Double headed Dog ?

I have this unusual piece of Staffordshire? Pottery. Is it a dog? Looks like a cigarette/cigar in their mouth. I can find some online but they have very vague descriptions. Is there any significance in the decor on the base. Any help would be great

Most unusual. Definitely looks old.

It does look the part. Lion head has been suggested but I think it's a dog. Not seen a lion with a cigar but some dogs round here are quite hard!
I was wondering if it relates to some kind of event/story. Late 18th early 19th is one age suggested. It fits with the style but these were heavily copied in Victorian era as were other Georgian pieces like decanters.

I wouldn’t like to say without handling it because there is so much fake Staffordshire in unusual designs coming in from China these days - they have a shinier glaze and made of a white stoneware rather than earthenware.

What colour should it be under the glaze? It has a chip in the hat...very recent! but not my doing.

I had not noticed this before. There are 4 holes near the base of the dog. No idea why this would be there. Would they use 4 vents? They are stained. Is there a smoking connection. The 'cigars' don't have holes in so no smoke there

Looks like a stain made at the time of manufacture rather than due to age. I think it’s a fake, tbh.

Yes, looks fake, maybe 1990's.

This one often attributed to Wong Lee of Hong Kong...




It has the same kind of crasing too. It might have had metal fitments of some kind maybe.