First Published: 1996

Hardcover 144 pages 

Published: August 1996

Publisher: TFH Publications

Translator: William Charlton

ISBN: 0793804981

Product Dimensions: 25.2cm x 28.5cm approx

Book Weight: 770g approx.

Book Description:

"A history of fighting dogs through the ages, which explains the ways in which they were used, from the war dogs of ancient Persia through to European dog fighting in the 19th century"

"Pitting man's best friend against man's best friend counts amongst the most heinous crimes our race has ever committed. Animal rights activists and many dog lovers cannot bear the thought of dog fighting as an acceptance "sport", yet the breeds once used in these bloody games remain among the world's most loved and popular companion dogs.

The History of the Fighting Dogs traces the fascinating history of the dog pits, from staged battles with bulls and bears, to the queer pittings of dog against monkeys, opossums, and donkeys, to the gory contents with a thousand rats, to the ultimate fight: dog against dog.

We cannot ignore or deny the history of our dogs, or of our race. This important first volume by international dog expert Dr. Dieter Fleig delved deeply into the history of the fighting dog, its effects on our dogs today, and its reflection on the social character of the times. 

Over a hundred prints, paintings, and sculptures - many in color - bring to life the woeful tales of the dog pit and the brave canine warriors that proved fearless and relentless time and time again. For advocates of the bull and terrier breeds, for all dog lovers, and for animal people everywhere, this book is a timeless, truthful testament to man's best friend and his all-giving - and forgiving-heart." 

CONTENTS:

Foreword

Introduction

• The Development of the Dog into a Specialist

• Classification by Carl Linnaeus

• Classification by Stonehenge in British Rural Sports (1856)

• The Origin on the Fighting Dog Breeds

The Purposes of Fighting Dogs

• War Dogs

• The Hunting of Dangerous Game

• Fights against Bears and Lions

• Fights against Bulls

• Dogs fighting Dogs

• Fights with the Badger

• Fights against Rats

• Fights against Apes

• Monkeys

• Opossums

• Pigs

• Horses and Donkeys

• Fights against Man

• The Banning of Animal Fights

FOREWORD:

It is an ancient dream of mankind, the dream of the incorruptible, faithful four-legged companion. The old gods, with

fearless, valiant dogs at their sides - the path to the underworld, separated from the mortal realm by incorruptible, powerful guardians, these old myths reflect an ancient yearning of man. His brave dog protects him from his enemies. The dog fills him with pride to have exclusive power over this life’s companion that is so dangerous to all other people and animals.  His faithful, four-legged companion turns him into a "superman” - like a god.

For as long as the dog has accompanied humans to live with, humans have enjoyed the protection provided by the dog. If at first it was only the barking with which the dog announces strangers, humans soon recognized that the dog could be more than just a warner, it could be a protector. The flashing, powerful bite of his dog was a valuable weapon for him in his constant battle against the hostile world around him. Companion on the hunt, protector of the herds, guardian of house and family, the dog became the first and most important domestic animal of humans. It has often been acclaimed as man’s best friend.

Over millennia, the valiant dog has accompanied humans. It traveled with warriors to foreign lands as a frightening

offensive weapon; it protected the wagons, villages, and huts of the residents against intruders, and defended women and children with its powerful jaws. The dog guarded its master's herds against wild predators and became the best hunting companion against dangerous game. If you took all the legs of the dogs that died protecting the lives and property of their masters, and heaped them in a great pile, a gigantic mountain of bones would tower

over the landscape, a memorial to the faithfulness and dependability of our dog.

This book is an homage to the brave dog, which gave and continues to give its life to serve its master. Fighting dogs are surely the most magnificent representatives of their species. They deserve our recognition, admiration, and understanding. Accompany me as we travel through the millennia of the mutual past of human and fighting dog until we come to the splendid modern descendents of the fighting dog.