There’s something timeless about watching a dog play in the water, but a first trip to the ocean adds to the magic in leaps and bounds. It’s pure joy, relentless energy, and a sense of purpose that feels almost mythical. Throughout the entire series, we’ve followed Goose as he plunged into the surf, danced with the waves, and claimed each moment with fearless delight. These images don’t just capture a playful dog on the beach, they tell a story of movement, freedom, and connection.
As this series ends, the last two images bring his story full circle. Goose is no longer just a blur of fur and motion. He’s a force of nature, emerging from the tide with a sense of triumph. The water has tried to hold him, to play with him, even chase him, but in the end, Goose breaks free and returns to shore on his own terms.
This post marks the conclusion of Goose by the Sea, and these final watercolor-styled frames feel like a celebration. They don’t just depict the end of an exploration. They honor everything that came before. The leaps, the splashes, the wide-eyed sprints, and the simple joy of a dog exude from these images, for those who are patrons or buy access to the DeviantArt gallery. For everyone else, these descriptions offer a final glimpse into Goose’s exuberant journey, that’s worth remembering. If you see any images here that aren’t available on Natural Desygns or SM Desygns reach out to me through the Etsy store and I’ll add the image to the correct store. In the meantime, click any of the images to head over to DeviantArt to get a better look.
The following images are part of my premium gallery on DeviantArt, Man’s Best Friend. It’s filled with images of dogs, both mine and those I’ve found out about the world. With a single payment, you will gain access to all the existing images, as well as all the ones added in the future. However, here I will include the descriptions of the images, so please excuse the phrasing that may assume you can see the image.
Goose by the Sea 013
This is the penultimate image of the series, and it captures Goose’s energetic sprint as he nears dry land. The water rolls back in soft streaks of blue and lavender while Goose barrels forward with wide-eyed focused on me and his ears pressed back. His ever-present leash trailing behind and acting as both compositional anchor and trace of where he came from.
The combination of the red fabric and Goose’s flared tail hint Goose isn’t just running through the surf, he’s bursting out of it. Something that’s amplified by the contrast of his shadow beneath him and the foamy wake left in his path. Once you take everything in and process it, you’re left with hints of his speed and power.
There’s a primal joy here. Something that part chase and part escape. Goose isn’t finishing a run. He’s emerging from the waters and ready to tread upon the rocky outcropping now entering the composition. The watercolor effect lends a painterly delicacy to the scene, especially along the right side of the image where sand peeks through the tide in tones of pale ochre and blue-gray. This tonal blend grounds the chaos of the chase.
This being my final view, I gazed upon my favorite part of the shore. The foreground grass does wonders to add a lovely organic detail helps usher the viewer’s eyes towards the focal point of the work, the distant beach home. While the cluster of trees helps build out the structure of the piece, combining them and the distant white home provides the piece’s scale and story. Again, using a watercolor style works well here, especially with the soft blue sky punctuated by light speckling that suggests atmosphere without becoming distracting.
The transformation from shore to tree line is pleasingly balanced, despite the darker tones used for the trees. It adds depths to the image and provides a wonderfully stark contrast to the airy sky and bright water. It anchors the scene, while the dreamy quality of the white structure adds just enough intrigue, without dominating the image, providing an inviting moment of serenity.
Goose by the Sea 014
This is a triumphant finale to the series, landing that feels both earned and explosive. Goose gaze whipped toward me as his paws leave the lapping surf. The spray is still catching light, but the moment belongs to him now. His face is animated with glee, his body full of forward motion, but there’s also a sense of closure. The shore welcomes him back like a finish line crossed.
His mouth is open, his eyes gleaming, and his muscles are still tight as he prepares for his next dash. The contrast between the tones of the deeper water has receded away, leaving more of the darkened sand and well greenery. After the image had been converted to a watercolor painting, the ground seemed to be made of soft rocks. While he’s escaped most of the waves, there’s one that chasing him to earth, almost acting like a spotlight ushering a star to his mark.
The watercolor overlay in this image is especially rich, with the swirling background fading into impressionistic textures while Goose remains a dark, striking figure. The lighting enhances his outline without stripping the detail from his fur or form. This moment is all power and satisfaction. Goose has come full circle, from first splash to the sprint to the return. And he did it all with exuberant joy. He didn’t just run through the water. He ruled it.