Doggone Days of Summer

Well, summer is officially here for us (my husband, a teacher, is DONE FOR THE SUMMER!!!!) Which means we'll be spending lots of time outside & more time with our dog, Ashby.

(above pic from Country Living) A lot of us have dogs & they're like another member of the family. Unfortunately for our pup, when we had our son (about 2 years ago) she got less & less attention. We try, but those kids can be demanding!!! She was THE BABY before he came. She came on every vacation with us and was always in my lap (at 45 pounds!!). Now, she still sleeps with us, but she stays home when we vacation (with a 2 year old we have to stop and eat at restaurants on road trips & we can't leave her in the car) and she's much harder for me to carry because she's gained probably 10 pounds thanks to our son feeding her from his high chair!!! I also just don't have as much time to baby her in general. (Which I actually think she might be pleased about, because as I've said before I'm like that weird little girl Elmyra from Looney Toones with poor Ashby... loving & hugging & squeeeezing her) Anyway, she's such a sweetie & puts up with so much from our 2 year old, so I thought she'd enjoy this post. Here she is (below on the right) with her very best friend, Boudreaux, (an American Bulldog) who also recently became second fiddle to a baby. (oh it hurts to put into words!!!)


One summer in college during my PR internship in Washington, DC (my major in college!) there wasn't enough work for me. So what does a lowly college intern do with no work? She surfs the internet! (i hadn't even heard of blogs at this point in my life or we would've met sooner!! ;) Anyway, I desperately wanted a dog when I graduated, so I began researching all the different breeds, picking my favorites and lusting after ones that were so cute but would shed too much for me. Needless to say, I know a lot about dogs, thanks to that wonderful internship.




One thing I always love to see in people's homes is dsog art, sculpture & accessories, so I thought I'd share a few I found with you. How cute is the poster below?! (from Country Living) It's graphic & fun, and adds a colorful & quirky punch to the space.




The Egyptian dog statue (from Livingetc) below is a big presence in this sparse room. It adds interest. (and, obviously, the homeowners like dogs!!)


Surprisingly, a lot of rooms you see with dog paintings or prints, have a more serious, formal feel. (Or a more serious blue blood feel: Think of Ralph Lauren-type rooms with hunting pics.) In the image below (from houseandhome.ie) I think the dog painting works really well with the scheme of the room but its placement is a bit off for its small size.


Below, from Country Living, I love how this springer spaniel painting is just casually leaning against the wall on the ottoman. It makes the space!



In another Country Living pic (they must love dogs!! :) there are adorable dog embroidered pillows. (I think Lindsay from Everything LEB did a post that included these adorable pillows once.) Love their stately attire!! I found one really similar to these that looks exactly like our dog. (sans hat)



And, in general, I love it when prints are layered casually as in the image below. (Country Living!) This person really loefvs dogs, as she has a pillow, little figurines all over and a door stop under the table.



Below is one of my favorite images (via Simply Natural by Rob Lowe) as much for the room iteself as for the fact that it has a picture of my favorite dog, a German Short-Haired Pointer.



My dad always has a pointer and the one above & below (encoreeditions.com-- awesome prices!!) looks just like Hershey, the one I grew up with. Hershey was the best dog ever and a German Short-haired Pointer is the epitome of "dog" to me.



Below, I also love this tight grouping of breed prints. It's graphic and beautiful and the room has an elegant feel. (via House Beautiful)



So, the great theing about dog art is that generally, it's really affordable! (I'm not talking antique oils though!) Google it online & you'll see. Check out the painting below. They're too cute!!




