AKC Museum of the Dog Showcases Art Related to Man’s Best Friend

Walking into the sunlit entryway of the American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog in Queeny Park, Donny stopped suddenly and did what appeared to be a doggy double take.

Donny, a black Labrador retriever mix visiting the museum with members of his family, saw a life-size bronze statue of a Newfoundland dog created by artist June Harrah and seemed to wonder if it was real.

"That always catches their attention," said Barbara McNab, the museum’s executive director. "The smaller dogs bark, and the larger dogs just kind of walk over, give it the little sniff and, ‘Ahh, you’re not real.’ But it’s amazing--that does catch their attention."

The museum, located off Mason Road in West County, welcomes well behaved dogs and their owners. Donny’s family, Kirsten Gerbic of Chesterfield and her daughters Rebecca, 6, and Lily, 4, were visiting the museum for the first time on a recent morning.

"We thought we’d try something new, see something different," Gerbic said. "We love it so far."

Their favorite piece was a painting, titled "Willpower," of dogs looking at a cake. Their own dog, a stray rescue, was exercising his willpower and was an exemplary guest.

"I wasn’t sure how he would be, but I thought on the halter he would be OK," Gerbic said.

The museum, which opened in New York City in 1982, was relocated to its current location in 1987. The museum was founded to preserve and display art related to man’s best friend.

"There was actually a group of dedicated, interested individuals in the 1970s who were involved in the sport of showing dogs," McNab said. "They just felt there was probably enough dog art out there in the world that could be shared with everybody."

The museum’s first home was the American Kennel Club (AKC) headquarters. By 1985, the museum had acquired enough art that it was outgrowing the AKC. The move was made to the Jarville House, onetime home of Edgar M. Queeny.

When the collection began to outgrow the historic 1853 house, the St. Louis County Council and St. Louis County Parks and Recreation pooled resources to build a 14,000-square-foot addition, which was completed in 1990. In 1995, to help with funding, the museum renewed its association with the AKC.

The museum now has approximately 800 items on display, ranging from paintings and photographs to ceramics, sculptures and antique dog collars. It has become a unique showcase for art depicting the close relationship between people and dogs.

"This is the only dog museum of its kind in the world, and it’s right here in our back yard," McNab said.

All aspects of the interaction between people and their canine companions are displayed at the museum, including show dogs, show biz dogs such as Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, Old Yeller and Toto, a wide range of working dogs such as police dogs, herding dogs, hunting dogs and rescue dogs, plus extensive works devoted to pampered pets.

The permanent display "Dogs of War," covering World War I, World War II, and the wars in Korea and Vietnam, is particularly compelling. It features dogs on patrol, dogs parachuting, dogs relaying vital messages and rescuing wounded men. For instance, Rags, an Irish terrier, was adopted by the U.S. Army’s First Division during World War I and "participated in several battles by carrying messages to the American lines."

Rags was severely wounded during the battle of Argonne, but in spite of the wounds, managed to "get a critical message about the enemy’s position to the American soldiers." Rags survived the war and lived to age 20.

Smoky, a Yorkshire terrier so small he was photographed inside a soldier’s helmet, was another war dog who even parachuted by himself during World War II.

In Vietnam, dogs went on patrol with their handlers and used their acute senses to locate the enemy. U.S. Marine John J. Denecke wrote a testimonial to Rex, the dog he worked with in the jungles of Vietnam.

"Rex and I spent a lot of time together overseas," Denecke wrote, "and all the time I was with him I never walked into an ambush."

When Denecke mustered out in 1971, Rex stayed to help another unit.

"I still think of Rex everyday, and wish he could have come home with me," Denecke wrote. "I’ll never forget him as long as I live, because he is the reason I am still living."

K-9 dogs, as illustrated by a display featuring St. Louis County police dogs, are also heroes, chasing suspects, defending their handlers and sniffing out drugs and bombs. Photos, some of them dating to the 1960s, depict the dogs and handlers training and in action. There is also a thick, padded suit, the kind trainers use to avoid getting bitten when teaching dogs to attack.

Many of the items in the museum’s collection are a tribute to home heroes--the family dog. One room is devoted to "Canine Photographs: Selections from The Art Show at The Dog Show," a yearly event held in Wichita, KS. The pictures range from poignant – a portrait of a dog two days from death titled "Into God’s Hands" – to comical, capturing a dog splashing around in a lake, head barely above water, in a shot called "Sollie’s First Swim."

Other photos feature dogs bounding through open fields, racing across the snow or snoozing on a rug in a patch of sunlight. For information about submitting your dog photos for the art show, go to www.artshowatthedogshow.com.

This exhibit is on display through April 24.

Many of the paintings in the collection are old, suchg as John Paul’s oil on canvas "Four Dogs," completed in 1863, and an immense, striking piece called "The Poacher," an oil on canvas done by Richard Ansdell in 1865. The work shows a mastiff attacking a man who has been poaching while the poacher’s much smaller Staffordshire Terrier comes to his master’s aid.

Fascinating for a different reason is Kathy Jacobsen’s colorful 1993 work, "Dog Walking in Central Park." It is easy to spend several minutes just checking the various dog activities shown including dogs prancing, posing, jumping into a fountain for a Frisbee and much more.

Some of the most eye-catching and artistically important paintings adorn the walls of the Jarville House.

"It’s really the jewel of the museum," McNab said.

She stopped to admire William Henry Hamilton Trood’s 1888 painting "A Domestic Scene," which shows several dogs of various breeds and sizes lounging about inside a home.

"The reason this is significant is because, not that this had never happened before, but dogs were primarily working dogs, they earned their keep," she said. "They were ratters on the farm, they were guard dogs, they were hunting dogs. They had some particular purpose, and most of them lived in kennels.

Queen Victoria loved dogs, and of course, being queen, her dogs lived with the royal family as pets. And that whole attitude began to shift a little bit. So you see your different dogs--you see your ratters, your bloodhound, your mastiff--all in an interior domestic scene as opposed to an exterior, outdoor scene. That whole harmony, part of the family kind of feeling."

Studying Sir Edwin Henry Landseer’s 1839 oil on canvas "Deerhound and Recumbent Foxhound," which shows one dog gently licking the top of the other dog’s head, McNab said, "This is probably the most beautiful piece in the collection."

Landseer was one of Queen Victoria’s favored court painters, although the dogs in the painting did not belong to her.

"He’s one of the most well-respected, highly collectible dog artists of the 19th century," McNab said. "So we’re very fortunate to have this in our collection."

Lovers of dogs and dog art are fortunate to have the AKC’s Museum of the Dog available at Queeny Park.

"It’s in such a beautiful setting," McNab said. "If you come out in summer, you can have a picnic lunch in the park, take your dog for a walk, and then bring Fido inside to see the museum."

On weekends from March through October, visitors can see the "Guest Dog of the Week," where owners bring in their dogs to discuss the breed and let people see live dogs in addition to the artwork.

From 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. this Saturday, the guest breed will be the pug. Samoyeds are the stars 1:30-4 p.m. Sunday, March 13. If you plan a weekend visit, call the museum at 314-821-3647 to learn which breed will be featured.

Admission to the museum is $5 adults, $2.50 seniors and $1 for children 5-14.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday, closed Mondays and holidays. 

The AKC’s Museum of the Dog is at 1721 South Mason Road, St. Louis, 63131. Take Highway 40 east to Mason Road. Turn south on Mason and drive about two miles, crossing Clayton Road. Queeny Park and the museum parking lot are on the right. It is about a 35-minute drive from Wentzville.