Lindsey Pronk never imagined she鈥檇 be training her border collie to hold a paint brush 鈥� but Ollie isn鈥檛 your average dog.
The can jump on Pronk鈥檚 back and flush a toilet.
Pronk said she struggled through the seemingly 鈥渘ever-ending鈥� winter to find ways to tire out Ollie and his younger brother, Bo, around their home in Maple Ridge.
She got the idea to teach her four-legged friend how to paint after looking at the work of other dogs on YouTube, whose owners were selling their paintings online.
When she was told there鈥檇 be a two-month wait to get her hands on a piece: 鈥淚 thought I鈥檇 pick up the supplies and teach him myself.鈥�
Pronk created a special handle for Ollie, so he can hold the paint brush in his mouth comfortably. Since March, he鈥檚 painted about 30 pieces.
Each painting sells for $50 each, with $10 from each going to the local SPCA. Each one includes a few photos of Ollie actually painting the photo, perhaps similar to a certificate of authenticity.
Despite the new-found trick becoming more and more like a job for the pet, Pronk said it鈥檚 up to him if he wants to pick up the brush.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to keep it fun and not stressful for him,鈥� Pronk said. 鈥淎t the end of the day, he鈥檚 a dog, so sometimes he wants to do it and other times he wants to be a dog and chew his bone.鈥�
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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