Immortalize Your Pets with a Custom Pet Portrait

We love our furry friends. They are more than just pets. They are part of the family. 

Whether it’s a cat or a dog, these four-legged family members bring joy in our homes. They shower us with unconditional love and affection, giving us warmth even during cold weather.

Unfortunately their lives are too short that we, humans, generally outlive them. But even for just a short period, their presence creates massive impact upon us. 

When they’re gone, they leave a huge void in our hearts and in our minds. This emptiness can be very emotionally painful; scarring especially for the young kids who have grown to love them.

If only we could immortalize them, wouldn’t that be wonderful? But we can. With beautiful, life-like paintings of our favorite furry family members, we can immortalize them and preserve the happy moments they have shared with us.

When you want to preserve those precious memories, getting a pet portrait is the best way to do it. Celebrate the life of your favorite four-legged companion through realistic works of art. Eternalize those precious memories and make your lost furry family member immortal through these images. Commemorate the life of your cherished four-legged pal.

Beautiful Portraits of Your Precious Pets

Unless you’re a pet lover, no one can really understand the joy and happiness these four-legged friends bring to our lives. Whether it’s a dog or a cat, a mouse or a horse, these pals, admittedly, create a huge impact on us. There is something in these pets that they bring so much bliss and cheerfulness that no other thing can provide.

Love and joy is truly pure in these four-legged, furry family members. But no matter how short their stay with us may be, they will always leave a huge hole in our hearts. Their loss or absence create sadness and grief. Undeniably their lives have a massive impact on us.

By commissioning a work of art, you can preserve the vigor and life of your favorite furry family member. These custom pet portraits can capture the beauty of your pets. It can be a dog, bird, cat, or any other animal; these pet portraits will show how much of your life has been affected by your animal companion.

Pet Portraits are the best way to celebrate the spirit of your beloved pet. You can choose from caricatures to life-like illustrations, whether in charcoal or pencil, in oil or watercolor. The possibilities are endless.

Beautiful Custom Pet Portraits

If you’re planning to have a pet portrait commissioned for your favorite furry, four-legged family member, look for an experienced artist who can create heartwarming pieces of art that will do justice to the life and spirit of your pet.

Having pet portraits done is a great way to preserve and immortalize the life of your favorite animal companion. Freeze your fond memories and transform it into a meaningful masterpiece. For avid pet lovers out there, this is a great investment. Capture them in loving detail with pet portraits.

For custom pet portraits, look to Custom Pet Portraits by Miri. An artist by profession, Miri creates beautiful, custom pet portraits. For more info, please visit Custom Pet Portraits by Miri’s website at: http://www.petportraitsbymiri.com/

Ten Reasons You Need a Pet

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If you have been wondering about getting a pet, perhaps you need a little encouragement, or maybe you need some ammunition when trying to convince family members that having an animal in the home can be beneficial. Here's a list of ten reasons why having a pet can be great and why you need one today.

Companionship

If you live alone, if your spouse or significant other travels frequently, having a pet at home can provide a welcoming companion for you. Whether it's a dog to greet you at the door, a cat to curl up next to you or a bird to sing to you while you fix supper, having another living being in your home can make you feel less lonely. This is especially true if you have recently lost a partner.

Exercise

Having a dog or a horse can provide you with a reason to exercise that you didn't have before. It can also help you build muscles and get your heart pumping without that feeling you get when you drag yourself to the gym for a workout. To maximize this benefit of having a pet, be sure to get one that needs regular amounts of exercise, like a poodle or a pony, but not so much that you can't handle it, as might happen with a border collie or Thoroughbred stallion.

Other Health Bonuses

In addition to getting you out to exercise every day, pets can bring other health benefits too. Studies show that just petting a dog or cat for a few minutes can improve relaxation and lower blood pressure.

