Just ask her owner Ahn Wells, who happens to be director of Gallery 139 in Beaumont Street at Hamilton.

Since she opened the gallery last year, Ms Wells brought Coco to work with her for company.

The chihuahua-Jack Russell terrier cross helps attract people into the gallery.

She makes the place a tad less intimidating, Ms Wells said.

It was partly Coco’s presence that inspired the gallery’s first exhibition of the year – Dogs in ART.

“I wanted the first show to be a bit of fun,” Ms Wells said.

“And lots of people like dogs.”

The self-described “crazy dog lady” includes herself in that category.

“There are many different works in this exhibition from miniature ceramic dogs to life-size paintings of the artists’ dogs,” she said.

“There is even a portrait of me with Coco.”

The exhibition, which has 61 works from Newcastle artists, closes on January 30.