Summer 2026

Working Dogs BY MICHAEL CHATFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLI ULDALL 98 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 2 6 “To really enjoy a dog, one doesn’t merely try to train him to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog.” ~ Edward Hoagland, Author Noodles A t 9 years old, this Australian labradoodle resides at Austern Cohen Gallery with owner/painter Michael Austern Cohen. “He gives me a great deal of comfort while I paint,” Austern Cohen says. “He sits on the couch while I work.” The two have developed a comfortable routine, walking to and from work every day, then going for a beach walk around 3 p.m. Of course, there are regular snack breaks during the day, including a stop at the Diggidy Dog pet shop. Leggo W infield Gallery proprietor Chris Winfield adopted two-year-old Leggo—who he shares is “…part poodle, maybe a little terrier (because he likes to dig)”— about a year ago. This pooch has itchy feet and would happily bolt out the door to explore Carmel, so it’s necessary to keep him leashed. Ironically, until recently, he was teth- ered to a large bronze cat sculpture. “He got his name due to his long legs,” Winfield says, “which he uses any time he gets a chance.”