Discipline

Even having a pet that doesn't need exercise can help you improve your discipline. If you know you need to be home every night to feed your pet or let it out, you will be more likely to stick to a routine. The more your pet is dependent on you, the more self-discipline you'll have to muster. A dog that needs walking every morning, for example, could be a great way to help you get on a healthier morning schedule if you have a tendency to lie in bed too long.

Protection

You don't have to have an enormous dog to get the protection of a pet. Even the sound of a small, yappy dog sounding the alarm of a potential intruder is enough to scare away most burglars. All kinds of pets, including birds and snakes, have also been instrumental in alerting their owners to smoke and fire in the home. If the only time you can walk or jog is after dark, having a dog to go with you will make your jaunts significantly safer.

Social Life

If you tend to be shy or are new to your area, having a pet can be a great way to start the conversation and meet new people. Whether at a puppy class or at the dog park, you'll be introduced to many new folks, most of whom have a lot in common with you because of your dedication to your animals. Even if you are housebound, joining an online pet forum can be a way to connect with the outside world.

Activities

Are you looking for something new to do with your free time? A pet can offer a wealth of opportunities to try different activities. Of course, there are many dog ventures like fly ball, agility and hospital therapy, but there are also cat and bird shows and even clubs for pet hamsters and snails.

New Places

Having a dog is one of the best ways getting familiar with new places. Just walking around your neighborhood, you're sure to find hidden parks and cool architecture. If you want to travel further afield, hiking with your dog can be a great way to experience the wilderness or your state parks. There are nature camps as well, for people who want to vacation with their pets.

Kids

Getting a pet for the kids is a good way to teach them about biology, compassion and responsibility. Just don't expect them to do the work of adults, and make sure you can handle the duties that come with your pet in case your kids get caught up with school work or take off to camp for the summer.

Entertainment

If you read the book "Marley and Me," you know how entertaining pets can be. You'll have stories for a lifetime when you bring an animal into your life. Even a tank of beautiful tropical fish can hypnotize you and create a stunning focal point for your living room.

If you're not sure about getting a pet, try starting with an easy keeper, like a turtle or a mellow cat, and work your way up to animals that require more care and attention. You may find you like having a pet so much your home becomes the neighborhood hangout!

Are you thinking about getting a beautiful portrait of your pet? An artist by profession, Miri's paintings make a lasting keepsake of your furry or feathered friend. For more info, please visit Custom Pet Portraits by Miri at http://www.petportraitsbymiri.com/

Fun Facts About Dogs

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Dogs have become one of the most beloved creatures on the planet. Their loyalty and obvious affection for mankind are legendary. 

Beyond the emotional satisfaction they give to us, they display some amazing and interesting qualities. Here are just some of them.

The Body Language of a Dog's Tail

Dogs express themselves through body language the same as people do. That little appendage on the rear of the dog speaks volumes. Dogs use it, whether consciously or unconsciously, to “talk” to humans, other dogs, and other animals. If the tail is stiff and straight, it usually means that the dog is expressing aggression.

A wagging tail may not mean that a dog is happy. If it wags to the right, it probably means the dog is happy. Studies show, however, that if it wags to the left, it means he is frightened. If a dog is wagging his tail slowly back and forth, and his body is rigidly pointing in your direction, stay out of his space. This is a signal to you to keep your distance.

The Wonders of a Dog's Nose

A dog's sense of smell is more than 10,000 times greater than that of man. The mucous on the surface of a dog's nose helps him to define a scent, as well as helping him to determine the direction it is coming from.

There are some smells that are undetectable to man but can be discerned by a dog. This is why dogs are trained to sniff out drugs, human scent and blood, insects, and even the presence of bombs. Recent studies have also shown that dogs can smell cancer in the body of a human.

The Homing Instinct in a Dog

There are amazing true stories about dogs that became lost or separated from their owners and literally crossed thousands of miles to successfully find their owners again. It remains a scientific mystery as to how dogs can do this, but one theory that has been suggested is that dogs have a homing instinct that is sensitive to the earth's magnetic fields. They are able to map out landmarks, scents and sounds by a kind of an inner compass. The interesting thing is that researchers have discovered that if magnets are attached to a dog's body, they lose their sense of direction.

