ROGUES' GALLERY
Are you passionate about wildlife conservation?
Do you love dogs?
Are you enjoying my art?
If you answered yes to these questions then you are going to love Rogues' Gallery!
Rogues' Gallery combines a passion for wildlife, dogs and art! And it's one way I'm making a small contribution to conservation efforts through my art.
This collection of six dog portraits will celebrate some very special conservation superheroes who have sadly crossed the rainbow bridge.
The description of each of these pups comes from Jennifer Hartman, Co-Director of Rogue Detection Dogs
"Captain - Velveteen Rabbit Detection Dog"
"Captain was our soft and fuzzy velveteen rabbit detection dog.
Many did not think he could be a detection dog because his fur was too thin (we hike through very thick, overgrown habitats). But with sufficient protective gear, this boy was born to be a detection dog.
He was a true athlete and loved to climb the tallest mountains, and never wanted the survey to end because he had so much joy in the work.
He came to us as an owner release - his family loved him so much and understood that Captain was meant for BIG things in this world.
He just had so much heart. He didn't realize he was a tall, leggy boy and loved to curl up on laps like he was a much smaller dog.
He was not an easy dog to learn how to work with, because he held onto the ball, he loved it so much, but once a bounder gave him the time, actually bothered to get to know his sweet soul, and unlocked his heart, the only thing he wanted to do was find more data and play fetch."
Reference photo: Holly Cook Photography
"Chester - Golden Detection Dog"
"Our golden boy was 18 years young. You’d never know he was the oldest dog in our program in his later years because he had the heart of a puppy, always.
He had the biggest, fluffiest soul. He friendly to ALL people and sometimes we joked that we could reward him for finding data with love and that he didn’t even need the ball, that’s how happy he was and how much he loved people.
He travelled the world to assist wildlife, from brown bears in the Pyrenees
to Bobcats in Wisconsin, and moose, baer and caribou in the frozen tundra of Alberta.
Later in his life, he was an education ambassador and travelled to schools share his love of wildlife and conservation science with the next generation of hopeful biologists, scientists and nature enthusiasts.
His best friend was our small, fluffy black dog named Beckett. These two were inseparable and looked like yin and yang when they curled up together by the fireplace at the end of a day in the field."
And if you're curious about what makes a conservation superhero...then read on!
Rogue Dogs have an obsessive need to play fetch. Their energy makes them extremely challenging as pets in a home environment. Most end up as “rogues” in dog rescue shelters.
But by tapping into what makes these dogs tick, it is possible to give these rescue dogs a happy and fulfilling life as scent detection dogs.
Each dog has a “Bounder” - a detection dog handler and field scientist. Once trained, these amazing Rogue Dogs can scan large areas using the power of their noses to sniff out the scat of endangered or at-risk species.
Species detected through these non-invasive surveys include the pangolin, wolf, cheetah, orca and many other endangered species world-wide.
You can find out more about the wonderful work of Rogue Detection Dogs at their website or on their social media pages.
Website: https://roguedogs.org
Social Media for Rogue Dogs:
Heath Smith, Co-director of Rogue Detection Dogs
"I am speechless! Your artwork is unreal! He looks so lifelike! I feel like I'm stuttering to come up with words to type I am so in awe. Wow! Your skill and generosity are humbling. I can not thank you enough. Simply beautiful!"