Old Dogs

Does every kid that takes a ceramics class and loves animals make animal sculptures?  I know I did, it was a show of affection. My first dog and I explored all the woods and alley’s of the town I grew up in.  She was a constant companion and I have many fond memories of time spent with her. She was a really good dog so she was welcome in a lot of places. She knew that she was not allowed to cross a street until she was told it was okay. She respected this rule so I usually walked her with the leash in my pocket. That’s something I would never do today now that I know better how dogs think. But she was one of a kind. Sadly, this sculpture doesn’t do her justice, it doesn’t really look like her much at all. The main similarity is that she was black and white also.

Dog Sculpture

She died during my senior year in high school, we were all devastated, we loved her so much. A week later a neighbor saw someone giving away puppies outside the local grocery store so she sent my mom to look at them. Of course she picked out a puppy to help fill the hole in our hearts.

This new puppy was playful and energetic, she raced to greet you and jumped up to say hello. After living with an older, quieter, more submissive dog this was a big change. It felt like we were being mugged whenever we came home. So mom decided to name her Muggsy. This was a little bit of a problem because one of my friends from pottery class had earned the nick name of Muggsy due to the number of mugs she made. I had to make sure the name was okay with her but she was gracious and said she was honored not insulted.

I made this sculpture for her. It’s a good size, about 18 inches from nose to butt. It was not protected in any way while it spent a few decades in the basement so it has suffered a few breaks over the years. I didn’t try gluing her back together but I do love her face.

Muggsy Dog Sculpture

Maybe I should try to make sculptures of my current dog pack.


Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery by Lori Buff