Thursday, December 25, 2014

Xmas Good Dog: He Forgave Them Eventually

 "How could they do this to me?" those resigned eyes say!!


Tuesday, December 23, 2014

The Center of Attention - A Xmas Dog

These nine photos document love.


Check out those Xmas ornaments!  I inherited some like that...clear tinted glass with painted stripes or stenciled scenes.  I am not especially into knowing 20th c. fabrics and such, but this house seems like it is much more 1940s than 1965, doesn't it?

These photos are the same house and dog...




Monday, November 24, 2014

1929 DeSoto Roadster with Winter Pup vs. Florida Dogs

New England dogs have to put up with ice between their toes in the winter while their southern brethren take it easy in the sun.




Sunday, November 23, 2014

One More Look at Summer

A great time for dogs and babies. 



There is nothing nicer than a warm summer day on the edge of the vegetable garden.


Makes me forget the cold draft coming off the window next to my chair!
(Window is on next year's to-do list.)



Friday, November 21, 2014

An Iowa Girl and Her Dog


Formal photos of some children with their pets are so...
...odd.
Stiff clothing over normally squiggly bodies and goofy expressions must have melted a mother's heart though. Luckily the pets usually fare much better.


I photograph kids with their work in school often.  Some children have a photo face just like this! A normal, vivacious child will suddenly appear stricken with some disfiguring paralysis of the face.



Monday, November 17, 2014

Proud Momma and Pups; plus an 1892 Article on St. Bernards!

In 1892, in The Fanciers' Journal: Devoted to Dogs, Poultry, Pigeons & Pet Stock, there was a history with quite a bit of detail and opinion of the St. Bernard.  It mentions the great popularity of the breed at that time.  I didn't know any of the rather dramatic beginnings of this breed and found it a good read (although the "begats" were a bit much later in the article).



 THE ST. BERNARD.