The Perfect Weather Dog

Dog's ears contain more than eighteen muscles, and a dog can hear in both low and high frequency. When a storm is on its way, a dog can hear low rumblings before we can. He is more sensitive to a drop in barometric pressure that signals a storm is on its way. It has also been suggested that a dog may be able to smell the metallic scent given off by lightning.

Some dogs are highly fearful of storms. They will bark, shake, hide, or soil the carpet. If your dog is overly frightened by storms, experts say you should command him to sit and stay and then reward him for staying calm with a treat. There are also medications your veterinarian can give you to help calm your dog through his anxious episodes.

A dog is more than man's best friend. Dogs have proven invaluable, because of their unique physiology, in helping man in a number of useful ways.

Are you thinking about getting a beautiful portrait of your pet? An artist by profession, Miri's paintings make a lasting keepsake of your furry or feathered friend. For more info, please visit Custom Pet Portraits by Miri at http://www.petportraitsbymiri.com/

You Won't Believe These Facts About Cats

You Won't Believe These Facts About Cats from Kay Frenzer-Zeeh

Are you thinking about getting a beautiful portrait of your pet? An artist by profession, Miri's paintings make a lasting keepsake of your furry or feathered friend. For more info, please visit Custom Pet Portraits by Miri at http://www.petportraitsbymiri.com/

Top 5 Items You Need to Groom Your Dog

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Good care for your dog includes regular grooming to keep his coat clean and healthy. 

These grooming sessions can alert you to fur and skin problems that can affect your dog’s 

general health and need immediate attention. 

A few items should be standard in your dog-grooming routine:

1 – Shampoo

Dog owners are faced with a wide array of products for their pet’s grooming needs. As in many areas of life, keeping it simple can often be the best advice when choosing one of these products. 

Of course, some dogs require specific products. Your canine buddy may require a whitening shampoo to remove yellowing on white fur. If your dog has sensitive skin, a shampoo containing oatmeal can help to soothe irritated areas. 

A dog with dry, flaking skin can benefit from a shampoo with that contains wheat germ or other natural oil. Similarly, you may want to reduce shedding by using a shampoo that contains vitamins A, D and E or omega-3 fatty acids. Some dogs have a strong coat odor and may need a shampoo with vegetable protein extract. 

If you have a puppy, ensure that you use a shampoo formulated for puppies’ sensitive skin. Keep a close eye on the condition of your dog’s coat and skin in order to make appropriate changes to grooming products, as needed.

2 – Brush

The choice of a suitable brush is a critical measure for keeping your dog’s coat and skin healthy. Choose the right one for your dog’s type of coat. Wire-pin brushes are good for curly-haired canines or dogs with wooly type coats. 

Bristle brushes with various lengths of bristles can be used for a number of different coat types. Slicker brushes have fine wires that can help to smooth mats and tangles on longhaired dogs. Rubber currycombs are good for shorthaired dogs.

3 – Scissors

If your dog is longhaired or requires regular professional grooming, you will need to keep scissors on hand to do between-appointment tidying and remove occasional matting. You can also trim ear fur and tail feathering for a neater, more hygienic look.

4 – Electric Hair Clippers

An electric hair clipper can be used to do at-home grooming or can also be used to trim down areas of hair to help clear up skin infections or minor injuries. A variety of clippers and trimmers are available. Choose the one that best suits your dog’s coat type.

5 – Nail Clippers or Grinder

Keeping your dog’s nail trimmed is important to his comfort and health. Overgrown nails can split and cause limping and pain. Because every dog’s nails grow at a different rate, you should check your dog’s nails during every grooming session to see if they need trimming. Different types of nail clippers are available. 

