Yellow Labrador Portrait Painting - Memorial to a special dog

If paintings are like children (and dogs), then I should not haves favorites. Luckily I think it's ok to be bias with paintings and I am especially fond of this one.

Wallace was a special show dog who was much loved by his family in the Netherlands. He was taken too young by a sudden illness. This Labrador portrait painting was commissioned as a surprise gift from one family member to another. We had to be sneaky for quite some time from photo selection, painting, shipping overseas and then he had a long nap in the back room of the customs office. It was worth it in the end! His family was moved to tears and delighted to have this memory of his presence back in their home.

I had a beautiful reference photo of Wallace that was taken while attending the prestigious Crufts dog show, which made my job easier. While I never had the pleasure of meeting this boy in person (in dog - ?), it was a joy to get to know him on my easel. I like to paint the eyes early in the process because I feel the dogs help me to capture the rest of their likeness after that. It also gives me someone to talk to as the painting progresses, especially during the rough spots.

If you would like to commission a Lab painting or other Labrador artwork of your own, please visit my OtterTail Lab Art website and contact me.

Puppy Dog Training for the Conformation Show Ring

I offer exclusive training to a few lucky dog students. I particularly enjoy training puppies and mostly I am asked to help get youngsters ready for their conformation show ring career. Enjoy this video of yellow Labrador puppy "Google" who was my latest student. It was taken after my typical 2-week training course for conformation showing. Moonlits Hot On The Search aka Google is 5 1/2 months old.

I don't take them to a perfect "finished product" in 2 weeks, I get them started well while they have fun working and their little minds become engaged with the process. Each puppy is invited one at a time and lives in our home as one of the family. This means they learn the rules of proper house manners (at least as they exist in my house), they learn to wait politely for meals, eat side by side with my dogs, meet and be nice to the cat and don't steal her food even if she doesn't finish. They learn about manners at the door and the gate, what is and is not a toy, and a host of other everyday useful behaviors.

For breed ring training each puppy learns to free-stack themselves, or at least get started by learning to move their feet on cue. They are taught to back up on cue. No physical manipulation necessary which I think presents a much nicer picture in the ring. I get eye contact on cue, mouth handling for showing teeth, body handling as a judge will do, they accept being stacked for those times it may be needed and I always want to see a wagging tail. These are Labradors after all!! They learn to stay a nice distance away from me and "be beautiful" for increasing periods of time. Gaiting is important and I teach them the whole package. Position consistent by my left side, even trotting gait, look straight ahead with your head up, turn when I turn and resume trotting, then end in a 4-square stack, wag and smile!

You may not notice all of these little lessons as you watch the video (and others on my Labrador Dogs training channel), but I have used many small steps of positive reinforcement to get each puppy to make their job look natural and easy. I put as much on cue as I can in the time they are here so they understand what is expected of them. I believe this will make their first actual shows less stressful and more fun and that sets the stage for a promising career!

Painting In Memory of a Yellow Labrador Rescue Dog

Jade's family adopted her as an adult from a rescue group despite knowing she had numerous health problems. They fell in love with her and gave her all the support she needed. As a memorial to her sweet spirit (and surprise birthday present her "Dad"), I was commissioned to paint this dog portrait.

This painting was a challenge because the reference photo was so small - her head was barely 1" square. She was a very light cream-colored yellow Lab with a full, thick coat; very overweight and sitting in the snow on a bright sunny day in the reference photo (hence her eyes half closed). When I enlarged it the whole thing turned into a white blob. It was hard to find her in there! But it was her family's favorite photo, so how could I refuse? It took a little longer than some, but I am pleased with the end result. More importantly, her family is thrilled. It was my honor to preserve her image for them.

If you would like to commission a dog portrait painting of your own, please visit my OtterTail Lab Art Portrait page for basic information and contact me for details.

Black Lab Painting - A Rescue Dog has a Happy Christmas

This black Labrador portrait painting is a surprise Christmas gift, so if you recognize him - shhhhh! Don't tell! It's funny that I feel pretty safe about posting it because it's for my husband and he does not read my blog. He already knows everything I'm up to. Heh heh, or so he thinks.

This is our rescue dog, Butch. If you've been following along you have probably read Butch's sad story by now. Click on his name here if not. He squeezed his way into my husband's heart despite much resistance and now they are inseparable.