from Fred Greshara in Shooting Times.
In treating with the history of the Mount St. Bernard dog, I am aware that I am treading on well-beaten ground, for ever since it has acquired the popularity that it now enjoys in this country of being one of the most fashionable breeds of dogs it has been made the subject of numerous contributions to journals and other manuscripts which are interested in the welfare of the dog. I shall, therefore, only make cursory allusion to its early history, and pass on to the progress that it has made since it became associated with England, something like quarter of century ago.
The Mount St. Bernard dog derives its name from the Hospice of St. Bernard in Switzerland, where it has been kept for many years by the Monks to search for travelers who have lost their way on the snow-clad mountains adjacent to the Hospice. The specimens that were selected for work by the holy fathers were chiefly males which were trained to go out two together every morning and wend their way along the route taken by travelers. Each pair had separate beat, their duty being to journey to the farthest cabin of refuge, about distance of eight miles. In the event of their finding any travelers overcome with the cold, they endeavored to revive them by licking their hands, and if unsuccessful in this returned with haste to the Hospice to seek for further assistance. The lives of many people have been saved in this way in days gone by. dog known by the name of Barry is recorded to have been instrumental in rescuing upwards of forty, and to have died in harness, having been shot in mistake for wolf by man to whose rescue he had gone. There is stuffed figure of famous St. Bernard also named Barry in the museum at Berne.
According to tradition the monks set great store upon the marking of their dogs. Some writers have discredited the fact that the white blaze up the face, white collar round the shoulders and spot on the top of the skull have been encouraged in consequence of their resembling the vestments worn by the Holy Fathers, and also as to the latter preferring dogs that have dew claws on their hind legs to those that have not.   I am, however, satisfied about the correctness of their preference for these properties, and I am further strengthened in my views inasmuch as few years ago some visitors to the Hospice made it their special business to make inquiries on these particular points. 
In this connection I can quite understand that English breeders are disposed to discountenance these matters of detail, for it renders the task of breeding, when they are not taken into consideration, easier, and as matter of fact, as far as the rough-coated variety is concerned, they have produced a dog different in some respects to the St. Bernards that are now seen in Switzerland. Indeed, it is question whether the rough coated animals of the breed have any claim to the name of St. Bernards as it is on record that they were not known until by an accident many years ago all the female dogs at the Hospice were destroyed by an avalanche and the monks were compelled to cross the male that survived with either the Pyrenean sheep dog or the Newfoundland, which cross resulted in long-coated puppies being bred, which were given away as useless to work in the snow in consequence of their rough hair. 
The smooth coated St. Bernard undoubtedly more nearly resembles the dogs patronized at the Hospice in early days, and seeing that far better smooth coated St. Bernards have been imported from Switzerland than rough-coated, and that prominence is always given to them at continental shows, there is every reason to believe that the handsome animal with the rough coat that is so fashionable in this country is only mongrel. In furtherance of my ideas on the subject of white markings, it is to be remarked that all the best smooth-coated St. Bernards that have been imported have superabundance of white distributed in the way that I have described.
It may be argued that the smooth coated St. Bernard is as much mongrel as the rough-coated, inasmuch as it has been acknowledged that the cross with the sheep dog and Newfoundland has had recourse to. The same may be said of English greyhounds, in the veins of the best of which it is known that the blood of bull dog runs. We do know that the rough-coated St. Bernard started on its career mongrel, and that no effort has been made to convert it to the original type of the St. Bernard of the Hospice.
It is of the St. Bernard as it is known in England that I am writing, and in doing so it would be ridiculous on my part to disconnect the smooth from the rough coated, as the two have been so much bred together that with the exception of cue kennel, that of Mr. J. F. Smith, of Sheffield, which consists of imported dogs, there are no smooth-coated St. Bernards in the country that can claim purity of strain in the question of coat.
The first that was heard of St. Bernards in England was in the days of the great lecturer, Mr. Albert Smith, by whom pair were imported from Switzerland and introduced into the program that brought so much popularity to that gentleman, but it was not until Mr. J. C. Macdona introduced the rough-coated Tell and the smooth-coated Monarque and others, and dog shows were instituted, that they became general favorites. Mr. Macdona, who at that time established large kennel and held commanding lead in the breeding of St. Bernards, until he handed his entire kennel over to Dr. Seton. now has the satisfaction of seeing that all the most perfect St. Bernards in the country trace their pedigrees back to the team that he then with so much judgment imported.
The notoriety gained by Tell and Monarque brought others into the field, and the late Mr. J. H. Murchison soon became possessed of some excellent specimens, prominent amongst which was the rough-coated Thor, whom he purchased from Mr. Shumacher, the most successful breeder in Switzerland, which dog afterwards proved himself to be invaluable at stud. The kennels established by Mr. Macdona aud Mr. Murchison were the foundation of the magnificent collections of St. Bernards that are now to be seen in England aud America. It was from the dogs imported by these gentlemen, in connection with roughcoated dog named Leo, brought over from Switzerland by Sir Charles Isham, and bitch by Mr. T. J. Hooper, from which sprung fine lot of St. Bernards that I was fortunate enough to breed at Shefford which appear in the pedigree of almost every dog of note that has recently been bred.