This hunting painting reproduction (below) is of foxhounds, which are so commonly found in old paintings & prints. (reminding me of those Ralph Lauren hunting rooms)



And Ballard Designs has these great hand-colored prints ($119, below) of almost every dog you can think of!!! (I'm not so keen on the price though, and I think you could find a cheaper print of your dog (like one from encoreeditions.com) & write in pretty cursive around it! ha) But, I do love them. Below is of course, a white & liver spotted German Short-haired pointer who looks like my dad's dog (She was my 17th birthday present, but he couldn't part with her!!) Quaisley. (She's such a crazy cutie!) The painting below by SJ Merwin is of a Welsh Terrier, and looks just like my dad's dog, Bailey. (We got him when I was 12... )(I have included him later, after posting without poor Bails, because my dad left the first comment under 'Anonymous' and brought up Bailey, who I unintentionally left out! :)

This giclee (below) from Ballard Designs has been on my wishlist since before Christian was born. My original plan was to do a dog theme nursery for him with black and white photos of all the dogs my husband & I have had over our lives and then use this adorable canvas. I planned to use a glavanized steel tub like the one in the pic painted turquoise for his stuffed animals. The funny thing is, today, Christian reminds me a lot of the baby in the picture. This may be a theme for Baby 2, so let me know what you think! (again, I wasn't too happy with the price!!)


And finally, if you're anything like me, you love it when you find pictures or paintings that look like your dog. Ashby is a mutt (part Jack Russel, lab and Aussie Cattle Dog) so it's not as easy to find mutt pics as it is to find full breeds. But here are just a few I've found over the years. Here's Miss Ashby:

And here is a painting I found (of her, I'm convinced!!) at Lucketts:




And this drawing looks more like her now that she's put on some weight (wrong sex though! she wouldn't be happy with me if I bought this one.)
A
nd finally, I found an image of this antique oil painting with a pup who looks just like Ashby when we're eating and she's watching. hee heehee


So, go google prints & paintings of your dog. Lots of them really are affordable and with the right frame and location, they could be adorable in your house! Below, is one last pic of Ashby with her boy toy:

(This was when they were still our #1 babies, see the lifevests??!!! hahah)
xoxo,
lauren

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Honey,

To all Lauren's readers and freinds, let it be known that I am here living with a sixteen year old Welch Terrior Lauren had to have when she was about 10 years old,his name is Baily and is doing fine, I am also here living with a beutiful White and Liver Female short hair pointer that Lauren had to have for her brithday one year, I think Quasly is about 7 or 8.

Instead of taking Quasly after college like she said she would, Her and david opted to save Ashby, I stopped hunting many years ago but short hairs make great freinds and family members so I really have no complaints. Quase is just another member of our family.

You all have a safe and wonderful day.

Love you Honey,

Dad

Eileen said...

Loved this post!
Especially liked that your Dad commented! Sweet!
And love the life vests!
You did get pictures that seem to depict Ashby.
And I think the doggie theme Nursery is a great idea! I especially love the baby in the tub print and what a wonderful idea to use a green tub to hold things.

(I do like dog photos, prints, and paintings, but I do not favor the dogs playing poker depictions!)

Michelle said...

LOL...I love your dogs!! When my son gets up I am going to show him this last pic...he has a love for bulldogs.

Great post Lauren!

Lauren said...

This is to Anon 9:34 AKA DAD :)

You wouldn't give me Quase when I graduated because you said you couldn't give her up and let her live in an apartment... THAT'S why we got Ashby!!! :)

love ya,
lauren

Linda in AZ * said...

* Morning, Lauren~ I ADORE your Darling Dad (Hi, "Dad"!)~~~ What a sweetheart to write what he did to surprise you~ you two are obviously very close, and THAT is sooo wonderful to "see"!!!

You may remember my on-line "name" as Linda/"Mom...". (It started out that way on Rate My Space). We were never blessed w/ children, & my husband was in the Army for 38 years (yes, 38, and we did 27 moves!), so I am "Mom" to MANY, but most ESPECIALLY to O*U*R German Sorthaired Pointer, Belle. She's our 4th in over 40 years of marriage, and she is the "LOVE of loves" for us both! She & Jim are beloved "huntin' buddies" and me?~~~ I'm just here on earth to spoil her in OTHER waays!We ENJOY her SOOO MUCH!!!

