The Unexpected Gift

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Unexpected BY CALLY JAMIS VENNARE

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOANNA TOTOLICI

Gift

hey may come to us from family members, breeders, or the pound. They may join our lives as spirited puppies or mellow adults. They may feast on our garbage or drench our houseguests with unwelcome kisses. But sooner or later, our dogs always seem to find a place deep in our hearts as faithful companions and trusted friends. Hike in the woods at Frick Park or stroll along the arboretum trail in Oakmont. Wander through Riding Meadow Park in Fox Chapel or do some urban backpacking down Walnut Street in Shadyside. No matter your location, you will inevitably find someone out walking a dog—welcoming the morning or winding down in the evening with a relaxed, content stride. For many people, time spent with their dogs is the most peaceful part of each day. That relationship is a cherished—often unexpected—gift any time of year, but especially during this season of joy and thanksgiving. In the wise words of late naturalist Roger Caras, “Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole.” Read on for seven “tails” of wholeness.

Nero and Eric

He loves to

burrow under

blankets and into women’s purses. He’s quite the

social butterfly Eric Shiner in his Penn Avenue loft with Nero.

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and loves people

and other dogs.

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S H A D Y AV E

H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9

To meet Nero is to fall in love with him. It begins simply enough with a knock on the door of Eric Shiner’s expansive East End loft space. The next thing you hear is the clicking of little paws hurriedly racing toward you. Shiner, a tall, commanding presence, steps forward to shake hands. Born in New Castle, he recently returned to Pittsburgh to serve as The Andy Warhol Museum’s Milton Fine Curator of Art after years spent studying, teaching, and working in Japan and New York City. Yet it is Nero—Shiner’s two-year-old dachshund—who draws your attention with his bright eyes, friendly bark, and silky bronze mane. You can’t help but kneel down and scoop him into your arms, where he lingers happily. But the attention is short-lived. Nero is most content sitting next to Shiner. Or jumping on a billowy, makeshift couch made of parachute-like fabric. Or simply people-watching from one of the large windows that overlook bustling Penn Avenue below. His defining personality trait? “Nero knows how to work a crowd, just like his ‘father’ does,” Shiner remarks. “And he loves to burrow under blankets and into women’s purses. He’s quite the social butterfly and loves people and other dogs.” Looking around the room, one can’t help but worry about Shiner’s contemporary fine art collection, much of it within easy reach of the inquisitive pooch. While the artwork seems to stay safe, Nero has been known to possess a slight animosity toward a certain brand of designer shoe. “He’s only eaten two things of mine— both times it was a pair of Prada shoes,” says Shiner, laughing. “But for some reason he doesn’t like Gucci. So I guess the rest is just fine.”

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