DOG-LOVERS — particularly Jack Russell lovers or owners — will love a new book just published by Plymouth University's Andy Hughes.

I, Jack Russell — A Photographer and Dog's Eye View is a true celebration of these intelligent little canines.

Originally bred as a hunting dog in England in the 19th century and still used as working dogs today, Jack Russells are sturdy, tough, tenacious, intelligent, athletic, fearless and vocal animals, happy to engage with the human race.

The fact that Andy Hughes had more photographs of his dogs than his family and friends was one of the reasons why he decided to compile this visual exploration of the relationship between dogs and their human companions, and how they are increasingly integrated and implicated in each other's lives.

There are 208 pages of fantastic pictures of dogs at work, rest and play in both the UK and the United States, with additional excerpts from psychologist Alexandra Horowitz's best-selling book Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell and Know, plus a specially commissioned foreword from anthrozoologist Dr John Bradshaw.

From pictures of Andy's own Jack Russell Maui racing across Cornish beaches or rolling in the sand, to Missy the Jack Russell captured watching TV in her Florida home, there are wonderful images of these small bundles of character in every colour and shape, perfectly demonstrating what feisty little characters they are.

A graduate of the Royal College of Art, Andy Hughes was the first artist in residence at Tate St Ives in Cornwall.

His work has been exhibited at home and abroad, much of it centred on sensitive marine and coastal environments.

In 2013, he is due to travel to the Aleutian Island, as part of an international team of artists and scientists, to explore and interpret the issues of marine debris.

Andy leads a photography degree course at Plymouth University and has lectured at the Tate St Ives and the Royal College of Art.

I, Jack Russell by Andy Hughes is published by Booth-Clibborn and is available priced £22.50 from bookshops, ISBN 978-1-86154-321-9.

JANE HONEY