Canines of the West

An archival photography blog by Caroline Floyd and Susan Nance at the University of Guelph.

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“Fred Ames with dead bobcat, dogs and another man” and “Fred Ames petting dogs on trail,” undated.

Although the images are not of great quality they show Fred Ames (Arnes?) and another man in the background with a dead bobcat after a hunt in an Oregon forest. Two bloodhound mixed breed dogs accompanied them, photographed at their feet sniffing the ground for scent trails and in the second getting a loving pet from Fred. The bloodhound is known in Belgium as the St. Hubert Hound for the breed’s place of origin at the monastery of St. Hubert. The breed is well-known for having the best scent ability out of all dog breeds, making them a favorite to breed with lighter hounds to make skilled hunting and tracking dogs.

These items reside at the University of Oregon Libraries.

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“A girl with her dog,” 1898-1925.

In this lantern slide, a happy young girl poses in a garden with her pet English Setter seated on a chair in front of her. Lantern slides were created in 1848 to hold photographs, prints and hand painted images for entertainment, viewed from an optical device known as a magic lantern. The girl in the image appears to be from a middle to upper class urban family given the quality and style of outfit she is wearing and the well-crafted leather collar the dog is wearing. Her hat is covered with fresh flowers giving the impression she was dressed for a special occasion, perhaps a holiday or birthday?

This item resides at the University of Oregon Libraries.

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“Captain Burrow and Squaw,” 1899.

This photograph shows a Havasupai couple standing out front of their residence, a traditional wickiup constructed of timber, stick and dirt, with a small dog. Their residence is surrounded with cooking supplies and tools used in daily life and the woman is carrying a traditional burden basket on her back used to collect crops and gathering natural food sources. The location of the photograph is in the greater area of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, as this is the cultural origin and historical range of the Havasupai people. Dogs were commonly kept by the Havusupai before the Grand Canyon was declared a national park in 1919, which greatly contributed to the current problem of a high feral dog population within the park.

This item resides at the New York Public Library.

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“Dog-powered transportation,” 1870-1920.

Capturing a unique means of coal transportation out of a mine is a small cart pulled by dog-power; this is most unusual as dogs would not be able to pull the same quantity as mules or ponies which were the most common animals to work in mines.  Pulling loads of coal would be very difficult work for dogs and in less than optimal work conditions, perhaps they were used due to an inability to attain larger livestock?

This item resides at the New York Public Library. 

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“Sailor Jack, ship and dogs,” 1875.

In this early stereograph, a man named Sailor Jack is shown sitting on the front porch of fellow sailor Ben Holladay’s home near Lake Tahoe in California, with three dogs sitting and laying down at this feet. Next to him on the porch is a large naval reconstruction of a ship sending the impression this is a naval community. Although Sailor Jacks attire does resemble a traditional naval uniform, it is not a United States Navy uniform meaning he was likely a private sailor transporting goods and even possibly people. The dogs he is in the company of are mixed breeds that were likely his sailing companions as transporting goods long distances would be very lonely.

This item resides at the New York Public Library.

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“Woman sitting on porch steps with cats and dogs,” 1905-1915.

Photographed above is Anna Bracken sitting with an unidentified young woman surrounded by two English fox hounds and five cats on the front porch of her stone home on a ranch in the Las Vegas area. She married Walter Bracken who was a well-known Las Vegas business man responsible for much of the town’s early development. The couple lived at this residence for 37 years before moving in 1942. The dogs appear to be relaxing and not subjected to a rigorous lifestyle; though I’m sure they accompanied Mr. Bracken on a hunting trip or two!

This item resides at the Mountain West Digital Library.

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“Fire engine drawn by dogs to fire in Dawson,” 1899.

In 1896, one of the largest Klondike gold rushes occurred in Dawson City, Yukon prompting many miners from western states to embark on the long trek to Dawson City to try to make their fortune. Reaching Dawson City required a steamship trip from Seattle to Alaska’s inside passage, hiking the Chilkoot or White Pass Trail by foot and then floating down the Yukon River. Given such difficult conditions, horses were likely not available to draw the fire engines in the newly settled town resulting in the reliance on teams of dogs and men to pull the local fire engine, how innovative!

This item resides at the Mountain West Digital Library.

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“Men with dog,” undated.

Shown in this photograph are two Basque men that look to be joking with each other while sitting on a stone ledge in the company of border collies dogs around the area of Reno, Nevada, likely taken between the 1910s and 1930s. The Basque Country is located along the western Pyrenees Mountain range in between the border of France and Spain. Basque immigration to Nevada began in the 1870s as the best settlement properties were taken up in California, many were employed as shepherds providing wool and mutton to local mining communities. The photographed men seem to fit that description, but where are the sheep?

This item resides at the Mountain West Digital Library.

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“Woman with two dogs,” 1910-1919.

