Moonlit OtterTail Kemosahbee, RN at LRCP 2013

My boy, Tonto, is growing up.  Well, not "up" so much as maturing.  He is a short fellow and will be small for life.  That makes him not the best show dog since all of the boys are bigger than he is now.  I love him anyway!

This picture was taken in April at the fabulous Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac Specialty Show.  He presented himself very well and I was pleased with that, along with some nice comments he got from breeders and spectators outside the ring (the judge did not care for him).  I will probably only show him a few more times as we are only doing it for fun and it isn't much fun if he doesn't fit in.  He will get another obedience title or two and spend the rest of his life being my little buddy.  It's funny because I particularly told his breeder I was hoping for a smaller dog than my last big boy who needed to be lifted and helped with walking at the end.  (Sweet Marius was a very big boy and I felt sad at the prospect of not being strong enough to ever help him as much as he needed.)  This munchkin is a classic example of "be careful what you wish for"!

Tonto is a lover and a gently sweetie pie.  He moves beautifully, strikes a handsome pose, and looks lovely running around in my yard.  He has an enduring smile, a wagging tail, happily greets everyone, and loves to ask for hugs.  That's the important stuff!

A New Old Dog Joins the Pack

We are happy to be able to welcome old Buddy into our home.  He was my father and step-mother's dog since he was a wee baby adopted from North Shore Animal League.  His "mom" passed away last summer and Dad could not take care of him any longer so Buddy will live out his days with us here at OtterTail Farm.  He is 11 1/2 years old and has been blind for 5 or 6 years.  He seems to have lost most or all of his hearing in one ear, so locating sounds is difficult for him and he ends up circling to find his way.  He has a few health issues we are addressing.

I was worried that such a major move and change of life style might be too much for the old boy, but he is proving to be very adaptable.  Buddy gets more comfortable with our home, yard and schedule every day and is very interested in all the new smells.  He has always been ok with my dogs though not particularly friendly and sometimes annoyed if they came too close, but he is more relaxed with them now too and has initiated a few good sniffs of his own.  The thing that wowed me the most is that after only a few days of being lead on a regular route he managed to find his way from far out in the dog yard back to the stoop and figured out the dog door all by himself!  Way to go Buddy!  We hope he finds happiness here despite missing my Dad.  We are thankful to be in a position to take care of him and offer him peace for the rest of his journey.

Colorful Blue Dog is a Black Labrador Abstract Portrait Painting

On this paintingI had fun experimenting with different colors and getting back to a more abstract style that I enjoy.  I used a very limited palette of blue, purple, red and white in the background and then only blue with the tiniest touch of black mixed in to dull it down, purple, and white for the dog.  Well, the eyes have other colors of course.  The reference photo was over exposed and had been faded by becoming wet, then lying in the sun for months before I used it.  I thought that would still be interesting to use by providing me less information which would keep me from slipping into extra detail or realism.  I guess it worked, though looking at a good version of the photo I may have to do it again.  I am happy with the result.  I feel it is a good departure from the more realistic pet portraits I have been painting lately while still capturing the expression and sentiment.  The model is Tallulah.  I titled it "Need Help With That?" and the truth is I'm sure she thinks she can do it better - whatever it is!

I have a pile of canvas panels to paint and this is one.  That means it can fit many standard ready-made frames if you remove the glass.  Since the painting is varnished it does not need glass and looks better without it (in my opinion).  This Labrador painting is 9" x 12" and is available for $175.00 plus shipping.  Doesn't everyone need a supervisory dog?

You can also buy this sweet mug on canvas prints, paper prints, acrylic prints, metal prints and greeting cards in my Labrador and Dog Art gallery on Fine Art America.  Happy shopping!

Tonto, black Labrador Wins Third Class and Rally Novice Title

Congratulations to my boy, Tonto, for earning his Rally Novice title at the Labrador Retriever Club of the Piedmont specialty show!  He won his class with 99 points out of 100, giving him 3 wins in 3 tries toward completing the requirements for his first obedience title.  This is pretty easy stuff, but what I like is that his foundation for future work is good and I love that he is having a good time.  It is very important to me that my dogs enjoy their work.  I love that wagging tail and happy attitude.  Perfection - at least as much of it that I ever look for in my dogs - will come with experience and maturity.  Tonto is 19 months old in this video.  He is still a distracted teenager.

Good boy Tonto!  Now Moonlit OtterTail Kemosahbee, RN.

I am available for private training lessons for you and your dog in rally, obedience and basic good-dog-behavior as well as specialized in-home training for show puppies.  Contact me for information.

Brittany Spaniel Portrait Painting - 2 red and white dogs.

