Dogs’ Happiness

Characters

• Jack — a young pointer: A cheerful house dog whose confidence collides with the cruelty of the human order.
• Arto — an old white poodle: An experienced, darkly rational dog who explains power and servitude to his companions.
• the violet-coloured dog — a battered street dog in the cage’s dark corner: Cynical and hungry, he refutes the poodle by clearing the fence at the cost of half his side.
• the mouse-coloured dog — a big dog with cropped ears: He nearly fights Jack in the street and in the cage proposes biting all humans.
• the greyhound — a fine well-kept little dog with thin legs: She asks affectedly about society at the pound and presses the poodle about higher justice.
• the dachshund — a black smooth dachshund dappled with yellow: She is horrified by the tale of the soup and whispers to Jack that old dogs’ sermons tire her.
• Bouton — a shaggy reddish yard dog: Fawning on the big dog, it silences the violet dog and echoes whatever opinion is voiced.
• Annushka — the cook in Jack’s household: She takes Jack to market; losing her trail leaves him alone on the street.