Dogs: The Ultimate Dictionary of over 1,000 Breeds (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A respected naturalist and the author of over 50 volumes on animal and human behavior, Morris has compiled a treasury of information on the dog. More than 1000 breeds are discussed, accompanied by 600 black-and-white illustrations. Although the sheer number of dog breeds cited would be sufficient to make this volume a highly recommended purchase for all public libraries, Morris's painstaking scholarship and research truly set the book apart from standard breed dictionaries. Individual breed descriptions are followed by references provided in chronological order. The book closes with lists of general breed reference works, regional breed books arranged by country, and books that examine breed groups. In addition to the scholarship and fluid writing style, Morris includes fascinating anecdotes about extinct dogs, edible dogs, recent crossbreeds, breed histories, alternate names, and even a dog that will herd fish. All breeds are listed in the index. A valuable book for serious dog enthusiasts and casual browsers alike. Cleo Pappas, Lisle Lib. Dist., IL
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Animal lovers have long been captivated by Morris' fascinating work in the field of animal behavior. This addition to his oeuvre will not disappoint. Morris says this is the reference book he always wanted. It didn't exist so he wrote it! While most standard guides focus on a breed's physical standards for the show ring, this guide downplays that aspect and instead gives a historical perspective.

More than 1,000 dog breeds are covered. Breeds that are officially recognized and registered by major kennel clubs are included, but this dictionary also encompasses unrecognized breeds that have played a part in the history of domestic dogs. New breeds such as the Schnoodle, service dogs for the disabled, and even dogs once bred for human consumption are discussed, as are wild dogs, wolf-dog hybrids, and obscure and extinct breeds.

Presentation and organization of breed information is unique. Dogs are arranged first according to their original function--"Sporting Dogs," "Livestock Dogs," and "Service Dogs." Within these broad categories the animals are separated by functional specialty, such as "Sighthounds," "Sheep-herders," and "Rescue Dogs." For each group, a short overview essay is followed by entries for specific breeds, arranged by country of origin. The physical appearance and disposition of the dog are described, along with the breed's history and development over time, as well as the background of the breed name. (There was at one time a breed called a Turnspit whose name precisely described its function--running in a wheel that turned meat being roasted before a fire.) Information about relationships among breeds and controversies among canine experts adds an interesting dimension. Some breeds are represented in small black-and-white drawings. In addition to an extensive annotated bibliography, a list of references appears after many entries. There is an alphabetical index of 3,000 breed names, with those appearing in the dictionary in capital letters.

Although not replacing official kennel club guides, this title will be a valuable supplementary source of information for dog lovers. It offers hours of delightful browsing through the history of man's best friend. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 752 pages
• Publisher: Trafalgar Square Publishing; Reprint edition (February 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570762198
• ISBN-13: 978-1570762192
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #71,969 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Comprehensive -- and Accurate -- Dictionary, May 10, 2003

By	Tamara Taylor (Sanger, TX United States) - See all my reviews

Dog breed books must be a big seller -- look at all of them that are published. Rare breeds are particularly of interest to people who are looking for alternatives to what they feel are "overbred" commonly seen registered breeds. However, articles and information on such breeds are usually limited to personal accounts and sometimes questionable histories.

Desmond Morris does what no other encyclopedia or atlas of dogs has done. He has managed to give accurate accounts of some very rare dog breeds. Admirably, with recognized breeds, he has not fallen into the trap of relying on any one western/European dog club's or individual's perceptions. For example, in the case of Turkish native dog breeds he has found and cited credible Turkish sources. No small task!

The format of the book is something else I appreciate - it isn't oversized, probably because it has not included photos of the breeds (it does have line drawings).

If I had but one wish for this book - it would be to somehow include photos. But then the very reasonable price would have to be increased -- along with its current 752 pages!

An excellent read for people looking for information without a bias done by a world-renowned writer.

14 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars GREAT IDEA, POORLY EXECUTED, November 25, 2003

By	David W. Cohen (Las Vegas, NV United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Desmond Morris had a great idea: produce a comprehensive encyclopedia of all known breeds, with brief descriptions and drawings instead of photos, to keep the size and cost down. Unfortunately, the result is disappointing. First, don't get excited about the "over 1000" breeds, more than twice any other similar book. Morris lists many extinct breeds, which, while interesting, make comparison to similar books misleading. Also, he lists as separate, variations of single breeds. For example, he has 14 different greyhounds! Who knew Sudan had 3 different greyhound breeds. Secondly, many of the descriptions have numerous errors...pick the breeds you're most familiar with, and you'll see. Third, the drawings are horrid. I would not have recognized some breeds that I am extremely familiar with from the drawings.
I do like his functional classification scheme. Including "edible dogs" was interesting. And it was refreshing to see a "fighting dog" category. But ultimately, the effort fails.
Wilcox and Walkowicz's Atlas of Dog Breeds of the World remains the best all breed encyclopedia.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Breeds Ever, May 3, 2006

A Kid's Review

I love this book! It has PERFECTLY CORRECT information, and has over 3,000 breeds! From this book I figured out that my dog-what I thought was a plain mutt, then a 'miniature German shepherd dog', then a shepherd/Kelpie mix. Now I really know what my dog is: a Plains-Indian dog. This book has lots of sections, including Sighthounds (ex. Large Portuguese Podengo), Scenthounds, (ex. Limer) Short-legged Scenthounds, (ex. Kibble Hound) Flushing dogs (Russian Spaniel), Earth dogs (Shropshire terrier), Treeing dogs (American Blue Gascon Hound), Setting dogs (Llanidloes setter), Pointing dogs (German broken-coated pointer), Decoy dogs (Tumbler), Retrieving dogs (English Water Spaniel), General hunting dogs (Medelan), Fighting dogs (Cordoba Dog), Livestock guards (Dalbo dog), Sheepherders (Marled Collie), cattle herders (Smithfield Collie), deer herders (Cockhill's Finnish lapphund), llama herders (Inca dog), fish herders Fugian dog), household companion dogs (White Collie), household working dogs (Water Drawer), edible dogs (Izcuintlipotzolti) , hair dogs (Naga dog), property guards (Lyme mastiff), barge dogs (Keeshond), rescue dogs (St. Bernard), sled dogs (Aurora Husky), travois dogs (Plains-Indian dog), cart dogs (Belgian mastiff), carriage dogs (Dalmatian), truffle dogs (Truffle dog), wolf/dog hybrids (American Tundra Shepherd), feral dogs (Mongrel), obscure dogs (Sheltie-poo), and wild dogs (Golden Jackal). I give this book a five!