2 Pet Portrait Business Success Stories [2026]
Are you an artist looking for a profitable business you can start from home? If yes, consider starting a pet portraits business. You can focus on pet photography, drawings, personalized dog paintings, or cat portraits and start earning extra cash doing what you love.
In this list, you'll find real-world pet portrait business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a pet portrait business that makes money.
1. Puptrait ($120K/year)
J.B. Shepard, the founder of Puptrait, started his business after his friend asked him to take unique and non-traditional pet portraits. He realized there was a demand for unconventional pet photography, and thus, Puptrait was born. Despite the difficulties and limitations of the pandemic, Puptrait has become a successful pet photography studio, with commissions ranging from $2.5k to $12k.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $750
How many people on the team: 0
J.B. Shepard, a Baltimore-based mixed media artist, discusses how he turned his passion for dog photography into a successful pet photography studio, with typical commissions coming in at anywhere between $2.5k and $5k and their highest value single order tapping out at just under $12k.
2. Custom Pet Portraits by Tiffany Dnaka ($14.4K/year)
Tiffany started her custom pet portrait business after experiencing loss and wanting to create a specific style of artwork to remember her furry friend. She launched on Etsy but eventually moved to her own website to have more control over her marketing and customer communication. Through trial and error and a strong presence on social media, Tiffany has been able to attract and retain customers, and she plans to focus on scaling her brand in the future by partnering with celebrities and influencers.
How much money it makes: $14.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $473
How many people on the team: 0
Custom Pet Portraits by Tiffany Dnaka has seen massive growth since starting in 2021, with yearly revenue doubling year after year and an average of $1,200 a month in sales, and founder Tiffany's 2021 goal is to scale by teaming up with celebrities and influencers.