Butch does not swim, but he loves to walk in the water right up to his chin. I think it makes his arthritic hips feel good and I know it strengthens his muscles without abusing his joints, so I'm glad he likes it. The painting is from once such day as Butch stood deep in our muddy pond, sparkling wet in the sun. He has very sweet deep brown eyes. I had to paint this on the sly as hubby came and went. That was quite a feat - I think he will like it though, so it will all be worthwhile.

It is too late to schedule any new dog portrait paintings for Christmas this year, I have 3 more in the works right now. However, if you have a special someone you would like to thrill, we can still arrange a gift certificate and create your own masterpiece in 2012. Check the information on my OtterTail Labrador Art website, then email me (otail@htva.net).

New Labrador and Dog Prints, Lab Christmas Cards, Thank You Cards and more

One of my print shops, Fine Art America, has recently added greeting cards to their offerings and I am excited to say I have uploaded new Labrador and dog images with Christmas designs just in time for holiday cards. You can find great gifts for dog lovers here among the black labrador, yellow lab and chocolate labrador paintings. Choose the ones to match your mood or your friend, from funny to fine art.

Don't forget there are still plenty of great products with my dog designs like Labrador t shirts, bags, mugs, home dec and gift items, as well as Labrador Christmas cards in sets of 10 or 20 in my OtterTail Art for Dog Lovers Shop.

In addition to my own shops you can find lots of other fun labrador paintings at Fine Art America and get them matted and framed so they are ready to hang. Happy shopping!

Dog Portrait Painting, A Memorial Gift to Treasure

Meet Misty, a mixed breed girl who knows her own mind and isn't afraid to ask for what she wants. Can you see that in her eyes? She lives with special collectors of mine plus several other pack members. Eventually I will have the honor to do dog portrait paintings of all of them. So far Misty is the fourth to be memorialized. I often receive commissions to do Labrador paintings and Lab mixes, so getting to paint standing ears was a fun change. Her family requested a vibrant blue background to go with her vibrant personality. Why not commission a pet portrait of your special friend or order one as a grand gift? As a present that's hard to beat and it keeps on giving as the years go by. Visit my OtterTail Lab Art website for more information and to get started. Every dog portrait I paint presents a challenge to capture the true essence of a cherished friend and it is an honor for which I am grateful.

Good-bye to my sweet old yellow Lab, Marius

OtterTail Marius 12 June 1997 - 28 September 2011. I have been truly blessed to have spent the last 14 years, 3 1/2 months with this sweet, gentle soul - my beloved boy, Marius. He was beautiful to the end. His soft expression attracted admiration from Labrador lovers everywhere we went his whole life. I spent his last day sitting beside him and feeding him everything he loved until my kind vet came here after work and we said "good-bye". He is over Rainbow Bridge now where he was met by his best friend, Oberon. Obi has been waiting for him and I could see him bouncing with joy at their reunion. Godspeed my Babycake.

A Bridge Called Love - Author Unknown

It takes us back to brighter years,
to happier sunlit days
and to precious moments
that will be with us always.
And these fond recollections
are treasured in the heart
to bring us always close to those
from whom we had to part.
There is a bridge of memories
from earth to Heaven above...
It keeps our dear ones near us
It's the bridge that we call love.

New Black Lab Puppy Joins the OtterTail Pack

I am so pleased to introduce a wonderful new puppy that joined our pack on August 19th. His call name is Tonto, inspired by fond memories I have of watching The Lone Ranger as a kid. I admired the intrepid side kick for his loyalty, crafty skills and keen intuition. Tonto means "wild one" in Potawatomi Indian and kemasahbee means "faithful companion" - both fitting for a wonderful Labrador dog.

My Tonto is a black Labrador Retriever, now 9 weeks old, who has potential to grow into a fine show dog. He was bred by Susan Bennington of Moonlit Labradors. For me that makes "Moondoggie" a ready-made nickname (I was also a fan of Gidgit). I have not decided on his AKC registered name yet.

Tonto is smart and sweet and learning many new things each day. I feel it is of utmost importance to spend time training my puppies, introducing them to new things and establishing our relationship from the first day I get them around 8 weeks old (I started younger when I bred them myself). This is their critical learning period. Those first 4 months of life are the most important for influencing a puppy. Care and training given during the critical learning periods pays off more than any other time in their lives. Tonto is off to a good start. I hope to take videos of his progress. For now, there is an initial movie of his first walk on lead and first swim on my YouTube channel. Visit LabradorDogs to see all of past and future my videos.

