Paws on the Run Photography

New Blog

2011-04-29T09:54:00.000-06:00

Sorry I've been so quiet here lately. Part of the reason is because I was working on a new website and blog. It has been up for a week or so, but I wanted to make sure things were working well and there were no bugs before sending you all over to check it out.

So feel free to go give it a look. It is at the same great place (www.paws-on-the-run.ca), it just has a new look. I'm pleased to finally have everything all in the same place and I hope you'll find the website easier to navigate.

I've also decided to combine both the daycare blog and the photography blog. I hope it won't be too confusing for clients that are only interested in one aspect of our services, but it will make things much easier for me and more streamlined for you. If you have no interest in what happens at the daycare and just want to see the Photography Posts you can just click on Categories then Photography to filter everything else out.

So from now on, be sure to check out www.paws-on-the-run.ca/blog for updates and more great photos! I hope to see you there.

Photofusion

2011-03-14T08:12:00.000-06:00

Every year the Lethbridge Photography Club hosts an event called Photofusion. Their members put together slideshows ranging in topics from Vietnam to Las Vegas to Cattle Drives to Cookies. The shows are on everything and anything. This is my first year as a member of the club and I decided to submit a slideshow. Due to some technical difficulties, this is not the exact show I submitted but the images are all the same it is just the layout that is different. Enjoy!

Come Play With Me from Wendy Devent on Vimeo.

15 Minutes or Less

2011-01-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

I've had to cancel a few photo sessions these past few weeks due to the weather. Heavy snowfall and cold weather does not make for a fun photo session - for the dogs or the people!

I had the pleasure of fostering Lily with Windy City Canine Rescue this weekend and I couldn't resist putting my free model to work on our short walks.

It is amazing how many pictures you can get in 15 minutes of a fast moving border collie!

The only problem is that the longer we were out there, the more frozen she looked.

I don't think she noticed though. She was too busy running and fetching.

I was the one that couldn't handle being outside for more than 15 minutes at a time. I could feel my fingers and toes starting to freeze and I knew it was time to call it quits.

The only time she didn't come back when called was when she knew it was time to go.

She did not want to leave, but I was sure she had to be freezing. How can you not be with a face full of ice?

If you think you'd like to adopt this fun loving girl, please contact the Windy City Canine Rescue for more information.

At Long Last

2010-12-23T06:35:00.001-07:00

Desi won a free session that I donated to Windy City Canine Rescue's Bark in the Park event back in the summer. We finally managed to get together for some pictures of the pups a few weeks ago and I'm now finally managing to blog about it!

Izzy, the lab, used to come to daycare quite regularly, but I hadn't seen her in a while. I'm not sure she recognized me, but it was sure nice to see her again. She looked great and is just as fun loving as ever.

Marlee, the chihuahua cross, spent the entire session wowing me with how much spunk chi's really can have. This girl, is not a pocket princess!

We got together shortly after a major snowfall. The wind had blown most of the snow off the fields but a tractor had to be brought in to clear off their driveway which made for some fun man-made drifts for the dogs to run on.

Izzy had fun amusing me by running over and over the hill after her ball.

While Marlee spent most of her time enjoying the view from the top.

We also had a little man helping us by throwing the ball for the dogs.

He also really liked to pose for the camera. :)

Thanks Desi for letting me have fun with the girls (and little man)! I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Editing

2010-12-12T15:56:00.001-07:00

I'm the first to admit that I don't do a lot of editing to the photos I take. I definitely prefer the natural look and let's face it, dogs don't care if they are a little overweight, or have a double chin or a mole in a funny place. That is who they are and that is what I want to capture.

But there are times when some editing is needed - mainly to remove things like a leash or something distracting in the background. If you've been putting off a session because your dog isn't reliable off leash, don't worry about it! We can either do the session in an enclosed location, or I can edit out the long line that allows them to run and explore, but at the same time keeps them safe.

Young At Heart

2010-11-26T08:12:00.001-07:00

It is hard to believe that Sammy is 7 years old. As a large breed dog (a Mastiff) 7 is considered a senior, but she was all puppy cuteness and antics on the day I met her.

