The dog days of summer bring many a pooch to our porch, a trend we encourage with a water bowl and free leashes. Speaking from experience, we know the special breed of obsession that comes with canine parenting. Regular customers have come to know our own motley pack starring Sophie the wanderer and Mable the lover; a troublemaking twosome, we love them to pieces in spite of themselves, and we are simpatico with like-minded dog owners.
And now, we feel the same for an Aussie journal: as beautifully designed as it is kind hearted, Four&Sons chronicles the ways dogs inspire us, as expressed in art, music, literature and science. The zine’s credo is doggedly clear: “Throughout history, dogs have played myriad roles – from comrades-in-arms to companions at our heels. We want to add muse to that list.”
Available in print and online, the current (third) issue is an absolute delight with stories on wild coyotes, a legendary Tokyo groomer and dachshund-friendly architecture. Largely black-and-white, the aesthetic is impeccable: sophisticated yet scrappy, each page speaks to the profound bond between humans and dogs.
Online, fresh, colorful features abound including Japanese photographer Hiroshi Takagi’s series on the quirky body language of his dog Taro; a photo-feature on the pure bliss of twin mutts bounding along a beach in South Africa; and a spotlight on the cool-hound graphics of Indianapolis-based artist Nathaniel Russell. One of the strangest yet poignant stories profiles people who have had their deceased pets taxidermied; the fine-art photographs frame the permanent vignettes in which the stuffed pets have been placed. Idiosyncratic to be sure, but we sympathize with the instinct to honor your furry relative’s place in your heart and home.
Four&Sons leaves us panting for more.
