The story
How a Hollywood animal trainer and a Belgian Malinois created something the art world had never seen.
From movie sets to the easel
Omar von Muller has spent more than 40 years training dogs — his animals have appeared in movies, television shows and commercials. Monkey, a Belgian Malinois, mastered everything from parkour to countless tricks before Omar noticed something unusual: Monkey didn’t just tolerate the paintbrush. He loved it.
Hundreds of hours of patient, reward-based play later, Monkey paints with smooth, deliberate strokes — up, down, curves and flicks — choosing his own rhythm while Omar changes colours and canvases.
Positive reinforcement, always
Every session is built on positive reinforcement — treats, praise and rest. Painting is a game Monkey chooses to play, never a job he’s made to do. Layers are dried between takes, and sessions end the moment the fun does.
“Each masterpiece is a reflection of his creativity, joy, and the incredible bond between us.”
— Omar von Muller
How a painting happens
1 · The setup
Omar preps the canvas and loads the brush. Monkey watches, tail going — he knows what’s coming.
2 · The strokes
Brush in mouth, Monkey lays down strokes he’s practised for years — smooth pulls, arcs and dabs, colour by colour.
3 · The signature
Every finished piece is signed the only honest way a dog can — with Monkey’s own paw print.
Questions collectors ask
Does Monkey really paint these himself?
Yes. Monkey holds the brush in his mouth and makes every stroke himself. Omar guides the session — changing colours, rotating the canvas — but the brushwork is all Monkey. Painting sessions are regularly filmed and shared on social media.
What exactly do I get with an original?
A one-of-one acrylic painting on canvas, created by Monkey and signed with his paw print. Once an original sells, it is never repeated — replicas are the only way to own that image again.
What is a replica?
A stretched-canvas print reproduced from one of Monkey’s originals — including life-size editions — at a fraction of the price of a one-of-one.
Is the training humane?
Completely. Monkey is trained exclusively with positive reinforcement — painting is play, with treats, breaks and rest built into every session. If Monkey doesn’t feel like painting, nobody paints that day.