Laika the Irish Wolfhound

My only employee, my service dog Laika. Symbol of Irish charm and congeniality.

Visitors to the tattoo studio will meet this lovely example of the rare and noble breed that has long been the symbol for Ireland. The true primordial dog, physically identical to the ancient dire wolf, mentally now loyal to their human and the only breed for me!

Laika is my seventh Irish Wolfhound, an extravagance and a joy. I believe everyone should have one breed of dog that just fits, that is perfect for them. And she is mine.

She is named for the Russian astronaut dog Laika who went into space in 1957 in Sputnik 2. She was the first animal ever sent into orbit, and sadly she did not survive. I was very young, but have poignant early memories of a little shrine we had in our back yard where we would say a prayer for her soul. We would thank her for her bravery, sure that because of her sacrifice and the knowledge gained from that space voyage, someday humans would go to space.

Due to an unplanned dismount with my mule Tobe I remain a bit gimpy after spine surgery, so the choice was to walk with a cane or a service dog. Wanting to avoid injuring my vital hands, so necessary for my occupation, I opted to have Laika trained to assist me. This also gives her the legal right to be my studio backup.

Lucky clients can even pose for a souvenir photo! Here we see her at work with David Bell, the esteemed author of several books featuring Irish Wolfhounds. Difficult to appreciate her 200 pound size without a human for scale. Fortunate indeed that they are called Gentle Giants.