She was absolutely smitten with the toys I brought her.

The Cuz can work magic on almost any dog. In fact one of my dogs loves cuz toys so much I literally need to hide them in the pantry so that she will stop playing with it. So whenever someone mentions their dog only kind of likes toys, I definitely bring the cuz along to work it's magic.

I also like to bring a tug toy and Sammy LOVED the pink flamingo.

She didn't want to put it down and whenever we took it away she just ran around looking for it.

We tried to get some family photos too, but the toys were kind of distracting!

Thanks Sammy for making me giggle and impressing me with your youthful exuberance!

PS - As you can tell by the weather, I took these photos a few weeks ago. That beautiful green grass is no more! I'm just a little behind on the blogging!

Jessi

2010-11-21T06:49:00.001-07:00

Last but not the least of Bobbi's clan is Jessi.

She was definitely the shyest of the bunch and kept her distance for most of the time I was there.

Bobbi describes her as "The Cowardly Lion" and I understand why. You can tell she wants to come close, but isn't too sure if it will be safe. But of course, cookies helped ease her fears.

Jessi originally was from a dog hoarder and had very little contact with people other than the woman who owned her. She used to try and bite everyone that came near her. I'm so glad she is over that habit! She really is a sweet little girl.

She has come such a long way since Bobbi got her about a year and a half ago. I can't wait to see how confident she is the next time I meet her.

Baylee

2010-11-20T09:31:00.002-07:00

I bet you thought Bobbi's dogs couldn't possibly get any cuter than you've already seen.

If that is what you thought, then you thought wrong.

Baylee had a few cute tricks up her sleeve to get me to part with my cookies as well.

First there is the wild, pleading look.

Then there was the cute little pawing technique (again with the tongue to show how yummy she thought the cookies were).

Then there was the "I'm dying of starvation over here - please feed me!" trick.

I think I've said this before... How are all of Bobbi's dogs not fat?! I couldn't feed them all treats fast enough.

Baylee, you really are a cute little thing!

Alfie

2010-11-19T09:29:00.001-07:00

So continuing on with Bobbi's clan, this little firecracker is Alfie.

Unlike his siblings he didn't have the begging routine down pat, (maybe he hasn't been there long enough yet!) and he was a little hesitant to come too close so we figured out another method of treat dispersal.

It seemed to make him happy.

They were told he was a Chihuahua but with those ears, it is hard to believe he isn't at least part Papillon.

Whatever he is, he is cute, fun and fiesty!

Sad News

2010-11-13T07:01:00.000-07:00

I found out late yesterday that Sophie passed over the rainbow bridge. She was a sweet girl who will be missed.

Zoey

2010-11-12T12:45:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure how old Zoey is but I love her grey salt and pepper fur.

Her head looks so soft and "pettable".

She literally spent the entire time slowly following me around looking for cookies. Hence why she always has her ears up... "For me?"

There must be an unwritten rule that you can't live with Bobbi unless you know how to beg. Maybe they all practice their begging techniques while Bobbi and Tim are away at work because they all know how to work it.

She even searched for crumbs in the ground. :)

As with most of Bobbi's dogs, Zoey is a rescue. She found this tiny bundle of cuteness at an animal shelter. The owners called the shelter 5 days after she went missing and when informed that it would cost $25 to get her back, they decided to just leave her there.

Their loss is Bobbi's gain. And Zoey's too I imagine.

Sophie

2010-11-11T15:12:00.001-07:00

Sophie wasn't feeling her best on the day I went to take pictures.

She spent a lot of time getting comfort from her mama, just by being near her.

And when she wasn't right at her side, she was staring up at her with love in her eyes.

But, through and through she is still a golden. And that means food can at least provide a distraction.

But the moment the food was gone, she was back with her mom.

Thanks for at least occasionally humouring me and the camera Sophie!

The Sweetest Smile

2010-11-10T19:01:00.001-07:00

Roxy is probably one of the tiniest Chihuahua's you'll ever meet. She could easily perch in your hand and Bobbi said when she got her, she was able to easily curl up in the palm of her hand. She can't weigh any more than a pound or two.

