For over a decade I was fortunate enough to have a beautiful Russian Blue cat named Tasha sharing my life and my home. But I always had to laugh because she had this particular way of standing with heels touching and one foot straight forward and the other out to the side forming a V shape. -- This is the exact way professional models were trained to stand. And my little furry beauty was a natural!
With feet positioned in this manner human shoulders automatically go back as the spine straightens. It's impossible to slouch, so I can understand why it was encouraged.
In my 9th grade Home Economics class the older sister of a classmate was a professional model. She came to class and gave a speech on modeling along with demonstrations. Besides the stand, models were expected to walk with one foot directly in front of the other.
This walk was the same actor John Wayne performed to enhance his character and mystique for the big screen. Only he did it with more pronounced hip action while swinging the shoulders forward. -- And it was phony, an affectation suggested by another actor!
However to some it came natural.
From the age of 18 thru 32 I had a small dog that executed the John Wayne swagger to perfection. He was one quarter Terrier & three quarters Chihuahua. We owned his daddy as well, who was half & half.
I really shouldn't say "OWNED"! All our cats & dogs were fully empowered Canine and Feline Americans and they knew it!
And this particular dog was a little prince. He adamantly refused to be walked on a leash as if some common canine! Whenever we tried, he'd roll over on his back refusing to stand until that leash was off. We weren't about to drag him, so instead we took him for carries. He wasn't fond of going outdoors either!
Fortunately that house had a big yard. We'd set him down, he sniff around and then scratch your leg to be picked up again. This would be repeated multiple times until he finally found the perfect spot and did his business. And then he'd be carried back inside.
Often when I was seated, I'd gaze over at him as he stood across the carpet and I'd call out, "Come here sweetie pie, let me love my little baby."
He'd stand there and glare at me with that haughty stare of his as if to say: Maybe I will, or maybe I won't, I'm still deciding.
Eventually, after continued coaxing, he'd come slowly towards me doing the strut that would make John Wayne proud. This dog was letting me know that I was being bestowed a favor. -- Although he loved it when I rubbed behind his ears with one hand and his hips & butt just above the tail with the other.
Still in his mind, he was throwing me a bone. Guess he figured I'd earned it.
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