What's a Dog For? the Surprising History, Science, Philospphy, and Politics of Man's Best Friend
John Homans, published by The Penguin Press, 2012.
This newly published book by John Homans discusses the importance that dogs have become in our modern society, "honorary humans", to quote the author. The narrative is tied to his own observations and comments about Stella, his rescue dog, a Lab mix, making it an enjoyable read.
A thoughtful oversight about dogs and their relationships to people, Mr. Homans presents a broad overview of numerous topics related to the canine, covering such subjects as puppy mills, modern breeding practices and the harm they are doing to purebreds, dog brains, origin and history of dogs as companion animals, dog rights, rescuers, ethics, and the evolution of dog ownership in the United States. Not afraid of controversy, he includes discussions, viewpoints, and comments from various scientific researchers, activists, trainers, shelter volunteers and workers, and animal organizations.
Although the research may not reflect modern scientific theory in some cases, such as hominid evolution, overall it's a comprehensive and, at times, startling presentation. What's a Dog For? is a good read. An addendum includes a discussion of publications that might be of interest to some readers who wish to pursue certain topics, much more readable than the standard bibliography.
And don't worry, if you don't like research details, no charts, graphs, statistics, etc. are included in this 237 page narrative. But the book will leave you with a lot to ponder, challenging many of your assumptions.
Northeast Boston Rescue (NEBTR) is comprised of volunteers based in NY, NJ, PA, CT, and parts of other states, and serves Boston Terriers in need within reach of our helping hands.
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