In a beautiful winter landscape stands a woman and two dogs in the midst of walking down the snowy lane way of a ranch directly next to a river. The dog standing closest to the woman is a German shorthaired pointer while the furthest dog appears to be of mixed breeding. The location of the photograph and identity of the woman are unknown but the archival collection originated in Utah. The woman was likely visiting a neighbor and bringing the dogs for company or protection, as the concept of needing to actively exercise dogs through planned walks is a modern concept.

This item resides at the Mountain West Digital Library.

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“Roy Lee and Dogs,” 1909.

Photographed against his makeshift tent comprised of a tarp tied to the bottom of a wagon is Roy Lee, a shepherd working on the Baes family ranch on the Diamond Mountain Range bordering Utah and Colorado. It is interesting that he uses hound breeds other than collies or shepherds to herd sheep, which is very much the norm in the American old West. In the image description, Lee is noted to have been able to quickly and easily train any dog. Given the large carnivore straps behind the group, perhaps the purpose of Lee’s job was to keep the flock safe from large predators, resulting in his use of hounds.

This item resides at the Mountain West Digital Library.

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“Man with dog,” undated.

Taken in Hoot Owl Canyon, Utah, this photograph shows an unidentified man standing next to his two dogs sitting on a rock shelf. Based on the type and quality of the photograph, it is assumed to have been created between 1900 and 1910. Both dogs in the image appear to be panting quite heavily, meaning it was hot and dry dessert conditions likely with a lack of natural water sources. Dogs under such conditions would suffer from dehydration quickly but given the time period consideration for canine welfare was often an afterthought and this likely occurred regularly on long excursions.

This item resides at the Mountain West Digital Library.

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“Young man with two dogs,” 1906.

This photograph shows a young unidentified shepherd standing in a culvert while his two Australian shepherd dogs lay down in the shade. The image was likely captured towards the end of the work day on the ranch, as the dogs seem tired and in need of rest for a few moments. The location of the image is a ranch near Brackett Creek in Montana that primarily raises sheep, where the shepherd and his dogs would have worked to move sheep between pastures to reach water sources and quality grazing areas.

This item resides at the Mountain West Digital Library.

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“Two boys & a dog,” 1910-1919.

Two boys pose on the front porch of a residence for a photograph with a rifle and their hunting dog, a Brittany spaniel. The location of the photograph is unknown, but assumed to have originated from East Texas. The Brittany spaniel originated from France and owing to its smaller size was popular for hunting pheasant and hare. The Brittany also sports attributes more similar to a pointer or retriever than a spaniel. Perhaps the boys were just heading out for a leisurely hunt of small game with their loyal companion?

This item resides at the East Texas Digital Archives & Collections.

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“Turney, Texas,” 1905.

The photographer of this image managed to capture the corner of the busy business district in the town of Turney, Texas, around the turn of the century. The first building on the right appears to be a general or supply store in the process of providing wooden crates for a customer. The building also hosts an advertisement for shoes. Multiple wagons and horses can be seen waiting out front, along with a single dog visible as he ascends the stairs of the store with his owner. Unfortunately, the image quality does not allow minute details to be discerned but the image accurately captures a bustling urban landscape in the American old West.

This item resides at the East Texas Digital Archives & Collections.

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“John Noblitt store,” undated.

In this iconic depiction of the American old West, two stern faced men are captured standing on the front porch with an older dog lying at the entrance of the John Noblitt store in Cherokee County, Texas. The store looks to be in disrepair as there are a few broken window panes in the front of the building but it is open for business regardless. An advertisement for “Owl Cigars” for 5₵ can be seen on the front of the store. General stores (along with the railway) were instrumental in establishing and maintaining newly settled towns in the American old West, providing a singular location to purchase household necessities.

This item resides at the East Texas Digital Archives & Collections.

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“Five men and a dog,” 1870-1900.

This cabinet card was taken in a studio in Littlefield, Texas towards the end of the nineteenth century. In this portrait, five unidentified gentlemen dressed in pinstriped three-piece suits are photographed together with what looks to be a black Field Spaniel lying down under the feet of the seated men. The range in the date of origin of the photograph matches that of the Field Spaniel breed, also rising in popularity towards the end of the nineteenth century as a gun dog.

This item resides at the East Texas Digital Archives & Collections.

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“Dog musher Leonhard Seppala with famous sled dogs Togo and Fitz aboard steamship,” 1926.

With an alarmed expression, dog sled driver Leonhard Seppala posses with his famous Siberian Husky sled dogs Togo and Fitz on the main deck on a steamship. Seppala was incredibly involved in dog sledding; he competed in many races in Alaska, Washington and the 1932 Olympics, assisted the Nome Kennel Club, and bred and trained Siberian Huskies. He and his dogs are most famously known for their role in the 1925 serum run or “Great Race of  Mercy” of 674 miles by dog sled from Nenana to the isolated town of Nome in Alaska, bringing essential Diphtheria vaccines to control a recent outbreak. The trek involved 20 men with 150 dogs taking 20 days to reach Nome, with little more than telegraphic coordinates for assistance. Seppala was assigned the most dangerous portion of the trek crossing the ridge of mountain Little McKinley, his team included Fitz and was led by Togo.

This item resides at the University of Washington.