Paulsen has never met a dumb dog (or if he has, he never wrote about it). His canine companions in My Life in Dog Years are hunters with a strong grasp of physics and aerodynamics, astute businessmen, workaholics, and engineers. They make critical decisions, including snap judgments and long-term plans. They have memories like elephants. They speak English as a second language. They've won Nobel Prizes, Pulitzers, and MacArthur Genius Grants.
Okay, we made that last part up. Suffice it to say, these dogs are smart cookies, and Paulsen admires their amazing brains from the first chapter to the final sentence.
Questions About Cunning and Cleverness
- Which acts of cleverness impressed you most as you read about the dogs?
- Do you think that Paulsen gives his dogs too much credit for smarts?
- What do the vocabulary words that Josh knows tell you about Paulsen's life?
Chew on This
In My Life in Dog Years, Paulsen doesn't underestimate people. It's just that dogs are really smart.
In My Life in Dog Years, Paulsen underestimates people. Even a less-than-brilliant person is smarter than a dog.