Putting on the dog, meaning "to make a display of wealth or importance, especially by dressing stylishly and flashily" actually comes from the ancient custom of noble women sporting lapdogs. The silky-haired Maltese was the top dog in ancient Greece and Rome, while the Chinese (quite understandably) had a preference for the Pekingese, their yappie little skeletons having been discovered in 2,000-year-old tombs. In 18th century France, Marie Antoinette preferred pugs and, according to one source, had three of them.

"Love me; love my dog" seems to be the message emanating from these Post covers. Our talented illustrators had only to locate a comely gal, put her in a stylish outfit, and provide a well-trained pedigree to serve as a co-model.

The Post has discovered the origin of affection for a woman's canine friend. It runs deeper than cover art. A dog's genetic make-up is almost human. Seventy-five percent of its genes are the same. So, while some dogs get modeling jobs, other dogs serve as scientific models for more than 350 human diseases.

"Man's best friend"? You bet. And lady's, too.

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