Sepia Saturday #111: Going to the dogs!

This photo is taken from a book I own entitled,

The Dog Album, Studio Portraits of Dogs and Their Owners

Gary E. Eichhorn and Scott B. Jones

My grandmother, Mary Ann Davison (nee Polland)

Mary Ann came from a long line of animal-lovers. There are photographs of her mother with rabbits on her lap, dogs, kittens, cows, chickens, sheep, horses, donkeys – even foxes have been pets to the Polland Clan.

It’s no surprise then, that my father was a huge animal-lover and particularly of dogs.  He would stop to greet anyone who was walking a dog and fearlessly would approach them (the dog, not the owner!) – open-handed to suggest he was not to be feared.  They would always end up alongside him, tails wagging, or even leaping up to lick his face.

So it is, that I seem to have inherited this trait.  I am The Dog Whisperer of my family.  Dogs love me!  Even though I don’t have a dog myself, nor have I ever had one for more than a week, I have a true way with dogs.

Recently, I’ve been taking photographs around my home-town and I’ve managed to get a few shots of local dogs. If you visit My Little Town, Elora, you can see Hayley and Beazley, the Schipperkes, Indigo, the blue-grey Labradoodle, and Duke, the Blue-heeler pup.  Those are the ones I’ve taken  – so far.

Strangely, until just a few years ago, I had never had the sheer delight of handling a puppy.  It was while I was at my local vet’s office that I had the opportunity to hold a very young pug.  I felt like a new mother must feel.  It was absolute elation that came over me.

My husband tells me that a veritable glow emanates from me when I am in the presence of a dog.  I must say that there is a true joy I feel when I have the chance to embrace the bulk of a dog, or scratch a silken ear.  When I have been nuzzled by a great wet nose, or allowed to rub a furry belly, I am filled with great peace and I thank God for the gift of the Dog.

I’m sure I have come by this ability and love directly through my blood-lines.  Just look at the contentment on my grandmother’s face, and the blissful repose of the lucky dog on her lap!

Me, with two cousins, Stewart and Burton “out East Bay” in Cape Breton, NS. (Flip and Pal are our companions.)

On my honeymoon – on the Strand at Galway Bay -

a new friend, “Penny” the Irish Setter.

On a visit to Kevin’s Godfather’s Turkey Farm, I was surrounded by dogs. This little fella really enjoyed a belly-rub, and as you can see, I was having a great time too!

In 2008, we went to a local organic farm, and met Winston. He was a great dog and stuck with me for most of the tour.

You’d never guess that I own three cats, would you? Lucky for me, our neighbourhood is chock full of canines! On either side we have Gus, the Labradoodle, Miley, the Newfoundland, and Nellie, the Standard Poodle. (Photos to come, I’m sure!)

 

Miley (February 4, 2012)

About these ads