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Emily Carr and Her Dogs: Flirt, Punk, and Loo
This delightful book combines 25 stories about dogs with 16 playful drawings by famous Canadian writer, artist, and animal lover Emily Carr. She tells of her joys and tribulations raising Old English sheepdogs, from her decision to start a kennel to the sad day when she had to close it. With each story Carr brings the affectionate and loyal nature of her canine companions to life, making this book an ideal choice for any dog lover, child, or adult.
96 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2005
7 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Emily Carr
86 books86 followersEmily Carr (December 13, 1871 – March 2, 1945) was a Canadian artist and writer heavily inspired by the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. One of the first painters in Canada to adopt a post-impressionist painting style, Carr did not receive widespread recognition for her work until later in her life. As she matured, the subject matter of her painting shifted from aboriginal themes to landscapes, and, in particular, forest scenes. As a writer, Carr was one of the earliest chroniclers of life in British Columbia. The Canadian Encyclopedia describes her as a "Canadian icon".
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 26, 2023
What a great and sweet little book! They are stories taken from ‘The House of All Sorts, published in 1944, which I have not read but I would recommend that book instead so you can get more of Emily Carr’s charming stories. That book has 41 stories and ‘…& her dogs’ book has 12. I will be adding ‘The House…’ to my list of books to get.
As I said, this is a little book. Funny how when you see the cover online a book can look so much bigger. Still I would recommend the book if you don’t want to get the other. I didn’t know Emily Carr going into this book, but she was a Canadian artist and writer. I see a fair number of books by her or about her on Goodreads.
This book relates her story of opening a kennel on Bob-tail Sheepdogs. We would call them Old English Sheepdogs. The way she describes them is very endearing.
Her first bobtail was Loo, which she got from a litter from a prairie farm. The second was ‘Punk.’ She got him from someone who’s husband had gone off to war (I believe WWI). The handoff to her went like this with the wife calling the dog:
“Punk!”
Slowly the tired eyes turned from watching the street corner and looked at me without interest.
“He will follow no one but his master,” said the woman.
The dog suffered my hand on his collar; he rose and shambled disheartenedly at my side, carrying the only luggage he possessed – his name and a broken heart.
Other dogs and puppies followed and are lovingly described. You are glad to meet them and sad when they have to go. I like the way Ms. Carr writes as in this passage:
In the early morning the dogs burst from their sleeping quarters to bunch by the garden gate, panting for a race across Beacon Hill Park. Springs that wound themselves tighter and tighter in their bodies all night would loose with a whir on the opening of the garden gate. Ravenous for liberty, the dogs tore across the ball grounds at the base of Beacon Hill, slackened their speed to tag each other, wheeled back, waiting to climb the hill with me.
She raises her puppies in the basement and takes care of tenants in the building. I feel like part of the story is missing from her living arrangements that probably her book ‘The House of All Sorts,’ would answer. She sells off puppies perhaps with less care than what we put into interrogating prospective owners we do now. There is one person in the book she mentions she refuses. This next excerpt I will share shows an interesting reason for a couple wanting a dog, they have a baby that is teething and keep them awake at night:
“Where be I? – Mercy! I came for a pup! That’s where I be. ‘Usband says when we was changin’ shifts walkin’ son last night. ‘Try a pup, Mother’ ‘e sez- ‘We’ve tried rattles an’ bells an’ tyos. Try a live pup to soothe ‘is frettiness.’ So I come. ‘Usband sez, ‘Git a pup same age as son’ – Sooner ‘ave one ‘ouse-broke me’self – wot yer got?”
“I have pups three months old”
‘Ezzact same age as son! Bring ‘em along.”
She inspected the puppy, running an experienced finger round her gums.
“Toothed a’ready! ‘E’ll do.”
She tucked the pup into the pram beside the baby who immediately seized the dog’s ear and began to chew. The pup as immediately applied himself greedily to the baby’s bottle and began to suck.
I have had a couple of dogs in the past that have had puppies. I like the idea of having joy to give away to people, but know the responsibility that goes along with them. Still, I like the idea of breeding dogs in a small enough quantity to do it well. Then comes the joy of hearing how they grow up. Here is an excerpt when she asks the butcher who had purchased ‘Min’ one of her puppies:
“Bobtails,” murmured the butcher caressingly – “Bobtails is good dogs!... ‘Member the little ‘un I bought from your kennel a year back?”
