This is a very nice assignment and accomplishes exactly what was asked of you for this assignment. It’s a very soft image based on your content, composition and color palette. The tan fur of the dog and the de-saturated colors of blue and pink give the image a very gentle and soft look to it.
From a technical standpoint I’m really impressed with your ability to find such sharp focus on the dog’s eyes when using such a shallow depth of field. As you’ve mentioned, the dogs collar by its neck is out of focus which is only a few inches back from the dogs eyes. The technical precision of this photograph doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s also seen in your framing and composition. The symmetry of the right and left walls of the photograph is great.
My only 1 recommendation would be to be aware of your placement of eyes. I like what you’ve done with this photograph, but it does break a rule. It’s just important to know what rule you broke so it’s always a conscious decision and not accidental. Generally speaking eyes are placed in the top 1/3rd of the frame. Next time you watch a movie, notice they abide by the same rule in most of their shots. However, in your shot the eyes are centered, which doesn’t look bad, but again, I just want you to be aware of this.
Great photograph overall!