who watches the watchdog?

thanks wikipaintings.org (PD)

Imagine any terrier sleeping through the presence of a rodent.  That would be how we know this is Art.  Here's British academic animal painter Briton Rivere (1840-1920) with Watching Dog of 1875.  Rivere's work is beautiful in its warmly lit detail, and often curious or appealing in its story.  See a slideshow selection of his work here at the BBC.