Dogland

Passion, Glory, and Lots of Slobber at the Westminster Dog Show

By: Tommy Tomlinson

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

“Delightful.” —Town & Country • “Extraordinary...Tomlinson’s book is a gem.” —Star Tribune (Minneapolis) • “Moving...Really broke me.” —The Washington Post • “This book wants to lick your face. Let it.” —Kirkus Reviews

Pulitzer Prize finalist Tommy Tomlinson explores the bond between dogs and their people in this irresistibly appealing, inside account of the Westminster Dog Show that follows one dog on his quest to become a champion.

Tommy Tomlinson was watching a dog show on television a few years ago when he had a sudden thought: Are those dogs happy? How about pet dogs—are they happy? Those questions sparked a quest to venture inside the dog-show world, in search of a deeper understanding of the longtime relationship between dogs and humans, and here, in Dogland he shares his surprising, entertaining, and moving adventures.

Spending three years on the road, Tomlinson goes behind the scenes at more than one hundred competitions across the country, from Midwestern fairgrounds to Madison Square Garden. Along the way he is licked, sniffed, and rubbed up against by dogs of nearly every size, shape, and breed. Like a real-life version of the classic mockumentary Best in Show, Dogland follows one champion show dog—a Samoyed named Striker—as well as his handler, Laura King, and his devoted entourage of breeders and owners as he competes in the 2022 Westminster Dog Show.

Striker’s whole career has been leading up to this moment. As Tomlinson writes, picking a top show dog is like drafting an NFL quarterback when they’re still in elementary school. Now Striker has made it to the Super Bowl. Tomlinson takes us on the long road to glory, bringing the dog-show circuit to life as teams scramble from town to town in search of championship ribbons. (Striker and his crew travel in a custom-built RV named after Betty White.)

Tomlinson’s limitless curiosity about people and dogs reaches far beyond the show tents and into the ordinary lives of dogs. We hear from experts who have discovered new insights into how dogs and humans formed their bond—and how that bond has changed over the centuries. We discover the fascinating origins of different dog breeds, learn about the elaborate breed standards that determine an ideal show dog, and consider the health issues that can arise in purebred dogs. We also meet dog lovers who applaud every dog, regardless of breed, simply for being themselves, such as WeRateDogs, the social media phenomenon with millions of followers, all for posts celebrating the day-to-day goofiness in most dog owners’ lives.

“A big ol’ slobbering smooch of optimism, laughter, and happiness” (Joe Posnanski) Dogland takes us on a rollicking tour through the rituals, tricks, and wonders of the dog-show world—and reveals what matters most for the happiness of dogs and dog lovers everywhere.

©2024 Tommy Tomlinson (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

So many questions

I loved the interweaving of current and historical facts .. without losing the overall focus of the story.

Dogs are the best so is Tommy T

I loved Dogland, loved the audio version and love Tommy Tomilson’s writing. This is a wonderful book for all the dog lovers in our lives.

All about dogs

I learned a lot about dogs I never knew. Makes me love my dog even more.

A fun and empathetic read about our best friends

Well presented treat us on dogs in our lives. It uses the backdrop of the Westminster Drive kennel. Show to illustrate how humans and dogs live intertwined lives very fun and worthwhile.

Informational and emotional

I loved this book so much. The author writes a terrific balance of educating us on the Westminster Show and appealing to the personal side of it all. If you love dogs, you will no doubt love this book

KDB

Wonderful story! Poignant and laughable at the same time!!! Loved it!! Highly recommend it! Well read!

It's Showtjme

The author makes you feel like you're right there. Just so much fascinating dog trivia while at the same time spinning a darn good tale.

Great Doog Book

with the exception of a couple of small details, this was a very accurate portrayal of the dog show world.

Enjoyed it but I wanted more

As a person who has been involved, somewhat peripherally, in the dog fancy for decades I enjoyed this book, especially the author's appreciation for Striker, the trivia, and the history. But I would have appreciated more about the passions and motivations that breeders and exhibitors have for the sport and their breeds. There are many dog sports in addition to conformation. Many show dogs and their people participate in other sports as well.

Why purebred dogs? On an individual level, simply being purebred does not make a dog better than the All-American next door. To me, what is special about purebred dogs is the history they represent - all the different ways humans and dogs have partnered over the millennia and around the world. I am still hoping for a book that can explain this passion to the average person,,not just represent the dog fancy with bemused affection as a quirky obsession. It certainly is that, but so much more.

good story but mixed message

the narrator does a very good job, the book of over all entertaining and gives a quick overview of dog shows, nothing technical but it would give a non dog show person an idea of what's going on. however most of the book has a distinctly anti dog show, anti purebred dog, anti preservation breeding vibe that would cause me to not recommend this book to anyone.