Tuesday, July 31 Pepper! The last dog!

Wow~  this is Pepper!  She jumped on the 30 Dogs Bandwagon just this Sunday at the Red Hot Art Festival!  I did have a couple other just for fun dogs I really want to paint, so you can stay tuned and see who else gets painted as part of my addiction to the brush....
And Pepper REALLY is a pepper-colored dog!  It was tricky trying to figure out how to get the actual color of her fur to show up...

I think it worked...
I am hanging a show tomorrow at the Egg and I on Lyndale and 28th in Uptown, and will be hanging all the dogs tomorrow night at Diamond's if you want a preview before Friday!  Yay!  DO come see us all at 1618 Central Ave NE Friday from 6 to 8pm!  I will have adult beverages and crackers, and Diamond's does great sandwiches and caffinated drinks!  Oh and I'll have hopefully a few cards of each of these new dogs too, for $4 each!
Yay!
It's been a GREAT July!  Thank you so much for following and supporting me!  You make it all so much easier!

And here is what Pepper just sent to me!
Hi Kat,

I asked Billee and Butch to write something

about me, but they are too busy and said "You do it."

I am very excited about having my picture painted.

B&B have painted pictures of their departed dogs on the

walls and I was thinking that it would be nice to

have one of me while I'm still around.  I came to them at

one and a half years old. I'm half Schnauzer and

half poodle, they call my breed a "Schnoodle".

Butch says it is just a fancy name to get more money.

He says when he was growing up, I would have been called

a "mutt".  I was very shy and quiet.

Never barked.  It didn't take me long to learn that

if I barked, I could be in charge.  So I bark a lot

these days.  I'm 12 years old (almost 13)  and

I don't run like I use to and my back is a little sore....

sort of like Butch's.  We're all getting old over

here at the MusicBarn.  I like to do Yoga with Billee in 

the mornings. But the only pose that I really know is "down dog".

My favorite activity is "BEING INCLUDED".

Thanks again for painting my picture.  The photo is a picture

taken awhile back when I was looking a lot younger, but

don't tell anybody.  It's my favorite picture.

Always howling,

Pepper

Monday July 30, Sam!

This is Sammy Louise~
Another noble, beautiful, fuzzy face....

Sammy Louise died at 14 years young.
Here is a bit of her story:
I had just finished a MS 150 mile bike ride.  It was raining, I was vulnerable and emotional driving home from Oklahoma with a girlfriend. It had been a year since I had had a dog because my mother told me that my last one was the reason I was not married.  Don't you just love mothers. So I gave it a year.  My girlfriend and I stopped by the SPCA on our way home as we did quite often just to give the dogs a little love.  She was standing by this cage and wouldn't move. I finally got there and gasped. It was like a spark between Sammy and me. I found out she was female and that was about it. Let her out of the cage, put her in my lap as she curled up legs spread (showing full trust) and I fell in love.
I knew I was too emotional to get her right then so I went home to rest my legs, and watched tv for a couple of hours. The only programs on tv, I swear, were dog related. So I gave up, drove back to the SPCA and rescued her. She had heart worms, weighed about twenty pounds, had a bullet in her head and was seriously a scared mess.
Long story short, my full bred Llewellyn Setter was one of the wildest, most independent, bull headed, sweetest, sofa loving, love bugs I have ever had. Serious hunter...she used to stalk doodle bugs when a puppy all the way to bringing me possums in my house. The greatest form of flattery for a bird dog is for them to lay their kill at your feet so proudly. Although Possums "play possum" then wake up in my house. So needless to say she was a trip to live with for four years. I have chased her all over Texas. ...Literally.
I wouldn't have traded one moment of life with her... however I don't see another Llewellyn in my future. One was enough. Rest in Peace Sammy and run free.

I will always love you~

Wow~  that's a story-  I do want to know more about the bullet in her head though....  Amelie?  Will you comment?

And one more dog TOMORROW!  Oh, and I need to repost a few that I've worked on...

