| One of the most favorite subjects for the | | | | de Pompadour, produced in Vincennes around |
| craftsman in porcelain and earthenware has | | | | 1750. It is felt that this piece if almost |
| been toy dogs in particular. In Chinese work | | | | certainly a Maltese. The little Maltese is |
| it has been hard to distinguish between the | | | | now a rare collector's piece. |
| lion and the dog. The lion-dog and the | | | | |
| dog-lion share a lot of Chinese myth. The | | | | The toy spaniel is another breed of toy dog |
| dogs of Fo during the reign of K'ang Hsi were | | | | that has been a favorite of the pottery |
| dogs, however, and not lions. In the city of | | | | modeler over the centuries. At one time most |
| Peking in 1680 the Emperor K'ang His set up | | | | all households had a representation in |
| an imperial kiln. At that time it was | | | | pottery of their pet dog, or even a pair of |
| possible there were a million people working | | | | dogs, sitting on their mantelpiece. Most of |
| porcelain at 3,000 kilns. This production | | | | these were most likely toy spaniels, almost |
| situation has never been matched. | | | | certainly Cavalier King Charles spaniels. |
| | | | They were produced by the thousands, but do |
| Dogs of Fo, also sometimes called guardian | | | | have a great charm. The details of the face |
| lions, are found frequently, generally in | | | | were hand-painted and each one was slightly |
| pairs and usually with the male playing with | | | | different. Younger people did most of the |
| the traditional woven ball and the female | | | | color work on these pieces, which gave the |
| with one of her cubs. Dogs of Fo were made in | | | | pieces an air of enjoyment and youth in |
| huge quantities between the years of 1662 and | | | | keeping with the whole character of toy dogs |
| 1722. They were without doubt small dogs of | | | | in general. |
| the Pekingese type. It has often been said | | | | |
| that it is very doubtful the Chinese ever saw | | | | In the years of 1820 to 1850 the majority of |
| a real lion during this time they referred to | | | | these pieces was sold at country fairs and |
| these animals as being lion-like, and that it | | | | was surprisingly high quality. By early |
| is much more likely the Dogs of Fo, even | | | | Victorian times almost all cottages had |
| though they had somewhat of a lion look, were | | | | pottery figures and the dog, which was so |
| actually dogs and not lions. | | | | much a part of the life of country people, it |
| | | | was just a natural choice to become a popular |
| Pugs in pottery are seen even more frequently | | | | subject for pottery makers. Many pottery |
| than the Pekingese type of the Dogs of Fo. A | | | | makers made dogs, but it was Staffordshire |
| pottery artist named Kaendler, who created | | | | potteries that produced them the thousands. |
| works at the Meissen factory used Pugs often. | | | | |
| | | | Almost every breed was modeled at some or |
| In the eighteenth-century Staffordshire | | | | another and no two are ever absolutely |
| potters began to produce models of Pugs. | | | | identical due to each potter and painter's |
| Their early efforts were not all that nice as | | | | slightly different style. They all did have |
| representations of the pugs. These pieces of | | | | some common features. They were almost |
| pottery are becoming more and more valuable; | | | | usually all white with spots and patches of |
| however, they do not look like the typical | | | | red or gold on ears and body. They usually |
| specimen of the Pug. They are pot-bellied, | | | | had a padlock hanging from the collar and a |
| long in the leg and have peculiar | | | | chain slung across the brisket and over the |
| expressions. | | | | back, most often in gold. |
| | | | |
| The French sculptor, Francois Roubiliac, | | | | What do all these pottery pieces of dogs tell |
| created a piece that looked much more like | | | | us? They tell us not so much about how the |
| the Pug. The head looks like a Pug. The tail | | | | dogs looked at the time, but more that toy |
| may not be just right and the legs are still | | | | dogs in particular, enjoyed a lot of |
| rather long, but this was quite an | | | | popularity in the early nineteenth century. |
| improvement from what had been created | | | | Dogs, particularly the toy dogs, were as much |
| earlier. It could also be that the models of | | | | a family member then as they are now, and |
| Pugs did have longer legs. | | | | probably even more now than then. The pet and |
| | | | pet care industry is one of the most |
| Sculptors are still creating Pugs today and | | | | lucrative businesses there is in the year of |
| as time goes on, the pieces continue to look | | | | 2006. |
| more and more like a real Pug. | | | | |
| | | | This article is FREE to publish with the |
| One of the most interesting little dogs | | | | resource box. |
| portrayed in porcelain was the dog of Madame | | | | |