Dominance and affection: purebred dogs and humans in dog-centric areas

Abstract

This article contributes to animal geographies through a specific analysis of human-animal relations. It explores the intricate relationship of dominance and affection between humans and purebred dogs. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted in dog areas, the article examines how humans construct social representations out of their dogs in these restricted, self-regulated spaces. After presenting a critical reading of the production of purebred dogs, I discuss humans’ representations of their dogs, often seen as extensions of their personality. This relationship, within dog areas, manifests itself in the discourses that circulate, where the dog is often anthropomorphised and used to reinforce gender stereotypes rooted in common sense. For example, female dogs are often described as jealous and dogs as “Latin lovers”. In this context, affection makes people desire the dog as a mirror of their personality, a social facilitator, or a protective figure. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of the human-animal relationship and the nature-culture dichotomy, with particular attention given to their implications in urban spaces beyond the majority of research conducted in animal geography which usually focuses on case studies located in the UK or US.