How we review this book: We present the book's core takeaways and our perspective from an HonestDog point of view—based on publicly available content, expert reviews, and interviews with the author. This review is neither a classic book review nor a replacement for reading the book itself; it's meant to help you decide whether reading it is right for you.
If "Das Kuscheltierdrama" was the wake-up call, "Geschundene Gefährten" is the polemic. In his second book, veterinary pathologist Achim Gruber addresses the exact issue that drives us at HonestDog every day: the pitfalls of selective breeding in dogs and our responsibility for it. Of all the books on our list, this one is perhaps closest to our ethos.
What It's About
Achim Gruber teaches and researches as a veterinary pathologist at the Freie Universität Berlin—professionally, he sees firsthand what dogs and cats truly suffer and die from. In "Geschundene Gefährten: Über Irrwege in der Rassezucht und unsere Verantwortung für Hund und Katze" (2023), he dives straight into the debate on purebred dog mentalities. He questions the dramatic consequences that extreme breeding goals have on our pets and, more importantly, what buyers, breeders, and institutions can concretely do. Despite all the unsparing diagnoses, the book ends on a deliberately hopeful note.
Our Perspective
Where "Das Kuscheltierdrama" covers torture-breeding in its final third, here it's the entire focus. Gruber clearly points out that extreme breed traits—flat muzzles, extreme coat colors, exaggerated body shapes—aren't beauty ideals but sources of suffering, and he distributes responsibility fairly: to buyer demand, breeder goals, and kennel-club rules. That's essentially our thesis. To be fair, the book is deliberately provocative and polemic—the subtle distinction between the reputable breeder who does things right and the system that rewards extreme breeding sometimes gets lost. That exact distinction is where we operate: making responsible breeding visible rather than issuing blanket condemnations.
What Puppy Buyers Should Take Away
- Your purchase decision is a vote: it helps determine which breeding practices are worth supporting.
- Don't let a breed's "typical" appearance blind you—ask what that trait means for the animal's health.
- Extremes are never a mark of quality. A dog that can freely breathe, run, and see is the goal.
What Breeders Should Take Away
- Anyone who consistently aligns breeding goals with animal welfare stands on the right side of this debate—and wins informed buyers.
- The critique targets the system of extreme breeding, not responsible breeding—make the difference visible and verifiable.
What HonestDog Makes of It
Gruber's demand for transparency instead of sugarcoating is our operating system. We openly highlight health risks related to breeding, for example on our health pages for the Pug and the French Bulldog, and we spotlight verified breeders who do things differently. If you want to read a more foundational take on Gruber's arguments, you'll find them in our review of "Das Kuscheltierdrama". Unsure about choosing a breed? The Breed Finder helps you find a healthy match.
The Book at a Glance
- Title: Geschundene Gefährten – Über Irrwege in der Rassezucht und unsere Verantwortung für Hund und Katze
- Author: Prof. Dr. Achim Gruber
- Publisher: Droemer, 2023
- ISBN: 978-3-426-27908-3
Transparency note: This review is based on publicly available information about the book, not a complete read-through by our team. Factual statements regarding breed health and breeding on HonestDog are additionally backed by FCI, AKC, and veterinary sources.