Cast-iron lawn dog

From James Thurber 92 Stories by James Thurber.

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Q. No one has been able to tell us what kind of dog we have. I am enclosing a sketch of one of his two positions. He only has two. The other one is the same as this except he faces in the opposite direction.
MRS. EUGENIA BLACK

A. I think that what you have is a cast-iron lawn dog. The expressionless eye and the rigid pose are characteristic of metal lawn animals. And that certainly is a cast-iron ear. You could, however, remove all doubt by means of a simple test with a hammer and a cold chisel, or an acetylene torch. If the animal chips, or melts, my diagnosis is correct.