‘The Greyhound Story’ documents the growth and development of a very successful business. Founded in 1914 by a Swedish immigrant named Carl Eric Wickman, the bus line expanded its service until in 1939 the figures were presented at the annual stockholder’s meeting indicating that the company’s gross income for the year had been $55,989,765 with a net income of $6,562,802. Greyhound employed, at that point, close to 10,000 people. The history of the company’s expansion, under the direction of several executive officers, is related in great detail. By the mid ’80′s Greyhound had become one of the largest leasing companies in the world. Various international subsidiaries lease aircraft, supply vessels, and oil drilling rigs, among other things.It may be said that the key to the success of Greyhound Corporation has been diversification.

Lady Greyhound

One of the most interesting aspects of this book, as far as I’m concerned, are the photographs of the buses or ‘motor stages’ as they were initially called. Stages because what they replaced were stage coaches! It was not until the 1930s that the now traditional image of the racing greyhound first appeared on the exterior of buses. In 1957 the company introduced a mascot, Lady Greyhound, who attired in a wide rhinestone collar and tiara, made public appearances at various charity events, was named America’s canine symbol by the American Humane Association. And (this is my favourite) she opened the brand new Greyhound terminal in Detroit by biting through a ribbon of dog biscuits! It was reassuring for me to discover that there was an actual dog involved in this story somewhere. “Once, when someone commented that Greyhound’s president ‘worked like a dog,’ his secretary said , ‘But not as hard as the dog.’ ”

I managed to get a shot of Steele that shows his edginess just as it is. I can’t help having the north on my mind as the Iditarod mushers took off today and part of me wants to be in the wilderness with only dogs for company. I’ve read a number of books this winter about both the Iditarod and The Yukon Quest sled dog races. So I’m getting to know some of mushers by reputation and anecdote. It is exciting in that raw kind of way that is so quintessentially northern.

As an aside, I was thinking about something that I read on Jon Katz’s blog last week. Apparently he has been receiving email from people who question the humaneness of allowing his phenomenal sheep herding Border Collie Rose to risk injuries that could arise from the performance of her duties. Jon addresses the issue eloquently. It would be inhumane not let Rose do her work; it is her purpose. This is a dog that never likes the sheep to be out of her sight. It occurred to me that that the same may be said of sled dogs, particularly those teams that run the Iditarod. It is what they want to do above all else. I have read that a whole yard full of dogs will go berserk at the sight of a human with an armful of harnesses. We do not do dogs any kindness at all by attempting to suppress their essential nature.

Due to the cold, really cold,  weather we’ve been experiencing lately we’ve been spending more time inside. This has afforded me an excellent opportunity to make some quick portraits of our dog friends. I find the sight of these furry faces quite heart warming on these cold winter days. Most of these shots were made with only natural light from a window.  The colours reflect the cool winter light. The dogs are wonderful subjects, totally without pretense or inhibition.

Emotions are the gifts of our ancestors. We have them and so do other animals. We must never forget this.”

Marc Bekoff    —      from the summation of his book “The Emotional Lives of Animals”