The show is being hung Wed night and the Opening Party is this Friday at Diamond's, from 6 to 8!

Sunday July 29th, Hazel!

This is the biggest one yet, at 12x14!  Which seems HUGE after a bunch of 8x8, but not so big next to a 30x40...  but FUN!  And I will be continuing work on it tomorrow, as it was a challenge to get this far at the Red Hot Art Fest today!  Though very VERY fun! 
Hazel even came to visit and see the piece in progress, and she is a MUCH BIGGER dog than you'd expect as well!  A wonderful terrier mix, she looks a lot like what I think a Danish Griffin would look like....

stay tuned for the finished piece!

Saturday, July 28, 2012! Gus AND Cody! Happy Birthday GUS!

Whew!  A two-for-one!  On an extremely full weekend!  Am I insane? Of COURSE!  Crazy for the love of PAINTING!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GUS!!!!!

I've been thinking about getting a photo of Gus here to you for months.  Then your 30 dogs in 30 days came up and Gus will be a perfect candidate.  He will be 10 yrs old on July 28th!    He is absolutely the kindest, sweetest dog in the world and is my pride an joy.  We've had him since he was a wee puppy and now he's our 70 lb sweetheart.

This is Gus' brother (not by blood-just love).

His name is Cody and is a Rat Terrier/Besenji mutt.  He's very naughty yet we love him anyway.  He is super athletic and loves to bark unlike a full Besenji.  

We adopted him several years ago and since then we've discovered he can eat anything (and will) with no negative effects.

He has the most expressive ears.  In this picture they are saying, "did someone say treat?"

Friday July 27th, Penger!

I once had the pleasure of dog-sitting Penger in Seattle for my cousin and her family while they were gone for MEA weekend and I had traveled to the east coast.  He was a magnificent goofball, silly and elegant, with a very large dog-door to the backyard.  We would walk around the Fauntleroy neighborhood, up and down the streets and alleys, looking out at the Space Needle across the sound.

What a good dog.

Penger was always included in the family photos-  this one was cropped from a shot with young Frank, sitting next to Penger in a little rocking chair.  Frank is now seventeen and as tall as three Pengers!

Thursday, July 26~ Tess the Dane

Tess has a very noble demeanor, and such elegant lines...

"That's the biggest dog I've ever seen!" "Do you have a saddle for
her?" "How much does she weigh?"
These are just a few of the comments we receive about Tess!
Tess is our three year old, Mantle (black) Great Dane.
Most days you'll find Tess sprawled out on our couch - yes, she takes
up the whole couch- or curled up in a little ball on her favorite
leather chair!  Tess comes from a long line of champion Danes and is
very regal in all ways and mannerisms. That's not to say she doesn't
have a "sassy" side when she wants our attention or reminds us when
it's time to eat!  At a svelte 115 lbs, Tess loves to run Agility
courses and enjoys play dates with her Dane cousins. For a young lady,
her ferocious bark is quite deceiving. She is truly a "gentle giant".
And yes, she does sleep in our king-sized bed with us!!

I LOVE big dogs!

Wednesday, July 25th,

Today's dog is Hannah, and when I first saw her photo I thought she was winking! 

I was completely charmed and wanted to include 

her even more when I heard her story~

Eight years ago today, I met my sister in Memphis, Tennessee, and she had Hannah
in the car with her. They had driven north from New Orleans, where my sister
was living and where Hannah had been rescued. I had visited my sister weeks
prior, in May, and accompanied her to the animal shelter down the street
where she volunteered. Hannah had been at the rescue only 2 weeks at that
time, and was recovering from an eye removal in addition to being treated
for heartworm. I wasn't ready for another dog (my lab was 5 years old at the
time) but I couldn't say no to that sweet one-eyed face!

And I also thought I'd include a commission I finished this morning too, just to show you

 I'm not slacking off....

Tuesday July 24, Jet!

