Dogs are more than pets. They’re family. A custom portrait captures their personality, essence, and the bond you share in a way no photograph can. From the royal dog paintings of 18th-century England to today’s thriving commission market, the tradition of immortalising our canine companions in art runs deep.
Whether you’re looking to honor a beloved companion, celebrate a new addition to the family, or create a timeless memorial, the seven artists in this guide represent some of the strongest dog portrait work being produced in the US today. Explore custom dog portraits at Sweet Pet Portraits.
Key takeaways
- A good reference photo is the foundation of every successful custom portrait. Send multiple angles and don't worry about backgrounds.
- Classic poses like the head-and-shoulders or a relaxed sitting position offer timeless, versatile appeal.
- Action shots and candid moments capture the energy and personality that many pet owners want to preserve.
Practical Tips For Commissioning Custom Pet Portraits from Artists
Take a few reference photos from a good angle at your dog’s eye level, making sure the full subject is visible. Send multiple shots if you have them. A natural expression, whether that’s a relaxed sitting position or a candid moment, often produces a stronger composition than anything staged. Don’t worry about backgrounds or perfect lighting. A skilled artist can adjust those in the finished piece.
Choose your medium based on the look you want and where you plan to display the finished piece. Oil painting on canvas and pencil drawing are both capable of rich detail and striking results. The choice between them is stylistic, not a step up or down in quality. Consider whether the portrait is for your own home or a present for a friend or family member.
Review each pet portrait artist’s website and Instagram before committing. Look at process posts, customer testimonials, and previous dog paintings to find a style that genuinely excites you. Share your dog’s story with the artist so they can capture character, not just appearance. Most artists require a deposit, offer a progress picture for review, and welcome revisions. Wait times range from a few weeks to several months.
Table of Contents
7 Best Dog Portrait Artists in the US
The artists below were chosen for different strengths, mediums, and buyer fit rather than fame alone. All are US-based or serve US clients directly, and all accept commissions.
The list covers oil painting, pencil drawing, memorial work, collector-grade art, and accessible direct-order options.
There are more artists in the market, but this shortlist gives readers a strong place to start across a range of portrait styles and price points.
Sweet Pet Portraits
Sweet Pet Portraits is a creative studio known for hand-crafted dog portraits, cat portraits, and horse portraits. Our team works with clients across the United States, offering a direct and personal commission process with no gallery system or complicated steps.
Our studio offers custom pet portraits in oil on canvas and pencil (black and white), with sizes from 10×14″ to 16×20″. Pencil drawings start from $300 and oil paintings from $500. The process begins when you share your reference photos. Send as many as you have, taken from good angles with the full subject visible. From there, our team handles internal prep, retouching, and production, with progress updates along the way. Turnaround is typically four to six weeks, excluding shipping. Memorial portraits and personalized commissions are both available.
What makes our studio a strong fit in this roundup is the combination of quality and accessibility. There are no long waitlists or gallery intermediaries. Clients work directly with our team throughout, and the story and bond behind each dog shapes how the portrait is created.
Our studio is well suited for dog owners who want a hand-crafted portrait at an accessible price, with a responsive and personal experience from first photo to finished piece. Get in touch to discuss your portrait.
Hannah Stahl — Huund Portraits
Hannah Stahl is a classically trained oil painter based in Providence, Rhode Island. She holds an MFA from the New York Academy of Art and has spent over a decade creating commissioned portraiture, completing more than 200 oil paintings. Her studio practice is rooted in Old Master techniques, a tradition with centuries of history behind it.
Her dog paintings are executed in oil on canvas, stretched by hand over aluminum stretcher bars and built up in layers for depth and permanence. She collaborates with clients on photo selection and can create composite portraits from multiple images.
Hannah is well regarded for the timeless quality of her work and its suitability for long-term display. These are heirloom-level paintings made to honor a dog’s place in the family for generations. Collectors and fine-art buyers will recognise the level of craft in every piece.
She is well suited for dog owners seeking gallery-quality paintings or formal family work. Prices start at $2,000 for an 8×10″ canvas, with a queue of three to nine months.
Erica Eriksdotter — Studio Eriksdotter
Erica Eriksdotter is a Virginia-based painter and third-generation artist who left a career in public relations to focus on custom pet portraits full-time. Her own story of losing her beloved dog Lucas shaped her decision to specialise in memorial work.
She accepts private commissions only, working from client-supplied photos and older image references where needed. Her process is collaborative: she asks about the dog’s life, personality, and the moments that mattered most before beginning.
Erica is well regarded for the emotional depth of her work. Each portrait is built to celebrate a specific bond, capturing the essence and joy of a dog’s presence rather than just their appearance. Her pieces have been featured on ABC news segments and in the Washington Post, covering her approach to memorial commissions.
She is well suited for owners who want to honor a dog who has passed away, or who want a portrait rooted in story and sentiment. She has a long waitlist.
Rebecca Luncan
Rebecca Luncan is a Seattle-based oil painter represented by Harris Harvey Gallery. She approaches pet portraits the same way she approaches portraits of people, seeking personality, narrative, and mood. Her work is inspired by the Dutch Golden Age tradition, with subtle backgrounds that create a timeless, classical setting for each subject.
She paints in oil on aluminum, often in miniature format, and takes a hands-on approach to reference photos. Seattle-area clients can arrange in-person photography sessions. Each portrait is created with the same care and intention she brings to her portraits of people.
Rebecca is known for her gallery credentials and fine-art finish. Her portrait of a dog named Winston received an Honorable Mention in Artists Magazine’s 2025 Best of Show Pets competition, a recognition of her ability to create a whole world for the subject using light and shade. Her work is held in private collections across the country.
