Cowpuppy: An Unexpected Friendship and a Scientist’s Journey into the Secret World of Cows

by Gregory Berns

Gregory Berns is a leading neuroscientist who has extensively studied dogs and how they think. But when he and his wife bought a small farm in rural Georgia and populated it with a handful of cows they couldn’t imagine how their lives would be transformed. As he gets to know his herd, Berns’ affection for them grows, along with his curiosity.

He applies his scientific eye to the cognitive and emotional lives of his cows. His cows turn out to have impressive memories, to be capable of forming lasting bonds with people, and to be highly attuned to our feelings.

Gregory Berns is a natural storyteller. He falls in love with his cows, and they fall in love with him. In particular, he forms a special bond with BB, his cowpuppy.

This hugely readable memoir blends fascinating scientific explanations of animal behaviour with a candid, moving, and sometimes hilarious account of the lives of cows.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Memoir, Science, Audiobook, Nature, Education

248 pages, Hardcover

First published August 20, 2024

About the author

Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University and Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology.

* Ph.D. University of California, Davis, 1990
* M.D. University of California, San Diego, 1994

Reviews

[Tama · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love large mammal biology. Love everything about it. And that’s a lot of what this book is, with a double major in bovine neuroscience. The author, Gregory Berns, is an Emory University neuroscientist by trade, and when he and his wife decide to buy an old horse farm (minus the horses) in rural Georgia, he begins his friendship with, and study of cows. It was a “cultural experience” as my high school French teacher used to say, and I was so happy to be along for the ride.

The audio is an easy listen, and the reader Derek Dysart is excellent. I’ll definitely get my hands on Berns’ first book, How Dogs Love Us.

Actual rating 4.5 stars.

[Steve Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently read an advanced reading copy of Gregory Berns’ upcoming book “Cowpuppy” and I give it 4 I’s. Intelligent, Interesting, Informative and Inspiring.
This book checked a lot of boxes for me.
-An academic dealing with the realities of rural life
-Simple plans turning into more complex realities
-The wonderous world of animals
-Behavioral sciences and how animals, and people, do what they can to thrive with what they’re given
-How people being and doing good, without expecting a reward, can be the most rewarding part of life
Cowpuppy had short, easy to read chapters, organized by subject, so I could stop when I needed to and pick right back up when I could. I could also go back and reread a particular topic, and the Notes section had great references with some suitable for serious research.
This book is appropriate for almost any type of person or age group. I think everyone will find things they can identify with and relate to.
You would think we know everything there is to know about cows since we get beef, milk, leather and lots of other products from them, but we really don’t. In the past 100 years there have been a few people who have dedicated their careers to making life better for these beautiful creatures that we rely on. Hopefully this book will make it onto the desks, kitchen tables and workbenches of many people responsible for the current quality of life (and death) of cows around the world.
If you’re curious about the world around you, no matter what your primary interest, I think you would enjoy reading (and very likely re-reading) Cowpuppy.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a person who grew up with livestock, in particular horses and then calves, chickens and turkeys I waned with the idea that every little girl on a working horse operation that horses were my best friends. Once a bit older (over 10) I learned as I left childhood horses behind and they became part of our family's business, that horses were not as smart as little girls think but not as dumb as most adults. I leveled off in this range.... calves were my spending money and I bought them at auctions and then feed them out, loaded them up and took them to the processor, kissed them goodbye and picked them up on the other side. I didn't have a cold heart for cows, but their plight in life is to end up on my plate and taste good. Today, I think it is still their plight, just like meat birds and other meat-bound livestock. After all, I love chicken and bacon. I also grew up hunting and know that if game is not thinned as humans push them out of their area then disease and shortened life is coming to them.

So, all that background stated, I loved this book and can see all that Berns sees that makes them loveable and amazing creatures. Dairy farmers love their cows and treat them well, they know them inside and out. I raise goats (minis) and sell them to people who desire a pet that can fill their lives with joy and entertainment.... Goats are perfect for that and reasonably priced.

I would love for Berns to study goats and write a book on them. This was one of the best books I have read in a while and I enjoyed it greatly. But livestock have an economic place in our society in this country and many others. I guess it is how you are raised, but in my world we all have our place.

Gregory Berns is a leading neuroscientist who extensively studied dogs and how they think. I love dogs and I have two that I would love him to study... he should do a dog that is not human-bound but has a duty to his job.

5 stars

Happy Reading!