Follow the instructions on the package for each type. If you get your dog accustomed to nail trimming at an early age, he will not fuss during the procedure. Hold the dog securely on your lap and cut each nail a small amount at a time, ensuring that you do not cut the nail too short and hit the “quick,” the blood vessels that feed the nail. 

You can then file down the sharp edges, if necessary. Some dogs prefer using a grinder to grind the nail down to the proper length. Using a grinder can avoid cutting into the quick, causing bleeding.

Are you thinking about getting a beautiful portrait of your pet? An artist by profession, Miri's paintings make a lasting keepsake of your furry or feathered friend. For more info, please visit Custom Pet Portraits by Miri at http://www.petportraitsbymiri.com/

How to Groom Your Dogs

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Grooming your dog regularly is an important part of keeping him or her healthy. Dogs vary widely in the amount of grooming that their coat requires, but all canines require some basic care. Taking care of these needs can help prevent future problems.

Brushing

Brushing is important for your dog's skin and coat health, as well as for their comfort. The type of brush that should be used depends on the type of coat your dog has. Combs may also be more appropriate for certain breeds.

It is important that you teach your dog to like brushing so that regular grooming doesn't become a battle. When just starting out, introduce the brush gently and praise your dog softly for allowing the process. Be careful never to hurt your dog accidentally with tools like slicker brushes and de-shedding rakes.

If your dog already doesn't like grooming, try giving a treat after every few brush strokes. The number of brush strokes depends on how much your dog dislikes being groomed. Hopefully, after a while you will be able to just give one treat when the grooming is over.

Bathing

Some dogs go their whole lives on only one or two baths. Some dogs are bathed every day. What is the best practice? Generally, moderate bathing, something like once a month or four times a year is considered best. However, gentle shampoos can be used more often.

Always use a shampoo formulated especially for pets. Their skin has a different pH than ours, and using the wrong shampoo can dry out their skin and hair. Pet stores usually have many options.

Dogs can be bathed outdoors if it is warm enough, in the bathtub, or in the sink. Just like people, dogs tend to like slightly warm water best. Don't use hot or very cold water to bathe your dog. A handheld shower head can be very useful for bathing your dog indoors.

Nails

All dogs need to have their nails clipped. If they overgrow, they can cause the dog pain by putting the feet at an unnatural angle. Some dogs are easy to do, but a lot of dogs hate having this done. Positive reinforcement training can help these dogs get over their fears.

Teeth

Teeth are a neglected part of the body for most canines. Because of this most canines will have some degree of oral disease by the time they are three years old. However, this is largely preventable.

The two main ways that your dog's teeth can be kept clean are through brushing and chewing. You can brush your dog's teeth with toothpaste from the pet store, and this will help keep his or her mouth in good shape. It needs to be done regularly and at least once a week.

Chewing is sometimes referred to as "Nature's toothbrush." Dogs that chew regularly keep their teeth cleaner. Special chews are made for this purpose, but they don't need to be used. Anything that is safe for your dog to chew and that he or she likes chewing will usually help.

Ears

Some people clean their dog's ears regularly. Others don't think it is necessary. At the very least, you should take a look and a sniff in your dog's ears when you groom him or her. This will help detect problems such as infections or mites.           

Are you thinking about getting a beautiful portrait of your pet? An artist by profession, Miri's paintings make a lasting keepsake of your furry or feathered friend. For more info, please visit Custom Pet Portraits by Miri at http://www.petportraitsbymiri.com/

Is it Okay to Give Treats to Your Pets?

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Yes, it is okay to give your pets some treats once in a while. That is what famed dog trainer Cesar Millan said. According the star of the hit TV series Dog Whisperer, giving treats are a popular, effective tool for positive reinforcement, which, in turn, is a crucial aspect in the reward system present in dog training.

While Cesar spoke about giving treats to dogs, his response can be equally applicable to all pets. Providing your pets with treats is not just a teaching tool; more importantly, it is an expression of love and affection.

