Welcome to Metal Dogs! I’m James Strachan, the founder and the creative force behind
each unique piece you discover here. My grandfather started calling me Shug ever since
I was a kid, so I am universally known as Shug.

My lifelong journey of creativity was kindled in childhood, transforming from building
billy carts to exploring the intricate world of metal art. A pivotal experience with my
grandfather, a master of craftsmanship, ignited my passion for design, which has been
the compass of my career.

But first, let me tell ya a little bit about me and how I got into making metal art dogs.
As a kid I remember seeing this dog wandering the street and going over to it. Its nose
was bloodied and scratched because it must have been fighting with other dogs all
night.

I thought I would help it and found a piece of rope in the street. I created a leash type
thing with the rope and proceeded to bring the dog back home.
My dad jumped out of his skin when he saw the dog. He thought it was a shark on a
leash! But it was a Friendly Bull Terrier that the whole family loved (and he loved the
attention!)

My dad went door-knocking to find his owner, who it turned out lived a few houses
down on the same street as ours.

The owner told my dad the Bully’s name was Thug and then told a few stories about
Thug. My dad loved Bull Terriers from that day on.

After a number of years, my mother saw a bully in a pet shop and decided to
surprise my dad by purchasing her. We ended up calling her Fergie.

The name “Fergie” was a bit of a tongue in cheek name. She was named after Sarah
Ferguson, the Duchess of York! (I’m sure you can see the resemblance!)

Our family loved Fergie and she was our family pet throughout our childhood and into
adulthood. Fergie was the best dog and our family has always loved Bull Terriers since!
It was my profound love for Fergie that steered my path towards specializing in metal
dog sculptures.

Inspired by the joy and unconditional love dogs offer, I decided to dedicate my craft to
capturing their spirit and beauty.

What started as a collection available only in Australia has now expanded, allowing me
to share these bespoke dog sculptures with enthusiasts around the globe.

I have created 100’s of different breeds of dog. Chances are I have your dog breed
already. Feel free to browse the collection of dogs on my website. If you are unable to
find your breed I’d love to hear from you. Click here to let me know what dog breed
you’d like to see added to the collection.