She's been taking lessons from her brother Casey on begging but she doesn't quite have his same finesse.

But none-the-less, she has her ways of melting your heart and passing over the goods.

She definitely had the starving look down pat too.

But she wasn't all about the food. Well she was mainly about the food, but I did manage to catch her in action too.

You gotta love that cute little tongue. She doesn't have a lot of teeth so it sneaks out a little more than usual. But the lack of teeth gives her the sweetest smile.

Casey

2010-11-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my last post, it was impossible to pick a favourite so I'm not sure where to start with the blog posts, but Casey definitely made me laugh the most when I was looking through the photos.

Most of the pictures of him are of him convincing me to hand over the cookies.

First there were cute looks. "Hi there nice lady. Wanna give me a cookie?"

Then there was the "Can't you see I'm starving over here?"

Then there was full out begging. "Please, please pick me over all my other brothers and sisters!"

Then he got more serious and started giving me the evil eye. "Seriously lady, hand over the cookies or I'm going to take more drastic measures."

Then he took it back a notch and tried the baby seal approach. LOL

All his tactics worked of course because he was impossible to resist. Just look at this face!!!!

You're the Cutest

2010-11-08T19:03:00.003-07:00

About 8 months ago I went over to a friend's house and discovered that she had purchased hooks to hang her dog leashes and stuff on that had cute little frames over top. I'm not sure how long she'd had them up for, but they still had the pictures in that they came with! Um, hello! Girl with a camera over here.

So today, I finally made it out to photograph her crew. Well part of her crew. I only managed to get pictures of her 7 dogs. I didn't even glance at her cats, and even her newborn baby Noah didn't get more than a quick hello. I was too busy watching the doggie chaos around me. In 50 minutes, I managed to fill up 3 of my camera cards.

I think they are going to get more than one blog post but I thought I'd at least introduce them all...

First up is Sophie. Sophie is a sweet golden who unfortunately hasn't been feeling the best these last few weeks. In fact she gave everyone quite a scare last week and she still has her bad days, but she is still having some good ones too.

Baylee had me at hello. I just love her scruffy wildness! Baylee had been left behind at an "Odd and Unusual" Auction and Bobbi couldn't just walk away from her.

Roxy is the tiniest chihuahua ever! And she had the goofiest expressions. I could have photographed her all day.

Alfie is the most recent arrival and while he isn't technically Bobbi's, he seems to have adopted her. I'm not sure what his mix is, but he was fun and feisty and reminded me quite a bit of a border collie at times, although he is not nearly as big as one.

Casey spent most of the time off exploring and looking for poo to roll in but near the end he discovered I had food... and was doing everything in his power to convince me to give it to him. He even resorted to begging and pleading.

Zoey realized immediately that I had food and she followed me around giving me the sweetest expressions that I couldn't resist. I'm sure she gained 2 pounds in the time I was there.

And last, but not least was Jessi. She had just been groomed the day before and was still a little miffed at the situation. It took her the longest to decide I was trust worthy, but she too was eventually won over by cookies.

Every time I looked down there was a cute dog at my feet so I told them "I think you are the cutest". In the end, I must have told them all that. They were all so different, yet all so cute! No wonder Bobbi ended up with 7 dogs.

Billy Boy

2010-10-24T17:55:00.000-06:00

Billy is with the Windy City Canine Rescue. He came from horrible circumstances but despite all that, he is such a sweetheart.

Chewy

2010-10-16T13:34:00.000-06:00

If you've ever been to the Paws on the Run Daycare, odds are, you'll have met Chewy.

Often you'll find her sleeping in her box on top of the filing cabinet but other times she'll do her best to climb aboard yours shoulders. The first time she does it to someone, the expression on their face is priceless - they are always so shocked and she makes them feel very special.

The dogs love her - Ben cries every afternoon on his way out the door because he is so anxious to spot her, Rudy often gets kisses (with both paws on either side of his head), and Milo usually gets love bites on his forehead. She is obviously quite gentle as they keep coming back for more.

