What is it about dogs and trucks?

Dogs like riding in cars, but they LOVE riding in trucks! Maybe it's their upright seats better suit doggie posteriors. Or it might be that trucks ride higher than cars – they can see more from their perch. They might also be thinking, "If I play my cards right, I'll get to ride in the back!" I recall reading a dog's sense of smell is 10,000 times better than a human's. I can imagine if MY sniffer was that good, I too would like riding in an open-air pickup bed – fast moving air rushing past my nose, would supercharge all those scents. (But remember dogs should never ride loose in the back of a truck!)
Man's best friend, as dogs are often called, like to be with their master, and if that means going for a pickup ride, all the better. I remember Walter, a carpenter, always had his big German shepherd along in his truck. At a jobsite the man would park the truck in a shady spot. He'd get out of the cab and before he could grab his tools and work belt out of the back, the dog would have sidled over to the driver's seat. From this position of authority, he'd patiently supervise the goings-on until it was lunchtime. Walter would come back to the truck and get a big lunchbox and thermos out of the cab, then he and the dog would find a comfortable place to have their lunches and if needed, attend to the call of nature. Lunch over, Walter would go back to work and the dog would again supervise from the cab for the rest of the day.
My friend JD has, as his constant companion, a Cairn terrier named Rory. It's like that dog has only an On/Off switch, he's either asleep or roaring around full blast barking his head off! When JD needs a break from Rory constantly underfoot, he'll take him out to his truck and put him in the cab. Immediately the dog calms down, and will sit patiently, perfectly at ease. JD can now get some real work done without interruption, on whatever project he has underway. I asked, "How long will Rory be happy to stay in the truck?" "He'll sit there for hours," said JD. When I asked why, he replied, "because he knows he's not going to be left behind."
On JD's acreage, he has an old Fargo flatdeck truck that hasn't moved in years. I decided it would be fun to do a digital painting of it – and in honour of Rory's amazing patience, I photoshopped him into the cab. (Note: clicking or tapping on any picture in my blog will enlarge it.)
Here for your amusement is, "Waitin' For A Ride..."

If you'd like to see more of my digital paintings, check out my website at: http://automotiveart.shawwebspace.ca/  or if you have an iPad or a new Mac, go to iTunes/iBooks and have a look at my ebook titled: Digital Automotive Art