I also paint pets. When I was the portrait artist at the Disneyland Hotel I had the opportunity to paint people from all over the world, and, occasionally, their pets. In addition to dogs, cats, and horses, commissions have included kangaroos, snakes, lemurs (for the Duke Primate Center) and many pet birds. For several years I was the featured pet portrait artist in the “Puttin’ on the Dog” gift catalog. I normally choose a plain background for the animal unless you have a special color you like, but neutrals are best. Here is an example with the reference photo.