Image

Image can be such a fickle thing.  One little misstep, one indiscretion, and it all comes apart.

Public figures and even politicians hire specialists in the field to maintain their public images.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Consider Sterling.  Or, more correctly, Sterling Ice Fog of Alaska, according to his registered name, for Sterling came with a lengthy pedigree.

Who could tell, when he was a cuddly puppy, that he would mature into this prince of a dog? 

Oh, and he was a prince.  His breed originated in the Weimar area of Germany centuries ago.  They were bred to be reliable gundogs, used by royalty to hunt boar, bear, and deer.  When those species began to decline, the dogs hunted small game and birds, and then were bred to be companions for the nobility.

The nobility strictly controlled the breeding of the dogs in order to keep the lines pure.  In order to own one, you had to be a member of the Weimaraner Club, and membership was limited.  Finally, these aristocratic dogs were brought to the United States in 1929, but not until 1942 were the dogs available for sale.

 

Their regal head, athleticism, and high intelligence endear these dogs as special companions.   Their unusual coloring of both coat and eyes identify them immediately as a special breed.

 

 Sterling was an uncommon dog, in that he was a long-haired Weimaraner, where most AKC register Weimaraners are short-coated.  AKC does not recognize the long-haired dogs for show, but they are recognized by the European kennel club.  All of which indicates that Sterling harked back to his regal heritage.

All except for the bird hunting thing.  Sterling hated to get his feet wet.

But, as many image-managers know very well, even a prince can have a bad hair day:

Sterling, 1992-2004