Arty Lobster's blog has moved!


We have changed the location of our blog. You can go to the new blog either by going to the main Arty Lobster page, or by going directly to the Arty Lobster blog.

We hope that you will keep visiting us.

The Arty Lobster team

Win your pet sculpture in our non-fur competiton!

Sculpture of a leopard gecko made by artylobster.com

As you probably know, Arty Lobster creates customised pet sculptures from your images of your pet.

Most of our sculptures are of people's furry dogs, cats and rabbits. But let's not forget the non-furry animals!

At Arty Lobster we looking for your non-fur pets. Send us a photo of your non-furry animal companion, and you could win a 14 cm full colour sandstone sculpture. Long live diversity.

All proud owners of reptiles, fish, bird and other non fur animals are welcome to take part in our raffle! If you or one of your friends is such an owner, hurry up, the closing date is midnight 31 May 2016. Just send some pictures of your pet, its name and the breed to info@artylobster.com. Easy-peasy!

Don't forget to spread the word! Good luck!

Long haired Akitas

Should we accept long-haired Akitas?


or should breed rules always be permanent?

Akita drawing
Source: FCI

Akita breed

The Akita originated in Japan, and is a dog perfectly adapted to colder climates. It can be split into two types, the Japanese Akita and the American Akita. According to the World Canine Organisation, as well as the UK and Japanese Kennel Clubs, these are two separate breeds. The US and Canadian breed associations consider the Akita to be a single breed, with Japanese and American Akitas as different types of the breed.

The Akita breed was originally a hunting and fighting dog, so it has a strong temperament. It requires a strong owner and is not recommended for a person who is new to owning dogs. The Akita is easier to manage when there are no other dogs or pets in the house.

The most famous Akita dog

Sculpture of Hachiko, the most famous Akita dog
Hachiko is without a doubt the most famous Akita. It was owned by Professor Hidesaburo Ueno, who lived close to Shibuya station in Tokyo, Japan. Hachiko used to accompany him to the station each morning and wait for him at the station in the afternoon. After Professor Ueno suffered a stroke at work, Hachiko still faithfully went to the Shibuya station twice a day to wait for him. It became a symbol of faithfulness in Japan, and in 1934 there was a statue of Hachiko erected by the station.


History of the Akita breed




Long- vs short-haired

The longer coated Akita dogs appeared about 100 years ago, and tend to more docile than the traditional short-haired ones.

They come up in a few puppies, in a seemingly random fashion. All Akita's seem to be carrying the gene for a longcoat.

Currently the breeding standards for Akitas exclude long-haired ones, and in Japan and the US there are attempts at creating separate shows for long-haired Akita dogs. The biggest question is when, or if, one should change breeding standards to account for an important minority of a breed.



Long-haired or short-haired Akita sculptures

Arty Lobster (http://www.artylobster.com) makes pet sculptures from customer's photos. We are very happy to make both long- and short-haired Akita sculptures, as well as other breeds.




5 Must-Have Christmas Gifts For Your Cat

Here are 5 must-have cat items for this Christmas.

1. Trio of Black Cats Jute Shopper Bag

This stylish and cute cat-themed bag is all you need to look fabulous this winter.



2. Crackle balls
Give your cat a fun treat this Christmas. These balls are fun to play with and make a crackling noise. 


3. Sleepypod
This genius invention is a cat carrier, car seat and and cat bed all in one. You can buy it from Amazon in the UK or directly from the company's website for the US.



4. Arty Lobster Cat Sculpture
Get a fabulous sculpture of your cat to treat yourself this Christmas. Each cat statue is a one of a kind artwork based on your own photos.



5. OTO Ice Cream Truck for Cats
We have to include this even if it is only available in the US. OTO makes toy ice cream trucks for children, but they have now made one for the cat in your life too. Lovely!

How to take care of your Shih Tzu?


Shih Tzu is a toy breed dog that is happy and sweet natured. This dog breed absolutely loves attention and comfort and that is the reason they are ideal companions for senior citizens. Shih Tzu is comfortable with other pets and very seldom shows aggressive behaviour. It is a great pet to have as it does not even require that much outdoor exercise and is less ‘yappy’ as compared to dogs of other breeds.




Although adorable and friendly, Shih Tzu is notoriously known for her house breaking difficulties and grooming them can be a real task sometimes. There are many things that should be kept in mind while caring for your Shih Tzu. Some helpful tips are:

Grooming:
It is important that you make sure that your Shih Tzu learns to accept grooming at a young age. This will make the process easier for you as well as your puppy as she grows older. You should use a soft, bristle brush to comb around the face and head of your Shih Tzu and then use a large toothed comb for the rest of the body. It is important to make sure that you pay extra attention to your dog’s eyes as Shih Tzu has large eyes that make them more susceptible to gathering dust. Make sure to clean the eyes with warm water and cotton. You should learn how to inspect for nits, wax and also learn to trim her nails.

Bathing:
You should begin the process of bathing your Shih Tzu only after he is of three months of age. It is important to bathe him using special shampoos that are used for dogs and the rinse using lukewarm water. Shih Tzu is a very sensitive breed of dogs so you should make sure that you do not use any human products as they may cause allergies.

