num_pages: 288
description: A provocative look at the cult of pedigree and an entertaining social history of purebred dogsSo-called purebreds are the mainstay of the dog industry and expert Michael Brandow argues that these arent markers of time-honored traditions but rather commercial inventions of the nineteenth century that were marketed as status symbols to a growing middle class. Combining social history and consumer studies with sharp commentary this book reveals the sordid history of the dog industry and shows how our brand-name pets pay the price with devastatingly poor health.
language: English
title: A Matter of Breeding: A Biting History of Pedigree Dogs and How the Quest for Status Has Harmed Man's Best Friend
publisher: Beacon Hill Press