Paperback
Unlock life’s secrets: What dogs know about happiness, we don’t.

The Happiness of Dogs

Why the Unexamined Life Is Most Worth Living

$25.12

  • Paperback

    256 pages

  • Release Date

    11 November 2025

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Summary

If a dog could write a book of philosophy, what would it contain?

If you have spent part of your life with a dog, you may find certain questions popping, unbidden, into your mind. Is my dog living a fulfilled life? Is my dog a good dog? Does my dog love me? This, however, only scratches the surface of a canine philosophy.

Drawing on his life lived with dogs (two German shepherds, the amiable Hugo and his dark twin Shadow; Brenin, a wolf hybrid, and Tess his wolf dog daughter; …

Book Details

ISBN-13:9781803510330
ISBN-10:1803510331
Author:Mark Rowlands
Publisher:Granta Books
Imprint:Granta Books
Format:Paperback
Number of Pages:256
Release Date:11 November 2025
Weight:178g
What They're Saying

Critics Review

‘Writing with zest, humor and passion, Rowlands blends delightful vignettes of his beloved dogs with fresh and radical answers to some of the oldest questions in ethics. This is a book everyone interested in animals and philosophy must read’ - John Gray, author of The New Leviathans
‘One of the most engaging and enjoyable works on philosophy (and, for that matter, dogs) I’ve ever read. Wise, profound, often very funny, I loved every page’ - Anthony McGowan
‘A masterclass in canine philosophy … A professor of philosophy and a serial dog owner, Rowlands has written a profound and funny examination of what it means to be fulfilled, both for canines and humans. By the end, you will envy your dog’s every waking moment’ - Tim Dowling, Guardian
‘A lovely meditation on what it’s like in our canine companions’ heads… At turns sad and profound… Dogs, Rowlands says, “love their lives more than we love ours”, which seems very true, and quite heartbreaking’ - Emma Beddington, Observer

About The Author

Mark Rowlands

Mark Rowlands was born in Newport, Wales. He is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Miami and the author of sixteen books, including the bestselling The Philosopher and the Wolf. His books have been translated into more than twenty languages.

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