A MATTER OF BREEDING

A no-holds-barred defense of dogs that are the hapless victims of their clueless owners.

Brandow, a professional dog-walker and petsitter in New York City, deconstructs the idea of diversity when it comes to dog breeds. His subjects are not working dogs bred and trained for special skills but those that have been bred for appearance, a standard he equates to racism. The author writes that as he studied his charges and their owners over the years, his focus shifted from the problems faced by overbred dogs to “the humans hooked on their looks.” Brandow enumerates the disastrous results of modern breeding practices—higher levels of cancer, structural deformities, skin conditions and more—and many of his stories are distressing—e.g., a baby bulldog that, despite bulging muscles, barely had the strength to walk. He was the cherished pet of a gay couple who were muscle-builders themselves and had chosen a puppy to match their own self-image. (The author explains that he allows himself the liberty of satirizing the owners as faddists because he, too, is gay.) Remarking that the lineage of bulldogs is traceable to dogs bred to take on bulls in fights, the author marvels at their popularity with modern opponents of violence and cruelty to animals. Over time, such practices as bull baiting were outlawed in England, and the bulldog was refashioned into a house pet. In 1929, the American Kennel Club was incorporated, becoming the standard-setter for all breeds. “Dog breeding and showing have had more to do with social survival of the owner than survival or fitness as a basic concern,” writes the author in this occasionally overheated book, but he is optimistic that the tide is changing as more pet owners are rejecting such false standards and opting for rescue dogs.

Brandow’s vitriolic style can be distracting, but his message is serious.