D IRTY DOGS

LEV I

MANDEL

D IRTY DOGS

I grew up surrounded by dogs. My

grandmother Syd bred German Shepherds, which

meant we always had a minimum of two canines in

the house at all times. Our pets were never technically

“show-quality,” but that only made me love them

more. When I was twenty-two I moved to Brooklyn.

Jobless, broke and with very few friends, I came

across a job listing for “dog-walker” on the Internet.

I envisioned the classic scenario I had seen countless

times in movies: A disheveled twenty-something New

Yorker hoofs through Central Park with a handful

of leashes and an oversized keychain. I immediately

applied for the position and after a few interviews

(and a few fabrications on my resume) I had the job.

The company I worked for was not the large, pack-

walking service that I expected; it was a high-class

dog-walking club for the elite. Our clients paid more

to have their dogs walked separately. Some owners

wanted isolated walks to treat their dog’s anxiety or

injuries; more often they just wanted to ensure their

animal received individualized attention. Although

still mostly friendless, my dogs filled the void of

humanity in my life. They looked forward to seeing

me and I looked forward to seeing them. The large

dogs appreciated my enthusiasm for playing rough,

and the small dogs didn’t mind when I took a nap

on their owner’s couch between walks. During that

time I was photographing my new surroundings

excessively--mostly documenting the surreal nature

of a new, dirty, insane city--so it was only natural that

I photographed my dogs as well. Dirty Dogs brings

together many of the dogs I met that summer, as well

as a few new friends.

-L.M.

- For Mom

Molly, Levi, Turque, Zephyr (Summer 1988)

Photograph courtesy Rayne Mandel

Dirty Dogs

First Edition 2014

Published by A Love Token Press, New York City

ALT0074

© 2014 Levi Mandel for all Photographs

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography,

recording or any other storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in

writing from the artist.

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