It must not be forgotten that fifteen years ago it was less difficult to win prizes than at the present time, but I believe there is only one case on record where both the cups, all the first prizes, and all the second prizes but one in the St. Bernard classes, both rough and smooth, were won at aKennel Club show by the produce of two bitches, mother and daughter, and all whelped at the same kennels. The party consisted of the Monk, Hector, Queen Jura, Dagmar, Monarque II, The Shah, Abbess, Augusta, and auother from the same litter as Augusta, whose name I forget. Old Bernie produced Monk, Queen Jura, Monarque II, and Abbess to Sir Charles Isham's Leo; Abbess was the dam of the remainder, having bred Hector, Dagmar and the Shah to Thor and Augusta and her sister puppy to Moltke.
As time went on Mr. S. W. Smith appeared in the field with the imported Barry, who won number of prizes at shows in the north of England, and Bayard turned up, having been purchased from northern breeder by Mr. Macdona, and once more brought that gentleman's name to the front. Bayard had strong opponent in Dr. Russell's Cadwallader, who was instrumental in bringing the Orsett Kennels into notoriety, Mr. Norris Elye having been most successful with the produce of this dog and daughter of The Shah. At later period Mr. H. J. Bettertou purchased from Swiss breeder the smooth-coated Guide, aud afterwards Sans Peur, who was at the time in whelp with the celebrated Watch, one of the high-priced dogs that went to America; and then the prospects of the smooth coated variety, which had hitherto, compared with their rough-coated brethren, met with scanty support, were advanced. Mr. Betterton then bought Keeper, and finally sold the lot to Mr. J. F. Smith, who now possesses at Sheffield kennel of smooths that are unrivaled in any part of the world.
This, however, was not Mr. J. F. Smith's first venture with St. Bernards, for he already owned oue of the finest rough coated St. Bernards living inChampion Save, and had been the possessor of Ch. Leonard, rough dog of great merit, whom he purchased from Mr. Thornton, who was at that time considerable breeder of St. Bernards and had produced one of the very best smooths in Champion Leila, who was one of the first high-priceA animals that found their way over to America.
The introduction of Plinlimmon upon the scene is matter of history; how he was bred by Mr. Hall, who gave him in lieu of fee to the owner of his sire, Pilgrim, and how he was eventually sold to Rev. Arthur Carter, then to Mr. J. F. Smith, who disposed of him to Mr. Hedley Chapman. He then became the property of Mr. S. W. Smith, and by him was sent to America at the remunerative price of 1000 pounds, just in the nick of time when the crack Sir Bedivere was about to make his debut. That Plinlimmon should have been given in the place of five guinea fee, and that Sir Bedivere was bred by novice who only kept him because he was the most prettily marked, will be remembered for long time as curious incidents in connection with the two best rough-coated St. Bernards that have ever been produced in England. Peggotty and Princess Florence were the next to create asensation, the former by Guide out of Sans Peur. purchased and brought out by Mr. Duerdon Dutton, and the latter by Mr. Hedley Chapman. Then came Mr. Norris Elye's Alta Bella, who still remains in possession of the field as far as bitches are concerned.
The largest breeders and exhibitors in England at the present time are Mr. J. F. Smith, who owns the celebrated smooths Champion Keeper, Champion Sans Peur, Gondola and several others, amongst which is Triton, son of Keeper, promising youngster, who bids fair to rival the performances of his illustrious sire. Mr. Norris-Elye, the breeder and owner of Alta Bella and her dam, Bellegrade; Miss Carrie Dutton, to whom Champion Peggotty and Claudius belong, and who has been fortunate in breeding Starboard, the most successful puppy brought out this year; Mr. S. W. Smith, the owner of Young Bute, Isabelle aud others; Mr. Thomas Shillcock, who has Marvel, the grand-headed sou of Dr. Roberts' capital stud-dog, Champion Pouf, and Donnybrook Fair, the typical son of Hesper; Mr. A. J. Gosling, who owns the sensational smooth-coated bitch Lola IV, the rough-coated Champion Angelo, Baron Dacre and Tamora. Mr. Hedley Chapman, the late owner of Princess Florence, who now has Sir Hereward and Bessie III; Mr. T. Smith, the owner of Lady Ida (the dam of Princess Florence), Duke of Maplecroft and some promising puppies by Marvel; Rev. R. T. Thornton, the owner of Andromeda, Abyss and others; Dr. Iuman, the owner of Seigfrid and Winona; Mr. T. Thorbury, the owner of Scottish Guide, etc.
The study of breeders of St. Bernards ever since they were first introduced into England has been to increase the size, which for time threatened to be achieved at the expense of the nicer properties which belong to the breed. Perseverance has at length, however, had the desired effect and the St. Bernards of to-day are larger and heavier in bone than they were twenty years ago. There, still, however remains something to be done in order to get more massive hindquarters, for with the increased height there has not been obtained corresponding massiveness of quarters, and many of the tallest St. Bernards have narrow and split-up appearance, which does not denote power and stamina. A St. Bernard, notwithstanding that it stands thirty-three to thirty-four inches in height and weighs 200 pounds, should be able to gallop and stand up for long time in reason as it is required, instead of wanting to lie down at every turn as many do.      Dogs that can't move with freedom on account of their being overgrown or defective in their limbs cannot be called perfect animals, and yet many such are allowed to take prizes on the show bench and are used at stud and reproduce their defects in their offspring. It is far better to give away an inch or two in height and twenty pounds in weight in order to have symmetrical animal.
The chief points of value in a St. Bernard are to be found in its head. Nobility of expression is most important feature, prominent brow with dark hazel eyes tends to this if the muzzle is square and broad with good depth below the eye. The last-named is the one property that must not be dispensed with, for however perfect a St. Bernard may be in all other points if it is weak and snipy below the eye it loses all its grandeur. The most attractive color is deep orange with white markings, when the color round the eyes is shaded off to mahogany, but rich brindle, with the red evenly interspersed with the black, shows off to advantage the white muzzle, the while blaze up the face, the white collar round the neck which extends over the chest and forelegs, the white hind feet and the white tip of the tail.

