Earl's career can be said to have developed through 4 styles. Earlier dog portraits, painted between 1880-1900, display a rich, naturalistic style. Between 1900-1915 these portraits took on a sketchier, looser style, although still highly finished. She entered what she called her oriental style during her first few years in the US. During this time she painted delicate pictures of birds and she believed these to be some of her best works. Finally, she painted stylized dog portraits during 1930s.