“I do. Hope she turned out well – good worker?
“Good worker! You bet. More sick nurse than cattle driver. Our Min’s fine! Y’see, Missus be bed-fast. Market days she’d lay there, sunup to sundown, alone. I got Min; then she wasn’t alone no more; Min told hold. Market days Min guards sheep from cougars, Min shoos coon from hen-house – Min, Min, Min. Min runs the whole works, Min do!
Nice to read the book and dream of owning an Old English Sheepdog. I remember them in the Disney movie ‘The Shaggy Dog.’ Other than where do you put the sheep you need to get to go with them, there is a lot less grooming when you are only dreaming of having one. Love to hear from anyone who has or had one.
One of her first dogs, not a good specimen for a bobtail, she was cornered into giving to a farmer, but when the dog runs back to him after she seems him happy helping on the farm she says, “It hurts me to return him, but I knew the job that was his birthright must prevail.”
One of my favorite things from this book is a picture of Emily Carr, circa 1918, with 3 sheepdogs, 2 cars, a parrot and a chipmunk. Within the book there is also some of her drawings, which were cute but not a big hit with me.
Sweet little book.
As I said, this is a little book. Funny how when you see the cover online a book can look so much bigger. Still I would recommend the book if you don’t want to get the other. I didn’t know Emily Carr going into this book, but she was a Canadian artist and writer. I see a fair number of books by her or about her on Goodreads.
This book relates her story of opening a kennel on Bob-tail Sheepdogs. We would call them Old English Sheepdogs. The way she describes them is very endearing.
Her first bobtail was Loo, which she got from a litter from a prairie farm. The second was ‘Punk.’ She got him from someone who’s husband had gone off to war (I believe WWI). The handoff to her went like this with the wife calling the dog:
“Punk!”
Slowly the tired eyes turned from watching the street corner and looked at me without interest.
“He will follow no one but his master,” said the woman.
The dog suffered my hand on his collar; he rose and shambled disheartenedly at my side, carrying the only luggage he possessed – his name and a broken heart.
Other dogs and puppies followed and are lovingly described. You are glad to meet them and sad when they have to go. I like the way Ms. Carr writes as in this passage:
In the early morning the dogs burst from their sleeping quarters to bunch by the garden gate, panting for a race across Beacon Hill Park. Springs that wound themselves tighter and tighter in their bodies all night would loose with a whir on the opening of the garden gate. Ravenous for liberty, the dogs tore across the ball grounds at the base of Beacon Hill, slackened their speed to tag each other, wheeled back, waiting to climb the hill with me.
She raises her puppies in the basement and takes care of tenants in the building. I feel like part of the story is missing from her living arrangements that probably her book ‘The House of All Sorts,’ would answer. She sells off puppies perhaps with less care than what we put into interrogating prospective owners we do now. There is one person in the book she mentions she refuses. This next excerpt I will share shows an interesting reason for a couple wanting a dog, they have a baby that is teething and keep them awake at night:
“Where be I? – Mercy! I came for a pup! That’s where I be. ‘Usband says when we was changin’ shifts walkin’ son last night. ‘Try a pup, Mother’ ‘e sez- ‘We’ve tried rattles an’ bells an’ tyos. Try a live pup to soothe ‘is frettiness.’ So I come. ‘Usband sez, ‘Git a pup same age as son’ – Sooner ‘ave one ‘ouse-broke me’self – wot yer got?”
“I have pups three months old”
‘Ezzact same age as son! Bring ‘em along.”
She inspected the puppy, running an experienced finger round her gums.
“Toothed a’ready! ‘E’ll do.”
She tucked the pup into the pram beside the baby who immediately seized the dog’s ear and began to chew. The pup as immediately applied himself greedily to the baby’s bottle and began to suck.
I have had a couple of dogs in the past that have had puppies. I like the idea of having joy to give away to people, but know the responsibility that goes along with them. Still, I like the idea of breeding dogs in a small enough quantity to do it well. Then comes the joy of hearing how they grow up. Here is an excerpt when she asks the butcher who had purchased ‘Min’ one of her puppies:
“Bobtails,” murmured the butcher caressingly – “Bobtails is good dogs!... ‘Member the little ‘un I bought from your kennel a year back?”
