The long reign of Queen Victoria has left a deep imprint on peoples lives, in so many different fields, noticeable even today, but I will limit this posts to the Victorian dog lovers. The dog, as a pet, has been popular with aristocrats going back centuries, but the Victorian era and the industrial revolution dramatically changed the status of the dog in the home. The new wealthy merchant class wanting to emulate the lifestyle of the upper class made the dog a must in their acquisitions. It can be said that the Victorians are the source of the breeding problems many dogs have today. Breeding genetic anomalies in dogs for esthetic purposes only. This said, the Victorians fell hard and deeply for their dogs and the love affair still continues today.
Here are old photographs from Montreal's McCord Museum, held in their Notman Photographic Archives (William Notman), depicting wealthy Montrealers and their dogs. In some cases, the dog in the photographs belonged to the subject, but often, a dog was added as a "prop" because it symbolized wealth and status. The photographs of the dogs alone, are particularly significant, in my opinion, since the owner held his/her dog in such high regards and affection that it was worth the expense.
Margaret Marshall Saunders, a very special Victorian lady and author of Beautiful Joe, was awarded the C.B.E. in recognition of her contribution toward securing humane treatment for animals. Please drop by my Studio Vignette to learn more about her.