Sources about the world of dog fights?

September 25, 2008 2:35 PM

Help me research dog fights and the illegal subculture around them.

I am looking for source materials about fighting dogs and the subculture around it. I'm particularly interested in the blackmarket economy around it, the techniques of trainers, and the lives of fighting dogs. I'm more interested in first-person and/or journalistic accounts than I am general articles decrying the cruelty.

In a broader sense, I'm interested in a solid book explaining the psychology of dogs, and related training theories.

Bonus points for books and articles available online or obtainable at the library. My budget is pretty low.

(disclaimer: this is research for a piece of fiction)

posted by Bookhouse to pets & animals (7 comments total)

"Public Enemy Number One" is some great local journalism--pre-Vick, too, I think.
posted by glibhamdreck at 2:58 PM on September 25, 2008 [1 favorite]

Amores Perros
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 3:18 PM on September 25, 2008 [1 favorite]

This story (self-link, I work there) focuses on the police, but there is some interesting insight, like this quote:

"They have a totally different mentality. If you love the dog, you are going to put the dog in the fight. You and I can't comprehend it."
posted by Airhen at 5:29 PM on September 25, 2008

This won't be terribly helpful but I recall seeing a locally (Chicago) produce public television documentary on the subject a few months ago.
posted by Ponderance at 7:32 PM on September 25, 2008

How about this, Panorama (BBC) documentary?

Look on the top right for the link to watch the video.
posted by BishopsLoveScifi at 9:03 PM on September 25, 2008

on my phone so I can't give you the exact link, but search the goog for trunking dog fights. I found that by way of a dog rescue site. Not 1st person, but definitely an angle I had never heard of.
posted by modernpoverty at 10:17 AM on September 26, 2008

Thanks, all. I'm still looking for more sources.

Here's an interesting article I found that's heavily footnoted.
posted by Bookhouse at 4:25 PM on September 27, 2008