In fact, the dog was a stunning example of Black Forest carving. A woman from Washington, Iowa, inherited the dog from her great aunt who purchased it in Switzerland in 1907. His name is Barry and he's supposed to be a replica of the St. Bernards who helped people trapped in the Alps. Ms. Igelbrink reported that the carving was indeed from Switzerland. Although the Black Forest is in Germany, the term is applied to all carvings of animals in this style, usually bears or rabbits.
Dogs are more unusual.
Ms. Igelbrink noted the detail of the carving, the whorls of fur, the pads and toenails on the dog's feet and the rope tied around his neck. These carvings were made in the 1900s up to the middle of the century by families of carvers. Appraiser David Lackey was thankful she'd made the switch. Some say he did all the holes by hand, other say it was a mechanical process. But to this day, we don't know the truth.