Why Vladimir Mayakovsky sign his letters as ‘Puppy’
The loud-mouthed and brutal poet was actually a gentle man. And one of his sentimental traits was his love for dogs.
The poet's muse Lilya Brik recalled how Mayakovsky once picked up a dirty, stray puppy and brought it home, washed it, fattened it up, called it ‘Shenok’ (‘Puppy’) and addressed it exclusively with diminutive names. When the little one, afraid of water, finally decided to swim in the river with his master, Mayakovsky experienced such delight that he shouted: “Look! Everyone, look! He swims better than me! Next to him, I'm just a puppy!”
Mayakovsky even mentioned the dog in his poem ‘All right’ (‘Good!’).
Lilya Brik noted that the poet and his dog looked very alike: “Both are big-footed, big-headed.” Since then, his loved ones began to call him Vladimir Vladimirovich ‘Puppy’. And Mayakovsky began to sign himself as ‘Puppy’ in his letters to Lilya. And then, instead of a signature, to draw a puppy.
A whole collection of such graphic sketches of Mayakovsky's puppy has been preserved.
The puppy grew into a large mongrel, similar to a setter. But, unfortunately, he did not live to be a year old before disappearing. Mayakovsky was devastated and often remembered his friend.
Mayakovsky and French bulldog named ‘Bulka’
By the way, the puppy was not the only dog of the poet. From trips, Mayakovsky brought back with him a Scotch terrier he named ‘Skotik’ and a French bulldog named ‘Bulka’ (‘Bun’). He took the latter with him everywhere. According to the memories of friends, the dog gave him a lot of worries: he often had to give away its puppies. According to reports, ‘Bulka’ was in the poet's apartment on the last day of his life.
