Dog Art: Painting Valentine Hearts With Mishka, the Therapy Husky!

 


Woo!  'Tis the season for L-❤️-V-E! And what a wonderful time to do a bonding activity with your dog! And, we have just the fun project for you to do with your dog! With the help of a good friend, Mickey, and her semi-retired Therapy Dog, the beautiful Siberian Husky "Mishka," we have just the project to do with your dog...Dog Art! Yes, that's right, painting with your beloved furry best friend.

I'm sure by now you're used to me sharing some fun, unique ideas, and this one is exactly that. I'm so pleased to share our 3rd Episode of "Dog Art!"  This episode is "Painting Love Hearts With Mishka!" Okay, so if you aren't a follower of my blog here, you may be saying, "Excuse me? Dogs can't paint." But I'm here to say, "Yes, they can!" You and/or your kids can have fun painting with your dog, which is a wonderful bonding activity! Now, of course we always recommend having a parent supervise children for safety, but I bet everyone will want to join in the fun, too. I sure would! I wish I knew about this when my beloved FiveSibes were here. 

Here at FiveSibes, I've enlisted someone furry special...

Once again, to help me with this article, I'd like to re-introduce you to a very special "pawtist"—a canine friend of us here at FiveSibes, the beautiful "Mishka," a Siberian Husky Therapy Dog who—yes, loves to paint! Any dog can do this...s/he does not have to be a Therapy Dog to enjoy painting. Mishka's hu-mom and handler, Mickey, is a dear friend and once again graciously shared Mishka's art with us, and also lent her wonderful voice-over in our video!




This is such a fun and meaningful project that can be done indoors or out, if it's not too cold where you live. Either way, simply prepare your work area by covering it with vinyl or plastic tablecloth (or if you have those heavy duty lawn & leaf trash bags or large trash bags, simply cut them on the sides so it opens up and tape it down on the floor. Then when done, simply roll it up and toss it away!) 


 


A few caution reminders/recommendations for this project:

⚠️ Kids and dogs should always have adult supervision. Even though we all know our own children and dogs, kids may put their hands too close to the dog's mouth, or dogs could become overly excited or territorial when food is involved, and need to also be supervised to avoid any possibility of accidental biting. Also, scissors are involved.

⚠️ Use only dog-safe or organic peanut butter with NO xylitol, birch sugar, birch bark extract, wood sugar, or sugar alcohols as they are toxic to dogs. 

⚠️ Use only non-toxic, kid/pet safe paints. 

⚠️ Use the press-to-close (not zipper-style) freezer bags as they are sturdier. Dogs can be very eager licking the peanut butter and could possibly bite through a less strong bag.

⚠️ Never leave your dog unattended while doing this (Why? possible choking hazard if dog tries to eat the bag).
 

After you have your workplace set up with a throw-away cover, you'll only need a few items:

💝 Assorted sizes of unpainted wooden hearts. 

💝 Dog-safe, nontoxic paint in assorted colors. 

💝 Dog-friendly peanut butter (please NO Xylitol, which can also be listed as Birch Sugar, Birch Bark Extract, Wood Sugar, and Sugar Alcohol as it is TOXIC to dogs). Best option is to only use organic or dog-specific peanut butters, or better yet, homemade!

💝 Gallon-size freezer press-to-seal bags not the ones with the zipper slide, but the press close. (Freezer ones are stronger/heavier and best for this project).
 
💝Scissors
 
💝 Paint sponge 
 
💝 Glitter 

 Affiliate notice: As an affiliate if you make a qualifying purchase, we may receive a small commission *at no extra cost* to you!

Mishka's hu-mom uses Buddy Budder that has no high fructose corn syrup, stabilizers, Xylitol, artificial sugar, or salts. If you choose another peanut butter, go for organic and always read the ingredient labels and make sure it's just peanuts! Or, buy peanuts and make your own!

Homemade Peanut Butter: 

You will need a food processor or blender and unsalted and dry-roasted peanuts. That's all!  