Boy and Dog and Steadiness of Gaze

 This young man and his larger dog look remarkably alike to me!  


It is more of the steadiness of gaze, perhaps, but I would like to see the child when he was 60.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

A Tall Tail from 1896, plus St. Bernards

The piece, Other People's Dogs, gives a nice taste of 19th century gentle humor.  St. Bernards play a part in this backyard gardener's tale of woe so I found this old photo.  The size of this dog's head is awe inspiring! 



OTHER PEOPLE'S DOGS
WHEN I discovered one morning that my young sunflowers and my tomato vines had been cut down during the night by some lawless depredator I was mightily incensed. I had not supposed that there was anybody so mean as to commit such wanton destruction. The value of the property destroyed was not large; I had paid but five cents apiece for the twenty tomato vines, and the young sunflowers were present from Fadda Pierce. The intrinsic value of these things was so small as to cut no figure in my mind, but having watched the graceful creatures wax large and comely from mere sprouts it was quite natural that I should have strong sentimental attachment for them. For the fruit of the tomato vine I care nothing, but I had with much satisfaction pictured the enjoyment which Alice and the children would derive from the luscious tomatoes which I flattered myself were to ripen upon our own vines under the genial August sun.

Moreover, I had already made up list of the names of city friends to whom I intended to send handsome specimens of these first fruits of my experiments in farming; the Reillys, the Lynches, the Chapins, the Maxwells, the Scotts, the Fayes, the Deweys, the Morrises, the Millards, the Larneds, the Fletchers, the Ways—these and other fortutunate cronies were to be made recipients of my bounty in case the fruit held out. I will say nothing of the pleasing future I depicted for the sunflowers; the sunflower is particular favorite of mine, presumably because it is one of the very few flowers I am capable of identifying.
My impulse, when beholding the tomato vines and sunflowers cut down in the innocence of youth, was to determine not to pursue gardening further. To this mood succeeded fit of anger, and I was so outraged by the destruction I beheld that I would cheerfully have given any sum of money I could have borrowed of my neighbors for information leading to the apprehension of the perpetrator of this brutal wrong.

As it was, I wrote out an offer of five dollars reward upon sheet of letter paper and nailed it with four large wire nails to maple tree in front of the place, where all passersby could see and read it. Later in the day I went to tell Fadda Pierce of the trouble which had befallen me, and he consoled me with the assurance that the work of destruction had been wrought — not by human being, as I had surmised, but by cutworms, kind of reptile that plies its nefarious trade between two days for no other apparent purpose than that of making gentlemen farmers like myself miserable.
Fadda Pierce told me that Paris green was an effective antidote against these destructive worms, and I have ordered barrel of it from the city. I intend to spread layer of this Paris green over all our flower and vegetable beds; the contrast thus presented to the dull, sere brown of our lawn will be very pleasing to the eye. In fact, I am not sure that it would not be cheaper to color our whole lawn with Paris green than to attempt to revive it with water, which can be used with legal liberality only between the first of November and the first of May.

By way of illustrating what mockery our national Department of Agriculture is, l will say that I wrote to Secretaty Morton about the cutworms and asked that he suggest an antidote against the same. Although five weeks have elapsed since I dispatched that letter I have had no word of any kind from the Department of Agriculture. l feel the slight all the more keenly because I am personal acquaintance of Secretary Morton's, having been introduced to and shaken hands with him at the quadrennial convention of the Western Academy of Science at Omaha in 1884. Prompt attention to my letter was due on the score of old friendship. The Secretary of Agriculture will recognize his error in offending me if ever he becomes candidate for the presidency. Reuben Baker never forgets an affront.
But, though my sunflowers and my tomato vines suffered as I have narrated, my potatoes were doing finely. The potato patch is located in the back yard, near the poplar trees; it is in the shape of the Big Dipper, and I took the precaution to plant the potatoes in the new of the moon. The first planting never amounted to anything, for the reason that I peeled them and cut out the eyes before putting them in their hills. I learned subsequently that this was as fatal course as it were possible to pursue. You must never peel potatoes or cut out their eyes if you want them to grow. I do not know why this is so, but it is. At any rate, the second crop I planted was success. Every day I dug down into the hills to see how the potatoes were progressing, and I was thus enabled to keep track of the development of the tender fruit.