So sorry "Dad" isn't hunting anymore, but he is TOTALLY RIGHT~~~ A GSP is ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT in EVERY CONCEIVABLE WAY~~~ greaaaat company, loving, sweet as can be & smart as a whip (she sure knows how to push MY buttons!), and I can't imagine our lives without one!!! Dad got the BEST end of the deal, Lauren!!! (SMILES!)...

Thanks for the warmth AND humor displayed here~~~ it was a LOVELY a.m. treat to read!

Warmest wishes,
Linda in AZ *

FROM THE RIGHT BANK said...

I was cooing the whole time I was scrolling through this post! You probably know how much I love dogs (more than people, my huz says). I love dog decor - I have to be careful not to let it take over my house(!) I've been wanting a needlepoint pillow especially.

Ashby is adorable and that painting totally looks like her. I've actually been painting a portrait of one of my dogs forever but can't seem to finish it. Your dad is hilarious by the way.

Thanks for updating my link so quickly! Have a great weekend! xoxo

Linda in AZ * said...

* BTW, ASHBY & her "BOY TOY" are ABSOLUTE cutie-patooties!!!~ And they make a most precious "couple"!!!!!!!!

Happy weekend!
Linda *

alice said...

How cute!
I love the lifevests photo!
Need to get some dog art of my pup up too. He is #1 which will be a big change for him whenever we have kids! Ce la vie huh?!?
Very cute nursery theme too!

Brooke @ Blueprint Bliss said...

Cute, cute post. Dogs melt my heart!

Room Service ~ Decorating 101 said...

L, you are my kind of gal. I am such a dog lover too. Loved the painting you found of your dog. It was perfect.

Maria Killam said...

That's your dad that posted the first comment!! Love him. And loved this post, I love dogs (had them as a child) and it was wonderful to see all the images!!

I love your blog Lauren, I'm always excited to come here and see what you're up to!
xo
Maria

LindsB said...

Your Dad is seriously the best- I cant believe he got you not just one dog, but TWO dogs!! I begged and begged for a dog my whole life, and I'm now begging the BF for a dog- these pictures make me want one even more now. And can I tell you how much I love your dogs name, Ashby is such a great name. Since we dont live close, maybe I'll have to borrow it whenever I get a dog :) xoxo

Southern Aspirations said...

I LOVE dogs and as a volunteer and foster for a Golden Retriever rescue group absolutely adore the first picture you showed. YAY!

Unknown said...

Great, original post!
Congratulations on the Washington Post mention too. Have a happy weekend.

My Galveston Cottage said...

As a dog lover, I love this post. And, like so many of your examples, I have dog art. It's all hanging in one guest room here in Colorado. I've picked the prints and oils from as far away as Holland. My little guy is an Aussie. cheers, -susan (p.s. can't wait to see the minty green you've chosen for your kitchen!)

Haven and Home said...

Oh that is a great post! I really enjoyed reading that!!!

Anonymous said...

The Good Housekeeping print is also available on the art.com website.

cotedetexas said...

love love love.
lifevests? they can't swim? omg, too adorable.

Darci White said...

Hi there-

Just stumbled upon your blog for the first time (love it) and saw this post about your pup! I'm glad I'm not the only crazy one who has purchased a life jacket for their "baby" dog. Ours are still in fact our babies, but only have a year or two left before they have to adjust to being the family dogs vs. our baby girls. Anyway, just wanted to say hello and I'm glad to have found your blog!

Unknown said...

Just found this today...more than a year after you posted it.

I LOVE that you LOVE dogs and dog decor--right there with ya! It's nice to know there are many others out there.

One of my favorite books is Living With Dogs--lots of classic dog decor.

I've always wondered why so many house decor magazines have so many dogs in them--it seems that a lot of design obsessed folks are also dog obsessed! Yeah!