Amazing Dogs: A Cabinet of Canine Curiosities

by Jan Bondeson

"Jan Bondeson is an extremely engaging and reliable storyteller, with a keen sense of humor."―The Guardian In Amazing Dogs, Jan Bondeson tells the stories of some of the most extraordinary dogs in history. In the 1750s, the Learned English Dog was a sensation in London: this spelling and calculating border collie was even thought to be a reincarnation of Pythagoras. The acting Newfoundland dog Carlo, active in London from 1803 until 1811, had plays specially written for him, involving tackling villains, liberating prisoners, and diving into artificial lakes onstage to save drowning children. Don the Speaking Dog toured the world barking out words like "Hungry! Give me cakes!" and had particular success in New York. Some of history's amazing dogs belonged to the canine proletariat: turnspit dogs ceaselessly running inside wheels to turn the roast meat, and terriers put into rat-pits, with bets laid on the number of rats killed. The champion terrier Billy killed 100 rats in five and a half minutes in 1823, a record that stood until 1863, when it was beaten by Jacko, another champion rat-killer. Another forgotten chapter in canine history is the story of the once-famous dogs collecting for charity in London's railway stations with boxes attached to their backs. Lord Byron's rowdy Newfoundland dog Boatswain belonged to the opposite end of the canine social spectrum, as did the superrich dogs that inherited money from their wealthy and eccentric owners. The book suitably ends with a chapter on dog cemeteries and dog ghosts.

Genres: Nonfiction, Dogs, History, Animals

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Outside of his career in medicine, he has written several nonfiction books on a variety of topics, such as medical anomalies and unsolved murder mysteries.

Bondeson is the biographer of a predecessor of Jack the Ripper, the London Monster, who stabbed fifty women in the buttocks, of Edward 'the Boy' Jones, who stalked Queen Victoria and stole her underwear, and Greyfriars Bobby, a Scottish terrier who supposedly spent 14 years guarding his master's grave.

He is currently working as a senior lecturer and consultant rheumatologist at the Cardiff University School of Medicine.


(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I skipped the less interesting chapters, but most of the chapters are really interesting. Like the whole chapter about Rolf and all the other super smart dogs that were eventually debunked. It's fascinating that the whole "New animal psychology" movement carried on even in Nazi Germany. Also, the collecting dogs in England. I had honestly never heard of those before! And the Turnspit dog breed that went extinct! There used to be Turnspit dogs in England that was forced to walk in a wooden wheel high up in the kitchen all day in order to turn meat on a spit to roast it. The poor dog! That was my favorite chapter. The picture of the stuffed turnspit dog is adorable. The turnspit dog went extinct with the availability of cheap roasting jacks.
Some other awesome parts:
"In...Paris, a circus performer had sold a talking dog to a publican for 400 francs. When the offer was accepted, the indignant dog exclaimed, 'So you sell me, do you! Then I shall never talk again!' To be sure, the dog never spoke another word, and when the ventriloquist was taken to court, he was acquitted and the publican laughed at." (pg 55)

"Japan had its own Grayfriars Bobby, an Akita named Hachiko. This dog belonged to a university professor, and used to meet him at the local railway station. One day in 1925, the master did not turn up, since he had died from a stroke. Hachiko was given away, but he did not like his new owner, escaping and returning to his old home, and then visiting the railway station. Every day, he appeared at the station, just in time to meet the train his old master used to travel on. The other passengers recognized the dog and began giving his food and other treats; this went on for several years, making the dog into a newspaper celebrity. His faithfulness to his master's memory impressed the people of Japan as a spirit of family loyalty that all should strive to achieve." (pg 144)

"A Newfoundland dog on the probationary staff of M. Lepine one day distinguished himself by rescuing a child from drowning. The grateful father presented the canine lifesaver with a large, juicy beefsteak. Two days later, another child was saved by the dog in a similar manner, and then yet another one. The dog was again praised and rewarded, and the sentimentalists wanted to give it a medal. The police were busy chasing the maniac who was throwing children into the Seine. They soon found the culprit: for the sake of the beefsteaks, the Newfoundland dog had been pushing children into the river and then rescuing them!" (pg 184)

[dejah_thoris · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amazingly dense book about amazing dogs. A few chapters were a bit intense for dog lovers, but overall it's a very interesting book. I especially enjoyed learning about the charity collection dogs. I wish we still had them today. (They probably were well cared for if they raised their keep!)

[[Name Redacted]]

Mentioned on an episode of "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!"

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some chapters are more interesting than others but, overall, a great collection of fascinating history and true stories.

[Carissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book reads like a college paper, only with single-spaced eight point type.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Abandoned on page 24 of 263. Dull and the tiny print doesn’t help. Can’t face another 200 odd pages.