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book as a Goodreads Giveaway. Thank you to Harper Horizon for sending me an Advance Reading Copy in exchange for my fair and honest review.

I found this book fascinating. It's the perfect mix of science and memoir. This book is well written which makes it even more enjoyable. I loved learning about the antics with the cows and their origin story. There are a couple spots in the book where the science gets pretty heavy, but not impossible to understand. I learned so much about science, brains, and bodies. From how the brain develops in utero, to how different mammals see color. I found it interesting that some people have more cones in their eyes than others. I've always known about color blindness, but would love to see what the world looks like through the eye of a person with extra cones. Maybe I'm even one of them. I have always felt like I see color differently than most people.

I appreciate all the work Berns has done for science. I want to go back and read his books about dogs, since I have a lot more experience with those animals. If I ever get the opportunity, I would love to visit Berns farm and meet some of these characters for myself. I would like to experience the peace Berns talks about from ruminating with the cows. If you love science (especially biology and psychology), or animals, or farming, I highly recommend this book. I also recommend this book to people who enjoy slice of life memoirs. At a little over 200 pages, including the appendices, it doesn't take long to read and enjoy the journey of what it means to become a cattleperson.

[Tracee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up in the city, I never had experience with cows until I was 40 and married my husband who was a cattle farmer. It has been the best part of my life and I can relate to the calm you feel when around cows. Even though we raised them for meat we had 2 bulls that I loved and was sad the days that we had to put them down. This was a wonderful book that brought back many memories for me and I’m grateful to have read it.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently received this advanced copy in a goodreads giveaway from Harper Horizon and Gregory Berns.

I mainly opted in to the giveaway because I have a friend whose main line of work deals with the science of cows. Of course she’s out in Wisconsin. I plan to gift her this book. I know she would enjoy the book immensely, like I did!

I learned about the visual field of cows’ eyes and thought, “woah, this is so cool!” I enjoyed how cows can be JUST as smart, if not more so, than dogs. Which makes total sense after reading this book.

Huge thanks to the author for the copy!

[Biblio Files (takingadayoff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gregory Burns is a neuroscientist who has done research on dogs. But when he and his wife found themselves owners of three cows and a ranch, he couldn't help but look at the cows the way he had looked at dogs. As he got to know the cows, he realized they not only had distinct personalities, but they were like dogs in other ways. They were more intelligent than is generally assumed, and they could be trained, and they seemed to enjoy human company once they became accustomed to it. Cowpuppy explains to a general audience what he discovered about cows. He's an entertaining writer, and it's fun to read about his adventures as he, a city boy, learns how to raise cows. He makes plenty of mistakes, but the cows are mostly easy to get along with and don't seem to mind his antics too much. One of my favorite chapters was about his experiments with mirrors. He wanted to see if cows would recognize themselves in a mirror and how long it would take. One thing he learned was that cows run the gamut of intelligence -- some cows took figured it out right away, and at least one never seemed to understand. Thanks to Harper Horizon and Publishers Weekly for a review copy.

[Booknblues · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pandemic caused so many of us to veer in different directions, Gregory Berns, a neuroscientist, researcher and professor from Emory University in Atlanta decided to buy a farm and some Miniture Zebu Cows to populate it. As he says:

"The story begins with how an egghead neuroscientist, who knew nothing about agriculture, ended up on a farm with a bunch of cows."

Because he is a researcher by nature, and can no longer do his MRI research on dogs brains, he begins researching his cows. Much as Jane Goodall did with chimpanzees and Dian Fossey did with gorillas, Berns immersed himself in the everyday life of his herd.

He is a scientist and does go into detail about different scientific aspects of the life of cows and available research regarding them, as well as going into their daily life and individual personalities.

This farmer's daughter found the book to be delightful.

[Dodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cowpuppy is an interesting, easy-to-read book about author, Gregory Berns', move from a big city to a rural area. When he realizes the tedium and labor involved in mowing his acreage, he thinks about having cows graze to help with the task. Berns employs his knowledge of dog behavior from his work as a neuroscientist. He learns as he goes, with help from a neighbor or two, and describes the cows' different personalities and habits. Berns and his wife are smitten by their cattle. This is a sweet story.

[Alana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful exploration of the ways in which the brain processes information and the relevance to humans, cows, dogs.

A neuroscientist buys a farm during COVID, and the requirement to keep the grass down requires the purchase of several cows. He explores their personality, relationships and information processing. Very enlightening first person narrative.