“I do. Hope she turned out well – good worker?
“Good worker! You bet. More sick nurse than cattle driver. Our Min’s fine! Y’see, Missus be bed-fast. Market days she’d lay there, sunup to sundown, alone. I got Min; then she wasn’t alone no more; Min told hold. Market days Min guards sheep from cougars, Min shoos coon from hen-house – Min, Min, Min. Min runs the whole works, Min do!
Nice to read the book and dream of owning an Old English Sheepdog. I remember them in the Disney movie ‘The Shaggy Dog.’ Other than where do you put the sheep you need to get to go with them, there is a lot less grooming when you are only dreaming of having one. Love to hear from anyone who has or had one.
One of her first dogs, not a good specimen for a bobtail, she was cornered into giving to a farmer, but when the dog runs back to him after she seems him happy helping on the farm she says, “It hurts me to return him, but I knew the job that was his birthright must prevail.”
One of my favorite things from this book is a picture of Emily Carr, circa 1918, with 3 sheepdogs, 2 cars, a parrot and a chipmunk. Within the book there is also some of her drawings, which were cute but not a big hit with me.
Sweet little book.
August 26, 2018
This was a disappointing read. I loved the flow and the mixing of short simple narrative with handwriting and sketches but the care of the dogs was challenging to read, the way the dogs were sold and sent away, lost, etc.
Puppy raising in the early 1900s of course was not for the faint of heart but I hadn’t anticipated I was going to read about puppies being drowned in garden pails, or that beloved dogs would be sold off
Also whoa racism
Puppy raising in the early 1900s of course was not for the faint of heart but I hadn’t anticipated I was going to read about puppies being drowned in garden pails, or that beloved dogs would be sold off
Also whoa racism
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December 31, 2023I too aspire to a life of art and dogs and walks by the sea
December 1, 2020
I knew Carr first as an extremely accomplished artist. When I realized that she also wrote I wanted to explore her work.
I always approach dog stories with trepidation, and have stopped reading quite a number of them because I find it too painful to continue.
While there is sadness in this story I was still quite interested in her little sketches, her writing from her own point of view as well as one of the dog's.
Carr had what I consider to have been a sad and difficult life, but with her dogs she was able to move forward. For any Carr fan it is probably a must read.
I always approach dog stories with trepidation, and have stopped reading quite a number of them because I find it too painful to continue.
While there is sadness in this story I was still quite interested in her little sketches, her writing from her own point of view as well as one of the dog's.
Carr had what I consider to have been a sad and difficult life, but with her dogs she was able to move forward. For any Carr fan it is probably a must read.
May 9, 2024
Short and sweet, a collection of short pieces about Emily's dogs, punctuated with original drawings and a few passages related by the dogs themselves.
Carr was one-of-a-kind adventurer with great compassion for animals, she had a dog kennel, raised sheepdogs, had parrots, a monkey and a sundry of others. She was ran boarding houses, was a writer & art teacher and possessed a moumental talent as demonstrated by her amazing body of work.
Carr was one-of-a-kind adventurer with great compassion for animals, she had a dog kennel, raised sheepdogs, had parrots, a monkey and a sundry of others. She was ran boarding houses, was a writer & art teacher and possessed a moumental talent as demonstrated by her amazing body of work.
June 7, 2022
Emily Carr is a great artist and an amusing story teller, especially when she is talking about her sheepdog kennel and her beloved breed dogs. We had the good fortune to visit her home in Victoria, BC, Canada. Her dog stories are heart warming, believable and interesting. I am a fan of Emily Carr and her many creative gifts.
July 19, 2017
Continuing with my reading Canadian streak - particularly since Emily Carr is famous where I live on Haida Gwaii... This was just a GEM I found at the library. Part of it was originally a calendar, with an Emily Carr drawing of her dog for each month - with a quick story. The rest were short stories/vignettes that related to the dogs she bred and raised. Being an animal person myself, this was right up my alley and warmed my heart. It was short and sweet and so worth the read.
May 22, 2023
A short sweet telling of life raising Old English Bobtail Sheep dogs. Carr uses a light touch and somehow captures the fun, sadness and sometimes harsh realities of such a life. What a gentle reminder of what life is like with a pet who is loved and loves.
