Nice composition and not your average pet portrait pont of view :) Since the only real detail in this shot is the dogs face I would have liked it more detailed (might be my dark monitor though).
You teach me that muddling together light and dark shapes can confuse the eye and mind into looking without seeing the obvious. In this case, I have to check myself and ask, is it the white or the black he wants me to look at - what are the shapes. It is like a visual puzzle.
I like the composition, and the DOF. There is also good lighting that gives some highlights to the eyes, otherwise they would be lost in his dark coat. I am more and more impressed with the results people get with that 50mm lens. Very nice photograph.
Cool how the white stripe on his forehead runs down the left side of his nose. Great contrast between mainly black head and very light tones of the rest of his body and the background. Nice expression of his eyes.