[Ravi H · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone with a science background it was kinda dull at points, but I got more into it as the authors relationship to the cows grew. The last chapter was the most moving for sure! I need pet cows!!

[Torrie Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5 rounded to 4

This was fun and interesting and cute and really just solidified my love for cows.

[Rusty Bentley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of Cowpuppy from Harper Horizon (via a Goodreads giveaway).

What a fantastic and well-written book, especially for those interested in a little science and a little narrative about the secret life of zebus and new cattlefolk! I grew up adjacent to cows (small-town Texas, although my family didn't own livestock), and while I was no stranger to cattle, I had no idea of how little I (and humans generally) actually knew about them. I highly recommend this book if you're curious about herd animal lives and interactions in a microcosm, and how a scientist made the transition from deliberate clinical lab work to accidental/incidental field lab work!

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I never finish books that I would give fewer than 3 stars to but was lured in by the title - I kept thinking it would get better. I enjoyed listening to his relationship with his cows and their interactions with him and other members of the herd. Unfortunately, that is a relatively small part of this book. The remaining focus, on science and history, was very dry.

[Bookreporter.com Biography & Memoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading the title of this book, one might wonder what exactly Gregory Berns is writing about. To really understand this endeavor, you must take note of the subtitle: "An Unexpected Friendship and a Scientist's Journey into the Secret World of Cows." If you aren't interested in animals, COWPUPPY is not for you. If you are worried that it espouses veganism, that’s not what Berns does. In fact, he admits to occasionally eating meat and feeding it to his dogs. But he writes about his cattle not just from a scientist's point of view, but as a behaviorist. His cows are not just farm animals or tools, they are his friends.

This makes sense when we realize that Berns is a professor of psychology at Emory University. He directs the Center for Neuropolicy and the Facility for Education and Research in Neuroscience. He has written many other books, including the bestseller HOW DOGS LOVE US. So during the COVID pandemic, when he and his wife moved to a farm outside Atlanta, and he decided to get some cows so he wouldn't have to mow their fields, it makes sense that he interacted with the bovines and got to know them better.

From the start, Berns disabuses us of the notion that cows are just big dogs, although his cattle are smaller than the average cow we might imagine. He bought miniature zebus for his farm. They are Brahman cattle with a large hump between their shoulders, and because they originate from Asia, they adapt well to the heat of Alabama. The ad he responded to was for two cows and a bull, and while he didn't really want a bull, he got all three. Both cows were pregnant.

Over the course of COWPUPPY, we learn a lot about the history of cattle, their physical characteristics, their behaviors and their personalities. Bern's writing style is folksy. The dialogue and the narrative are interspersed with the science. Renderings of the brains of different animals, along with details regarding their intelligence, make for an enjoyable and educational reading experience.

Berns often compares cows to dogs, which makes sense because much of his professional life was spent studying dogs. I never thought about the fact that while both dogs and cows are animals that live in groups (packs and herds), "the semantic difference is that pack describes a group of predators, whereas herd is a group of prey. Packs and herds behave differently. Prey animals herd together for protection. When under threat, the individual that stands out is at greater risk of being killed." He goes on to explain why, though dogs and cows are group animals, the behavior of each individual within that group is very different. This concept was reinforced when I thought back to a trip to Kenya where we saw a wildebeest get killed by a pride of lions (a mama and her adolescent cubs) when he ventured too far from his herd. To cattle, the herd represents safety.

Another fascinating aspect about cows is how their eyesight, specifically their peripheral vision, affects how they interact with the world around them. We see through Berns’ eyes the progression of his relationship with the different cows and the bull, watching him learn hands-on about birthing a calf. We also observe his epiphany when he learned about Bud Williams, a cowboy who worked with cattle and learned to handle them not by force, but by letting them teach him what they wanted. Bud then used their desires to get them to do what he needed them to do. His mantra was "slow is fast," meaning that by taking things slowly, the results will happen quicker. This is repeated over the course of the book.

I appreciate the chapter about cows and what their purpose is. Berns used his cows for grass control, but also for a lot more. They provided cow therapy for him, as well as being his research subjects. When people tour his farm, he says that the cows were meant to help improve the land, not because he was raising them for meat. He also explains where most of America's meat comes from: feedlots or concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), where there might be hundreds of thousands of animals crowded together. Frighteningly, he writes, "Despite the EPA's regulation of the pollutants these operations release, there is scant data on the number of animals being processed at these facilities, or even the number of CAFOs." The reason this is important is twofold: animal welfare and the environmental impact from such horrific conditions.

