Summer, Kitty, Willow and River

Before every photo session, I ask clients to fill out a short questionnaire that gives me a little information about your dogs, what you are looking for in your images, what kind of toys and treats they like, etc.  In this case, it was hardly a short questionnaire as Christine has 4 dogs!  Four wild, crazy, fun loving dogs.  I was in heaven.

We'll start with Summer who is the oldest.  Christine asked if I could get some pictures of her having a  good time and probably a few shots with a ball.

Good time... Check!  She has the most irresistible smile!

Ball picture... well, this is her running after a ball... Sort of Check?!

Picture with the ball... errr.... ahhh...  I looked through the gallery I put together and discovered that I have every other dog with a toy in their mouth but not Summer.  How did that happen?  Most of her pictures were of her chasing to get it and not of her actually holding it!  Oops!  I went back through the original photos and will be adding these to your gallery Christine.  Sorry about that.

Next there is Kitty.  She's a Catahoula cross.  Isn't she absolutely gorgeous?

Christine wanted some pictures of her goofy playful nature, some of her moving fast and some wrestling shots.

Moving fast... Check!

Playful Nature... Check!

Wrestling pictures... FAIL!

Unfortunately we weren't blessed with a wrestling match on our walk. The dogs were too busy running, playing with toys and eating mushrooms to wrestle. I think we were both disappointed with this but there was nothing we could do.

Next up is Willow,  a beautiful, young flat coated retriever that came from Blazingstar right here is southern Alberta.  (Liz and Andy are both amazing photographers and they happen to have a litter of puppies at the moment so if you want to get your puppy fix, be sure to click on the link above!  You can also find pictures of Willow as a puppy too.)

Christine wanted some pictures of her bubbly personality and mostly of her having fun.

Fun... Check!

Bubbly.... Check!

And last, but definitely not least we come to River.  He is the newest and youngest addition to her clan and like Kitty is a Catahoula cross.  He is shy with new people, but I was instantly smitten.  Not only is he stunning but he is also polite and playful - a great combination.

Christine was looking for some pictures of his unique eys, his tooth grin and his wild ears.  The wild ears were no problem at all.  I don't think they look the same in any two pictures!

Ears... Check!

Eyes... Check!  Ears again... Check! Check!

Goofy Grin....  Check!  Ears again... Check! Check! Check!

Have you noticed anything in common with the dogs?  Check out their gorgeous bling.  They are all wearing absolutely stunning collars.  You are all jealous right?  Well, you are in luck.  I know where she got them from.  She makes them!  Christine has a thriving business called Nearly Naked Neckwear and she has a tonne of gorgeous collars.  You can even order them on-line.  But you better grab a cup of coffee first as you'll be there for a while drooling over all the gorgeous options.

Thanks so much for the walk, the laughter and for introducing me to your clan Christine!  I'm not sure how you do it all - full time job, successful business owner AND you've managed to raise 4 amazing dogs that were an absolute joy to be around.  I hope I managed to capture even a hint of their personalities and their love for you, and each other.

Kali and Tux

Two cuter little dogs, you'll never find.  Kali and Tux had my heart at "Hello".  

So say Hello to Kali....

And Tux...

I had been warned that Kali could be a little leary of strangers, and didn't really like the camera.  Apparently she can sense a dog person a mile away because she didn't show a hint of shyness.

Tux is as playful as Kali is sweet.  He was always trying to entice her into a game of chase or steal the toy.

Kali usually got the upper hand.  :)

Move over brother... those are my treats she's giving out!

They love to wrestle together and it was so fun to watch.  And they were sooo fast!  One minute they were at my feet and the next they were across the yard.

I just had to include my "signature" tug picture too.  There is just something about a dog tugging that is so darn cute!

Goodbye little cuties!  Thanks for cheering me up after a long, hard day.  You put a smile on my face that lasted for hours.  I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them Brenda!

HeART's Speak

I'm proud to have been accepted as a member of HeART's Speak.

HeARTs speak is working to unite photographers and rescues into collective action for social change.  In other words, they are working to help ensure that rescue dogs and cats are appreciated and not over looked when it comes time for people to add a pet to their family and in the long run, to try and reduce the number of dogs and cats that are euthanized each year.

I've been working with the Windy City Canine Rescue for the past 6 months or so photographing the dogs that have been looking for a new home.  I love having the opportunity to meet these incredible dogs and to get to know them even just a little bit.

I used to think rescue dogs always had something "wrong" with them, otherwise they never would have been abandoned.  I've since realized that it isn't usually the dog's fault that they end up needing a second home.  There are so many reasons - some legitimate, some not so legitimate but regardless of those reasons, the result is the same.  We end up with a dog that needs a new home and thanks to volunteers that run rescues everywhere, some of these dogs get that opportunity.  Not all of them are that lucky.

If you are considering adding a dog or cat to your family, please consider adopting one from a rescue or animal shelter.  Petfinder (an international website dedicated to showcasing dogs, cats and other small animals in need of a home) is a fabulous way to find dogs and cats in your area that are looking for a home.

All of these dogs above are currently with the Windy City Canine Rescue and are looking for a new home.  EDITED - The cute lab at the top has recently been adopted!  :)

Taku the Water Monster

He looks innocent enough...

He goes about playing fetch and running through the fields...

And then he hits the water....

And a wild dog emerges.

Who me?

Yes you, Taku!

Back on land he became the stoic German Shepherd he wants you all to believe he is.

But I know better.

Thanks Taku and Stuart!  I love a dog with a little crazy inside, and Taku definitely fits the bill!

Zed and KaBoom!

Debbie won a photo session I donated to the Windy City Canine Rescue's Bark in the Park event earlier this summer.  I knew she had a gorgeous shepherd named Zed, but I didn't know she also had a little firecracker of a dog named KaBoom.

Talk about fun, playful dogs.  I had a blast tying to keep up with these two!

Zed was a fetching machine...

And KaBoom was usually off hunting and exploring, but checked back with us occasionally to make sure we hadn't been eaten alive by mosquitos.

I couldn't believe how bad the bugs were.  It was truly insane.  Debbie was smart and wore long sleeves and long pants - I was not so smart.  I sprayed with bug spray before going out, but it didn't seem to have too much effect.  The river provided some relief for all of us.

Zed was happy to keep retrieving whether we were on land or water.

KaBoom was also willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to rescue the ball.

Thanks Debbie for braving the killer mosquitos and introducing me to your two incredible dogs.

Kate - Aging Gracefully

Kate is going to be turning 12 soon, but you'd never know it.

She still has a lot of spunk in her and didn't require much coaxing for a game of fetch.

She didn't mind taking the occasional break though.  It was nice to take pictures of a dog that actually sat still occasionally!

The rests never lasted long and she was up and ready to explore.

After wandering around in the coulees for a bit, we went back to the field for a little more playtime.

She was soooo cute rolling around in the grass with her toy!

I hope I age as gracefully as Miss Kate!