The clients love her too - Cooper's mom brings her treats, Charlee's mom brings her toys and Jackie's kids come running in just to see her. We often come to the front to see Chewy lapping up the love from various clients.

I'm astonished by the number of kids (and adults) that peer through the window looking for her. She is obviously a neighborhood favourite and often goes to the window to say hello to her fans.

Even though it is a dog daycare, the place just wouldn't be the same without her!

Surprise!

2010-10-06T17:12:00.000-06:00

Barkley's mom Lorie mentioned in June or July that she'd like to get Barkley photographed as a surprise for her husband Andre. We chatted a bit and just left things as "one day soon". Then a month or so later, Andre came in and mentioned he'd like to book a session for Barkley. Yikes! So Lorie and I decided we needed to move forward and as if on cue, Andre went away on business. This was our chance.

So a few weeks ago, I met the handsome Barkley and Lorie down in Peenaquim Park for a session. The light was gorgeous and the grasses had ripened to the same colour of Barkley's fur. It was perfect timing.

Barkley loves to fetch. Well actually, he loves to run around with something in his mouth. And if you deprive him of his toy, he makes due with whatever he can find, namely giant rocks.

The only time he had a serious look on his face was when you were holding his toy. I think he was concerned for it's safety and whether or not he'd get it back.

When you gave it back to him, he got all goofy and relaxed again.

He never wanted to let go of the toy (or rock for that matter) and he was starting to learn all my tricks of getting back the ball.

Thankfully, he didn't seem to need us to throw it to have a good time, so we generally just let him have it.

He occasionally stopped running to strike a pose, and when he did, he did it well.

Thanks Barkley and Lorie for a great time. Andre I hope you enjoy your gift!

River Season

2010-09-16T21:21:00.000-06:00

I LOVE taking pictures down by the river.

The rocks, the splashes of water, the fur well defined by wetness....

Too bad "river season" is almost over for the year. I'm going to miss it.

Agility Weekend

2010-09-01T07:17:00.000-06:00

I had the pleasure of photographing the Go Dog Go agility trial this past weekend. If I didn't have to edit 1,000's of photos every time, I could photograph agility every day. I LOVE watching the dogs run. They are so graceful, athletic and smart! You can see how much the team bond grows between dog and owner after they've done agility together for a few years. It looks like the experienced dogs almost read their handlers' minds and are able to turn on a dime with the merest flick of the hand.

Saturday was a beautiful day for agility - sunny but not too warm. It was perfect. Sunday, not so much. Sunday it rained ALL day. But I was dressed for it. I borrowed my husband's fishing rain gear, wore long underwear and a wool sweater underneath it and I managed to stayed toasty and dry all day despite the fact that I did nothing but sit on the ground for hours on end. I wasn't a fashion statement (at least not a good one!) but at least I wasn't shivering.

I tried to pick out a few favourite photos of the weekend for the blog and failed miserably - there are just too many. So instead I put some into a slideshow that you can see here. I randomly chose pictures from throughout the two days. If you want to see more, you can always visit the gallery to see all the pictures from the weekend.

Summer, Kitty, Willow and River

2010-08-25T08:57:00.000-06:00

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

2010-08-10T08:05:00.028-06:00

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

2010-08-08T09:56:00.001-06:00

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

2010-08-06T09:18:00.001-06:00

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!

2010-08-04T09:07:00.000-06:00

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

2010-08-02T08:58:00.000-06:00

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!

In the Backyard with Bailey

2010-07-31T08:57:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of photographing Bailey. I'll never grow tired of beagles!

She is trying to pretend she is a serious dog, but we all know better!

She had the best backyard ever! Tonnes of space to run and jump and lots of things to sniff and explore.

She never really sat still the whole time I was there. She was always ready for her next adventure and was game for anything we wanted to do.

Like every beagle I've ever met, she loved to fetch and tug.

She also showed off her great obedience skills. She was a wonderful little heeler and started up at her momma the whole time. It was very cute.

