Dog wears elegant beret, paints masterpieces like a pro
DogVinci is the greatest canine artist of his generation.
The Long Island-based black lab, whose real name is Dagger II, is making a name for himself as the art world's foremost dog painter -- a prestigious title, to be sure.
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Dagger paints with his owner, fine artist Yvonne Dagger, nearly every day, and his brushstroke work is colorful, exciting and surprisingly varied.
"Some of Dagger's works are very abstract and some seem to have hidden images in them," Yvonne told Mashable. "It's very interesting."
And, of course, he wears a classic red beret.
Dagger didn't always intend to be a painter. In fact, he developed his dexterity during his training to become a service dog for people with disabilities.
During Dagger's training, "he learned how to push drawers and doors closed and hold objects in his mouth," Yvonne told Mashable.
Unfortunately, Dagger's career as a service dog was a short one. When he was released from his training, he returned home with Yvonne and she noticed he was still very responsive to the commands from his training.
"Very often Dagger II would come into my studio and lay next to me when I painted," Yvonne said.
"Then one day, Dagger II began nudging me. I stopped painting and said, 'Dagger, do you want to paint'? His tail immediately started to wag like crazy."
From there, Yvonne painted with Dagger using modified versions of the commands he'd learned in training. "Instead of 'push' it was 'paint,'" she said.
Even though Dagger is no longer a service dog, he's now using his painting skills to contribute to his old field. Dagger's already sold a few pieces, with proceeds going to Canine Companions for Independence.
In addition, Yvonne hopes to contribute to local animal shelters and rescues.
One thing's for sure: DogVinci has secured his place in the annals of art history.
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Chloe was the shopping editor at Mashable. She was also previously a culture reporter. You can follow her on Twitter at @chloebryan.
