The world seems dog crazy. Everywhere you look people are displaying their dogs in fancy sweaters and, oxymoron that it is, “walking” their dogs in small doggy strollers; playing with their dogs using expensive throw toys; feeding their dogs exotic dog treats; and placating their dogs with high end chew toys.
In Paris or Rome, the best dressed women never leave home without their most beloved accessory: the small dog.
In cities around the world: doggy day spas and bakeries dedicated to speciality treats for dogs.
Pets are a 30 billion dollar a year industry and publishers are just catching on. Booksellers across the country are displaying a new genre: canine fiction. And why not?
Humans have spent centuries speaking for their dogs. It’s about time they go on the record in all forms and fashion: from the point of view of the owner, to the voice of the dog. Dogophiles continue to crave anything that makes them feels closer to their canine counterparts, whether it showering them with attention, or examining the inner workings of the mind of dog in literature. From surprise bestseller, My Dog, Marley, to Anna Quindlen’s Good Dog. Stay, to Garth Stein’s soon to be released dog’s point-of-view novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain, canine literature is sure to be fully subscribed…and the next successful venue for writers.
—dog photos by Lisa Goldman