One Nation Under Dog

by Michael Schaffer

Book Overview

"Informative, entertaining . . . A] terrific book."--Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post

When Michael Schaffer and his wife drove to a rural animal shelter and adopted Murphy, a mistreated Saint Bernard, they vowed that they'd never become the kind of people who, say, get their dog a facial treatment. But then they started to get weird looks from the in-laws: You hired a trainer? Murphy is on antidepressants?

It turned...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0805091467
• ISBN13: 9780805091465
• Release Date: March 2010
• Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

I guess I am a "fur baby" parent

One Nation Under Dog explores the ways that we pamper, care for, and lavish money upon our pets. Each chapter focuses on a specific topic, and each chapter could be read as a standalone essay. Some chapters such "Trading Up," which takes the reader inside the world of high-end pet products, are light-hearted. Schaffer takes a more serious tone when he explores the places a person can get a dog from, including puppy mills in Lancaster County, or the places unwanted pets end up. The section on the technologically advanced (and expensive) veterinary treatments available to today's pet owner is particularly interesting. I liked that Schaffer does not shy away from questions that his book raises, such as should we be spending so much money on our pets, who have a better standard of living than some people in this country? As a dog person, it is simple to guess which side of the fence the author is on, but his arguments are nicely objective. One Nation Under Dog will appeal to any fur baby parent. It is an entertaining and occasionally insightful read.

Eye Opening

This book is an in-depth look at the modern pet culture and industry in the United States. Schaffer is a journalist who adopted a Saint Bernard a few years ago. In this book, he examines various trends and hot topics in the US pet industry, covering puppy mills, pet health care, latchkey dogs, dog walkers and doggie daycare, dog parks, pet food, dog toys, and pet bereavement services. Throughout the book, he argues the point that pets, especially dogs, have been recast as full family members rather than simply pets or property, to the point of taking the role of surrogate children or best friends for those struggling to find connection in the increasingly individualistic American culture. Schaffer points out how this has meant a windfall for the pet industry, all sectors of which are posting record growth--it seems if you want to make a million, find out what indulgent pet owners want, and sell it to them. This book is fascinating to read, even for those who don't have pets themselves. It's not a doggy-adoration book, but rather, a very interesting portrait of how and why the pet industry has become such a big part of the overall US economy. Pet owners may be interested in reading the book to learn more about where puppies actually come from, where they go when they're unwanted, and who decides what's in dog food. Those considering pet ownership may get an idea of the possible costs that modern pet ownership can involve. And those interested in modern American culture will find in this book a well-thought out consideration of the factors that have made pets essential members of many American families.

Fur From the Madding Crowd

When's the last time you saw a doghouse? You know, like the one Snoopy has in the old Peanuts comic strips. People used to have doghouses in their yards, because their pet dogs lived outside. Even the cat was put out at night, along with the empty milk bottles, like at the end of The Flintstones cartoons. Back in the Peanuts and Flintstones days, the only pets that lived inside were the pets of the rich. Now, in a time when everyone claims to be middle class, we all spoil our pets. One Nation Under Dog author Michael Schaffer examines the many ways we indulge our pets. He's as guilty as the next pet owner. He owns a dog and a cat, and we learn that his dog eats superpremium dog food, takes antidepressants, and has his own webpage on Dogster. Murphy, a Saint Bernard, sleeps indoors, has a professional dog walker, and stays at posh pet hotels when his family goes out of town. But as a journalist, Schaffer manages to remain objective throughout. It would have been easy to write a book that just points out all the wacky ways people pamper their "fur babies." Those of us who don't have pets would just laugh or ignore the phenomenon. Instead, Schaffer has written about how the expanding importance of pets affects all of us. In the chapter about the San Francisco Dog Wars, he explains how unleashed dogs have taken over a local park and even the beach, to the consternation of people who prefer to enjoy poop-free grass and sand. The police, city council, and even the mayor, are reluctant to enforce the leash laws because it would be political suicide. In another trend, people whose pets have been injured or killed, sue for emotional damages as well as for negligence. This is significant because pets have always been considered property under the law. One Nation Under Dog also goes behind the scenes to examine how pet food is produced, what goes on at the animal shelter, who's walking your dog, how pet medicine is advancing, the widespread use of pet pharmaceuticals, the many theories of training pets, and more. The emphasis is on dogs, but in the end, it's really all about us.

Great title! Even better book!!!

This is NOT just a book for dog lovers; it's also for the folks who think that people who dress their mutts up in designer clothes should be locked up somewhere. The author looks at dog culture from every angle and shows us the good, the bad and the ugly (Amish puppy mills!!!!). Surprisingly, ONE NATION UNDER DOG isn't really about dogs at all; it's about us. The book chronicles the way our society, culture and family dynamics have changed over the centuries, becoming more fragmented and solitary and how many of us have turned to pets to fill the ever increasing void we feel inside. We all "need to love" and to "be loved" and pets are increasingly becoming part of that equation. So if you're a pet lover, read this book-you'll LOVE it! If you're not a pet lover, read this book anyway-you'll likely get a new perspective on our modern "solitary" society and it's effects on our nation as a whole.

Dog Fans, Read On!

If you are fond of dogs, you'll enjoy this book. It will give you lots of information, lots of food for thought, and emotion as well. It is not, to me at least, hard to bear emotionally. Instead, it may help you think about how you live with your dog or want to live with a dog. I did choke up a little when reading the chapter on dog death, but only a little. The tone of the book is informative and explorative. But of course if you are very close to experiencing a wrenching dog loss, you might react differently. Still, that is not the book's tone. I found the book really fascinating. Schaffer discusses so many aspects of dog ownership/guardianship including selection, veterinary care, legal issues and how they have played, services such as dog walkers, dog training, and more. I have been involved with dog training for many years and seen many changes. I found Schaffer's words on this subject interesting and even a bit delightful! If you are into dogs, you are likely to find this book very interesting. It's well-written, and covers a lot. It's interesting to realize as I sit here that there is so much more--no limit, really, to what we could discuss about dogs. No wonder people have social events built around dogs (that's in the book, too!).