Berns explains why purchasing local meat that has been ethically raised and slaughtered is the better route than buying whatever is on sale at your nearest big-box supermarket. He suggests supporting your local farms where animals are treated well.

At the end, there is a brief history of the cow and a bulleted appendix about what cows are like, how they think, their body language and more. There also is a glossary and notes, all demonstrating the facts and science that went into this book.

COWPUPPY is in no way light reading, but it isn’t a slog either. It's entertaining, informative and even humorous at times. We feel as if we've been invited into Berns' life and onto his farm to meet the herd, stroke their "brisket" and watch as he interacts with them. It's a delightful experience.

Reviewed by Pamela Kramer

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I work in writing agricultural policy and lived for over thirty years across from a county park that was a working farm with cows, but Cowpuppy: An Unexpected Friendship and a Scientist’s Journey into the Secret World of Cows, by Gregory Burns, taught me a great deal about how cows really think and how intelligent they are. Even though the author is an academic, the book, for the most part, is written in a clear understandable way for a general audience. Some of it was a little technical, particularly when talking about cow brains and the shape of their eyes; however, the diagrams certainly helped. He showed how difficult farming and raising cows truly is, how plans can often go awry, and how sometimes it takes a village, or at least neighbors to help, particularly when you know nothing about managing a growing herd.

The book was extremely well written, with short chapters organized by subject. The chapter on the experiment he did with the mirror to see if cows could recognize themselves was one of the most captivating. It was fascinating to learn about each cow’s personality and how BB truly was like a puppy, hence the name of the book. Bulls are not what one would expect to come up to you to receive pets and so they could lick you, but that is exactly what happened on his ranch. And I loved how he wanted to create a therapeutic program around the cows to those who need peace and tranquility. Cows are certainly not the first thing that comes to mind when needing calm and quiet, but this book certainly opened my eyes. And for those who know nothing about cows, he includes a brief history of cows, cattle terminology, and a glossary of terms.

Thank you to Gregory Burns and Harper Horizon for providing me an advance copy. I would highly recommend, and already have, to anyone with any curiosity about beings other than humans.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Greg and his wife bought a farm in Georgia, on kind of a whim. They acquired a few cows and ended up with a herd. Greg is a neuroscientist who studies dog cognition, and he brought the same powers of observation to discovering the bovine world. A lot of it is fascinating - he talks about seeing the world as prey vs predator; what it’s like to be part of a herd; how cattle and humans have a different sense of time; the ways that cows are part of human culture and mythology. There’s also plenty of animal romance and drama to keep things interesting.

By the end of the book, you wonder - what the heck is he going to do with all those cows? They are not being raised for their meat or milk. Greg wonders the same thing, and he comes up with an idea and sort of puts it into practice, but it’s not clear. I wanted to know more about that.
Greg doesn’t preach veganism, but he does make a good case for more humane and environmentally sound farming practices.

I do have one issue with this book. Greg and his wife (whom I would have liked to hear more about) bought the house connected to the farm. They named the estate Tara, due to its resemblance to the plantation in Gone With The Wind. He writes about their first walk-through, their discomfort at seeing Confederate portraits on the wall. It’s strange then, that he never mentions whether there were once people who were enslaved on the property. One would assume so, and this is a missing piece that should be acknowledged.

Overall it’s a unique book that really opens your eyes to another universe, one that is tied intimately to our own. I appreciate having received a copy from Goodreads and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I never would have read it otherwise, but I’m glad I did!

[K Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book after hearing part of an interview with Berns on Radio NZ. Mainly as a shout into the echo chamber but also to hear from a neuroscientist about their experience and observations. Perhaps my long-held beliefs could have some merit.

I was on a date one time and the guy asked why I’m vegetarian. I don't tend to discuss my eating situ unless it comes up in conversation and don't go into much detail about the why. This is because in my experience, people (especially men) often feel the need to tell me why they’re not vegetarian (I wasn't asking) and/or why my reason for being so isn’t quite valid (again, if I was interested in your thoughts, I would have asked). So firstly, that’s what you call an unsolicited opinion, and secondly none of this is any of your business little buddy. Which brings to mind a poem I heard on TikTok: Dogs like to bark, birds like to sing, [insert Samuel L Jackson from Pulp Fiction] ‘I don’t remember asking you a goddam thing!’