January 2, 2017
Lovely little book lifted my spirits when I was feeling down.
February 11, 2018
A really lovely little book, although very much for dog lovers! Little snippets of her life running a dog kennel and breeding Old English Bobtail Sheepdogs, with great affection.
August 22, 2021
Emily Carr did many things for a living while she pursued her art - one of her schemes was breeding Old English Bobtail sheepdogs, and this book chronicles a year of her life. Each month is introduced by ironic commentary and misspellings from the dog's perspective, (he who didn't see the need for her menagerie of other animals), followed by short stories of customers who want a dog, and challenges with breeding. There are happy stories as when her friend visited, full of depression and worry over a lonely relative, whose stress was relieved by a dog kiss - the solution was evident and a puppy was sent to the relative, whose life subsequently changed. There are sad stories of bouts of distemper (with the puppies - Emily's bad temper was chronic and incurable). Emily loved her animals but was still able to make the sometimes necessary hard decisions. Aside from the amusing chapter openings 'written by the dogs', this book is a realistic look at the responsibilities and joys of Emily's dogs. The passion that she gave to her art was also part of her life with her animals. There is no sugar to coat any aspect of her life, including her love for her dogs, but the reader is rewarded by the honesty of an artist who endured great hardship for the right to live (and paint) her truth.
February 15, 2018
New perspective on an artist icon
Reminiscent of James Herriott - Emily Carr loved and understood her dogs with their capacity to love and protect. Delightful drawings, one for each month of a dog's year.
Reminiscent of James Herriott - Emily Carr loved and understood her dogs with their capacity to love and protect. Delightful drawings, one for each month of a dog's year.
October 7, 2023
Alas, I may soon run out of artist Emily Carr's biographical stories. While her art is difficult to love - often dark and mysterious - her stories are warm, light, and charming. Her books are a welcome pleasure after weeks of reading more serious subjects.
October 7, 2019
This short book is beautifully illustrated by the author and has wonderful insights into her love of bobtails.
March 10, 2021
Such a delight despite some sadness
June 29, 2024
An easy read; full of character and emotion
December 15, 2025
so simply cute
September 17, 2018
Just the thing for animal lovers. Sweet and tender. Carr is a lovely example of someone who has peace and solitude in her single life with her pets. Her words resonate with me. Fans of James Herriot with enjoy this.
February 5, 2017
A delightful book written and illustrated by the iconic West-coast Canadian artist and author. It is a compilation of 25 vignettes from her memoir "The House of All Sorts" combined with the 12 calendar illustrations she did from the perspective of her dog Billie. They provide a window into the life of a fascinating woman and her deep love for of Bobtails, Old English Bob-tail Sheep Dogs. The vignettes cover the period from her first Bobtail Billie, through the running of a Bobtail kennel, to the closing of the kennel and her last Bobtail Adam. It has made want to know more about her. The writing is simple, clear and straight forward. I highly recommend it.
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August 20, 2008At 96 pages, this book charms without trying to be charming. The prose is beautiful, without unnecessary adornment, caring without being sentimental, and wise in its observations about life without preaching. I am always looking out for a 'sleeper'--a book relatively undiscovered and special-- that I can give my best friends, aged aunties, young moms, children, that is not trite or trendy or filled with the obvious. The sketches by the author reveal both depth of feeling and simplicity.
July 29, 2015
While memoirs aren't usually my thing, I love how Emily Carr took one really interesting period in her life and explored that in some depth. Who would have thought that Emily Carr was also a dog breeder? Her writing was engaging and your really came to understand how strongly she felt about her dogs.
May 22, 2014
A delightful little book. Emily Carr was a most amazing woman, artist, writer and dog lover. And independent in a time that it was hard for women to be so. I would have liked to have known her.
February 7, 2016
It was fun to read about Emily's relationships with her dogs. I loved her sketches and all the vignettes; funny, sad, and bittersweet.
April 18, 2016
My only complaint is that the book is too short! I wanted to read more about Emily and her Bobtails.
May 17, 2016
What an appealing and lovely brief memoir of a woman and her dogs in Canada post WWI! Such a treat.
December 14, 2019
Honest and charming.
January 16, 2012
Im loving learning more about my favourite artist and my hometown!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews