Pet lovers never skimp when it comes to spending on our beloved pets. From doggy hotels and posh wardrobes to grooming and showering them with toys, there is never a shortage on new ways to care for and honor our furry friends.

At Painting with a Twist, we knew immediately that one of the unique ways we could get pet owners to connect is by offering them the option to paint a one-of-a-kind picture of their dogs in our art studios across the country. Our business provides our guests a unique getaway through art. Led by local art instructors, guests paint on bare 16-by-20-inch canvases using paint and brushes provided by the studio — and they can bring their own drinks! The Paint Your Pet class is extremely popular. Since we launched it, we have held 874 events with a total of 11,457 pet pictures painted.

The Paint Your Pet class has been an instant hit. While the majority of pets being painted are dogs, some participants paint their cats, hamsters, birds and even fish.

The class attracts all types of people, mostly amateurs, but some experienced painters as well. Unlike our regular classes, which attract big groups of people, the Paint Your Pet class brings in small groups of friends, some who are looking to give the painting as a gift, some who are celebrating their pets birthdays, and others who are looking to honor a pet that recently passed.

Our instructors love teaching the class because they get to be one-on-one with each painter and teach them techniques not typical to the regular classes. Each Paint Your Pet class has at least two instructors, which allows ample support for each painter.

This class is so much fun to watch. Since a majority of the painters who attend share a personal connection with the pets they are painting, they try extra hard to find the perfect colors and re-create their pets the way they see them every day. We love seeing how invested each painter gets. More often than not, they are truly proud of their creations when they leave the studio.

A few of our locations have made Paint Your Pet part of their Painting with a Purpose classes, in which 50 percent of the nights proceeds are donated to local organizations. Painting with a Twist McKinney, Texas most recently held a class benefiting The Puppy Rescue Mission. Oftentimes when U.S. troops are overseas they form deep bonds with a puppy or cat in the war zone, which become their battle buddies. Puppy Rescue Mission helps the troops to rescue and bring home these animals.

For this particular class, soldiers from Fort Hood showed up with their families to paint their pups rescued through the organization. We were was able to donate $370 to The Puppy Rescue Mission (another class is scheduled for the organization in October). Puppy Rescue Mission is just one example of the many organizations our Painting with a Purpose class benefits; others include Relay for Life, St. Francis Animal Sanctuary, and Susan G. Komen.

For more information about Painting with a Twist and to find your local Paint Your Pet class, visit www.paintingwithatwist.com.

All images courtesy of Painting with a Twist.

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