THIS was a FUN dog to do!  My beloved Bingo is the black lab mix that taught me how to paint black dogs and DARN IT but they are so FUN!  Especially a shiny sleek son-of-a-gun like JET!

Here is what Tif has to say about Jet~
We rescued Jet in October, 2010 when he was about a year old. He has been a wonderful dog! He is a super shiny, fit, active dog, who is rather ball obsessed, and is very food motivated! He will do anything for a piece of kibble and his latest tricks involve jumping on top of his crate and then through a hula hoop! He is a big swimmer, too, and loves the monthly labrador pool party. My husband will tell everyone who meets Jet that he was the very best that Golden Gate Lab Rescue had to offer! We couldn't be happier with Jet!

Thanks so much for following!  This has been a GREAT month!

Monday, July 23, Snow Dog

I was just hanging the laundry out on the line, sweating deliriously while doing it, thinking about how dangerous it feels just to be OUT there....  this is the part of Minnesota I really REALLY don't like.  So today's dog is a larger, fluffier, hairy monster who is actually covered with little bits of snow in the photo but I am not sure how to include that in the piece and don't have enough time to address that issue at the moment... I'll have to do some practice later, when I have time... whenever that may be!

Sunday, July 22, TYLER FOOTE!

And here is Tyler, who has a wonderful terrier-tilt to his sweet head~ and tufty ears, and poofy eyebrows, and just the squidgiest face!

 Moira wrote a haiku for Tyler~

in the deepest wound

everything is black and white

my honky tonk dog

 

 

 

And you can read more about Tyler on Moira's incredible blog, Dog Art Today, in this chapter HERE  which explains how she adopted him and his incredible surgery and in earlier posts, you can read about how hard it is when a beloved companion has to go.

Thanks Moira!

Saturday July 21, Eli, Rock Star of

Eli just looks like such a sweet rascally scalawag, I couldn't resist painting him!  I mean, LOOK at that smile, and that great muppetty hair-do!  What is NOT to love!!!

"We are a canine rescue in Wilmington, NC, Sunburst Foundation of Wilmington, & we would love to submit our beautiful, funny Newfi/Chow mix, Eli, for your event.  He was a rescue from Pender Co AC in 2003, at age five, and he is now around fourteen years old.  Even though he is older and definitely slowing down now, he continues to bring a smile to everyone's face who meets him."

Thank you SO much for your continued support, comments, and advice!  This really is a community project~
I will have some of the dogs with me this weekend and next, at the Joan of Art Show today, and next weekend for Red Hot Art.  They mostly aren't for sale but you can certainly enjoy them!

Friday, July 20, NAUTUS!

OOOh I really had fun with this one!  Nautus is an Australian Cattle Dog, I believe, and it appears that his owner is a heckuva photographer because I looked through a number of beautiful photos before choosing this one to paint!  In the photo, he actually has a birthday hat on...

And here is his little story~
"I originally got Nautas as a companion for Jack, his older brother.  Jack was the dominate dog in the house - having already been with me for 2 years.  He taught Nautas many things and Nautas quickly learned his place in the pack.  Playing ball meant Nautas would do the work of fetching only to give the ball to Jack, who would then carry it the last 10' and drop it at my feet.  This was the pattern all of their lives until Jack passed away unexpectedly.  Nautas mourned the loss of his brother Jack alongside me, helping me through one of the most difficult times of my life.  Emerging from this darkness, Nautas has come into his own.  Absolutely neurotic when a ball is nearby, he can play for hours by himself.  On the bed, he pushes the ball in tiny increments with his nose and catches it just before it falls off the edge.  He'll use his nose to roll the ball back and forth on the carpet to anyone willing to play with him, and he has many takers because it's so fun to watch him do it!  Nautas is a phenomenal dog - incredibly smart, intuitive, loving, loyal and patient."

Wednesday July 18, Gopher!

