What Happens After You Order a Custom Pet Portrait?

Step 1: Your Order Is Confirmed

After you select a portrait style, size, and payment option, Pawtrove Feltever receives your order information. The studio normally contacts customers by email after an order is placed, so check that your email address is correct and watch your spam folder.

You can choose to pay the full price or use the available 50% deposit and 50% balance arrangement. A deposit reserves the custom project, but it is not the complete product price.

If the portrait is needed for a birthday, memorial anniversary, Christmas, or another fixed occasion, mention the date immediately. A deadline is only accepted after the studio checks the current production queue and expected shipping time.

Step 2: Your Pet Photos and Design Details Are Reviewed

The artist needs more than one attractive photograph. Different images provide different information about your pet’s face, markings, body shape, coat texture, and personality.

Whenever possible, submit:

• A clear front-facing photograph
• Left and right profile photographs
• A photograph of the back and tail
• Full-body photographs for figurines
• Close photographs of the eyes, nose, ears, paws, and special markings
• One favorite image showing the expression or pose you want

The studio may ask which image should be used as the main expression reference. This prevents the artist from combining a serious expression from one photo with a smiling mouth or different ear position from another.

Use the complete pet portrait photo guide to prepare your images.

If you want to include clean pet fur, a collar, clothing, or another personal belonging, contact the studio before sending it. Only suitable items and sizes can accommodate these additions. Ordinary portraits cannot store ashes; ashes storage is available only in the wooden base of the Memory Home.

Step 3: The Design Is Confirmed and Production Is Scheduled

Once the photos and design requirements are clear, the project enters the studio’s production schedule. Because every custom felt pet portrait is made individually, an order may wait in a queue before active felting begins.

Pawtrove Feltever limits the number of monthly commissions to protect production quality. Queue length can increase during sales, Christmas, and other busy gift seasons.

The studio notifies the customer when production begins. This moment is also important for cancellations: under the current policy, an order cancelled before the project starts can receive a refund of the paid deposit. Once production begins and custom materials and labor have been committed, cancellation is no longer available.

Step 4: Your Custom Pet Portrait Is Made by Hand

The exact process depends on the selected style. A framed portrait concentrates on the face and expression, while a full body figurine also requires an internal structure, accurate body proportions, paws, tail, and pose.

A typical needle felting process includes:

1. Building and compacting the wool base
2. Shaping the head, muzzle, cheeks, or complete body
3. Positioning the eyes and forming the eyelids
4. Sculpting the nose and other small features
5. Blending wool to match the coat colors
6. Placing markings and fibers in the direction of hair growth
7. Refining the ears, mouth, paws, and expression
8. Combing and trimming the finished coat

Pawtrove Feltever primarily uses natural Australian Merino wool. Depending on the design, the portrait may also include glass or hand-painted eyes, a clay nose, silicone details, a wooden frame, an acrylic cover, or a memorial base.

Most standard commissions take approximately 2–4 weeks to create. Smaller ornaments and mini figurines may be faster, while large full body figurines and Memory Home displays require more time.

Step 5: You Receive Preview Photos or Videos

The completed portrait is not shipped without review. Pawtrove Feltever sends photos or videos so you can examine the finished work before it leaves the studio.

When reviewing the preview, compare it with your main reference photo and check:

• Eye shape, color, position, and gaze
• Ear shape and angle
• Muzzle length and face width
• Nose and mouth shape
• Coat colors and distinctive markings
• Body proportions and pose
• Tail, paws, collar, or clothing where included

Look first at the features that made your pet recognizable to you. Handmade portraits are artistic interpretations of real pets, so natural handmade variations should be expected.

Step 6: Reasonable Refinements Are Discussed

If something important needs adjustment, describe it specifically. “Please make the gray patch extend slightly farther beneath the left eye” is more useful than “the face does not feel right.”

Reasonable refinements may include trimming the coat, adjusting a color transition, softening the mouth, refining an ear edge, or changing a small marking. The artist completes the agreed changes and may send another preview.

Large structural changes take longer and may not always be possible after the portrait is nearly complete. Changing the pose, head size, eye position, or expression late in production is different from making a small finishing adjustment.

Responding promptly and combining feedback into one clear message helps keep the order moving. Revision and approval time is separate from the original production estimate.

Step 7: You Approve the Portrait and Pay the Balance

Once you are satisfied with the preview, confirm your approval in writing. If you paid a 50% deposit, the remaining 50% balance must be paid before shipment.

If you paid the full amount when ordering, no additional product balance is required unless a separately approved change created an extra charge.

This approval step confirms that the artist can stop modifying the portrait, complete the final grooming, and prepare it for packaging.

Step 8: The Portrait Is Packed and Shipped

Wool felt portraits can be damaged by heavy pressure, moisture, and rough handling, so the completed artwork must be carefully protected before international delivery.

After dispatch, Pawtrove Feltever sends a shipping confirmation and tracking information. Shipping time begins at this stage; it is not included in the handmade production estimate.

Current standard shipping estimates range from approximately 8–25 business days, depending on the destination. Customs clearance, severe weather, local holidays, and carrier delays can affect the final delivery date. Consult the current shipping policy for regional estimates.

Step 9: Inspect and Care for the Portrait After Delivery

Record the package opening, especially if the order contains a large figurine, frame, acrylic display, or delicate memorial component. Check the item promptly after delivery.

Wool fibers may become slightly untidy during transportation. Gently arrange them with a clean soft brush or comb. Do not wash the portrait or expose it to water.

Keep the artwork away from moisture, strong pressure, direct sunlight, pets, and young children. For long-term display, an acrylic cover helps protect the wool from dust.

If you notice a problem after delivery, contact Pawtrove Feltever within 14 days. Most personalized products are not eligible for ordinary refund returns, but the current policy provides revision support under its stated conditions. Ornament-style products have separate refund eligibility. Always review the current refund and revision policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will Pawtrove Feltever contact me after ordering?

The studio generally contacts customers by email soon after an order is received. Check the email address used at checkout and review your spam folder if you do not see the message.

Does production begin as soon as payment is made?

Not necessarily. The photos and design must first be confirmed, and the order may enter the current production queue before active felting begins.

Can I change the reference photo after ordering?

Yes, if production has not progressed too far. Confirm the primary expression and pose as early as possible because changing them after the structure has been built may delay the project or may not be practical.

Can I see the portrait before it ships?

Yes. Pawtrove Feltever sends preview photos or videos before shipment so you can review the completed portrait.

Can I request changes?

You may request reasonable refinements where possible. Small adjustments are easier than major structural changes, especially near the end of production.

How long does the complete process take?

Most pieces require 2–4 weeks of production, followed by review, possible revisions, final payment, and approximately 8–25 business days of shipping. Large or complex products and peak-season queues can take longer.

What happens if I do not respond to the preview?

The order cannot move efficiently to approval and shipping while feedback is pending. A delayed response will normally move the expected shipment date back.

Can I cancel my order?

Under the current policy, an order cancelled before production begins can receive a refund of the paid deposit. Once custom production starts, cancellation is no longer available.

Can real pet fur be added after production begins?

Pet fur should be discussed before production and sent according to the studio’s instructions. It may be too late to incorporate it once the relevant parts of the portrait are complete.

Will the portrait look exactly like my pet?

A custom wool felt portrait is a handmade artistic interpretation based on the available photographs. Clear references and specific feedback help preserve recognizable features, but a handmade piece should not be treated as an exact mechanical copy.