective.
• Enjoy small experiments like a scent scavenger hunt to practically appreciate dogs’ unique senses.
• Allow moments with animals (or children) to draw you out of routine, into presence—and, maybe, laughter.

This episode’s gentle humor, science-based insights, and actionable advice make it a standout for anyone curious about becoming more attentive, joyful, and empathetic—whether you’re a “dog person” or simply human.