It was fun to paint dogs of a different color!  These two Brittany Spaniel boys gave me new challenges in several ways.  Aside from not being black, yellow, or chocolate as most of my customers tend to be, the reference photos were from different places, different lighting and very different times.  Now both dogs are older and gray, but their people wanted them painted as they were in their younger days.  Taking out the gray where the white and orange hairs blend proved to be a bit of a guessing game, but eventually I got it right.

The Brittany boy in the bottom front was purchased as a puppy while the upper fellow was rescued as an adult.  Both got lucky to be part of a loving family and it was my honor to paint this lasting tribute to them.  I will be shipping them home shortly and ready to start my next fun project.  Will it be for you?  Treat yourself or someone you love to the special gift of a custom pet portrait.

I will be happy to paint your Brittanies, Labrador portraits, or any other breed or mix-breed dogs as well as cats and horses.  I am open to other challenges too, so if you have an unusual pet contact me and we can plan together to make the perfect painting just for you!  Visit OtterTailArt.com for more information and let's get started.

Happy Birthday to my silly brown tank - Lobuff OtterTail Noble Nissa, RE, CD!  Five years old already, thanks for all the fun!  Nissa is a fine example of what a Labrador should be - inside and out.  It is a joy to share our home with this wonderful girl!

Dog Paintings to benefit shelter rescue dogs

Meet Max!  This adorable pit bull has been in the local shelter for over 2 years - the majority of his life.  He is sweet and would really love to have a home and family of his own.  I have painted this picture of him to donate to the Humane Society of Schuyler County for the auction at the Mardi Gras party they are hosting this Saturday (Feb. 9) from 6-11pm in Watkins Glen, NY.  It will be a fun event with music, food, wine tastings, festivities and great stuff to be auctioned to raise funds for Max, the other shelter dogs, and the much needed new shelter building.  Click to learn more: HSSC Mardi Gras Celebration

Max's painting is 9" x 12" acrylic on canvas panel mounted in a black floater frame.  I fell in love with him while painting his picture and have high hopes that this donation will not only benefit the shelter in a big way but may also help Max find his forever home.  Since he is such a cutie I decided to promote his cause with a second painting which will also raise funds to benefit HSSC.  The second painting, also acrylic on canvas panel, is 8" x 10" in a black frame and is titled:  Make Someone Happy.  As I worked on his beautiful smile I thought about the song - "Make someone happy.  Make just one someone happy.  And you will be happy, too."  Surely that sums up what a dog gives to us when we give him a happy home.  You are repaid 1000 fold.  So this second painting is in honor of Max's happy spirit despite his hard times.  Please help by supporting HSSC.  Max thanks you!

Portrait painting of two black Labrador Dogs

This was my last portrait for 2012, finished in the (Saint) nick of time to be a surprise Christmas present from my collector to her husband.  This is Stella and Gus, sister and brother black Labs.  The reference photos were taken in a hurry and that really does influence the details of the finished painting.  Both of these were taken from above the dogs looking down.  Your angle is one more thing to consider when you take photos whether it is for portrait painting references or your own photo collection.  Try to get down to dog eye level for some shots and see the difference it can make.  Speaking of photos, this is not a very good one of the painting as the light is uneven and color is off.  I had to hurry them off in the mail so no time was left for accurately recording the finished painting - tch tch.

I think you can tell that Stella (on the left) is the boss of the pair.  Gus is a softie.  Sadly Stella's time with her family may be short now due to cancer.  I am happy for them that they got this painting as a lasting tribute to her and her bro.  What will Gus do without her?

Happy Birthday Black Lab Tallulah

This post is belated due to holiday madness, but we celebrated the big birthday on the actual day.  Dec 5th my "Tallulah Bear", officially Whitsprgs OtterTail Tallulah RE, CD turned 7 years old.  It is hard to believe how fast the years have gone and now she is considered a senior.  Don't tell her though, she still acts like the same crazy kid as always!

The weather was great and we had an extra long walk with a December swim in the pond.  I had to scold the birthday girl for being so wild with the younger dogs that someone might get hurt.  At least in her "old age" she listened.  Then there were special treats with dinner and extra loving all around.

Happy Birthday silly girl - You keep us all on our toes!

Give the Gift of a Memory, Commission a Pet Portrait Painting

Here is my latest dog artwork commission.  This yellow Lab portrait painting has been enthusiastically approved by my collectors and will be heading home in a couple of days to be a surprise birthday gift for her Dog-Mom.  I hope she loves it too!

This sweet yellow girl was caught sunning on the back patio.  Like all good Labradors, she is ready in an instant if there is something to help with or fun to be had.  I cropped and edited the reference photo to exclude distracting details while maintaining the feeling of the moment.  Good quality reference photos lead to good paintings, but they don't have to be perfect in every aspect!

