Horatio and Alexandra are standard parti poodles and are the beloved pets of the artist and her husband Russell Poland. Horatio and Alexandra are litter mates and the Polands obtained them from the standard poodle breeder Mary Ellen Bloomingdale of Poodles by Bloomingdale. Horatio's coloring is silver beige and white while Alexandra is brown and white. The term "parti" poodle refers to them being "particularly colored." Poodles come in many colors, both solid and multicolored. When they were first brought to the United States from Europe, the American Kennel Club only recognized the solid color poodles, but that never was the case in the European kennel clubs.