Aw, Com'on, Smile Why Doncha!?

I think this is another case of new clothes getting in the way of fun. 

 

It is a big responsibility to stay neat,
especially when your best friend has that "let's play" grin!

Dreaming of the Wright Brothers

If those ears were just a little bigger...

Hmmm....

I don't know why - I just find this portrait very ... something.

Library of Congress image

1920: Laddie Boy and His Friend, Warren Harding

Laddie Boy handled his fame with panache!

I didn't know if a celebrity dog would fit in this blog.  

Then I thought, of course he would if he is a good dog! 

And Laddie Boy certainly was.

I was attracted to these photos because my grandmother had a much beloved dog named Laddie. This posting is a bit more "talky" than most...but I like looking things up and then sharing!
Laddie was really an important  part of President Harding's and his family's life.

During their time in the White House, from 1921 to 1923, the Hardings included their dog in almost every aspect of their daily lives. When Harding golfed with friends, Laddie Boy tagged along. During cabinet meetings, the dog sat in (perched on his own chair). At fundraising events, the first lady frequently had Laddie Boy make appearances. The dog was such a prominent White House personality that the Washington Star and the New York Times seemed to run stories about the terrier almost daily in the months after Harding took office. In a 39-day period in the spring of 1921, these are just some of the headlines that appeared in the Times:

"Gets Airedale as Mascot"
"Laddie Boy a Newsboy"
"Trees White House Cat" 
"Laddie Boy Gets Playmate"

Born on July 26, 1920, at the Caswell Kennels in Toledo, Ohio, Laddie Boy was 6 months old when he arrived at the White House on March 5, 1921, the day after Harding's inauguration. A sitting U.S. senator from Marion, Ohio, Harding had won the 1920 presidential election with 60 percent of the popular vote. Harding, who had brought his relaxed and informal work style to the presidency, instructed his staff to bring Laddie Boy to him as soon as he was delivered to the White House. The staff obeyed, interrupting Harding's first cabinet meeting to unveil the terrier. "With many manifestations of pleasure, the President led his new pet into his office, where he made himself at home," wrote a Times reporter on March 5.

Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-white-houses-first-celebrity-dog-48373830/

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1905: Grover Cleveland and friend...

Library of Congress

It's a wonderful gift that a dog brings people; the chance to forget about yourself.  

Here is another photo of this lovely dog, found on Vanished Americana. If you have a stereo viewer you can get the full sized image there.

A Wonderful, Loving Smile

George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress)

Dogs are wonderful love sponges :-)

Hmmm...

There is a story here...

...a welcome touch from a tall dark hand...

and a dog who is obviously reserving judgement.

This pup is not convinced the other person is worth all the fuss.  Fuss is for dogs...especially him!

Summer Touring

These old touring cars must have been doggy heaven!  No windows! and the car probably goes slowly enough for the smells to make really good impressions!

As I wander around the back roads of the internet looking for dogs, I have found that Dogs with Cars is a common combination.  People love their dogs...and their cars!    I am adding it to my list of Dog subsets, which previously has only has had Nanny Dogs.

Kneel Before Zod...

This dog rules. 

No doubt about it.  

Looks like a disapproving dowager

(or an alien)!

Little Speed Demon and Protector

I was thinking this photo could be put into the set of Nanny Dogs.

Curious about the child's walker I looked around.  While I didn't find it exactly, I bumped into this  blog about a Taylor Tot walker...and the gearhead who got his hands on it and restored it! 

My Aunt Annie...

My Aunt Annie came to mind when I saw this photo.  She had an old dog named Skippy.  When I went to visit, Aunt Annie might have a cold dinner for us, but Skippy always got a freshly cooked hot meal!