She is well suited for collectors and dog owners who want a fine art portrait with gallery credentials. Miniature pet portraits start at $750, and she is typically booked around a year and a half in advance.
Brianna Leidy
Brianna Leidy is a Pennsylvania-based pet portrait artist specialising in realistic oil painting on canvas. Her website lays out every step of the commission process, from pricing to photo guidance to shipping, and she offers free domestic shipping within the United States.
She paints from the client’s photos, and phone photos taken from a good angle in decent light are usually more than enough. She can combine multiple images, remove collars, and work around imperfections in the reference. Clients receive progress updates throughout.
Brianna is known for the clarity and transparency of her process. First-time buyers who are not sure what to expect will find her communication style reassuring. Customers hear back quickly, revisions are welcomed, and payment plans are available in up to five installments.
She is well suited for buyers who want a beautiful custom pet portrait with a smooth experience. Each portrait takes about three weeks to paint plus drying time. She is a practical starting point for first-time commission buyers.
Carly Weaver — Doggywood Art
Carly Weaver is an Austin, Texas-based artist whose work stands out for one distinctive reason: she draws pet portraits on wood. Her brand, Doggywood Art, has built a following on Instagram for its eye-catching style and creativity.
She works in realistic coloured pencil and oil on natural wood slabs and panels. The wood grain becomes part of the picture, giving each portrait a textured, warm quality you won’t find on traditional canvas. She is known for striking attention to detail and an ability to capture the sitting dog’s personality in every drawing.
The material is what makes her work stand out. A portrait on wood has a warmth and texture that traditional canvas doesn’t, and it tends to catch the eye on a wall.
She is well suited for dog owners who want something genuinely different to display in their home. Priced between $220 and $550, she sits in the mid-range and offers a creative alternative for anyone looking for a portrait that feels as distinctive as their pet.
Melissa Smith — Melissa Smith Art
Melissa Smith is a self-taught painter originally from upstate New York, raised on farmland surrounded by animals. That love of animals led her to pet portraiture. She began painting pets for friends and family before building it into a full commission business, and she describes it as her true life passion.
Her style is colourful, expressive, and warm. She paints dogs, cats, and other animals from your favourite photo and a few words about your pet’s personality. Her ordering process is simple and her turnaround is straightforward, with no lengthy wait times or complicated steps.
Melissa is known for her accessibility. Prices start from just $100 for a small painting, making her the most affordable artist on this list. She also donates 10% of every commission to a non-profit pet rescue of the client’s choice.
She is well suited for dog owners on a tighter budget, or anyone looking for a thoughtful present for a friend or family member who loves their pet.
Capture Your Dog’s Personality With Custom Dog Paintings
From classically trained oil painters to self-taught artists working on wood, the seven dog portrait artists in this guide offer something for every owner and every budget. The right artist doesn’t just paint what your dog looks like. They capture the personality, the bond, and the moments that make your dog yours.
Whether you’re drawn to the rich depth of an oil painting on canvas or the classic finish of a pencil drawing, there is an artist on this list who can bring your favourite photo to life. Memorial portraits, multi-pet compositions, and gift commissions are all possible.
Ready to start the conversation? Contact Sweet Pet Portraits to discuss your portrait and explore how our team can bring your favourite memory to life.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dog Portrait Artists
Prices depend on the artist, medium, size, and level of detail. At Sweet Pet Portraits, pencil drawings start from $400 and oil paintings on canvas from $500.
Across the other artists in this guide, prices range from $100 for a small painting to $2,000 and above for a gallery-level commission.
Background complexity and the number of pets also affect cost. Many artists offer payment plans. Explore our dog portrait options at Sweet Pet Portraits.
Turnaround varies by artist and medium.
At Sweet Pet Portraits, the process typically takes four to six weeks excluding shipping.
This includes photo submission, internal prep and retouching, artist briefing, production, and delivery.
Brianna Leidy completes most work in about three weeks plus drying time, while Rebecca Luncan is typically booked a year and a half in advance. Most artists fall somewhere in between.
If you’re ordering a portrait as a gift, plan ahead and ask about current lead times before placing your deposit. Contact us to discuss your timeline.
Phone photos are perfectly fine. Most pet portrait artists work from them every day. Shoot from a good angle at your dog’s eye level and make sure the full subject is visible.
Send multiple reference photos if you have them. Artists can adjust backgrounds, remove collars, and work with imperfect images. The goal is to show your dog’s personality and key features.
Don’t worry about having professional-quality photos. A skilled artist will work with what you have.
Get in touch with our team to discuss your photos.
Yes. Memorial portraits are among the most meaningful commissions pet portrait artists receive.
Artists like Erica Eriksdotter specialise in this work and approach it with care, using the dog’s story and the owner’s memories to celebrate their essence and the joy they brought.
Older or lower-quality photos can often still be used. Talk to the artist first to confirm what they can work with. It is a lasting way to honor a pet’s life.
Our studio also offers memorial commissions. Contact us to discuss yours.
A hand-painted or hand-drawn portrait is a one-of-a-kind original, created by a human artist over hours or weeks. Every brushstroke reflects personal interpretation, creativity, and attention to detail.
An AI portrait is generated in seconds from a photo. There is no physical artwork, no artistic decision-making, and no connection to the subject. A real artist captures essence, personality, and the owner’s story.
The finished piece is a physical painting or drawing you can display, frame, and pass down for generations.
Explore our hand-crafted dog portrait options at Sweet Pet Portraits.