Chocolate Labrador Painting - Portrait of a Cute Brown Lab Boy

The problem with dogs is that they touch our hearts, dig deep into the core of our lives, and then, having made us eager to share in their joy and love, leave us all too quickly. Dog should live forever! Well, they do in my heart and in my own little way, they do in my paintings.

My latest portrait is a chocolate Labrador painting of a handsome young boy name Scandal. His registered name is Moonlit's National Inquirer and he is bred and owned by Susan Bennington of Moonlit Labradors. The portrait painting was an experimental shift in style for me, being a bit more detailed and tighter than my usual more abstracted portraits. It is always fun to experiment, especially when the results are rewarding. I gave this painting to Susan as a gift - she loves it too! Scandal is still a young boy who has a life full of show wins and pretty girls ahead of him. I predict the day will come when Susan reflects on this youthful time and is thankful for the memory this painting will bring.

Regular readers may remember Scandal from last December when he was here for Labrador show puppy training. He spent 2 weeks at OtterTail Puppy Camp and was a fabulous student. He left us to begin his show career the next weekend, winning those classes and many more, then on to Lab specialty shows including The Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac, the biggest Labrador show in the world, where he won both his sweepstakes class and regular class. I know he has a very bright future! You can see a video of Scandal, then a 7 month old Lab puppy after training on my YouTube channel under LabradorDogs.

If you are interested in a custom pet portrait painting of your own beloved companion or training for your show puppy, contact me at otail@htva.net. My dogs are my life and it is my honor to help you fulfill that special spot in your heart and your life you reserve for your dog.

New Agility Dog Design - Special Frame for Your Special Labrador

Here is a new agility dog design for you Labrador lovers who run the obstacle course behind your agile companion. The teeter-tooter with Lab ascending is shown here on our popular wood Combination Frame for picture and title. The bottom opening is sized to fit a standard AKC title or an 8" x 10" photograph. The top opening is for a 3.5" x 5" photo of your star. It's a great way to display your title and commemorate your accomplishments together. The frame shown here is black walnut, this design and others are available in a variety of hardwoods, all naturally finished to show the beauty of the wood. Give one as a thoughtful gift to a dog-lover friend or a fun gift to yourself. You and your Lab partner deserve it! As always, visit OtterTail Lab Art for more choices or contact me for custom inquires. Have fun with your dog!

How to Help a Rescue Dog Adapt to a New Home

As regular readers know, I sometimes foster dogs for rescue groups or take dogs in on my own that need a new home. I get lots of questions about behavior issues from rescue dog adopters and from many others who have taken in homeless dogs. There is one line of thinking that causes a lot of well-meaning people to get off to a rough start. I decide to share some thoughts about it here.

New dogs adjust best when they are told specifically what to do - not given the freedom to figure it out for themselves. Dogs like rules. Dogs like structure and routine. That is a lifestyle that makes them comfortable. It is people who want to give dogs free rein to "just be good" with no instruction thinking that will make the dog happy and "rescued". That is a bit negligent about teaching the new dog how to adjust. Adopting is not rescuing - helping the dog adjust and become a calm, happy companion is the real rescue and that takes time and effort.

Until the dog is fully integrated into the routine of your lifestyle all that freedom mostly adds stress to the new dog's life. You don't ever need to be mean about giving instruction and establishing discipline (aka rules) - just the opposite. You want to be calmly in control like a teacher to a new student who is entering the classroom mid-term. Tell them, show them, fit them in to the way that class works by giving clear, helpful direction. Or imagine if you went to give a talk to some group at a strange place where you did not know anyone. Most of us would feel more comfortable if a person in charge met us as we came in, told us where to park our gear, where to sit, what the schedule would be, etc. Not just let you walk in and be "given the freedom" to figure it out for yourself. That's not doing you a favor.

I love analogies -- I hope this helps make what I am saying more clear. The instructors are not mean - they are calm and in control. That is what gives you reassurance and confidence and helps you relax and be able to fulfill your role. If they were agitated and bossy you would not feel as good. Dogs are not so different in that respect except that many will feel the need to take control if no one else does. Or the stress of the instability and lack of direction will push them into acting out aggressively, sometimes because they are simply insecure.

So, don't think of discipline as a bad thing. Discipline with clear rules and instructions is what new dogs need. After some time a routine will be established and the new dog will understand her role - where she fits in. Then she can earn more freedom because she will know how to handle it, she will know what to do that makes everyone happy.

