Draw the Dog could make your dog a cartoon star

There are 74 million dogs in the United States alone, and most make their owners smile every day. Now, their owners - and many more around the world - have a place to share their most amusing stories, and perhaps make their dog famous.

It's been just over 30 days since Jim George and Bruce Kasanoff launched Draw the Dog, and the website has already attracted dog owners from 41 countries to watch George's magical cartoons that appear to draw themselves.

Kasanoff got involved with the project "when my good friend Jim asked if I wanted to help him launch a web site designed to make people smile. I jumped at the chance."

"Jim is an ex-Disney animator, and probably one of the most talented character designers in the world." Kasanoff said.

It's a simple concept. The site posts a new cartoon every day, except on Sunday, inspired by a real dog.

"The best part of this experience," says Jim George, "Are the emails we get back from owners when we write to say today's cartoon was inspired by their dog. They are utterly thrilled. I love the kinds of people who are coming to Draw the Dog. Based upon their emails and comments, they seem like wonderful, down-to-earth folks."

To date, the site has included cartoons about Dobermans, Great Danes, Collies, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Bassett Hounds, German Shepherds, Beagles and Boxers. George and Kasanoff are eager to feature other breeds, and look forward to receiving more stories submitted through the "Make Your Dog Famous" section of Draw the Dog.

His brief bio on the site says, "Draw the Dog is drawn by Jim George, one of your typical ex-Disney animators who lives near the beach in Venice and once spent years animating in a cabin in the woods and who has been creating characters for film and TV and who has been a director and book author and who also has a counseling practice and who really likes animals and people, too."