Pastel 10"x12"
Behind every pretty face there's a story - and no wonder she's smiling!
This is my dog Moose. The photo was taken a little over one year ago, when she first arrived.
It was a crazy situation. She was at a pound with another lab cross and their time was running out. I was about to go away but the rescue who advertised them said they would help with a foster. I agreed to take them on the basis that they were good with cats... but they weren't, they terrified my poor wee Kitty. They were also wild - leash aggressive and aggressive to the neighbours - and they had terrible diarrhea (from worms). I was overwhelmed and told the rescue I couldn't keep them. When I didn't hear from them or get any assurance that they were coming to take them, I was fortunate to find another rescue to help. I took them for all their vetting over the next week, then saw them off to foster as I prepared to go on my trip.
When I got back, the one dog had been adopted but Moose hadn't and needed a foster (she was in a kennel). I reluctantly agreed to take her back. After a month, I couldn't give her up a second time. My cat stayed upstairs, coming down to meet Moose a couple of times but never really reconciling to her presence. She died at Easter, almost 19 years old.
Moose is now a gorgeous 3 year old, and after a lot of work she is pretty well behaved. She no longer rushes the fence barking at the neighbours - in fact, she is so quiet one of my dog-friendly neighbours asked if I still had her! When she sees other dogs in the street, she is now desperate to say hello. She loves to chase her ball and to run in the woods, and to lick people. She also now loves the new feline members of the household - all four of them! Amazing how it can work when you adopt from a knowledgeable, supportive rescue...
Thanks! I became very attached to her while doing the portrait sketch. I know, not the pose you thought I'd do! But it's ever so cheerful - I liked that. I hope my work does justice to her.
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