Archive feature, first published 2018-05-05.
Yaoyao Ma Van As is an illustrator based in Los Angeles whose soft, sunlit drawings follow everyday life with her dog, Parker. Rather than big events, she paints the small moments that fill a day with a pet: being woken too early, sharing snacks, hugging on the sofa, walking in the rain. She posted many of them as part of a daily sketch habit on Instagram, often with short captions written in her own voice or in Parker's.
The 24 drawings below, posted between May 2017 and February 2018, are arranged roughly as a day and a relationship unfold, from early mornings to bedtime. Each comes with a little background on what it shows and why it rings true for so many people who live with dogs. If you have never owned one, they offer a fair preview of how a dog quietly reshapes routines, priorities and even moods.
They are affectionate rather than scientific. A dog will not cure loneliness or fix a hard week, and the artist never claims it will. What these pictures do capture is companionship: someone who is pleased to see you, wants to join in and keeps you company through ordinary days.
Mornings, music and a dog who is always awake first
1. Too early, but impossible to ignore
The series opens with a scene almost every dog owner knows: a dog ready to start the day long before the human is. Yaoyao posted it in November 2017 and used the caption to thank followers who had asked after Parker during an illness, adding that he had even picked up a bee sting while recovering. It is a small reminder that the cheerful drawings sit alongside real worries about a pet's health.
2. The alarm clock with a wet nose
Shared in May 2017 and tagged #stayinginbed, this sketch plays on the moment a dog decides that pretending to sleep is no longer allowed. Yaoyao's caption is written from Parker's side, as if he is announcing that he can tell she is awake. Many dogs learn the small signs of a waking owner, from a change in breathing to a twitch of the hand.
3. A one-dog audience
Posted in October 2017, this drawing pairs music at home with affection from Parker, as the artist's rhyming caption about humming, strumming and kisses suggests. It captures how a dog turns even a quiet hobby into something shared. For many people who live alone, that steady, uncritical company is a big part of a pet's appeal.
4. Bathroom concerts
Here the singing moves to the shower, with an audience that does not mind a wrong note. Yaoyao posted it in January 2018 after what she described as a very busy couple of weeks, saying she hoped to get back to drawing more often. Daily sketching was her habit, and gaps like this show how much work goes into keeping a series going.
Surprises, snacks and a little chaos
5. Caught in the act
A one-word caption, "Caught", accompanies this October 2017 sketch, which turns on a moment of mutual surprise between owner and dog. The humour depends on timing, a skill that runs through Yaoyao's work: she picks the second just before or just after something happens. Viewers fill in the rest from their own memories.
6. Snack sharing, whether you agree or not
Food is a recurring theme in dog life, and this September 2017 drawing shows the art of the shared snack. Parker clearly has an opinion about who should be eating. A practical note for real-life owners: many human foods, including chocolate, grapes, onions and anything sweetened with xylitol, are dangerous for dogs, so sharing is best limited to dog-safe treats.
7. When everything else can wait
Posted in September 2017, this scene is captioned in Parker's voice as a request to be picked up. It is about the way a dog quietly rearranges priorities: plans get postponed when someone small and furry insists on attention. The warmth of the colours makes the interruption feel like a gift rather than a nuisance.
8. Zoomies
"Zoomies" is the popular name for the sudden bursts of frantic running that many dogs perform, often after a bath, a walk or simply out of excitement. Behaviour specialists call them frenetic random activity periods and generally regard them as a normal way to release pent-up energy. Yaoyao's October 2017 sketch shows the chaos these sprints bring to a calm living room.
Help with chores and comfort on hard days
9. A cleaning assistant
For this June 2017 drawing, Yaoyao's caption refers to channelling her inner Pippi, a nod to Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking, who famously scrubbed her floor with brushes strapped to her feet. Parker, of course, wants to help. Chores become a game when a dog is involved, even if they take twice as long.
10. A welcome home after a hard day
Posted in August 2017, this is one of the series' most quietly moving images: a dog greeting its person warmly after a tough day. Many owners say this daily welcome is one of the best parts of living with a dog. The drawing shows comfort without words, which is exactly what makes it relatable.
11. Exercise, with company
A May 2017 sketch with a long, drawn-out caption about stretching shows Parker joining in, or getting in the way. Dogs stretch too, often with a deep bow when they wake up, and the drawing plays on that shared routine. It is a light way of showing how a pet ends up part of every daily habit.