Did you know pet treats are among the top pet expenditures? While many pet parents are treating their pets like humans by affording them with luxury dining, daycare, and grooming, it is estimated that $3 to $4 billion is spent on pet treats alone every year. The spending has increased by 10 to 15 percent in Latin America and Eastern Europe; in the U.S., there is an increase of about 5 percent.

In dog training, treats can be classified as high-value and low-value. High-value treats include meats and liver while the low-value variety is limited to dog kibble or biscuits. When used as a reward system during training, dogs learn faster and more effectively with high-value treats as opposed to using the low-value types. Furthermore, it is also said by many dog trainers that giving treats is much more effective compared to praise or petting.

When low-value treats are substituted with the high-value variety, it significantly reduced the training time and the number of sessions to achieve the desired behavior in dogs. However, when the high-value treats were switched with the low-value ones, dogs would not respond to commands nor perform the behavior ordered.

Treats As Substitute for Attention

Did you know nearly 60 percent of pets have weight issues? So before you give in to your treat-giving urge, you might want to do a self-check and ask, “Do I really need to offer them this indulgence or should I only feed them at proper meal times?”

Have you ever wondered why we just feel the need to give treats to our pets? Experts have a theory. There seems to be a subconscious voice that imparts guilt to us. For those of us who work during the day, our pets are usually left at home. Long separations would necessarily mean less time to interact, care, or even exercise our pets. Thus, treats are a way of compensating for the absence.

While giving treats fills the void caused by our guilt, we forget the fact that giving them too much can be unhealthy for them. What’s worse is that we tend to compromise on the food’s quality in order to meet the quantity we so think they need while still falling within our budget.

Overindulging pets with delicious delights is also common for animals who have been rescued from horrendous circumstances. They are overfed in the hopes of erasing the bad memories they have previously undergone.

Some psychologists have also noted that the way people pamper their pets casts a reflection of what their personal issues are. By pampering the pets, these experts believe that this is a way of coping with their personal struggles.

Are you thinking about getting a beautiful portrait of your pet? An artist by profession, Miri's paintings make a lasting keepsake of your furry or feathered friend. For more info, please visit Custom Pet Portraits by Miri at http://www.petportraitsbymiri.com/

Why You Should Have Your Dog Groomed Regularly

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Did you know dogs that are groomed on a regular basis are healthier? In addition to its health benefits, grooming can have aesthetic benefits too. This is especially true for dogs covered with lots of hair. Shih Tzu, Cocker Spaniel, Poodle, and Maltese; these breeds need frequent grooming to achieve a healthier, more beautiful coat.

Matted Dog Hair

If you have a dog with a thick coat, you might notice how skipping on their grooming schedule can lead to their hair becoming clumped and matted like dreadlocks. This can be very painful for dogs because there is a pulling force resulting from the tightening of the hair clumps. In addition, skin conditions are likely to develop as well. This is due to the breakage of the skin as a result of the tightened hair clumps. Sores are also likely to develop under the matted hair.

For dogs with longer or thicker coats, it is highly advisable to do a complete brushing of their hair before bath time to avoid getting water into the matted hair. If water gets stuck in the clumps, this can cause the buildup of mold and cause the hair to rot. Over time, this type of matting will be very difficult to brush out. Dog breeds like Labrador, Beagle, and German Shepherd have short to medium coats. Still they need regular grooming to keep their coats looking shiny and healthy.

With their weakened skeletal system, you have to understand older dogs are in a more fragile condition. They can benefit from having their fur regularly trimmed to ease the weight brought about by their thick coat.

What's more, longer facial hair can cause vision problems for your dogs. Crusts tend to develop in the corner of the eyes as a result of longer facial hair. With crusts come sores, which can lead to infection, discomfort, and other medical issues. With regularly grooming, you can prevent the buildup of bacteria around the eyes and alleviate their suffering.

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