A dog that is reasonably well trained is a wonderful companion for walking in the country. I can't count the happy hours that Smallwood and I spent exploring the fields and forests near our home or cottage. In this painting, I have shown him briefly lying down waiting for me to catch up. I felt that the delicate forms in the little grove of hemlocks made a good counterpoint to the solidity of Smallwood's sphynx-like figure. - RB