As I always say, train them as much as you can so they can have more freedom. Untrained, undisciplined dogs who do not receive direction are not freer or happier. Give them instruction, explain / train them what to do, put the time in - they are worth it!

Photo is of a young yellow Lab I fostered who had never been in a house or played with toys before he came to me. This was his first day. I Love Dogs!

Two Labradors Turn 14 years old - Senior dogs celebrate

Happy Birthday Marius and Eponine! Marius is a yellow Lab boy and Eponine is a black Labrador girl, littermates from the last puppies I bred under my OtterTail Labradors kennel name. I am lucky and thankful to have them both still here 14 years later. I put together this movie of Eponine having her typical daily fun the past few weeks. I can't help but smile every time I see her bouncy trot and glowing smile. Both old senior Labradors have had some health issues this year and Marius has trouble walking these days. He still enjoys every meal and treat from his comfy big bed in the middle of our great room. Eponine had to have many teeth removed due to a hidden infection in her gums, but she healed quickly. She gained a new nickname - Gummy Bear. Marius and Eponine have been a joy since the day they were born - Wonderful Labradors in heart and spirit through and through. Happy Birthday, my sweets. The pleasure is mine!!

Remembering 9-11 on this historic day

I had the honor of being commissioned to create several tributes to canines involved with the 9-11 tragedy. In memory I am posting pics on this historic day. First, I created a Labrador Retriever sculpture plaque in memory of NY PAPD Labrador, Sirius, who perished in the basement of the towers that day. It was presented to his surviving partner (Officer David Lim) by his breeder/donater (Pat Gadaleta).

Twice I was honored to create custom hand-painted silk scarves for brave women who participated in search and rescue at the towers in NYC immediately following 9-11. Amazingly they both had black german shepards. Here is a picture of one of the scarves. It was specifically requested that I include the twin towers still standing. The first scarf was commissioned by FEMA US&R handler Jen in honor of her black GSD partner Taboo. The second was a custom order by Rose in tribute to her partner, Logan. His name and badge number were a subtle inclusion on two of the buildings. Still amazing to me that I should be found and contacted by two such brave women with so much in common!! I continue to be grateful to them for their service.

Lab Dog Proud Moments at the Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac Specialty Show

Nissa did herself proud at the Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac specialty show last week. The world's largest Labrador dog show was held in Frederick, Maryland over 4 busy days (plus an afternoon for a match before the big event). There were over 1100 Labradors in attendance for close to 1600 entries! The first 2 days of the show brought torrential rain, flooding the ground and leading to deep, sticky mud. Despite the miserable conditions my chocolate muffin placed 2nd in her Novice B obedience class with a 194.5 and won her rally Excellent A class with a 98, breaking a tie with fast time. It was a long, cold, wet day and we were both happy to get warm and dry back in our hotel room! That finished her RE title.

The second day Nissa made me very proud with her hard work. The mud was worse from all of the traffic in the same paths the day before, but she was a hard-working girl! Nissa won her obedience Novice B class. Nothing coming easy, we had to do an extra heeling routine in the mess when there was a tie (only 3 of us qualified, so it was not expected!). We won the run-off to finish her CD title with a 196+. Now she is officially Lobuff OtterTail Noble Nissa, RE, CD.

We had fun watching the rest of the show. I was happy to see my puppy students showing off. Chocolate Labrador, Scandal, won both his sweepstakes class and his regular class. He is destined to be a star! Black Lab, Jagger, made the cut in his sweepstakes class and placed 3rd in a very competitive 6-9 month old black puppy regular class. Super proud of how he showed himself! After all the excitment we headed home tired but very satisfied. Plus, we won some really neat loot!!

Labrador Girls Continue Their Winning Ways

Black Labrador Tallulah and chocolate Lab Nissa had a big day at the dog show and deserve to be sleeping it off back at home. Both girls made me proud with their performances at the Syracuse dog show on Friday. Tallulah got the early start by winning the first class of the day - Rally Excellent B, which she won with a score of 99 points. Once again I am obliged to admit the 1 point deduction was my handler error! I patted my leg once. It was totally unnecessary and I realized as soon as I had done it, but too late - it's not allowed at that level. I appreciate that Tallulah continues to put up with my mistakes as she rarely makes any in the show ring. She earned 1st place on all three of her RE legs with scores of 99 and 100. She so loves to show off and is sure that everyone in the building has come just to meet her! This leg finishes Tallulah's last AKC Rally title (first RN, next RA, last RE). She is now officially WhitSprgs OtterTail Tallulah, CD, RE. Conventionally we drop the lower level titles from the name as each more advanced title in the same discipline is earned. She has a RN and RA as well.