Got up early to get this one done!  One of the issues that comes up for me with this project is the fact that my time is very limited and I really REALLY have to plan and keep to a schedule, and sometimes I am not completely happy with the painting and know I will be going back into it when time permits~  With Gopher here, I am not sure I am happy with his expression~  I'll have to see what happens, but I am out of time today already, can you believe it?  I won't be able to paint again til tomorrow morning.  This is why my social life is rather structured and I can't stay out late like I did in my days of hanging at the Turf Club til bar close....  but tonight is my parents' anniversary and I can't miss that, and we have to go to the zoo this morning, and then I have summer program!  Whew!  Life is BEAUTIFULLY FULL!

Thursday, July 19, Bailey Boo!

Here is Bailey, a sweet, full length Maltese, with an incredible smile~

Bailey Boo, my precious Angel
April 3, 1999 - July 19, 2010
 
No one was ever more loving, more loved, or more missed.

Tuesday July 17, Connie!

Sorry, I have had a bit of a change in the schedule, though I am not sure there are many of you following it religiously...
SO here is Connie instead of Hazel who will be having a slightly larger format than originally expected...
Connie is one of those wonderful, high energy, very sweet, loving and somewhat submissive hounds~

And I also wanted to post this, in case any of you are looking for a dog, or know someone who would love a sweet black lab!
I believe he is at the Minneapolis Animal Shelter~
The writing is my friend Kim~

Hey all,

                             The dog that I found abandoned last week at the light rail station is coming up for adoption today. There have been a few people that have expressed some interest but it doesn’t look like he’s going to be scooped up. Could you pass this on to anyone you know who might be possibly be interested? He’s a big lab mix, super sweet , obedient and easygoing. He is probably about five years old, but I’m just guessing. I could tell he was housebroken because once I coaxed him out of the shelter he “did his business” while I was walking him to my house. He didn’t use the train shelter for that at all. He’s not a barker and rode well in our car. Settles right down. Jay and I both could see he was a great dog right away, and honestly, if we didn’t already have two large dogs, we would take him. Anyway, I think he’d be a good easy dog for anyone that would consider him.

Thanks so much.

Monday July 16 MAYA!

This was a GORGEOUS photo to start with, of an intelligent looking dog, with that wonderful long-distance gaze, looking into the future...  I LOVE that part of a dog, its elegant, unknown intelligence...
Sorry this one is later in the day~  It was a long night last night-  earache in a 3 year old...

Maya is a 4 year old Australian herding dog known as a blue heeler.  She is smart, sensitive, FAST.and extremely patient.  Her funniest trait is her ability to bait us with her ball or stuffed toys.  She can be nowhere in sight but if her toy is lying at the head of the hallway, you can be certain she is crouched behind a corner or at the end of the hallway waiting for someone to kick it for her.  She brings smiles to our faces every single day and she could not be more loved!

Sunday July15th, Maisy!

Here is Maisy!  Well, actually I think it is the younger version of Maisy that I've chosen to paint, and a sweet looking puppy she is!

She's one of those cuddly little big-eyed fluffy sweethearts that just steals your heart away!

Saturday July 15th, FRODO and XENA!

This is the first pair I've painted, sitting here at Articulture!  It's been fun working and talking to people~  though I am not sure the color is true because I took the photos here~  and I may do some adjusting...

Here is Jenna's tale of her two puppies!

We adopted Xena from the Golden Valley Humane Society in July of 2000. She proved to be a bundle of energy those first months and chewed everything from the feet of our chairs in the dining room to the undersides of the cabinets in the kitchen. We decided she needed a companion as my husband and I work during the day away from home. 1.5 years later we adopted Mr. Frodo (yes, I'm a HUGE LOTR fan) from a large pet adoption at Macy's in downtown Mpls. He is such a 180 from the Warrior Princess and such a wonderful balance. Whereas Xena was always "talking", looking for the next job and anxious to chase anything that moved, Frodo was content to sit and contemplate life and wait for the next treat. They have been such a joy in our lives and we are so greatful for their companionship!

