Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home: And Other Unexplained Powers of Animals (Updated, Revised)
✍️ Sheldrake, RupertBiologist Rupert Sheldrake investigates telepathy, direction, and premonitions in domestic pets and wild animals.
This volume offers a structured scientific examination of unexplained animal abilities, drawing on thousands of real-world accounts gathered over five years. Sheldrake presents morphic fields as a framework for understanding how pets perceive human intentions, navigate back to distant owners, and predict sudden physical crises or natural disasters. The work suits readers seeking empirical research into telepathy, animal empathy, and subtle biological connections beyond conventional science. It is less suited to readers looking for standard training manuals or purely conventional biological textbooks.
Published by Crown Publishing Group in New York, this paperback draws on Cambridge and Harvard scientific research traditions. It positions modern domestic pet relationships alongside observations of wildlife to question conventional boundaries of modern biology.
Praise for this book
“Delightful . . . this book will turn our understanding of animals inside out.”
“Wonderful . . . splendid and thought-provoking.”
📝 Description: Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home: And Other Unexplained Powers of Animals (Updated, Revised)
📑 What's inside
- Preface
- Introduction
- Part I. Human-Animal Bonds
- 1. The Domestication of Animals
- Part II. Animals that Know when their People are Coming Home
- 2. Dogs
- 3. Cats
- 4. Parrots, Horses, and Other Animals
- Part III. Animal Empathy
- 5. Animals That Comfort and Heal
- 6. Distant Deaths and Accidents
- Part IV. Intentions, Calls, and Telepathy
- 7. Picking Up Intentions
- 8. Telepathic Calls and Commands
- 9. Animal-to-Animal Telepathy
- Part V. The Sense of Direction
- 10. Incredible Journeys
- 11. Migrations and Memory
- 12. Animals That Know When They Are Nearing Home
- 13. Pets Finding Their People Far Away
- Part VI. Animal Premonitions
- 14. Premonitions of Fits, Comas, and Sudden Deaths
- 15. Forebodings of Earthquakes and Other Disasters
- Part VII. Conclusions
- 16. Animal Powers and the Human Mind
- Appendix: Controversies and Inquiries
- Notes
- References
- Index
💎 Expert review
📖 Why choose it
Why this book is worth reading
Readers fascinated by the subtle, often invisible bonds between humans and animals will find this book profoundly validating. It offers a compelling alternative to reductionist biology, suggesting that our pets possess a rich inner life connected to us through mysterious channels. For those who have experienced unexplained synchronicities with their companions, Sheldrake provides a rigorous yet open-minded framework to understand these moments not as coincidence, but as evidence of a deeper, shared reality. It is perfect for animal lovers seeking intellectual depth and spiritual resonance.
⭐ Reader reviews
Reader rating
Sheldrake’s meticulous documentation of animal behavior challenges conventional thought, yet the reliance on 'morphic fields' may alienate strict empiricists. Readers expecting hard, peer-reviewed proof of psychic phenomena without theoretical speculation will likely find the explanations insufficient. The book is best suited for those already inclined toward holistic or esoteric worldviews who appreciate anecdotal evidence supported by broad research. It does not suit skeptics demanding traditional scientific methodology, as it deliberately steps outside established biological paradigms to explore the boundaries of consciousness and connection.
❓ Frequently asked questions
📖 Who should read this
If you've ever wondered how your pet *knew* what you were thinking, or how animals navigate the impossible, this book is for you. Animal lovers, curious scientists, and anyone open to expanding their understanding of consciousness will find Sheldrake's insights truly compelling.
🎯 Key themes and symbolism
Animal Psi Abilities
This work delves into the uncanny abilities of pets, such as sensing future events or the distant intentions of their owners, which defy conventional biological understanding. Sheldrake presents these as more than mere coincidence, suggesting genuine, albeit scientifically unrecognized, psychic phenomena at play within the animal kingdom.
Invisible Bonds
The book explores the profound, often overlooked, social connections linking animals to humans, other animals, and specific locations. It posits that these are not just emotional ties but energetic or informational links that facilitate seemingly telepathic or precognitive behaviors, revealing a deeper interconnectedness than previously imagined.
Morphic Resonance Theory
Sheldrake introduces his groundbreaking concept of "morphic fields" as a theoretical framework for understanding these unexplained behaviors. This theory suggests that form and behavior are shaped by an overarching, non-physical field, offering an alternative to purely materialist explanations for animal intuition, homing, and collective behavior.
📜 Historical context
📚 Glossary
- Morphic Fields
- Telepathy
- Precognition
📔 Questions to reflect on
- Reflect on a time your pet seemed to "know" something impossible. What happened, and how did it make you feel about the nature of animal consciousness?
- How might acknowledging "morphic fields" or similar unseen connections change our understanding of evolution, instinct, or even human consciousness and society?
- What are the limitations of conventional science in explaining phenomena like animal intuition, and what role should open-minded inquiry play in expanding scientific understanding?
