Monday 5 August 2013

Ok clever-clogs - what breed?


Whilst we are on the subject of dead dogs, here is the faithful hound that sits at the feet of a long-dead, medieval noblewoman at South Wraxall church. Yes, I am back at that church again.

To me, it has a cartoonish, almost Disney quality about it, as though it knows something we don't - which I suppose it must, having been around for about 7 or 800 years longer than most of us.

I have never seen any real-life dog which has those two little opposing creases each side of the mouth, which - in modern, cartoon terms - denote a cliched, porcine joviality mixed with a certain degree of imbecility.

I wonder when it was that stonemasons irrevocably lost their sense of humour and humanity?


26 comments:

  1. Love it. He looks like I feel.

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    1. He does have a certain, almost contented air about him.

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  2. He seems a bit out of proportion to me. The shoulders look much too big for his back and hips. Maybe the lighting or angle of the photo is making it seem that way.

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    1. No, the lighting and angle - though bad - are telling the truth.

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  3. http://mellisea.deviantart.com/art/Little-Dappled-Dachshund-close-up-face-2-293237052

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  4. Miss Piggy Dog must have had a relative in Northleach. You can get a brass rubbing of a dog with the same big rib cage, same snouty snout, same ears.

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    1. Northleach is not too far from here, so you could be right.

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  5. A rather large footwarmer with teeny tiny paws. These rather porcine fellows are called Trufflers, brought back from the Crusades through Perugia, Italy.

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    1. Now I am going to have to look this up tonight, despite my scepticism. It has a ring of Authoritative truth about it.

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    2. Humble yet brave, these stalwart fellows grace the tiles at Rosslyn chapel. As one can discern from the ears, decendants of these chaps were a favourite of Charles I, while snuffling in vain for truffles around the palace.

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    3. Now I am beginning to doubt you.

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  6. Certainly a pampered pooch. All that weight on those tiny pins would have made it difficult for poor Trixie-Wixie to get about much.

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    1. Looks like muscle to me - in fact it reminds me of those body-builders that eat too much protein supplement.

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  7. Some sort of hunting dog like a Alaunt, Harrier or Talbot hound ...... although that one looks like he's had too many MacDonalds !!!! XXXX

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    1. Definitely not Talbot - look at those King Charles ears. I'll look the rest up along with the 'Truffler'.

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    2. OR ..... a Lymer or Kenet hound..... trufflers tended to have really curly coats. Hark at me ..... I sound like one of those women who judge at Crufts !!!! XXXX

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    3. I bet you have a few rosettes at home, pinned over you kennel.

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  8. I think this is a pregnant cross breed who has been out on the tiles personally.

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    1. It has a rather obvious willy, Weave.

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    2. Having looked at it again, I think that it rather looks like Jake Gyllenhaal (the face, not the willy).

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