This endearing model of a mongrel dog—apparently a much-loved mascot among the saloon denizens of Great Falls, Montana—was kept for many years in the Mint Saloon there. Bearing the bloody scars of a recent fight, the dog rests with satisfied contentment like a seasoned but punch-drunk prizefighter after a routine bout. For the model, Russell used small black glass beads for the dog’s eyes, and a roughly fashioned block from an old packing crate for the base. As in many of the artist’s early figures of this type, the wax has shrunk over the years, leaving a slightly wrinkled layer of paint on the surface of the model. Analysis has shown that Russell applied a coat of shellac over the wax model to allow the paint to adhere to the model’s surface. Once the various colors were applied, he would then coat the whole thing with shellac a second time. Over the years the shellac darkened, hiding much of the paint colors beneath. This particular model has been recently cleaned, so all of the dog’s wounds and the dusty yellow of his fur coat are clearly visible.