PHOTOGRAPHY IN BRIEF : TO THE DOGS <i> By Elliott Erwitt (Distributed Art Publishers, 636 Broadway, No. 208, NY NY 10012: $49.95; 143 pp.) </i>

Joke: Did you hear the one about the dyslexic atheist?

--No, I didn’t

--Well, he didn’t believe in DOG.

That man is not Elliot Erwitt. He believes.

This book of photographs by Erwitt, one of the early members of the esteemed photo agency MAGNUM, is a funny, droll, and often poignant account of man’s best friend, and as a result, of man (and woman) himself. “The book is not about dogs,” Erwitt writes in his very wry introduction. “Essentially, these are pictures of people. But if I really took pictures of people doing some of these things, I’d get into trouble.” He muses about the characteristics of dogs internationally, claiming that South American dogs are unique--they look as if they’ve just been peeled!

The lovely black-and-white photographs, taken all over the globe, show dogs trying to be themselves in a world not of their making, while simultaneously pleasing their masters--often with more dignity and patience than the two-legged critters deserve.

We also learn that one of Erwitt’s secret tricks is that he barks at dogs, not just because they bark at people, but also because it often provokes a reaction for his camera. (He doesn’t tell us whether he has teethmark scars as a result.) I had to laugh at the revelation--I, too, bark at dogs, mainly because it’s fun.

Most of the photos elicit at least a smile or a sigh, and many will make you burst out laughing. A handful of his previously published signature photos are here, too, including the hilarious shot of a gimp-legged Italian dog facing off against the enemy--a phalanx of parked mini-cars.

All of the “snaps” (as he calls them) are pure Erwitt--with humor, intuition, and timing that we mortal photographers can only aspire to.