Dog owners know the feeling all too well: Those moments where your beloved pet surprises, amuses or amazes you with a display of common sense, introspection or behavior that shows their intellect.

Now, renown academic Brian Hare, who founded Duke University's Canine Cognition Center, has published a book about what's really going on behind their doggie stares, titled The Genius of Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter Than You Think.