a dog pays attention

thanks wikimedia commons {PD:US}

When I spotted this face this morning my immediate thought was "That's what I need to do this next year - sit up and pay sharp attention."  This is an undated oil on card by the German artist Minna Stocks (1846-1928).  Though not much seems be available on her life, she created a number of homely pet paintings.  They have a realistic charm, the kind you often see in European work during her life dates, but this "Hundeportrat" (Portrait of a Dog) has a depth and sympathy to it.  Whatever he wanted, I hope he got it for being such a patient boy.