This is Alex, Tim Ouellette’s son. I was with him while we had you take the photos of our two lumbering giants (a.k.a. Bernese Mountain Dogs). I was just emailing you like I had said I would to fill you in on my Mom’s reaction. It was definitely a good reaction, although I thought there would be more smiles and less crying…but then again it was a good response for her. We hung the canvas on a wall and wrapped it with gift paper. She was automatically aware that something was a-miss. When we finally had her tear back the paper she was at a little loss as to what to make of it. Her first response was, “Is this why you had the dogs groomed?” We replied that that was so, she then just gazed at it and smiled from ear to ear while tearing up slightly. I don’t think she could ever have imagined what was under the wrapping or that she could have her two biggest fans preserved forever in such a cute and silly way. I believed the tears flowed from the joyousness of the moment and also of the reminders brought forth by this portrait of our dear departed golden retriever. She was always hoping to immortalize him and moose (the larger dog with the blue eye) in such a way. Even though that was not to be, this is a fitting monument to these dogs, beyond her wildest imagination. Instead of a paw print in cement or a lock of hair, we have our goof balls trapped in a moment in time, and one funny story of getting them to sit still for that. She still smiles every time she walks by it. Hell, I still crack up when I stare at it for more than a minute. I thank you so much for these photos for my mom and for my whole family. we are overjoyed with this portrait. Best of luck in such future dog picture ventures. Maybes our dogs with set a new low bench mark for cooperation. If you can get that awesome picture out of those brutes clowning around and peeing, then maybe other dogs will be a cake walk.

-Sincerely,

Alex Ouellette