It's not too late to book a special holiday gift for someone you love and give a painting that will last a lifetime.  Our wonderful pets do not stay in our lives long enough - as I am feeling all too keenly having just lost two of my own.  I cherish the portraits I have of my dogs.  It is difficult to put into words how special these paintings have become to me.  I know that is true for many of my collectors as well.  Don't wait for a "better time", treat yourself or someone you love with a portrait painting of your own.  Visit my OtterTail Lab Art website for pet portrait painting information, then email me for details.

Pssst - only a couple of openings left for the holidays, but gift certificates make wonderful presents and allow the recipient to be involved in the process.  Even last minute shoppers can be heros!

Sad Days at OtterTail - Rest In Peace rescue dog Butch

Butch   5/19/02 - 10/28/12

It is with great sadness that we say good-bye to another sweet Labrador so soon after losing OtterTail Eponine.  Black Lab, Butch was the dog I rescued after his owner was in a critical accident.  He loved me, but he chose my husband to be "his man".  After initial resistance on his part they became close buds and Butch will be dearly missed, his absence leaving a void.

I knew he was not a healthy dog when I rescued him.  He had a lot of issues and had lead a complicated first 6 years living with a schizophrenic recluse.  An animal communicator told me Butch had chosen that owner to help him through his confused life and critical accident.  It must have been a difficult job.  She also said Butch was happy with us and that he chose me to teach me about letting go and moving on.  It is still not easy for me, sweet boy.  For you, I will try my best.  Rest In Peace, you deserve it. xo

Oldest Labrador OtterTail Eponine Rest In Peace

It is with a heavy heart that I say good-bye to my beloved OtterTail Eponine after 15 yrs, 3 1/2 months. She was the last puppy from the last litter I bred.  Her passing marks the final end to that period of our lives.  I loved raising puppies, it was letting them go to new homes that was the hard part.  I fell in love with and got attached to all of them! 

Eponine lived 369 days longer than her brother, Marius.  Always special friends, now they are together again.  She also lived longer than my previous oldest Labrador, Dave.  Still it never seems long enough.  She walked slowly to the pond for one short final swim on her last day even though she had trotted down only a few days before.  That was always her favorite time.

I have so many fond memories.  One of my favorite traits of Eponine's was the celebratory "whoo-whoo" she would sing for every joyous event.  Little things make a Lab happy.  Just the morning biscuit after breakfast was enough to get a song and dance as we headed down the hall to the backyard where they got their biscuits from their first puppy days.  I started that when they were young as part of house-training.  Everyone goes out after breakfast.  I can still see her tossing her head in the air, prancing and giving me that special song.  She celebrated every little happiness.  May we all be blessed with such a clear view of life.

Rest In Peace   OtterTail Eponine   12 June 1997 - 2 October 2012

Labrador Dog Training Water Rescue with Newfies

 Three of my OtterTail Labs and I had several fun training sessions this summer working with Newfoundland dogs on their water rescue exercises.  The Newfoundland breed is known for this work and there are titles they can achieve by passing a variety of tests under the guidelines of the national Newfoundland Club.  Unfortunately, Labradors cannot earn these titles, so we went for the fun and learning experience.

(Nissa, Harvey and Pop pose together on the rowboat platform)

Some of the exercises include retrieving a life vest or cushion that is dropped from a passing boat, taking a life preserver and swimming out to a person who needs help then towing them to shore, swimming out to a boat and towing it to shore, jumping off a boat to retrieve a lost paddle and swimming out to a person then towing them to shore as they hold onto the dog's body.  This is just a sample of the tasks they learn.  We had a blast!

(Tallulah retrieves a cushion dropped from a passing boat)

(Tallulah and Tonto both enjoyed pulling the boat to shore (so did Nissa, no pic))

(Newfie "rescues" his owner Jackie and tows her to shore as she holds on to his pantaloons)

There will definitely be some Labrador paintings coming from our days swimming and training on the lake with our friends.  I hope you all enjoyed your summer.  Have lots of fun training your dogs! 

Dog Portrait Painting - German Shepherd Rescue Dog

Recently finished this commissioned portrait painting of a german shepherd dog.  She has the most wonderful big ears!  As always, it is rewarding that her family is thrilled with the painting.

This sweet girl was added to her family as a rescued dog.  She had been abused and was afraid of many things.  She latched on to her new "Dad" and has been his girl ever since.  Her whole family has worked hard to help her overcome many of  her fears.  Sadly, some lessons learned when young have a long lasting effect on the soul and she still has security issues.  She is much loved and receives all the patience she needs.  She is a very lucky dog now!

It was an honor to paint her and get to know her a little bit.  I always try to make a connection with the animals I paint.  I admit she was harder than others.  I did not know as much about her past until I sent the final proof.  Now that I know I think she was keeping her defenses up with me too.  I hope she likes this tribute to her and will lower her guard just a little bit more to let the love in.