Gee, and now that I see them on the screen, I am seeing that I want to do some eye adjustments...  I'll repost them when I've fixed them!
thanks for following!
kat

Friday July 13, Ollie!

 This is Ollie, who lives with Junie of July 9th!  I have to admit that I had a hard time deciding which of the excellent photos to choose, as Ollie's personality shows through in all of them~  I liked his eyes in this one, and the gleam of his shiny black coat!

 

 

Ollie is an Australian Shepherd.

After Krista and Cheryl welcomed Junie to their family, they realized she needed a playmate. Cheryl picked Ollie from a litter of others; he was shy and reserved. But that only lasted about 5 minutes!  Like the books about Junie B. Jones, Ollie is a true pesky little brother.

Ollie's registered name is Ollie Glock. Glock -- because he is a pistol!  He is a herder, much like his breed, and will follow any child around as if they are sheep to protect.  He loves to show-off,  jumping up and spinning in circles. But Ollie can also be very sweet. He loves to cuddle!

    

Ollie has become a true companion for Junie. And, for Krista and Cheryl!  

Thursday July 12, Emma the Wheaton SCOTTIE!

 This is Emma, and her beautiful story by Valerie.  Thank you Valerie!

Emma joined our family in the spring of 2002. An adorable bundle of joy, she cocked her head when you spoke to her and looked at you with inquisitive eyes. She was striking, with her coat the color of a pale Golden Retriever. Not to be confused with a Wheaten Terrier or a Westie, a Wheaten Scottie is a true Scottie, only wheaten in color. Emma may have been the runt of the litter, but she had a strong will to survive. A combination of femininity and determination, she melted our hearts. Emma bonded immediately with her half-brother, Winston – a black/brindle Scottie who, until her arrival, had ruled the house.  

She learned quickly, emulating her big brother. Although not one to particularly enjoy the great outdoors, she did not want to be left home alone. As soon as she saw the leash, she would rush to her water dish to grab a quick drink in preparation for what was ahead. Once out the door and on our way, she walked with an air of bravado, not knowing that, from behind, she looked like Charlie Chaplin in The Little Tramp. And, when she had enough, she would plant her paws firmly in the ground and refuse to budge.   

Her place in the family was as our protector, announcing all visitors during the day and guarding the bedroom at night. We were devastated when, at the age of eight, she was diagnosed with lymphoma. Every day of her last six months was celebrated. Special kisses to her first mom, Sheila, who helped Emma enter this world, and to Jeanine and Leia, who helped her make such a graceful exit.

Wednesday July 11, Rupert!

This is Rupert, a Papillon with a chipper attitude to go with those ears!  I had a great time mixing the purples and blues of his ears, though I may go back in to the background and firm it up a little.  It feels somewhat vague to me, which is fine for the back but still a little too dark~  what do you think?

Tuesday July 10, KC and Shad

Ah, here is a pair of very noble beasts-  you can tell by their grins and the length of their noses!

And their owner, John, who went quite the distance to rescue them, has this succinct and eloquent statement about them~

"One of God's gifts: Second Chances"~

And wow, were these fun!  

Monday July 9th, Junie!

Junie lives in Texas with Krista, and I was going to edit her story for length but I enjoyed it so much I figured I'd include it all here!  We'll see if it will fit in the book....

 

Junie's Gotcha Day 

Cheryl and I were planning on getting a vizsla puppy from the same breeder my sister used.  Unfortunately, Jewel's last litter there was only one puppy and it was a male, and he had already been spoken for.  That was Jewel's last litter.  We were disappointed.  I wanted to go to the pound that day to find me a new one.  But we waited.   

About a month later we were shopping in our local pet store.  They were having an adoption drive for some dogs from a local shelter.  There were two 6 week old black dogs in one cage, a boy and a girl.  The boy was up at the front of the cage, wagging his little tail.  The little girl was a the back, laying down with the most soulful eyes.  I got her out to pet her, and immediately fell in love.  Cheryl is a veterinarian, so she knew all the right things to look for in a puppy.  Me, I was smitten.  She had an upper-respiratory  infection (i.e. runny nose), so she immediately was nicknamed "buggers."   

