whistler's dog

Yes, THAT Whistler, James Mc Neill Whistler (1834-1903), the one with the mom. Though he was a bit of pain to deal with, he was good to his dog, even with a catch:

Such was James McNeill Whistler's arrogance that when his dog developed a
throat problem, the famous painter insisted upon seeing London's most esteemed
throat specialist, rather than a simple vet. Despite his embarrassment,
the doctor dutifully agreed to see the dog, prescribed a course of treatment,
suggested keeping the 'patient' under observation, and charged Whistler a
substantial fee.
A few days later, Whistler received an urgent message from
the doctor. Concerned about his dog, Whistler raced over to see him.
Arriving at the doctor's office, the artist was cordially greeted and the
message explained: "Mr. Whistler, I have called you here to ask you to paint my
door."

Source: the excellent anecdotage.com.