My young friend Budd Taylor provided me with dozen ears of seed popcorn which l planted in warm, bright spot and which soon bristled up in splendid style. I think it likely that, but for the birds, I should have had crop of popcorn sufficient to supply the Chicago market, for I never before saw anything like that corn for luxuriance and thrift. How the birds ever found out about it will doubtless remain mystery.
The birds I refer to proved to be blackbirds, although for time I mistook them for young crows. One morning I detected about three dozen of the poaching rogues stalking through the grass in the direction of my corn-patch, and, almost before I knew it, the feathered rascals had played havoc with my promising crop of popcorn. Then I remembered that I had read and seen pictures in books of scarecrows; so I dressed up figure and set it up near the corn patch. It was really very good counterfeit of man, as indeed it ought to have been, for the clothing I used was far from ragged, and Alice had been intending to send it to poor relative of hers in Nebraska.
The night after I had set up this lay figure in the yard policeman came along Clarendon Avenue for the first time in his professional career. He espied the figure in the yard and at once mistook it for thief who had come to steal our lawn hose. With gallantry and with devotion to duty which cannot be too highly commended, the intrepid policeman opened fire with his revolver and put seven holes through the scarecrow before he discovered his mistake.

The cannonading awakened Major Ryson, one of the nearest neighbors, and that discreet gentleman immediately set his bull terrier loose. This sagacious but vindictive animal bore down upon the scene of action and treed the policeman the first thing. Having expended all his ammunition upon the lay figure, the policeman had no means of interchanging compliments with his assailant, and was therefore compelled to spend the night inwillow. Meanwhile the bull terrier encountered-the scarecrow, and, mistaking it for human being, soon tore that unfortunate object into ten thousand pieces. Next day our lawn was literally strewn with straw and buttons and remnants of what had once been very decent suit of clothes.
This reference to Major Ryson's bull terrier reminds me of the visit which the Baylors' dog paid to our new premises. The Baylors' dog is St. Bernard about year old and weighing one hundred and seventy-five pounds. Most of the time this amiable leviathan is confined in the Baylors' back yard, spot hardly large enough to admit of the leviathan's turning around in it. The evening to which I refer the Baylors made pilgrimage to our new house for the purpose of ascertaining whether we had put in copper kitchen sink or galvanized iron one. I can't imagine what possessed them to do it, but they took the St. Bernard with them. The sense of freedom which this playful beast felt upon being let loose in our extensive yard proved wholly uncontrollable, and while the Baylors were investigating the sink question the amiable leviathan gallivanted about the premises with that elephantine exuberance which is to be expected of St. Bernard one year old and weighing one hundred and seventy-five pounds. Adah (who has an eye to the beautiful) had planted vast number of nasturtiums and red geraniums, and under one of the oak trees had trained numerous graceful, dainty vines, which, as I recall, are known to horticultural amateurs as 'cobies.

In the twinkling of an eye the Baylor leviathan swept these blossoming innocents out of existence, and in other twinklings he wrought desolation among the peonies, the pansies, and other floral objects upon which the women folk had lavished wealth of patient care. bull in china-shop could hardly create the havoc which the Baylor pup, with his one hundred and seventy-five pounds of animal spirits, wrought in our lawn. Next morning the lawn looked as if it had been honored with nocturnal visitation from Burr Robbins' galaxy of domesticated wild beasts.

Curiously enough, the Baylors thought it was very funny. I don't know why it is, but it can't be denied that it is fact that those acts which in other people's pups strike us as strangely improper, become in our own pups the most natural and most mirth-provoking performances in the world. I recall the anger with which neighbor Baylor drove neighbor Macleod's mastiff off his porch one evening because that mastiff attempted to make his way through the screen door behind which the family cat was visible. In this instance the Macleod mastiff was simply following the predominating instinct of the canine kind, and neighbor Baylor hated the unreasonable beast for it. Yet I 'll warrant me that while his own lubberly pup was prancing around over our flowerbeds neighbor Baylor regarded the performance as the most cunning and most charming divertisement in the world.

It is much the same way with children. If I were put upon oath, I should have to admit that the very same antics which I regard as most seemly (not to say fascinating) in my own pretty little darlings I do not approve of at all when I see them attempted by the awkward, homely children of my neighbors.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Good Dogs from Past Centuries

I have enjoyed posting old photos of "good dogs" this year.  They make me feel good as I think about the story the photo presents.

Recently I have become curious about dogs and their relationship to humans before the age of photographs.  Was the bond considered worth writing about?  I see mention in 18th century novels I read about a beloved lap cat or little family dog, but were they considered worthy subjects for an article, essay or a book?

I grew up on books like Bob, Son of Battle and watching Rin Tin Tin  and Lassie on early TV so it is this sort of doggy hero I am curious about in previous centuries.  Bob, Son of Battle is the title of the U.S. printing, Owd Bob being the 1898 British title.  I had no clue it was so old until I started writing this!!

If you have never read this classic, give it a shot!  Here is a link to the American edition.

