Dogland is a lighthearted romp through the world of elite dog shows. As Tomlinson makes clear from the outset, the relationship between dog and human is a companionship born at the dawn of civilization. Beginning with the first wolves hanging about campfires, Dogland looks at the evolution of dog breeding. Dogs have been bred to herd sheep, hunt rats, pull sleds through snow, sit on laps, retrieve hunted waterfowl, and dig up truffles.
The dogs that go all the way to the Westminster dog show are bred to stand still and look as much as possible like the judges think that a breed should appear. Elite show dogs are bred like elite race horses invested in by multiple owners. Professional trainers might work with more than 20 dogs at a time, often showing multiple dogs (for multiple owners) in a single show.
Tomlinson asks some important questions. Are show dogs happy be fluffed and combed and poofed and perfumed and eating cheese treats right from their owner’s mouths? Isn’t it important for dogs to be, well, dogs, sniffing butts, chasing tennis balls, and sneaking food from under the table? And what is it about the relationship between dogs and humans that is so unique that we project human feelings onto dogs? They make so many humans happy and what do they get in return?
The questions are good and having to ponder the nature of an interspecies relationship that for many people is stronger than it is for their own species is valuable. There aren’t many answers in the book, but insofar as a romp on a lawn with a favorite pet is satisfying, so is Dogland.