Please visit my OtterTail Labrador and Dog Art website for information and contact me to commission a dog portrait painting of your own or as a fantastic gift for someone you love.  Now is the time to book your order for the holidays!

Happy First Birthday to my Black Labrador Puppy

Moonlit OtterTail Kemosahbee, aka Tonto, is one year old already!  Still very much a puppy at heart, he is a wonderful little man who is very well-behaved.  He looks pretty serious in this picture, but that's only because he was trying hard to pose for the photographer.

Tonto is growing up to be a handsome dog with lots of potential for a rewarding conformation show career.  Meanwhile he continues to learn and prefect his obedience exercises as well as fun tricks. Watch his birthday activities at Labrador Dogs on YouTube (that's me!)

Sharing happy birthday wishes with his littermates Moonlit's King of the Night, aka Dracula and Moonlit's Queen of the Night, aka Vampire who are doing well in dog shows now while Tonto is home waiting to grow his new coat.  Drac and Vamp were both here for training last winter so it's fun to read and hear about their successes in the ring already.

All three of these pups have wonderful Labrador temperament to match their good looks.  I am blessed to have Tonto in our family and love him to pieces!  Happy Birthday Kemosahbee!!

My Oldest Labrador Celebrates Birthday 15

Beautiful, old OtterTail Labrador Retriever Eponine celebrated her 15th birthday on June 12, 2012.  It was a cool, rainy day except for one cloudy break.  Unfortunately I had to be out for the afternoon and snapped this picture before I left.

Eponine was standing out in the rain waiting impatiently for me to take her for her daily walk and swim in the pond.  She was hard to resist (and pretty annoyed when I did not go on schedule)!  Luckily Jim was able to take her while I was gone.  She had a fun swim despite the weather, then was dried and bundled up in a blanket on the couch where I found her snoozing when I got home.  She has a selective appetite these days, but enjoyed a hard-cooked egg and some liver for her special birthday dinner.

Old senior dogs are so precious and have a great deal to teach us in the way they handle aging and daily living.  I am blessed to have this wonderful "old woman" in my life!!  Although Eponine and her brother, yellow Labrador Marius (RIP 6/12/97-9/28/11), were named for characters from Les Miserables, they both brought joy beyond measure to our family for many years.  Happy Birthday my sweet!

Yellow Labrador Painting - Portrait of a famous dog

This yellow Lab painting is a tribute to a special girl who has had a fine show career. Her name is CH Lobuff's Turtle Dove, bred and owned by Lisa Weiss, Lobuff Labradors. Dove was Best of Breed at the Labrador Retriever National Specialty in 2002 and the very prestigious Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac in 2003. She was also first in the brood bitch class at LRCP 3 years in a row. 

Dove passed on her wonderful attributes to numerous kids and grand-kids who, themselves, have passed on quality to many more.  Her daughter CH Lobuff's Puffin at Hollyridge is the top winning Lab bitch in the US history of the breed and another daughter CH Lobuff Hollyridge Kisskadee was Best of Breed at Westminster in 2008.  There are numerous other specialty winning and great producing Labs to her credit.

I took the reference photo candidly last year when Dove was 12 years old, so the portrait was a surprise for Lisa this spring

A portrait painting is a wonderful way to commemorate a special pet and makes a treasured life-long gift for any dog lover.  If you would like to commission a dog portrait painting of your own click Here to visit my OtterTail Labrador Art website to read the basics, then contact me to start your special project.  You will be glad you did!

OtterTail Labradors Proud at LRCP 2012

Once again I am proud of my OtterTail Labradors as another Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac Specialty show becomes a memory.  The largest collection of fine quality Labs in the world came together for four days and nights of showing and fun Lab related activities.  My charming chocolate girl Lobuff OtterTail Noble Nissa, RE CD came in 3rd place in the American Bred class, proving she has beauty as well as brains.

Thank you Hallie Sherck for this photo of us in the ring!


My young boy Moonlit OtterTail Kemosahbee, aka Tonto, made his show debut competing in a class of 20 entries.  He was a bit too excited by the whole ordeal yet managed to show pretty well for his first time out and earned 4th place in the 9-12 month puppy dog class.  Later we had the opportunity to be presented with his sire and litter sister in the huge and prestigious stud dog class.  Here is a picture snapped from ringside.

Thank you Jill Mahoney for this fun  photo!


Once again I got my eyes filled with the images of many beautiful Labradors, got to see old friends and made some new ones, ate good crab cakes, and wore every piece of clothing I brought (sometimes all at once!  It was cold. LOL!) All in all we had a lot of fun!  There's no show like Potomac!

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!