When we finally got her home, we couldn't decide on a name.  Since Cheryl is a veterinarian, she has heard of every name in the book, so every time I suggested one, she would say it was too common.  So, we both decided we would write our 5 favorite names and chose from there.  Junie was on both of our lists.   

Junie, was named from the chapter-books, Junie B. Jones by author, Barbara Park.  I was a substitute teacher, and I learned early on, whatever elementary grade I was sent to, everybody enjoyed listening to the adventures of Junie B. Jones.   

That was 8 years ago.  Today, Junie loves to swim and fetch.  Her strong friendly tail has knocked off a wine glass or two.  While she is still a very soulful dog, she has brought Cheryl and I so much joy.    

Krista, 2012

Sunday, July 8th Lottie!

I had a great time painting Lottie!  I think it was a combination of that noble face and the colors in her fur, though I did repaint the background a few times and am still not sure about it.... I may decide to add some yellow to it~  Below is her owner Mary's story~ 

 "Lottie (or Big Lots as she's often called) is a Leonberger (combination of St. Bernard, Newfoundland, and White Pyrenees) – 120 pounds of love!   Leo’s are meant to look like a lion; they were bred to be the mascot of the city of Leonberg (Germany) which translates to “Lion City”.  I found Lottie at a shelter when she was 6 months old – she’d had a tough start in life.  She was emaciated, tick-ridden, and had a mild case of Lyme’s Disease.  But we were meant to be together and she has been my best bud for the past 7 years.  Big Lots is a gentle giant who makes big feet and a double chin look stylish!  She loves to do “cannon-balls” into a creek, but don’t even think of getting her in a tub for a scrub down.  She’s magnificent when she runs at full speed – in a freight-train sort of way…pure strength.  She loves people and will let you know by swinging her sizeable south end into you to be petted.  Lottie will be my one and only dog – who could need more than this HUGE hairy bundle of unconditional love!"

Stay tuned for more!  And it does appear that there may be a couple extra dogs squeezing in!  I'll get back to you about the t-shirts!
 

Saturday July 7, 2012- Max!

Today's dog, Max, is owned by Shelly-  in her own eloquent words...

"My husband and I brought Max home in August of 2002 the week before I found out I was pregnant with our first little girl.  From the beginning he was a pain in my rear end.  The police visited our house the very first night for a barking, whining dog.  Because I'd never had dogs, Max was strictly an outside dog which is where he spent his days for the next 4 years while I raised my girls.  He barked, the police came, the neighbors wrote notes and taped them to my front door and still....Max barked.  Then one day my sister-in-law let him in and left him inside while we were gone for the day.  No pee in the house!  Huh!  A new dog lover was born from that day forward!  My little Maxie man sleeps with me, eats with me, naps with me, sits next to the shower while I shower or next to the tub while I bathe.  He follows me around the house while I clean, do laundry, dishes, etc.  He is my bestest friend!  He's the only one who can wake me at 6am on a Saturday morning and not suffer the wrath!

I love my dog!"

Friday July 6th, 2012

Alright!  Six dogs in 6 days so far!  Wahoo!  I thought this week may be tricky with the Fourth of July and the heat and all, thank the good lord for window air conditioners and fans!  The heat does make my paints dry faster though, which can be both a great thing and a terrible thing...

This is Tasha, in her "Glamor" pose...
I really do like painting wooden floors, and painting them just a TINY bit askew... it feels like it adds more energy to the work~  and just LOOK at those eyes!!!
Dang, this is FUN!
And please DO continue commenting!  I guess I need to give something away at the end of the project and do a drawing from all the people who comment here-  that would help, ay?  Hmm, how about a t-shirt?