House training:
This is the part that requires a bit more patience as compared to other areas of caring for your Shih Tzu. Shih Tzu training can begin immediately as soon as you introduce her in your home. Shih Tzu breed is easy to train; you just need a bit of patience. To potty train her; it is important that you guide her to the designated litter area once she is done with her meal. Shih Tzu needs to be taken to the designated potty area three times:  when she wakes up, after meals and before bedtime. It is important to remember that puppies are younger than the age of six months require litter breaks after every few hours.

The best way to keep the memory of your Shih Tzu is to get a custom 3D sculpture of him made. Arty Lobster guarantees that they can make a standard Shih Tzu statue of about 8cm tall. This statue will take up to 3-4 weeks to deliver. The best part about ordering a Shih Tzu sculpture from Arty Lobster is that there is 100% satisfaction guarantee and you can even see a free preview of your sculpture.

How to care for your Border Collie Puppy?


The border collie is the most intelligent breed of dog as well the most challenging breed to train. It is famously known as ‘the working farm dog’ as it creeps on the sheep with a levelled stare. The reason that Border collie is famous for his post as a working farm dog is because he requires constant physical and mental stimulation. If they do not get constant activity, Border collie tends to get very hyperactive and seek activity themselves through destructive behaviour.
There are many ways in which you can care for your Border collie; some of the basic tips are given below to help you introduce your Border collie into his new home:

Housebreaking and training:
There is no specific age limit to when it comes to house training your Border collie. If you are trying to teach your dog some new tricks then it is suggested that you wait till he is of 3 months of age. If you want to teach your Border collie tricks that are a bit more challenging than the basic commands then it is best to wait till he is of 5 – 6 months of age.
The main way to train your Border collie effectively is to teach him that you are the ‘Alpha dog’ and only then will you be able to get your dog to follow your rules regarding acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. The key is to be gentle yet firm.

Make sure that you give your Collie your full attention:
You should make sure that you give your dog your full attention when you decide to train him. Make sure that the place that you choose for your lessons is comparatively quite as Border collie can get distracted very easily and it would disrupt your lessons.

Regular lessons:
You should make sure that your lessons with your Collie are consistent and regular, only then will your hard work pay off. You should stick to one name and use it with your dog, try not to confuse him with multiple names. It is also very important to be consistent with your commands. You should not change your stance regarding things because that will only result in slowed training of your dog.

Be encouraging:
It is very important to be encouraging while you are training your Border collie. It is recommended that after every good lesson, you reward your dog with a nice treat. This method is also called positive reinforcement. Be sure to praise your Collie when he does something right as this would not only make him feel happy, it will also encourage him to do the same thing again.




Your Border collie is as precious to us as it is to you and we at Arty Lobster present the idea of 3D sculptures of your dog to keep as a memoir forever. It is very simple; we just require a picture of your dog so that it can then be replicated into the form of a sculpture. A 3D sculpture is the best way to be reminded of your dog and the sweet memories that you have made together.

Visit the Arty Lobster Border Collie page for more information. 

How to care for your Jack Russell Terrier?


If you are looking for an independent, lively and clever dog then the Jack Russell Terrier is the perfect puppy for you! Along with being affectionate and extremely charming, Jack Russell Terrier is also a challenging breed when you try to manage and train them.

Jack Russell Terrier is ideal for those people who have an active lifestyle as this breed of dog is not compatible with those who live a solitary and sedate life.  The boredom of Jack Russell Terrier can quickly lead to destructive behaviour and that is the reason it is important to keep him distracted and involved. Jack Russell Terrier requires full participation in daily play sessions, especially ball chasing.




Here are some helpful tips that would prove to come in handy while you care for your Jack Russell Terrier: 

  • It is important to make sure that you do not have any pets besides the Jack Russell Terrier. In case you do have pets, you should make sure that they are kept separately from your dog. Jack Russell Terrier considers everything that resembles a rat or a snake as prey.
  • Jack Russell Terriers take longer than other dogs to get trained so you should not give up and just be patient. Training a Jack Russell Terrier can take up to six to eight months easily.
  • You should make sure that your Jack Russell Terrier knows that you are the Alpha and it is only then will he be able to follow your rules. You should be affectionate yet firm.
  • You should take extra care to make sure that your Jack Russell Terrier is familiar with all of the basic commands like sit, stand, stay and come. You should make him follow these consistently so that he develops a habit of it.
  • It should be kept in mind that a Jack Russell Terrier is a challenging dog to train and that is the reason you should always have a clear head and ample of patience while you train it.
  • Reward your Jack Russell Terrier for every task that he has performed well. It is very important to make sure that he knows that you appreciate what he does. This will not only reinforce his good behaviour, it will also motivate your Jack Russell Terrier to do the same ‘right’ thing again.
  • Make sure that you take your Jack Russell Terrier for regular vaccinations and make sure that he has been dewormed, has adequate coat and dental care and his nits and fleas are in check
  • Choose good dog food that is according to the age of your dog and stick to it. It is recommended that you do not change the dog food occasionally as it can cause digestive upset in your Jack Russell Terrier.
  • Make sure that your Jack Russell Terrier has plenty of room to run and play as they love to play. You should be very attentive to your Jack Russell Terrier as they tend to get lonely if they are kept inside without company.


Click to get a 3D sculpture of your Jack Russell Terrier, contact us at Arty Lobster and we will make sure that you will not be disappointed. It is the best and most wonderful way to keep a memory of your dog companion.