Pet Auto Safety

We have discovered great pet portrait art work at ArtPaw.com. Rebecca Collins is the artist. She uses digital techniques to transform your pet’s photo into a fantastic work of art. According to the ArtPaw.com website, “Unlike much digital art that is available today, these works do not rely on one or two simple Photoshop filters, but instead are created one at a time with many hours of hand work going into each piece.”  Visit ArtPaw.com to see more great pieces of pet portrait art - and contact Rebecca Collins for a portrait of your pet.

Collie Figurine from Animal Figurine Store.com

Another animal-related site owned by Nature by Dawn, Inc. is Animal Figurine Store.com. The Animal Figurine Store.com site has lots of home decor and figurines with an animal-theme. It has elephant shelves, safari lamps, eagle statues, wolf figurines, and more. The Dog and Cat figurines page was recently re-vamped. It has been divided into sub pages so it is easier for people to find their favorite dog and cat breeds. More dog and cat figurines have been added as well.

The next animal-related sites which Nature by Dawn, Inc. is considering starting next year are for dog breed information, outdoor dog gear, and dog training supplies. Keep an eye out on this blog for when these sites are started.

The very first website started by Nature by Dawn, Inc. is www.naturebydawn.com. Nature by Dawn.com sells Dawn’s artwork. The theme of the artwork is nature scenery, wild animals, and domestic animals. Dawn has been an artist all her life. Her first really artistic pieces were of Care Bears and unicorns (done during her elementary school age). Dawn took some art courses in college, but never pursued a career in art. She does art for pleasure and for her love of nature and animals.

The artwork in Nature by Dawn.com is mostly done in pastel or colored pencil, although there are a few watercolors and acrylic paintings. Dawn prefers pastel and loves to draw and paint in bright colors.

Gracie, Sundown Mountain, Wistful Mare
by Dawn Ross

AnimalFigurineStore.com has a new page with collectible dog figurines of almost every AKC breed including collectible hunting dog figurines, dachshund dog figurines, great dane dog gifts, collectible chihuahua dog figurines, and more!  And if they don’t have the breed or color of your dog, all you have to do is email them at animalfigstore@aol.com.  Collectible dog figurines make great inexpensive gifts for these difficult economic times.  Check out all the collectible dog figurines at the Animal Figurine Store.

Shetland Sheepdogs are highly intelligent dogs. They are affectionate, intensely loyal, and an all-around great family pet. They are good with children if they are raised with them from an early age and they do well with other pets. They tend to be a little wary of strangers, sometimes to the point of being skittish or snappy but their loyalty to their family more than makes up for it. They require regular brushing but their size makes them great for any sized home, including a farm or even an apartment.

The Shetland Sheepdog is also known as a Sheltie or a Miniature Collie. They originated in the Shetland Islands of Scotland where the Shetland Pony and Shetland Sheep also come from. It is possible that the Shetland Sheepdog was bred to herd those smaller sheep but it is more likely that they were used on the farm to scare off birds, rodents, and garden pests such as rabbits.

With a few differences, the Shetland Sheepdog looks like a miniature version of the Collie. The dominate color of the Shetland Sheepdog is either black, blue-merle, or sable. The dominate color is accompanied by varying amounts of white and/or tan. Their hair is long and needs regular brushing. Their weight ranges anywhere from 10 to 40 pounds. Their height according to AKC standards should be 13 to 16 inches to the shoulder but can be shorter or taller with the height proportionate to the weight.

If you consider adopting an adult Shetland Sheepdog, do not be concerned if the dog does not warm up to you right away. Since Shetland Sheepdogs tend to be wary of strangers, bonding time will be needed. If you are considering purchasing a Shetland Sheepdog puppy be aware of several inherited and/or susceptible diseases common to the breed. These health issues include Dermatomyositis ( a genetic disease of the skin), Von Willebrand Disease (a bleeding disorder), malformation of the eyes, hypothyroidism, hip dysplasia, epilepsy, and various skin allergies. Before you purchase from a breeder make sure the breeder has clear bloodline records. A breeder should have vet records showing that they eyes were checked for the eye disease and that DNA tests were done for the Von Willebrand Disease. Some of the symptoms for the diseases listed above do not show up until about age two so adoption of an adult dog is a safe way to go but will require some bonding time.

The image above is an artistic rendition of Cassie. Cassie was adopted at age 1 and quickly bonded with the adopter’s 10 year old daughter. Cassie became the 10-year-old’s dog and spent the remainder of her life with her. Cassie died at age 13 when her owner was 23. She can attest that Cassie was the best dog she has ever had.  Cassie was extremely loyal, knew over 30 commands, and very lovable.  If you want to read more about Cassie and the owner, visit the Pet Pals page of PetAutoSafety.com. To view other pet art from the artist of Cassie, visit www.NatureByDawn.com.