Thursday July 5, 2012

And here is a lovely, big-earred pup named Lulu, and here is what her loving mum has to say about her~

LuLu was the best birthday/graduation present ever! When we went to pick her up for 

adoption we were led to a kennel with multiple excited pups. All of LuLu’s brothers 

and sisters came to say hello, but in the corner there was one dog, only concerned with

 sleeping; this was LuLu. 

While LuLu still likes to sleep, she also enjoys playing fetch, going for walks and 

cuddling. She has been a wonderful addition to our family.

 I love the eager stance of the ears!

Wednesday July 4th- Seamus!

I suppose, upon reflection, that Seamus isn't exactly an all-American name, having a bit of an Irish hint to it, but seeing as I am Irish-Amerian myself, maybe that's why I felt this was a perfect dog for today~  he just struck me as the perfect Black Lab...

And here is what his owner, Megan, says about him~
'Seamus is a Labrador Retriever/Newfoundland mix rescued from the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley.  He is a laid back dog and loves to be around people.  Seamus has hunting instincts and is known to jump over the backyard fence to chase squirrels, rabbits and neighborhood cats'.

See?  Sounds like a pretty typical lab to me!
And I appreciate all the comments you've been giving me about this blog!  Please keep them coming-  I consider life to be a continual learning process....  and this project and blog are all a part of it!

Happy 4th of July!

Tuesday July 3- Riley

Here is Riley and his tongue~  he is wearing a lovely purple cape for Halloween!  Another morning painting, that Max REALLY wanted to help me with, and after warning him off and getting it mostly finished, he said, "That's a NICE dog, mommy."   Though the tongue IS a big wild...

Monday July 2nd, LUCY!

Lucy's owner, Kelly, has this to say about her~

 

"I was able to pick out Lucy from the litter.  I had first pick.   I saw her when she was 3 ½  weeks old and fell in love with her.

She is a very funny puppy.  She loves people.  She thinks everyone should love her because she is so cute. 

 She loves going next door to Tim and Kris’s.  Tim feeds her strawberries and tomatoes out of the garden and he has not found anything she does not like. 

She likes to go watch Tim and myself play softball.  She watches the ball like she know how the game is played.

As a puppy she was very devilish.  I called her devil dog.  As you can see by her eyes.  She has become a good little girl!

Thank you Kelly!

I've included the 30 Dogs List here again for you!
1- Dakota-  Dee
2- Lucy-Lulu   for Kelly B
3- Riley-  Tracy Y
4- Seamus~ Megan L
5- Lulu- Carla & Karen
6- Tasha~ Mary S
7- Max- Shelly B
8- Lottie-  Mary
9- Junie-  Krista W0
10- KC & Shad-  John E
11- Rupert-  Mel
12- Emma-  Valerie R
13- Ollie-  Kathy J
14- Frodo- and Xena~ Jenna M
15- Maisy-  Lora O
16- Maya-  Kathy A
17- Hazel- Julia K
18- Gopher- Tini D
19- Bailey Boo- Vicky 
20-Nautas-  Kathy A
21- Eli Rock Star-  Linda
22- Tyler-  Moira
23- Lula-  Mary G
24- Jet- Tif D
25- Hannah-  Jenn S
26- Tess~ Angie K
27- Panger- Jodi W
28- Gus-  and Cody~Kelly Ht
29- Connie for Adam
30- Sammy- Amelie
31- Mysterious Guest....  or a day of rest~

July 1, 2012- Dakota!

Welcome to JULY~ and the 2012 30 DOGS in 30 DAYS Project!!!!  thanks for following along~  today's dog is Dakota, a shepard mix who lives in Becker, MN, with a number of sheep, chickens, and cows, and who delights all she meets with her irrepressible grin!  Here she is featured lying in her pool, a favorite place in the heat on a day like today.

Dang, what FUN!  Here is a view of the huge painting I did for Susan Hensel's Gallery~
Stay tuned for more dogs~!  And PLEASE feel free to send me comments!