12. Plans don't always survive a dog
The June 2017 caption, about two hours going down the drain, tells you most of what you need to know: something carefully made has just met an enthusiastic dog. Yaoyao tagged it #iloveyouparker, which is the point of the joke. The frustration is real, but so is the affection.
13. Getting through the morning together
Posted in February 2018 and captioned simply as morning struggles, this drawing shows owner and dog facing the start of the day side by side. It is a gentle picture of solidarity rather than a fix for anything. Not every day has to be good for a companion to make it easier.
Simple pleasures, whatever the weather
14. Contentment in small things
A July 2017 sketch labelled "Perfectly content" focuses on a calm moment with nothing much happening. That stillness is part of Yaoyao's style: many of her drawings are about rest, warmth and light rather than events. Dogs are good at enjoying the present, and the image invites us to try it too.
15. Simple pleasures
Shared in July 2017, this drawing celebrates an ordinary pleasure enjoyed together. It sits naturally beside the previous image, and the two read like a small argument that happiness does not need much equipment. A sunny spot, a companion and some time are enough.
16. Rain or shine
Dogs need walks whatever the weather, and this June 2017 sketch, captioned "I got you!", turns that obligation into a moment of care. Owners quickly learn that rainy days are still walking days. The drawing shows who looks after whom when the skies open.
17. A good haul from a walk
Posted just before Christmas 2017, this drawing celebrates the small treasures of a dog walk, as the caption about a good haul suggests. For a dog, every walk is full of smells and discoveries, and its excitement tends to rub off. Regular walks also give owners daily exercise and a reason to get outside.
Adventures, the sea and quiet feelings
18. Carry on: adventures together
Yaoyao said this August 2017 drawing was inspired by a song she heard on the radio, quoting a line from fun.'s 2012 hit "Carry On". It shows owner and dog heading out on an adventure, a mood of freedom and forward motion. Music, mood and a companion come together in a single image.
19. At the sea
A seaside scene from August 2017, captioned with a line about love being deeper than the ocean and wider than the sky. It is one of several drawings tagged #iloveyouparker, which reads almost like a running diary of affection for her dog. Water and open space give the image a sense of calm.
20. Feelings beneath the surface
Captioned "Just below the surface" and posted in September 2017, this sketch hints at emotions that are not always visible. Dogs cannot solve our problems, but their presence can make difficult feelings easier to sit with. The drawing leaves room for viewers to bring their own meaning.
21. Quiet daydreams
In this July 2017 drawing, the mood turns inward: a moment of thought with a companion close by. The caption, about someone being on her mind and in her heart, keeps the scene open to interpretation. It shows that companionship does not always need activity or noise.
22. Understood without words
Posted in August 2017 with a line about being together, this sketch is about the feeling of being understood by an animal. Research suggests dogs are remarkably attentive to human gestures and moods, which may be why this feeling is so common among owners. Yaoyao captures it without any explanation at all.
Bedtime and unconditional love
23. Night-time hugs
The August 2017 caption, saying the bathroom can wait, sets up a familiar bedtime dilemma: getting up means disturbing a perfectly comfortable dog. It is funny precisely because so many people have stayed put for exactly that reason. The warmth of the scene is the payoff.
24. Unconditional love
The series closes with a June 2017 drawing tagged #unconditionallove. It sums up the theme of the whole collection: a relationship built on daily care, patience and affection. It is a fitting final image, and one many dog owners would happily hang on their wall.
What these drawings say about life with a dog
Looked at together, the series is less about cuteness than about routine. The same few rooms, the same bed and the same walks appear again and again, and the dog is what makes them feel different each time. That is a familiar experience for owners, and it helps explain why Yaoyao's work spread so widely online.
Research on the bond between people and dogs broadly supports the feeling. Studies have linked dog ownership with lower stress and with the release of oxytocin, a hormone tied to social bonding, in both people and dogs during time spent together. Daily walks and feeding times add structure to the day. The effects vary from person to person, though, and a dog is a long-term commitment of time, money and care, so it is worth thinking carefully before adopting.
If these images made you smile, the best way to support the artist is to follow her work directly on Instagram and credit her whenever you share it.
Sources: All illustrations by Yaoyao Ma Van As (@yaoyaomva) on Instagram, embedded from her posts; preview image from her posts Bbw213pBYQZ and BeYOm0-hRsz. Background: Wikipedia: Human–canine bond.
Related reading: Ben Hed's Pixie and Brutus: An Unlikely Comic Friendship.
COMMENTS