Chocolate Labrador Nissa was in the second class of the morning, Rally Excellent A. The "A" level is for dogs who have not yet earned other obedience titles or more advanced rally titles. Nissa won her class and I caught myself making another mistake for 3 points off. I think I will get better at this with experience! Later in the day Nissa was entered in a very competitive novice obedience class of 22. There were many wonderful routines with 17 dogs qualifying. Nissa earned 195 points out of 200 which was good enough to tie for fourth. I never like run-offs and I bumbled with poor footwork on this one, so we lost the tie due to my silly feet. It didn't matter to me. I was very proud of Nissa's good work. I am not one to ask my dogs to be perfect when I know I make many mistakes myself. Yet, we all work hard and have fun and, for me, that is the spirit intended for all performances when dogs and handlers work together.

Next stop - Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac Specialty Show where we plan to finish Nissa's RE and CD. It's a fabulous show - if you love labs, it's the place to be!!

Black Labrador Puppy Training for the Show Ring

Meet Moonlits Rolling Stone, aka Jagger. He came to me as a 7-month old boy ready for my 2-week training camp to prepare him for the dog show conformation ring. All of the show ring preparation I do is by capturing or shaping behaviors with clicker training. As always, Jagger learned the meaning of the clicker and began working on meaningful eye contact on his first afternoon here. This picture was taken on the morning of his third day. Visiting puppies live in my house with the rest of my own dogs, so there are rules to learn that have nothing to do with the show ring and we start those within the first few minutes of arrival as well. No busting into or out of the house or gates, be respectful of the other dogs (especially the oldies), no taking anything that is not a dog toy, eliminate outside, wait patiently while I prepare meals and eat only from your own bowl, go in your crate quietly when asked, no begging, no pulling or weaving on leash -- lots of what I consider to be basic manners, but many dogs do not know.

The show training happens throughout the day as I capture behaviors he offers. We start small and shape what each puppy gives into what is needed to be a classy show dog. Jagger is the sensitive type who needed his self-confidence boosted so we worked slowly the first few days, concentrating on bringing out his personality and helping him feel comfortable. Each puppy is different so I tailor my steps to fit the individuals. Jagger learned all of the things chocolate Labrador puppy, Scandal mastered and left here feeling much more confident and proud of himself for knowing how to do what was expected. We created the Jagger Movie to show some of what he had accomplished. Now he will go out in the real world to practice and build fun experiences in the breed ring. Be proud, Jagger!

(In case you missed it, there's a Scandal Movie as well.)

Painted Furniture Donation for a Good Cause

I have been painting furniture for the Yates County ARC "Chair-ish" Auction for several years now. This year I was given this nice cabinet to add any design I like. Since I mostly paint dogs it is fun to do something different now and then.

The possibilities seem endless as with each new furniture shape I spend even more time trying to decide what to paint than actually doing it. Then, no matter how much I plan ahead the projects take on a new direction as my brush touches the surface. I like these jobs that can be so free to float wherever the paint and my momentary whims take them. Yes, sometimes at the end I think I would have done it differently had I followed a plan to get where I got, but these are learning experiences and I enjoy them. It seems those who bid at the auction enjoy the finished products too.

The painting on this cabinet was inspired by Charles Rennie Mackintosh designs, but it went it's own way as I got going. I let it flow and intended to use a variety of colors, but something struck me at this simple green and white stage and I decided to stay with it. I know everyone is not comfortable with a lot of the vivid color I normally am drawn to use, so here's hoping those who prefer a more subdued palette will bid high on this piece and raise lots of funds for non-profit ARC's work.

While I have not painted many flower designs, I am an avid gardener and can't resist photographing my favorite blooms. You can find prints of the best garden flower photographs in my Dogs and Flowers Print Shop and on a variety of clothes, home and gift products at my OtterTail Art for Dog Lovers shop.

