Comfortable with dogs

From the Ivan Roots biography, in the ODNB, of Sir Charles Firth (1857-1936) -

Firth's private life, about which he was unforthcoming (his son was never mentioned in his Who's Who entries), was modest and even, considering his wealth, austere. The great working library at 2 Northmoor Road could hardly be counted an extravagance. As regius professor he was a fellow of Oriel, where he took his part in college life, dining often in hall and enjoying conversation with fellow academics. He was a member of the Athenaeum. Somewhat pessimistic, he was not without a sense of humour and, very occasionally, showed a flash of wit. Photographs in later life portray a solid bearded figure, in thick clothing and heavy footwear - he was slightly lame - with a watch-chain resting on an ample stomach; a pet dog looks comfortable with him. Like Richard Cromwell, whose article he wrote for the Dictionary of National Biography, he was a heavy smoker; like him, too, he lived to a great age. He died on 19 February 1936 at the Acland Nursing Home, 25 Banbury Road, Oxford, and was buried on 21 February at Wolvercote. In his will he declared that his widow was to select what she wished to keep from among his books, prints, and other possessions; the remainder was to go to Sheffield University, maintaining the Firth family connection.