(Note: dry roasted has been noted as making a creamier peanut butter. If you choose raw, you will need to roast them first). You can do an online search for "homemade dog peanut butter" for roasting times of raw peanuts and more specific directions for making peanut butter using either type of peanut.  

Directions: Simply blend the peanuts until smooth. This may take several times, plus in between pulses, scrape down the sides of the food processor/blender. Optional: adding in about one teaspoon (1 tsp.) of either honey or coconut oil. Store in an airtight container and I suggest putting it in the fridge as it is all natural so it doesn't go rancid or spoil.


Below are a few supply recommendations (you can click on image(s) to read more about them, purchase them from. your local retail store, and/or order them from our links)...

Buddy Budder's Ruff Ruff Raw:
 Ingredients are just peanuts & honey!
 

A variety of Buddy Budder flavors:
Ingredients:
Carrot Cake - peanuts, carrots, pineapple, honey.
 Ruff Ruff Raw - peanuts, honey.
 Gimme S'more - peanuts, carob, marshmallow root, honey. Superberry Snoot - peanuts, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, honey. 
Pumpkin Pup - peanuts, pumpkin, cinnamon, honey

 

6" 4-Pack Wooden Hearts
 (Can also check your local dollar and retail stores).

 

 

Puffy 3D Non-Toxic Paint

(You can also check your local retail or hobby store in the art supply section).
 
 
Glitter, Set of 12 Assorted Colors
(you can also check your local retail, hobby, or craft stores) 

 

Gallon Freezer Storage Bags With Press Seal Closure 

Did  you know Amazon Basics had storage bags? And they are BPA-free, too. Or, you can pick up your favorite brand at your local retail store. Just be sure they are BPA-free, seal top (and not the slider-style closure), and freezer-style for strength.

 


Mishka's hu-mom says...

 💝 Spread peanut butter on one side of gallon freezer bag.

💝  Put wood WITHOUT paint on in the freezer bag to be sure area with peanut butter will cover canvas, then remove.

💝 Put paints on the wooden heart(s). Can do drops, lines, however you want!

💝  Hold open the freezer bag as best can, carefully slide in the heart with paint on being careful not to smear. Press storage bag closed.

💝 Set on floor, holding on two (2) sides so doesn't slide around. 

💝 Let your Pawtist (K9 artist) lick away and do their magic! You can turn the bagged heart part way around so that your dog can lick in another direction if you choose to. The design is all up to you!

💝  Even though you are using non-toxic paints and the heavier freezer bag, still be careful that they don't bite through the plastic. 

💝  When the peanut butter is gone, carefully open the freezer bag's end, then take a scissor and carefully cut top layer along side seam to bottom, then cut across the bottom. Gently lift open end and carefully pull it back to expose the painted canvas.

💝 Carefully remove the heart from the bottom of the bag.

💝  Optional: Gently place your dog's paw in the middle of one of the hearts while the paint is wet for a specialized keepsake! (Be sure to wash the non-toxic paint right off your dog's paw). 

💝 With the paint sponge, dab paint along the unpainted sides of the heart.

💝 Optional: Sprinkle glitter across the heart while wet. 

💝 Let the heart dry. 

💝 When dry, take photos of your pawtist with their beautiful works of art!



Absolutely beautiful and ready to display!


 
A very special "Thank You" goes out to the talented and beautiful Siberian Husky (now semi-retired) Therapy Dog , Mishka, and her wonderful hu-mom, who also narrated the video! Hope you enjoy! 
 

 

We'd love to see pics of your K9 artist's paintings! Simply take a photo of  your K9 artist with their creation and send it along with their name, and I'll be happy to share across our social media! (Doing so means you give me permission to post and share). Simply Email your pic(s) to: FiveSibesHuskyNews(at)gmail(dot)com and type "Dog Art" in the subject line. 

(Of course replace the at & dot in the Email addy with the correct symbols. Our way to reduce spam.)

 
 
“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.” ~Leonardo da Vinci
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