From Wikipedia: Owd Bob: The Grey Dog of Kenmuir, also titled Bob, Son of Battle in U.S. editions, is a children's book by English author Alfred Ollivant. It was published in 1898 and went on to become popular in the United Kingdom and the United States, though most of the dialogue in the book was written in the Cumbrian dialect.

Do you like Bearded Collies? Below is from a page dedicated to books featuring Beardies!



"They two most highly sought versions of Owd Bob were published by William Heinemann LTD (London, Toronto) in 1937 and 1947 - listed as Illustrated Edition. 

These were illustrated by K.F.Barker - and the illustrations are of Bearded Collies. The 37 edition is much larger and has of course larger illustrations than the '47 version which is more of a pocket edition. Both have the dust cover shown above."




 





Owd Bob has been represented by many of the herding dogs in movies and illustrations.

 







The artist here is Margaret Kirmse.  She is an American illustrator, born in 1895 in England, but finding her way as a visual artist here in the states. Her dog etchings are just delightful!  Here is a search for them.


Nice binding below :-)






Sunday, November 2, 2014

Argo, the Fire Dog

I should have posted Argo for Halloween I suppose.  Argo is a VERY good dog to put up with the shenanigans of his friends.  The caption with the photo said those bizarre spectacles Argo is wearing are shooting glasses, and that the uniform was a fire department's.  
What is that special purpose barn behind him?  And the chimney on the brick building?


Thursday, October 30, 2014

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Laddie Led a Loved Life

You can just tell by the expression that he knew he was 
the center of someones universe :-)


Monday, October 27, 2014

Four Photos of a Fuzzy Puppy

What makes one photo evocative 
and another merely out of focus?






I think this pup would look out of focus even in person!

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Who Leads Who?


This is a clever leash arrangement!  Isn't that a ball that is skewered by a leash? The ball makes it quick and easy to grab if you are a dog, if what I see is really there.  

Old Friends


Grow Old With Dogs


When I am old...
I will wear soft gray sweatshirts...
and a bandana over my silver hair.....
and I will spend my social security checks on wine and my dogs.

Author Unknown

This poem, which is much longer, is all over the dog internet I find...but I like this first stanza by itself.

Monday, October 6, 2014

Trio of Friends


This dog exudes gravitas!  Lucky kid to have such a good friend, and to have such a thick coat.



Wednesday, September 17, 2014

A Victorian Miss and Her Pug

I am always amazed that  photographers can get a pet and their person in focus at the same time. Have you noticed how many photos have happy blurs?


Friday, September 12, 2014

"Keystone Teddy" the Wonder Dog

This old canine thespian seems to take it in stride.  I believe this is Teddy!

This is a Library of Congress image.

These are Google Image returns for "Teddy the Wonder Dog"!

"Keystone Teddy" the Wonder Dog, arguably the first canine superstar of the American cinema, was a fawn or lightly marked brindle Great Dane featured in numerous shorts at Mack Sennett's Keystone Film Co. The popularity of Teddy was such that he became one of Sennett's highest paid "actors," commanding the sterling salary of $350 a week. He performed with some of the top stars at the studio, including Baby PeggyChester Conklin, 'Charles Murray (I)", Ford Sterling, and Slim Summerville. Teddy also provided stalwart support to "America's Sweetheart, Canadian-born Mary Pickford, in her sentimental pot-boiler Stella Maris (1918), wherein America's Best Friend was billed rather pompously as "The Sennett Dog." Aside from such august company, Teddy's most frequent co-stars were ophthalmologically challenged Ben Turpin and Pepper the Cat.

The star of at least 18 movies, his most famous picture was the short Teddy at the Throttle (1917), a classic of the canine genre that was highly evocative of the Keystone product. The film combined absurd chase scenes, including a race against time to save the heroine (Sennett bathing beauty Gloria Swanson) from being run over by a train, slapstick comedy, satire and animal comedy. The film also co-starred future Best Actor Academy Award-winner Wallace Beery as the heavy.

In the movie, Teddy the Wonder Dog -- who was then relatively underpaid at $35 per week -- sang with Gloria, danced with her maid, and saved her by stopping a train, thus enabling her to be reunited with her true love. Interestingly, Swanson claimed that she did not recall making the film, in which she was upstaged by the famous pooch.

Teddy appeared with fellow Sennett superstar Mabel Normand in The Extra Girl (1923) (a.k.a. "Millie of the Movies"), one of his last flicks. He retired from the Hollywood "dog eats dog" rat-race in 1923.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Jon C. Hopwood