Ducks Cut in Wood Picture Frame

We started making dog-theme wood frames and products back in the 1980's and they remain popular today. This example is a vertical version of our "3-Ducks" frame. It is made of solid cherry, individually cut by hand with a scroll saw and has a natural oil finish. We have other designs and use a variety of hardwoods with each piece being selected for the particular project. All of my OtterTail Lab Art has evolved over the years in response to customer requests as well as my own shifting interests, yet it remains always inspired by my own dogs. It is a bit nostalgic to see the photo in this frame which was taken in 1989. The Labrador dog I was showing was my OtterTail Beau Buckaroo, Am/Can CD when he was 18 months old - he looks so young. The judge was the well-know Labrador breeder, George Bragaw. Both have been gone for some time now. The show was during the Wine Country circuit in NY with a large entry and tough competition. It was a long time ago and yet I remember it vividly. That is what special pictures can do. They deserve special frames.

Dog Training Tips - Train a Labrador Pup for Showing

Happy Holidays to all! May this special season bring joy and build merry memories for the future. Our holidays have a different twist with the addition of a young dog here for training. This adorable chocolate Labrador is named Scandal and he belongs to Susan Bennington of Moonlit Labradors. Scandal turned 7 months old on Dec. 23rd and is getting ready to start his career as a show dog. He came to us on Dec. 18 specifically for conformation show training. Dogs at our home are all treated as house pets and expected to abide by certain rules, so by my requirements Scandal is learning some other things too.

I consider eye contact to be of utmost importance in my relationships with dogs and I almost always teach that first at the same time that I introduce the dog to clicker training. For dogs in the breed ring getting eye contact on cue is an element of showing well, so it's a great place to start. With all training I break the lessons down into small parts. I consider what things a dog needs to do to show well based on that perfect picture in my mind (and my experience in the breed ring). Here is a partial list of what Scandal has learned in the past 10 days (not necessarily in order):

Make eye contact on cue
Wag your tail
Stand 3-5 feet away from me
Allow me to place your feet
Allow me to look at your teeth
Stay on my left side on lead
Do not weave from side to side on lead or get underfoot
Do not pull on lead
Do not stop to scratch or sniff when trotting
Trot at a steady, even pace
Turn and trot again in the opposite direction
Trot in a large circle and triangular pattern without bumping into me
Look straight ahead while trotting
Keep you head up while trotting
Upon stopping from trotting look up at me and wait (eye contact and tail wagging)
Follow my hand with your eyes (so I can position his head)
Catch a toy -- advanced into catch a treat
Back up on cue

Other non-show things that Scandal has learned this week include:
When a door and gate is opened, make eye contact and wait to be invited through
How to use the dog door
Pee outside
"Leave It!"
"Move"
Do not complain in the crate (still working on that one)
"Easy" - go extra slowly and carefully on lead (e.g., on ice or steep downhill)
Lie quietly while I prepare dog meals
Wait for and eat from your own bowl and do not bother any other dogs as they eat
Don't harass the cat or eat her food
A noise I make means the same thing as a "click" of the clicker

The above is repeated daily as we introduce the next steps:
Stand with your feet in 4-square position - I may teach this earlier or later in the training. It may be more likely to happen naturally as they mature through different growth stages. You can always position their feet if necessary in the ring. I want them to walk naturally into a perfect 4-square. I teach them to move their feet so I can tell them to fix it if they are not properly placed. All of this should give him excellent preparation for his first exciting time at a dog show. For my own dogs I teach them much more - the more, the better is my philosophy. They love to learn and it makes traveling and showing less stressful if you can give them direction and they understand what to do. Plus the more they learn the smarter they get. Yes, I absolutely do teach my show dogs to sit on cue -- that's a topic for another post!

Black Labrador Portrait Painting for Christmas Gift

Here is my last dog portrait painting for 2010. This Labrador painting was commissioned by a girlfriend in tribute to her boyfriend and his beloved black Lab. It will be a surprise Christmas gift. I hope he loves it! I don't think he is a blog reader, so I am safe to say that the dog's name is Fetcher and he is 14 years old. I can tell by the photographs she sent me that he is a wonderful hunting companion and is said to be still going strong. Good wishes that you may continue on with what you love, Fetcher! It was my pleasure to paint such a special old boy.

I am gearing up for 2011 and already scheduling new paintings to create lasting memorials to much-loved dogs. Why not celebrate your own heart dog or honor a friend with a gift that will last forever? To learn more about commissioning a dog portrait painting of your own and see more OtterTail Labrador and Dog Art visit my OtterTail Labrador Art website.