Little blind dog

Zoe, oil on canvas, 8x10. sold

Zoe is a little, ferocious, blind Lhasa apso. She's about 12, I think, and while she's often as sweet as she looks in this painting, she is probably the most aggressive watchdog of the whole lot.

One of our big dogs, Kaja - half German shepherd, half chow (we think) - used to watch for me to wake up every day, and as soon as I would open my eyes, she'd come wagging over to greet me.

Then Zoe came into our lives. And in short order, Zoe decided that this morning greeting constituted a threat to me. When Kaja would come over, Zoe, who sleeps on the floor by my side of the bed, would launch herself up, sort of like Alan Arkin in that horrifying scene from "Wait Until Dark," and bite Kaja on the nose.

Kaja, noble and resilient, continued to greet me this way for six or seven more years. Finally, she just couldn't take it any more. These days, I get a wag from across the room.

I haven't quite captured Zoe's fierceness in this painting, but I know where it is in her face, and next time, I'll get it.

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday. As always, thank you for reading!

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