She also goes along for bike rides every day. She is actually attached to the bike in this picture below, but I cloned out the leash. I think a bike would be the only way to keep up with this active girl.

She will occasionally settle down for a quick chew of a toy, but as you can tell by her alert tail, she is ready to go at a moment's notice!

Thanks Bailey and Pam for a great morning! If you ever wake up to find a tent in your backyard, don't worry... it is just me, enjoying some "country life". :)

Izzy Plays Ball

2010-07-28T08:27:00.000-06:00

If I'd been thinking straight, I would have brought a baseball to this photo session. Izzy isn't used to running around off leash so instead of just letting her loose in the coulees, we brought her to a nice fenced area. These are hard to find around Lethbridge, but if you go early enough in the morning, you just might be able to sneak on to a ball diamond in Dave Elton Park. Shhh.... Don't tell anyone as I don't think technically we were allowed to be there!

Izzy thought she had died and gone to heaven. She had a blast running around and following her nose. And we only had one small opening in the fence to guard to make sure she didn't end up roaming the streets.

After she had her fill of the ball diamond, we headed home for some more pictures where she was a little more comfortable and a little more focused on playing.

There is a reason I love beagles.... Just look at this face!

And they are clever too. Especially when food was involved. I think it only took 3 treats to teach Izzy how to catch!

Thanks Roberta and Izzy for spending the morning with me. I'm glad we all survived Izzy's first off leash adventure!

A Scenic Walk with Abby

2010-07-10T16:36:00.001-06:00

We decided to do Abby's photo session at the Scenic Dog Park as the wild flowers are gorgeous at the moment. They didn't disappoint.

And neither did Abby - not that there was ever any doubt of that happening!

Abby is the only beagle I know of that goes on off leash walks. Hounds tend to follow their nose wherever it leads them, but Abby did great.

She adopted the squeaky toy I brought to get her attention. She loved it so much, I sent her home with it. :)

This last photo was itching for something different to be done to it. I'm not sure if I have it quite right yet, but I love the sea of grass surrounding her.

Have I mentioned before how much I love my "job"? Every photo session is so much fun, like a dog walk with a friend. Thanks Breeanne and Abby for a great evening!

Bark in the Park

2010-07-03T20:18:00.000-06:00

I volunteered today at the Windy City Canine Rescue's "Bark in the Park" event.

It was a lot of fun. How could it not be? I got to visit with puppies all day! I even met a "new-to-me" breed. This handsome pup below is a Patterdale Terrier. He looked like a chocolate lab puppy. Too cute!

And this cute puppy discovered my "Secret to Success"...

...Cookies!

If you want to see all the pictures from the event, you can visit the Bark in the Park gallery.

Davin {Wild in the Rockies}

2010-07-01T10:21:00.001-06:00

This is exactly how I feel in the mountains too.

I met Davin and Michelle after hiking with my family for the day on Sunday. I was tired and as I tried to recuperate in a coffee shop prior to our session, I really didn't know if I had the energy left to take pictures. But the moment we got out there, I forgot all about my tiredness.

After living in the Crowsnest Pass for more than 30 years, Michelle knows a few hidden places with the most amazing scenery!

Add a goofy, fun-loving dog to that scenery and you get magic.

I love this next picture. Davin was constantly trying to steal the toy out of Michelle's hands.

After we left the knoll with the gorgeous scenery, we headed down to a lake for some water fun. Davin was equally excited to be playing in the water.

Wet, mucky, messy dog. I love it! :)

Thanks Michelle and Davin! You are definitely going to have to show me more of these hidden places. I think I know a few pups would would have fun out there getting wet and dirty.

Esmae and Massey {Aussie Fever}

2010-06-30T10:21:00.000-06:00

I had the pleasure of photographing these two gorgeous Australian Shepherds this weekend. I don't think either of them could produce a bad picture if they tried.

Esmae is the younger, wilder sister....

Massey is older and a little more laid back but can still turn on the burners when she wants to.

Esmae is the model in the family and was constantly striking a pose.

Massey was much more fixated on getting and keeping it away from her younger, brattier sister.

