Old Faithful: Dogs of a Certain Age / Pete Thorne

A stunning and indelible collection of portraits and stories that capture dogs of a certain age in all their patchy, scruffy, jowly, and devoted glory—an homage to man’s best friend, based on the popular international photography project.

The dogs in Old Faithful are well worn, well loved, and well on in years. After his grandmother’s 100th birthday party, photographer and dog lover Pete Thorne found himself taking photos of elderly dogs. In their aged, imperfect faces, he saw a depth of life, joy, and wisdom missing from more youthful subjects. He gathered these rich and powerful portraits into a web series he called “Old Faithful.”

The reaction was instant—and astounding—from media outlets as diverse as Huffington Post and BuzzFeed to Esquire and ABC, to thousands of people around the globe who reached out to Thorne with their heartwarming stories of their own faithful companions. The photos triggered a wide variety of emotions, eliciting smiles and tears, and unleashing a flood of anecdotes and memories. “Old Faithful” became a shared platform for dog lovers all over the world.

Based on his web series, Old Faithful features dozens of color photographs that bring these dogs vividly into focus, accompanied by poignant descriptive sketches that capture the spirit and personality of each, illuminate his life and experiences, and celebrate the shared relationship with a beloved human companion.

A sweet and moving keepsake, Old Faithful demonstrates that aging can be beautiful, and offers profound lessons for all of us, no matter our age.