Oil Paintings of Pets: Capture the Essence of Your Dog, Cat, or Horse

For many people, their pet is more than just an animal—it’s family. A painted portrait honors this bond in a way that no photo print ever could. In this article, you’ll learn how a pet portrait is created, what to look for in a reference photo, and how to find the right style for your dog, cat, or horse.

🎨 Straight to the service: Have an animal portrait painted → — upload your photo, hand-painted in oil, from CHF 306.

In-depth guides for each type of pet

Looking for a specific animal? These guides take a closer look at each one:

• Having a dog portrait painted — the complete guide
• Having a cat portrait painted — character and expression
• Having a horse portrait painted — dignity and power in oil

Why animals look particularly good in oil paintings

Animals have something that human portraits don't have to the same extent: Expression without words. A dog can convey “I trust you” or “let’s go outside” with a single glance. A cat has hundreds of subtly different poses. A horse reveals its personality through the position of its ears, the arch of its neck, and the expression in its eyes.

A skilled artist can capture exactly that personality on canvas—something a technical print cannot. That is the main reason why animal portraits in oil have been a distinct genre in art history for over 300 years: because they work.

The perfect photo for an animal portrait

Animals are unpredictable subjects. You can’t ask them to “look this way and smile.” Still, there are a few factors that make a photo more suitable as a reference:

Eye level

Photos of animals taken at eye level have a much more intense effect than shots taken “from above.” With a puppy, that means getting down on your knees. With a horse, it means standing up or using a longer focal length. Shots taken from above (the classic “walking-the-dog perspective”) make animals look small and distant—even in the final image.

Daylight

Natural light best brings out a dog’s coat colors and textures. A dog with a black coat often looks flat under studio flash; in daylight, you can see the variety of black tones—bluish, brownish, with a few white hairs. The artist captures all of this in the photograph.

Characteristic pose

Ask yourself: which pose best captures “my pet”? Your Border Collie, staring intently at a ball. Your cat, yawning on the windowsill. Your horse in the paddock with its ears slightly tilted. These distinctive poses result in photos that family and friends will instantly recognize.

What to avoid

• Blurry pictures without sharp eyes
• Images affected by direct sunlight — animals squint, and the image loses its impact
• Photos with collar logos or brand labels—we can retouch them out, but if they dominate the entire photo, it’ll be tough
• Photos in which the animal is partially obscured (a person is holding the animal in their arms and blocking half of it)

Dogs — the most common animal portraits

Dogs are the most common subjects of our animal commissions—and for good reason. Dogs have expressive eyes, a wide variety of coat textures depending on the breed, and are often regarded as cherished members of the family.

What to Look for in Dog Portraits

• Coat type: For long-haired dogs (Golden Retrievers, St. Bernards, Bernese Mountain Dogs), the direction of the fur is important—it determines the play of light and the sense of depth.
• Eye color: A husky with blue eyes, a Bernese Mountain Dog with warm brown eyes—the shade of the iris shapes a dog’s personality.
• Snout and mouth: A “dachshund smile” or an open mouth while panting—that’s part of their personality. In a photo, this can be captured accurately or deliberately left out.

Recommended size for dogs

• 50×60 cm — for a head portrait, classic look
• 60×80 cm — for a full-body animal or a dog with a small background
• 80×100 cm — for one dog and its owner or multiple dogs

Cats — Puzzles of Personality

Cats are more complicated. They’re less inclined to pose and more inclined to do their own thing. But that’s exactly what makes them wonderful subjects for photos when you capture the right moments.

What Makes Cat Portraits Special

• Eyes: Cat's eyes, with their vertical pupils, have a strong visual impact. When rendered with fine detail, they become the focal point of the image.
• Coat texture: Tiger stripes, tortoiseshell patterns, Norwegian Forest Cat fur—cat fur comes in an incredible variety of patterns that a painted picture can capture with precision.
• Pose: The sphinx pose, curled up asleep, listening intently—each pose tells a different story.

Recommended size: Cat

Because cats tend to be compact in build, both square and slightly vertical-format prints work well for them. The most common sizes ordered are 50×50 cm to 70×100 cm.

Horses — Movement, Size, Elegance

Horse portraits have a long-standing tradition—from the English aristocracy to modern stables, the painted horse portrait is a distinct art form. What makes horses special:

• Size: Horses have a sense of volume. A good equine photograph captures this mass—the muscles, the curve of the neck, and the positioning of the legs.
• Coat color: Gray, black, chestnut, bay—each coat color has its own unique play of light. Gray horses, for example, are never “white”—they have grayish-blue or warm, rosy hues that lend the image a certain atmosphere.
• Equestrian context: A show jumper in action, a dressage pose, a horse grazing peacefully—unlike in a photo, you can choose any background you like.

Recommended size for horses

Horse portraits require space. We recommend a size of 80×100 cm or larger, in landscape orientation. Only head-and-chest portraits work in a 60×80 cm format.

Animals That Are No Longer With Us — A Memorial Portrait

A common and very touching situation: a pet has passed away, and the owner would like a keepsake. Here are a few tips:

Best photo from the past

If the animal was elderly and you only have photos from the later years of its life—showing illness or weight loss—we can still create a portrait depicting its “younger self.” If you have photos from different stages of its life, please send us several; we’ll combine the essence of all of them.

Grieving takes time

Some people order the portrait right after the loss, while others wait a year. Either is fine. Sometimes it helps to wait until you can make a clear decision about the pose and mood you want for the portrait.

A keepsake photo of a sibling pet

If you have another pet, you can also commission a picture of the two of them together—even if they were never photographed at the same time. We’ll combine the photos to create a composition that honors both of them.

Background — naturalistic or neutral?

Three common options:

1. Neutral, soft background

A darker or softer shade of beige/olive green. The animal is clearly the focal point. Classic, timeless, and suits any interior style.

2. Natural landscape

Meadows, forests, mountains—perfect for the animal’s natural habitat. More authentic for a farm dog, an outdoor cat, or a riding horse.

3. Distinctive Setting

Favorite spot on the couch, his own stable, the family garden. Very personal, almost autobiographical.

We'd be happy to help you choose the option that best suits your pet and your home style.

Costs and Delivery Time

A hand-painted pet portrait in oil is available from CHF 306 — the price depends on size and number of animals. You see your fixed price transparently in advance in the pet portrait configurator: choose the format, upload your photo, done. No hidden costs — a one-of-a-kind work in gallery quality that lasts a lifetime.

The delivery time is usually 2–5 weeks from your photo approval. A fixed occasion like Christmas, a birthday or an anniversary? Just tell us your target date — we'll schedule your picture in time.

Ready to immortalize your pet?

Upload your photo to the Configurator Just fill out the form, select the format and frame, and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours to discuss the initial concept. If you have multiple animals or specific requests—such as an animal paired with a person or a custom background—please feel free to contact us directly; we’ll go over the details with you individually.

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