Читать книгу Dogs in the Leisure Experience - Neil Carr - Страница 16

Following on from this introductory chapter the book looks, in Chapter 2, at the working dogs who exist within the leisure environment. Some of these animals are directly employed by the leisure industry, while others have been utilized by the industry in marketing leisure experiences and destinations. The focus of Chapter 3 is on dogs and sport, looking first at sports that are based on dogs before examining those that have been developed to cater to dogs. The link between the working and sports dog is seen to be a close one, with many sports involving dogs having grown out of the work for which various breeds of dog have been developed. Chapter 4 then examines the notion of the leisured dog and the dog as an object of human leisure. The former necessitates a discussion of whether dogs actually have leisure, while the latter is grounded in the discussion surrounding the idea of the dog as a sentient being.

From looking at the types of dogs and their experiences in leisure, Chapter 5 examines the ways in which the leisure experiences of dogs are provided for. A central facet of this chapter is an analysis of whether such provisions are really for dogs or for their owners. Chapter 6 then focuses more specifically on the provision of kennels, dog day care and other services that are ostensibly provided for dogs but in reality are strongly oriented towards dog owners’ perceptions of their animals’ needs.

In the initial book proposal, Chapters 7 and 8, which look at dogs as cuisine, and cuisine for dogs, respectively, were one chapter. The logic of this was to bring together what I saw as being two sides of the same coin. The credit for splitting this into the two chapters in the final version of the book rests with the publisher. On balance, I think I prefer the final version as it gives space for the two issues to be addressed separately, without one dominating the other. At the same time, I would urge the reader to see the linkages that exist between the two.

The final chapter attempts to bring together some of the main ideas raised in the book, but more importantly it seeks to suggest a future for research on dogs in the leisure experience.