A Matter of Breeding by Michael Brandow
What's the appeal of a pedigree retriever so hobbled by hip dysplasia that it can't even play fetch? Why would anybody want a dog with a snout so deformed that it can hardly breathe just because it vaguely resembles the pups that used to fight bulls in medieval times? What force is so powerful that it can compel us to go against all rationality and morality when choosing a pet? Golden retrievers, chocolate Labs, champagne Frenchies, café-au-lait poodles whether showing at Crufts or showing off in the street, the 'purebred' dog isn't a time-honoured tradition, but the commercial invention of the nineteenth century. In this illuminating and entertaining social history, Michael Brandow probes the 'cult of pedigree' to uncover the sordid underbelly of the dog industry, and the shocking results of modern breeding practices showing the ways in which our pets pay for our snobbery with their devastatingly poor health.
Best book ever on pedigree dogs -- Jemima Harrison * Pedigree Dogs Exposed *
An essential and incredibly well documented read.. a serious, significant and most timely message that deserves a global audience. It really is that good -- Marc Bekoff * Huffington Post *
A must-read for all dog lovers * Booklist *
A no-holds-barred defense of dogs that are the hapless victims of their clueless owners * Kirkus *
Brandow not only unearths the status-driven history of so-called 'purebreds' but exhorts us to love all dogs regardless of breed -- Betsy Banks Saul, founder of Petfinder.com
Incredibly important... a delightful read with fascinating insights into the history and psychology of the purebred-dog world -- Alan M. Beck, ScD, professor and Director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond, Purdue University
Meticulously researched, very readable, and often darkly amusing -- Gareth Huw Davies
An essential and incredibly well documented read.. a serious, significant and most timely message that deserves a global audience. It really is that good -- Marc Bekoff * Huffington Post *
A must-read for all dog lovers * Booklist *
A no-holds-barred defense of dogs that are the hapless victims of their clueless owners * Kirkus *
Brandow not only unearths the status-driven history of so-called 'purebreds' but exhorts us to love all dogs regardless of breed -- Betsy Banks Saul, founder of Petfinder.com
Incredibly important... a delightful read with fascinating insights into the history and psychology of the purebred-dog world -- Alan M. Beck, ScD, professor and Director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond, Purdue University
Meticulously researched, very readable, and often darkly amusing -- Gareth Huw Davies
Michael Brandow is the sought-after commentator on dog-related issues with a background in journalism, dog care and community activism. He contributes to The New York Times, New York Post, Town & Country, ARTNews, New Criterion and others on society, arts and canine culture.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780715651339 |
| ISBN 10 | 0715651331 |
| Title | A Matter of Breeding |
| Author | Michael Brandow |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Overlook Press |
| Year published | 2016-08-11 |
| Number of pages | 288 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |