Bandit: Dossier of a Dangerous Dog [Hardcover]

Vicki Hearne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1991

Veteran dog trainer Vicki Hearne provides a penetrating examination of the interactions between animals and the human world. "Brilliant, fiery. Hearne captures a hundred nuances of the relation between people and animals. Anyone who likes dogs . . . will like Bandit."--Chicago Sun-Times. Hearne also is the author of Adam's Task: Calling Animals by Name and a contributing editor for Harper's.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The case of a dog ordered put to death by the state of Connecticut in 1987 occasions poet, philosopher and animal trainer Hearne's ( Adam's Task) wide-ranging and brilliant discussion, equally saturated with references to Plato and dog-training theory, of such issues as justice; the role of language in perception; racism; and gender theories. Hearne describes how she retrained Bandit, a dog deemed dangerous (because it had bitten people under exceptional circumstances), and thus earned the dog's reprieve--if not the right to return it to its owner, an elderly black man inhabiting a poor urban neighborhood. Positing her ideas of animal behavior and education, she then examines the sociological dimensions of the case against Bandit, a bull dog inaccurately labeled a pit bull, demonstrating that those breeds favored by the underclass have long been demonized. The politics of disenfranchisement and the corruption inherent in do-goodism are the subjects of other noteworthy critiques in this outstanding work. Illustrations not seen by PW.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In Stamford, Connecticut in 1987, Bandit was condemned to death for being a dangerous dog, an alleged "pit bull" who had bitten twice, once in defense of his friend and property and once in self-defense. Despite stiff opposition by local animal control officials who wanted Bandit "disposed of," Hearne, an animal trainer, poet, and author ( Adam's Task , LJ 8/86) was able to obtain the dog and train him. A moving account of the fight for Bandit's life and liberty (as recorded in the recent PBS documentary A Little Vicious ), this is also a compelling indictment of the political movement for breed-specific "vicious dog" legislation and the self-declared experts who advocate it. Hearne provides a much-needed counterpoint to what has been a very one-sided argument on a volatile issue. Recommended for academic and public libraries.
- Jennifer King, Monmouth Cty. Lib., Marlboro, N.J.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 303 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins; 1st edition (November 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060190051
• ISBN-13: 978-0060190057
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,501,019 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Dog, Difficult Book to Process, October 10, 2002

By 

J. Bozak (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bandit: Dossier of a Dangerous Dog (Paperback)

I respect Vicki Hearne, I like this book. Bandit, and his case that Vicki fought for so well was a very important watermark in exposing the myths and half truths that cause so many local authorities accross the country to blindly deem certain breeds of dogs as dangerous. I want to love this book because of this, however, for me the book was to difficult to read. Vicki uses extremely complicated sentence structure and seems to enjoy putting the reader through the wringer before she makes her point. I had to come back to this book a few times to finish it. I believe this is a story we all should be aware of, unfortunately the style of writing alienates it from a good deal of it's prospective audience. If you're well read, go for it, if not just expect to go through a mental obstacle course before the book is finished!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars About time, January 16, 2000

By 

Flyn Lindley "robinandlynne" (Bellingham, Wa United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bandit: Dossier of a Dangerous Dog (Paperback)

Ok, ok, Hearne can be annoying with the long philosophical musings. (She comes across as someone who's been made to feel small by academics and is putting on airs.) But, Honey, Vicki Hearne knows dogs.

Hearne has great, intuitive, gut-instinct about people and dogs. This gripping story. (Skip the "philosophy" which seems weirdly inserted into this fascinating story anyway.) Hearne has done the research. She understands and communicates the myriad elements of the pit bull and dangerous dog hysteria. You'll come to the end of _Bandit: Dossier of a Dangerous Dog_, a well informed citizen on the issue of blanket, breed specific, dog bans.

Your heart will be touched by old Bandit's story. You might not take your right to dog companionship quite so much for granted anymore. You may find (god forbid)you need this information in your own town. As for the reviews above mine... you have to understand (or admit) everybody is an expert when it comes to dogs. The backbiting in the dog world... well, it's no pun.

Update 9/18/06: Vicki Hearn died a couple of years ago at way too young an age. Dogs have one less advocate.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite books, July 26, 2005

By 

C. Keith (Davisburg, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bandit: Dossier of a Dangerous Dog (Paperback)

Some people object to Vicki Hearne's writing style (smart girls can be annoying). Others feel her training methods were too harsh. But Vicki Hearne knew a great dog, and how to write about one. Be warned: This book is politically incorrect and may make you do something really stupid, like adopt a pit bull. Vicki Hearne is, after all, the one who said, "It is true that Pit Bulls grab and hold on. But what they most often grab and refuse to let go of is your heart, not your arm."