A show tracing the cultural history of the dog over the past 400 years opens May 1 at the John L. Wehle Gallery of Wildlife & Sporting Art, at the Genesee Country Village and Museum in Mumford.

How Fetching! Dogs in Art brings together forty-seven of the gallery's paintings, prints and sculptures focusing on man's best friend. "Every work tells a much larger story," says Jill Roberts, gallery curator. "It's not just a painting of a dog. It's the whole history of where the breed came from." The greyhound, for example, dates back to the pharaohs, became valued as a coursing animal in the 19th century and is still used in racing today.

Featured in the exhibition are: Maud Earl (1864-1943), one of England's dog painters; John Emms (1843-1912), a dog portraitist of the 19th century; the hunting pictures of Thomas Blinks (1860-1912); and Percival Rosseau (1859-1937), an American painter of dogs.

Presented in two parts, the exhibit draws parallels between the British and American masters, tracing the artistic evolution of the dog until the artist discovers the personality of the dog within.

Gallery visitors are invited to bring a non-returnable photo of their pet when they visit the exhibit and add it to a photo wall. In return, they will receive a greeting card with Maud Earl's painting Three Spaniels and A Flat Coat Retriever. Children will find a game matching dogs with their groups as well as hand puppets and puzzles.

It is the first show mounted entirely from extensive gallery collection. The museum's founder, John L. Wehle, spent a half-century gathering the approximately 900 works now housed in the gallery at Genesee Country Village and Museum.

How Fetching! Dogs in Art continues through October 31. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday and until 5 p.m. on weekends. Call 585-538-6822.