Long Haired Chihuahua pet portrait sketch

5 X 7 Oil on Canvas board commissioned pet portrait STUDY
Contact artist for pricing for YOUR pooch!

I am NOT, repeat NOT a pet portrait artist. But I love cute doggies and this is one handsome little dog. I am having fun painting him, too.
Beth and Barbara visited me last week, and Barbara wants me to paint her beloved Napoleon, her long-haired chihuahua. She emailed me a couple photos and is sending me a CD of more so I can get to know him better. Meantime, I did this one this afternoon to get the "feel" of him. I have a notion that this dog never stops smiling....

Merideth and Garret came by yesterday and were entertained by the chickens, which is becoming a regular pastime around here. I now send visitors into the yard with a slice of stale bread and instructions to call out "chick, chick, chick" and just wait. All 25 of them come running. Some are bold and will eat from your hand, while others hang back and wait for you to toss them a morsel. Merideth managed to coax a couple pretty close and nabbed them - startling the bird and surprising Merideth with their strength and flapping ability.

There are 6 roosters in the bunch, and we are going to have to butcher at least 3 of them. This is not going to be a fun job, but it's one that has to be done. One rooster has a disjointed leg, so he will be the first. I do not think he is in pain, but the other roosters pick on him, knowing that he can't run very fast. There are also 2 barred rock roosters, and like I predicted, they are very aggressive and one is already chasing the dog, which is hysterical! He's doing a good job protecting his hens, but he doesn't know the difference between a good dog and the hand that feeds him (he's gone after me, too!). That leaves three - a speckled Sussex, a Delaware and a White Rock. All are fairly friendly and not yet fighting with one another, so they are secure in the flock - for now!
Jeremiah 5:3
O LORD, do not your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain; you crushed them, but they refused correction. They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.