A New Furry “Granddaughter?”

I’ve been painting digital art pet portraits for six years. The first commission I had was from Oregon, and it was a Vizsla. After that I had two more Vizsla requests from different places. We had two dogs in our family. Our first was a golden retriever named Natasha; the second was a Borzoi named Tatiana. When we moved to DC we never got another dog hoping our grandson might want one - but he never did. He had a few unpleasant dog encounters as a youngster so he wasn’t in to wanting a pooch. Then our family and grandson - who used to live down the street - moved to Virginia four years ago and four hours away. They were talking about getting a dog a few months ago, but we never brought the subject up as to the type or timing. So it was with sheer delight that we heard this week we will be getting a furry granddaughter next weekend! She is a Vizsla, eight months old, and lives in West Virginia. We don’t know all of the details yet, but we got a photo of her and she looks lovely! We are not familiar with this breed, but we know we will love getting to know her. It just seems ironic that the dog they chose was the breed of the first portrait I painted. I have a feeling I might paint another one soon. 

The Neighborhood Bernese Mountain Dog

A few weeks back, we were on a morning walk and we came across a sweet Bernese Mountain Dog puppy a couple blocks from our house. It's the corner home with an iron fence around it. On a nice day, it's the perfect spot for a pooch to relax, and get a LOT of attention. He was lying in the dirt, and was very receptive to having his photo taken. After that, we didn't see him at all. I was guessing because it was just too hot, that the household was on vacation - but also concerned that something dreadful happened to him - or even worse - he was snatched out of his yard because he was so nice! I also noticed that the dirt where he used to sit was transformed with rocks, but there were three water bowls sitting by the stairs, which was a good sign. But it was my husband who said my friend was back. And there he was today, a little bigger, his tail wagging, welcoming all the attention - not just from me, but anyone who passes by and stops to say hello. I'm certain the owners must get a kick out of having a celebrity. Whenever I see him I miss our dog even more. It's been over ten years, but she is still unforgettable. It's nice to have a pup in the neighborhood.