“Ink Master” contestants have taken on a lot of wild tattoo themes throughout the course of the show’s 16 seasons, like turning blurry photo references into masterpieces and tackling “armpit days.”
But in the latest episode of “Ink Master,” the tattoo artists — a mix of “rookies” and “veterans” — took on a much sweeter challenge: tattooing service dogs on their humans.
To test their precision skills, the competing artists were paired with portraits of service dogs, and then judged blindly for their work in a double-elimination challenge.
As each client introduced their service dogs, they talked about their experiences with PTSD, chronic pain, limited mobility, low vision and blindness, and how crucial their dog’s training was to giving them autonomy — and even saving their lives.
“I’m looking for a color portrait tattoo of my service dog Whiskey,” said “Ink Master” guest Mike Underwood.
“I suffer from seizures as a result of PTSD. Whiskey is an expert in seizure detection, nightmare alerts, and medication retrieval.”
“Wow,” replied the show’s host and Good Charlotte lead vocalist Joel Madden.
With each introduction, the “Ink Master” artists were blown away by the dogs, with some even being moved to tears.
“This is Vespa,” said Connor Downer. “I’m looking for a color portrait on my upper arm. I have a progressive neurological condition, she helps with mobility and alerts.”
Another guest, Alexandra Chauran, was looking for a color portrait tattoo of her service dog Nipper.
“I’m a breast cancer survivor and I’m also a person with a lived experience of schizophrenia,” Chauran explained.
“He gives me back my independence by letting me know when a real person approaches me, letting me know when there aren’t real people present — and helping me find my phone because I hallucinate that too.”
The episode, titled “At Your Service,” premiered on Paramount+ on November 13 and is available to stream now.
When the episode aired, an official clip made the rounds on TikTok and Instagram, and several guests from the episode took to social media to talk about their experience on the show.
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“That's Vespa and me,” Downer commented on the “Ink Master’s” official Instagram, beneath the clip of introductions. “She has saved my life in more ways than one and has given me independence despite my prognosis.”
“What a fun experience!” wrote another “Ink Master” guest, Georgia, through her dog’s account @maggie_the_seeing_eye_dog. “It was amazing to meet everyone and be surrounded by other great pups.”
“We loved meeting Whiskey!” Chauran commented, through her dog’s account @servicedognipper.
“One of the coolest experiences of my life,” Whiskey’s owner Underwood recalled in his own Instagram post. “Every single person I met was amazing and so damn cool, but I gotta give it to my artist @itsjadeink.”
“Whiskey will only be here for 12-15 years. This tattoo is a lifetime,” he wrote. “Thank you doesn't seem enough.”
The full episode can be viewed here. Watch a clip from the episode below:
Header image courtesy of Angel Lynne/Paramount+
