Book excerpt: This book explores the social and cultural constructions and debates of what are dogs and what is leisure. It looks at how working dogs play a significant role in leisure experiences such as ensuring the safety of air transport, and considers the differing roles and changing acceptance of dogs’ involvement in sport. Within the setting of the animal welfare and sentience debates, it examines the leisure needs of dogs and their owners. Providing an original contribution to our understanding of dogs as both participants and objects in the leisure experience, this book is a useful resource for researchers in leisure, hospitality and tourism.