In Search of Pedigrees: Why Do We Harm the Dogs We Love?

Michael Brandow provides a unique analysis of the rise of the “dog fancy” in the United States and the United Kingdom. He attributes much of the motivation to acquire, breed, and show prestigious pure-bred dogs to a human need for status at the cost of serious detriment to the health and welfare of the many breeds developed to meet these needs. Although the many problems associated with the production of such dogs have been increasingly recognized by the veterinary and animal welfare communities, such concerns have had relatively little impact on the popularity of these dogs. It is hoped that greater awareness of the harm to dogs caused by human vanity and greed may help foster a more humane human-canine relationship.