Tattoo FAQs
Do you tattoo minors with parental consent?
Even with parental consent, it is still illegal to tattoo minors in the state of Wisconsin. If your child has their heart set on getting a tattoo before they turn 18, the nearest neighboring state that will tattoo them with parental consent is Michigan.
Will you show me my design before the appointment? Will you show it to me in color, so I know what it’ll look like?
Typically, I show people their design the day that they come in. I can make exceptions if someone is particularly nervous, but I usually don’t have the tattoo drawn up until a day or two before the appointment anyway. If you’d like to see it before hand, just ask me. :)
I am less likely to show you something in color. Tattoo ink is fluid and beautiful, and unless I’m dedicating a LOT of time to a colored pencil drawing, it’s not going to accurately reflect what your tattoo will look like when it’s done. I can give you an illusion of what it’ll look like—but colored pencil will always look worlds apart from ink.
Do you do cover-ups? Or will you touch up another artist’s work?
Full disclosure: I LOVE doing cover ups… as long as the client is really open to what they’re getting. Not everything will work for a cover up, and a successful one depends heavily on using a lot of the ‘old’ tattoos design. So, yes, I will do cover ups… but only if I think they will work to cover your piece.
I will touch up another artist’s work, if it’s something I think I can make ‘better’. (I know, art is subjective, and there really is no ‘better’ or ‘worse’.) Just fill out the tattoo form on the Contact page and I’ll see what I can do for you!
Why won’t you do my tattoo?
It’s not that I don’t like your tattoo—but after ten years in the industry, I know what I believe I do well, and what I enjoy doing. Since I want you to have the best possible tattoo you can get, I suggest other artists who can bring your tattoo to life much better than I can, if it’s not a style that I’m particularly good at.
Mumen FAQs
How long did it take Mumen to start using communication buttons?
Mumen took to his communication buttons quickly. He pressed his first button (“outside”) on the third day of having them available. Something to note, however, was that I’ve worked with him on pressing buttons before to earn his AKC trick training titles, so he was familiar with the concept of hitting one, but at that point only knew to use them on command. Communicating with the buttons is much more different than pressing them for a treat reward.
Is my pet a good candidate for communication buttons?
It’s hard to say without meeting your pet. I definitely think they work better for some more than others. If you have the time and desire to consistently model the buttons for/with your pet, and your pet shows an interest in communicating with you through various other cues now (meowing/barking/pawing at you to get your attention, sitting by the door when they want to go outside, pawing at their food dish when they’re hungry, etc) I definitely think it could be a fun experience for your and your learner/s. And if you ever have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me! The e-mail will send an auto-reply back to you if you’re messaging to book for a tattoo, but if you’re messaging about button use, please disregard the auto e-mail. I will reply back in person.
What does “model” the buttons mean?
Good question! ‘Modeling’ the buttons is consistently showing your pet what to expect when individual buttons are pressed through not only button use, but audible communication and demonstration as well. For example, if I want to pet Mumen, I’ll press the following buttons:
“Lady” (that’s our word for me)
“pets”
“Mumen”
At that point, I’ll repeat it out loud, “Lady pets Mumen!” and proceed to pet Mumen. You could also just use “pets” for starters so your learner doesn’t get overwhelmed. There’s plenty of time to build up a larger vocabulary once they understand the basics.
I recommend sticking with words your pet is already familiar with for the most success in the beginning. If they like walks, have a walk button. If they like to play, have a play button. (We don’t recommend using a ‘treat’ button right away though. It can send the wrong idea to your learner and they can spam that button to manipulate you for treats.)
Where can I buy the buttons Mumen uses?
Mumen uses a brand of buttons from FluentPet. You can certainly purchase them from Amazon if you’d like, but I recommend getting them from the FluentPet website. I have an affiliate link that I’ll post below, but please note there are other kinds of communication buttons out there if you’re looking for a different style/size. The most important thing is to strengthen your bond with your pet, and that can come from any type of button, consistent modeling, and lots of patience.