And apparently her mom too! :)

And one last one showing off how beautiful and athletic these dogs are! What you didn't get to see was how snuggly these two dogs are too. I couldn't crouch or sit down without a few kisses planted on my face.

Thanks Maureen for joining me on Saturday night! I always enjoy being kissed and cuddled by your two sweet girls.

Greyhounds - Lure Coursing

2010-06-11T10:44:00.000-06:00

Sorry I went quiet there for so long! Here are a few more pictures from the Lure Coursing event a few weeks ago. The greyhounds were amazing to watch but they also went by so fast, the race was over before you knew it!

Teaser - {Izzy}

2010-06-02T08:32:00.001-06:00

I thought I'd interrupt the Lure Coursing posts to show you a cute little pup that I photographed last week. More to come of this girl soon!

Borzoi - Lure Coursing

2010-05-31T13:59:00.000-06:00

Here is another breed you don't see every day. At least I don't!

I looked them up on Wikipedia (my go-to-source for anything I don't know!) and I wasn't surprised to see it mentioned that they rarely bark. Jo and I were stunned at how quiet ALL the dogs were at the Lure Coursing event. Imagine 40-50 dogs together in one place and there was no barking. It was wonderful!

This young pup was wondering what the heck I was doing out in the middle of the field.

He/She eventually decided that the lure was more interesting.

And one last picture of another young dog in training. They can really get some speed when they put their mind to it.

Afghans - Lure Coursing

2010-05-26T12:35:00.003-06:00

An Afghan going at full speed is a sight to see. Their blowing fur can't help but look graceful and dramatic.

That same fur, can sometimes get them into trouble if they happen to catch up with the lure. This guy got tangled in the rope - it was just caught in his fur.

My favourite feature though is their tail. Look at that little curl on the end! Too cute.

I think another reason I was so drawn to the Afghans is because there is no mistaking their handsome good looks. This guy could be on the cover of a romance novel. Doesn't he remind you of someone?

Fabio perhaps?

Irish Wolfhound - Lure Coursing

2010-05-25T12:36:00.000-06:00

This is Lady. She was the only Irish Wolfhound competing last weekend. Isn't she gorgeous?

The scenery wasn't bad either. The event was held out in Balzac so it wasn't too far of a drive each day.

I got quite a few good photos of her as she was the only dog on course when she was running (due to the lack of competition) and she is so big that I could take pictures from farther away and you could still see what I was photographing. :)

And in case you needed something for scale to figure out how big she really is...

It would have been interesting to see a male and I know they are quite a bit bigger. With my very inexperienced eye, Lady did a great job. She stayed focused on the Lure and I don't think she dipped off course once in the 4 runs I saw.

Lure Coursing - Foothills Gazehound Club

2010-05-24T12:35:00.001-06:00

I spent an incredible weekend photographing a Lure Coursing trial hosted by the Foothills Gazehound Club. I had never seen Lure Coursing before and there were lots of breeds there that I rarely, if ever, see so it was a pretty fascinating weekend. Everyone was so friendly and really made Jo and I feel welcome.

So for those of you like me, who aren't that familiar with the sport, I'll give you the quick explanation - courtesy of Wikipedia.

Lure coursing is a sport for dogs that involves chasing a mechanically operated lure. Competition is usually limited to dogs of sighthound breeds. This past weekend there were 8 different breeds competing - Afghans, Basenjis, Borzois, Greyhounds, Ibizun Hounds, Salukis, Whippets and an Irish Wolfhound. In lure coursing, dogs chase an artificial lure across a field, following a pattern that is meant to simulate live coursing. A typical lure course is between 600 and 1000 yards (548 to 914 meters) long. The course must have a minimum number of turns in order to simulate prey (the jack-rabbit or hare) changing direction in a chase. Sighthounds generally have no need to be trained or enticed to chase the lure since the desire to chase is instinctual. However some breeds may require lure play at a very early age to encourage them to follow an artificial object with enthusiasm. Dogs must be at least one year old to compete; the hard fast turns are tough on a dog's developing joints and lure coursing before the age of one can cause joint problems later in life.

