{"product_id":"9781101596272","title":"What's a Dog For?: The Surprising History, Science, Philosophy, and Politics of Man's Best Friend","description":"John Homans adopted his dog,  Stella, from a shelter for all the usual reasons: fond memories of dogs  from his past, a companion for his son, an excuse for long walks around  the neighborhood. Soon enough, she is happily ensconced in the daily  workings of his family. And not only that: Stella is treated like a  family member—in ways that dogs of his youth were not. Spending  humanlike sums on vet bills, questioning her diet and exercise regimens,  contemplating her happiness—how had this all come to pass, when the  dogs from Homans’s childhood seemed quite content living mostly out in  the yard?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eWhat’s a Dog For?\u003c\/i\u003e, Homans explores the dog’s complex and  prominent place in our world and how it came to be. Evolving from wild  animals to working animals to nearly human members of our social fabric,  dogs are now the subject of serious scientific studies concerning pet  ownership, evolutionary theory, and even cognitive science. From new  insights into what makes dogs so appealing to humans to the health  benefits associated with owning a dog, Homans investigates why the  human-canine relationship has evolved so rapidly—how dogs moved into our  families, our homes, and sometimes even our beds in the span of a  generation, becoming a $53 billion industry in the United States in the  process.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs dogs take their place as coddled family members and their numbers  balloon to more than seventy-seven million in the United States alone,  it’s no surprise that canine culture at large is also undergoing a  massive transformation. They are now subject to many of the same  questions of rights and ethics as people, and the politics of dogs are  more tumultuous and public than ever— with fierce moral battles raging  over kill shelters, puppy mills, and breed standards. Incorporating  interviews and research from scientists, activists, breeders, and  trainers, \u003ci\u003eWhat’s a Dog For?\u003c\/i\u003e investigates how dogs have reached  this exalted status and why they hold such fascination for us. With one  paw in the animal world and one paw in the human world, it turns out  they have much to teach us about love, death, and morality—and  ultimately, in their closeness and difference, about what it means to be  human.","brand":"Penguin Publishing Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47072708788464,"sku":"9781101596272","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781101596272_p0.jpg?v=1763758902","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781101596272","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}