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  • Writer's pictureKevin Roeckl

The story of Jake, my heart dog

I promised I would share some of my earlier art. This is the very first Doberman painting I ever did. “Self Portrait with Jake, 1991”. There is a huge story behind this. Way too big a story to tell here. Jake saved my life, twice, when I became the victim in hate crimes. I was badly injured and unable to work for a year. When I started painting again all I wanted to paint was beautiful Jake….my hero. So that’s what I did. For the next few years all the artwork I did was Jake. He was my whole world. You will notice in this artwork that we are connected at my heart.

Self portrait of the artist with Doberman Jake, colored pencil  portrait

Colored pencil on grey Canson paper

20 x 26 inches


Jake was the one who started it all. My deep love of the breed… and my Doberman art. 32 years later, I am the most widely recognized Doberman artist in the U.S.


Jake lived an amazing life. By the end he was well known and admired throughout the Doberman community. Jake made me famous, and I made him famous.


Illustrated with my own photos and artwork.


Detail of Doberman head in colored pencil portrait

Detail of man's head in colored pencil portrait, a self-portrait of the artist with his Doberman



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