Dear Viewer!
I’ve had many relationships with dogs over the years, most have been more memorable than those with people! All unforgettable for their varied personalities and undivided devotions, forever happy to see one from morning until midnight (or later) watching my ‘exasperations’ at the easel or ‘hummings’ to sounds of Mulligan, Baker, Martin or J.J. Cale which keep me entertained.
Reactions to changing moods are either thumping tail-bashings to my old sofa or, ears cocked at my cursings, scurrying from the room looking back quizzically with an ‘it wasn’t me, I didn’t do it’ look!
From my very first doggy friend, Smudge, a black mongrel ‘street urchin’ who would call for me every day to play ball, or accompany me and my mates on various visits to parks or devotedly trot along with me delivering papers or milk.
Our present addition, Django, a loveable but Jekyll and Hyde-like Jack Russell acquired from our usual Battersea source of canine orphans. Our previous family member, Molly, also a Jack Russell, had been ill-treated, unloved and abused like Django, both resulting in having attitude problems. However, patience, love and trust has in both cases reduced those problems, all caused by humans who pro fess to have greater intellect! Whatever dastardly or depressed mood one suffers, the greeting by one’s dog seems to lift the spirits, a yelp, a wagging tail, or in Django’s case a nuzzling wet-nosed exuberance of sliding down our hallway to place his ball at my feet!
Lastly, owners should remember that in fact dogs, in many ways, own us! We feed them, take them to the park, play with them, etc. But of course in return we get their constant loyalty and they make life a happier place!
Most of the dogs depicted in these images I have known or know.
