Monday, August 03, 2009

Working the Dog Too Hard

Shorkie at Soulful Studios
Shorkie at Soulful Studios

As you can see, the new employee of Soulful Studios, is very stressed at his job. I fear that the animal welfare people may just come and take him away from me for working the dog too hard. He just seems to collapse from exhaustion and puts his belly up in the air in a display of surrender. Perhaps it is the subject of my paintings that deplete his energy.

This is Brady. He is a 2 year old Shorkie (mix of Shih-Tzu and Yorkie) that SOS Dog Rescue saved from certain death. His owners brought him to the vet's office after he was hit by a car because he was not leashed. He was quite neglected and his owners were not about to pay the $4500 to repair his torn bladder or his fractured little pelvis. They would have left him to die. Barbara from SOS quickly put him into the program and made sure he got top care. Then he went to a lovely foster home awaiting his forever family.

During one of my painting breaks I was researching dog breeds that would not irritate my asthma (thank you again cancer). I was not looking to adopt yet but when I saw his face and read about his wonderful nature I knew he was supposed to be with me. We adopted him a week ago Sunday and were instantly in love with this sweet pup.

Brady is inquisitive and extremely active. He needs a few pounds and a chance for his beautiful silver hair to grow in but that doesn't make him any less handsome. He is very smart but also a little devilish because he tries to see how much he can get away with by using his cute little face as a weapon.

I am so thankful to SOS for saving this dog. He is a perfect companion and just what I needed. His adoption fee was small and didn't even cover his vet bill. I am currently working up an idea for a fundraiser to help this rescue pay for his surgeries so that they can continue to help other little doggies. You can help too by either donating directly to their site (go to the bottom of the page and donate through PayPal...it's tax deductable) or purchasing things on the web through iGive. I feel very strongly about rescuing little lives that were brought into this world by human desires only to be brushed aside when that desire diminishes.

Next post you will see the studies of the geese (they are on the easel in the above photo) and get an update on the next show at First Impressions Gallery on August 14th. Also, I'm going out to photograph another pet portrait so please come back and don't miss a thing.

1 comment:

The Comfort Café said...

Oh I love that dog!! I always think they must feel so relaxed, comfortable and safe when they tun themselves inside out like that. I have a pic of my Joe doing the same thing, except he's four times Brady's size... he's really gorgeous and lucky too ;)