Date: Well, I only eat animals that don't play.
Me: Cows play.
Date: No they don't!!

[Leila Coppala · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will never look at cows the same.

I grew up in suburbia but moved to a rural area in my mid 20s. We did not farm, but were surrounded by small cattle farms. The cows would occasionally break through a fence and end up on our land. I always enjoyed watching them and was fascinated by the many sounds they make (it's not just "Moooo!"). "Cowpuppy" is an interesting read. This book is both a memoir on Gregory Berns and his wife falling into becoming cattle owners and on Berns's burgeoning relationship with his cattle, which prompted him to delve into the science behind the human-cattle relationship. Although Berns is a scientist, he describes various theories and facts in an understandable way. Highly recommended if you are an animal lover.

Many thanks to Harper Horizon and Publishers Weekly for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Luv2TrvlLuvBks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received (my first !) ARC from publisher Harper Horizon and author, Gregory Burns. Props to Goodreads for featuring a 2024 non fiction book in the nature category.

Striking a conversational tone, the author writes of his time living alongside cows, the ubiquitous farm animal, and studying their behavior. His background as a neuroscientist and budding role as a farmer in GA was a nice juxtaposition. Roles not commonly seen but he writes in easy to follow terms as to scientific concepts.

This book resonated with me after visiting a farm sanctuary in upstate New York. There it was pigs , goats, and chickens but the cows were the stars. After reading this book, it made sense why the stewards of the cows were able to distinguish the cows by behavior and personality.

Anyone who has an interest in animals and behavior would find this to a fascinating read.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful and unique topic to read about: the life of unthreatened cows! The writing was humorous but full of low key scientific data. Heard about this on a recent Science Friday podcast where the author was interviewed. It reminded me of some of the behaviors I remember from my grandfather's 4-5 dairy cows he used to milk -- BY HAND. Very interesting how he compared dogs, a predator, to cows, which are a prey animal, and how differently they must see and react to the world.

[Bex Texas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was a fun and informative read. I had to recall some of my anatomy & physiology from college to absorb the cow's reactions and possible thought processes. It was endearing how the author bonded with the cows. I truly enjoyed this book and how it was written, and I learned something along the way.

[Denise Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating book where you’ll learn a lot about cows (they are actually quite interesting). But, to me, you’ll learn even more about the author and his (neuroscientist) approach to life. Makes me wish for another book with chapters on this subject from authors of all walks of life (how does an artist, engineer, chemist, etc think about cows).

[Sue Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting book! Some of the science parts were a little more than I wanted but given that the author is a neuroscientist that’s to be expected; other parts of the science were really fascinating. I love just the story part with the cows and his learning to care for and love them for who they are, not needing them to be a commodity. I’d love to do something like this one day too!

[Stacie Buckley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2 stars

I often had a smile on my face as I listened to this. Knocked a few points off because sometimes the author really got into so minutiae that caused my attention to drift. But learning about his cows and their personalities and learning about their behaviors and some of the discoveries around them was fascinating, endearing, and inspiring.

A friend asked if this book would convert you to vegetarianism; I don’t think so. In fact the author addresses this toward the end. It will, however, make you more aligned with animal welfare measures.

I kind of miss some of his cows now that this is over.

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a neuroscientist studying dogs, the author does bring an interesting background to this book, but I do believe anyone who has spent any time around cows, like a dairy farmer, would have exactly the same insights, and probably a lot more. Judging by the timelines, the book is based on about 3 years of experience. Probably more useful about the delusions of "farming life".

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Netgalley ARC- I was expecting something else altogether when I selected this title. The reviews said scientific insights into bovines. What it was was more of a personal essay on raising his cows. I applaud him for delving into cows and raising them as I tend to deep dive into topics as well but nothing really kept me interested.

[Debbie Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book, though not what I expected from the title. The book turned out to be a lot of information about cows' genetics, behaviour and domestication. It's about how he developed his farm and chose his cows. There is information about his relationship with the cows and calves, but I expected more of that.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating, endearing, insightful, at times humorous, an all-around wonderful book. A must for animal lovers. I listened to this one on audio and the narration kept me thoroughly engaged for an 8-hour drive to Iowa.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look into how cows tick, proving that they’re more than dumb beasts; cattle have personalities and form bonds just like we do. I’ll be sure to give my family’s Brahmans an extra scratch next time I see them and perhaps observe some of their herd dynamics with fresh eyes.