There are lots of videos to be found on YouTube if you want to see what it is like. It never even occurred to me to take a video or two and now I'm kicking myself! You'll really get a sense of the speed if you watch some videos.

The dogs are judged on more than speed. They also take into account: endurance, agility (how well they can corner and turn), enthusiasm and follow (how well they follow the lure). The first dog to the finish line is not necessarily the winner.

I'm going to blog about the various breeds one at a time as I have a tonne of photos. They aren't breeds you see everyday, so I thought I could share a few more photos of each one this way. First up tomorrow will be Irish Wolfhounds. There was a gorgeous girl there named Lady that had some very nice runs.

Bigger Hint

2010-05-23T14:04:00.000-06:00

My Weekend

2010-05-22T21:57:00.000-06:00

You'll never guess what I did this weekend.... Many, many more to come!

Pugsters Meet-Up

2010-05-16T17:02:00.002-06:00

I was thrilled to be contacted a few months ago to see if the Lethbridge Pugsters Meet-Up group could rent the daycare space for their first meeting.

This is Bruce. He was the MAN! He was super fun and was always running over for his close up. It was fairly warm yesterday and his tongue was permanently out. I kept trying to sneak up on him every time he laid down, but he kept jumping up and running over.

There were two sweet older pugs there that were litter mates. I should have blogged yesterday as I've managed to forget both of their names.

Miko came a little later and hung out with her mom for a bit until she got her bearings. She didn't mind posing for the camera at all!

This is Miko's little sister - Stitch (I think!). She was WILD and so much fun. She basically hopped from lap to lap giving kisses.

This sweet and confident girl below was adopted just 3 weeks ago by her mom. She loved the fact that I had treats in my pocket. In fact they all did. At times, I had quite the little following.

I'd met Pickles before. She came to daycare a week or so ago just so that she could get use to the place. When she first arrived yesterday, she didn't venture far from her momma. But she eventually found her confidence.

This is Ruby. She was a little shy, and really, really didn't want to look at the camera.

Her sister China, was a little bit more of a social butterfly and flitted from person to person and dog to dog.

Hugo is a pug/schipperke cross. His ears and tongue were unmistakably pug.

Hugo came with his little sister Pixie. She is a pug/boston terrrier cross. She was cute, cute, cute but also a little timid of all the action going on around her.

There were two other litter mates there (who's names I also forgot! Geesh!). They are pug/long haired dachshund crosses. They weren't usually found too far from their mom, but I managed to coax them out a little later with some treats.

And last, but not least was Izzy. She kept getting the zoomies and running around with her tail tucked and a crew of pugs following her. It was quite fun to watch.

I had a great time hanging out, taking pictures and doling out treats. Pugs LOVE their treats! It sounds like the group will be meeting again in the near future so if you have a pug, and want to join in, email Amanda S. to be included on their contact list. You can also stay up to date by visiting their website - http://lethbridgepugmeetup.webs.com/

Shelter Pups

2010-05-05T20:28:00.000-06:00

I went back to the shelter today and focused on the dogs. There were a lot there! I don't think I've ever seen it so busy. Here are a few that are waiting for homes....

Irresistible Izzy

2010-05-03T12:33:00.000-06:00

Izzy has been with her family for just over a week and she already has them twisted around her little paws.

Can you blame them though?

Just look at that cute face!

She has the cutest little puppy wrinkles I think I've ever seen.

Izzy only has two speeds. When she is playing, she is playing hard but when she crashes, she crashes pretty hard too.

I can't wait to see her grow up. I have a feeling she'll be keeping everyone on their toes.

Teaser - {Izzy}

2010-05-02T20:02:00.000-06:00

This is Izzy. A 10 week old min-pin that I had the pleasure of meeting this weekend. Isn't she cute?

Don't worry. I'll post more pictures later this week.

Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Moe

2010-04-29T13:57:00.000-06:00

I'm still taking lots of pictures (despite the evidence on this blog!). I've been taking lots for the Windy City Canine Rescue and I finally went back to the Animal Shelter after being gone for about a month. It was a combination of feeling disheartened and just too darn busy.

