A provocative look at the “cult of pedigree” and an entertaining social history of purebred dogs In this illuminating and entertaining social history, social critic Michael Brandow probes the “cult of pedigree” and traces the commercial rise of the purebred dog. Combining consumer studies with sharp commentary, A Matter of Breeding reveals the sordid history of the dog industry and shows how our brand-name pets—from Labs to French bulldogs and everything in between—pay the price with devastatingly poor health.