Call it a tale of two puppies. You can tell a lot about 2020s Britain by looking at its two defining “designer” dogs: the cavapoo (or spoodle, or any of the other poodle-crosses), and the American XL bully.
Both took off in popularity with a surge in dog ownership during the pandemic, prompting unscrupulous breeders to cash in on the demand; and both have been widely bred to prioritise appearance over good character or health. And, in their cartoonish contrast, both might be seen as emblematic of where our relationship with dogs has in recent decades gone awry. One is treated to puppuccinos and trips to the pub, while the other has been demonised as a killing machine.