Yesterday was a horribly rainy day so I didn't take any pictures of the dogs, I just focused on the cats. When you haven't been in a month, there are a lot of cats to take pictures of! They had a bunch of kittens that recently came in that were cute, cute, cute. My favourite was Eeny. He was a complete ham and kept rolling around on floor. Below he is demonstrating his signature yoga move - Upward Cat.

If you are looking for a new furry friend, please consider adopting one. There are so many wonderful cats and dogs in shelters and rescue, it is hard to believe anyone was able to part with them in the first place.

Kalo and Oddie - Staying Young

2010-04-25T15:21:00.000-06:00

Kalo might be getting on in years, but it looks like his younger brother Oddie is keeping him feeling young.

He was super frisky our entire walk and was really loving the green bone I brought.

Oddie on the other hand, preferred the Cuz.

Oddie had me mesmerized with the colour of his eyes. I don't think I had ever noticed before that they were yellow.

The weather was so nice and warm, the dogs even managed a dip in the river.

And despite my best efforts, this was the only picture I got of the two of them!

Thanks boys for a fabulous morning! I hope you were tired by the end of our walk. I know I was!

Teaser - {Kalo and Oddie}

2010-04-18T13:25:00.000-06:00

It feels like it has been a very long time since I've had a photo session. I had almost forgotten how much fun they were! I had a great time and I know Kalo and Oddie did too. They were completely in love with the toys that I brought, so much so, they never ended up playing together which we wanted pictures of. So we are going to hook up for another quick walk one day and fix that. :)

Here are two just to wet your appetite - my favourites are always the goofy ones.

More to follow in a day or two.

Puppy Party

2010-03-20T10:40:00.000-06:00

Are you ready? Here is your weekly puppy fix! They probably won't be there next week and I'll be really sad. They were so much fun to spend time with. I took them into the room I use to photograph the cats today and let them run around and have fun.

This little girl (I finally looked) thought my fingers were the most fun thing in the room.

Patch is trying hard to look sweet and innocent but I saw him grab his siblings' rolls of puppy fat and Shake, Shake, Shake! Don't let this cute face fool you. He is a sassy one!

What did I tell you?

She was so cuddly and sweet...

... when she wasn't trying to bite me.

And just when you thought she couldn't open her mouth any wider, she cranked it open one more notch.

The black and tan siblings seemed to be the much mellower of the litter.

This little one enjoyed hanging out in the cat stand instead of biting my fingers and toes.

She also managed to get the toy briefly and pose cutely.

Usually when they got the toy, the tried hard to get in a corner to chew it in peace.

By the end of our play session, they were all ready for a nap. Even little Jersey.

I'm gonna miss the little cuties!

Shelter Pictures

2010-03-19T20:40:00.000-06:00

I hope you guys are getting tired of pictures of the dogs and cats at the shelter. I'm still enjoying visiting with them every week. Some weeks are emotionally harder than others. This week was a good one. It probably helps that I spent about 45 minutes hanging out with Lily's puppies. You'll have to wait until tomorrow to see those pics though. Today I'm going to grace you with some of the dogs and cats waiting for new homes or waiting to be claimed by their previous families. I believe all these dogs are still within their first 72 hours and may be reunited with their homes still.

This big boy was the first Great Pyrenees I've met that gave me the time of day. He was so friendly and took treats very gently. He has obviously been loved. I hope his family finds him.

This little pitbull girl was so cute. You just needed to playfully jab her on the side and she take off and get the zoomies.

And did you see her eyes? Gorgeous eh?

This poor girl was petrified of the camera. I could get her to come up to me with a little coaxing and even sniff the side of the camera but the moment I pointed the lens at her, she just melted and backed away. I spent most of my time just petting her and hanging out. If she is still there next week, we'll try again. She really is quite cute.

Today was not a good day with me and the cats. First off, I wasn't very happy with many of my photos - lots of them were blurry. Secondly, I hadn't been hissed at once in all my visits and today it was almost constant. This guy hissed every time I entered the room. Hence his picture of him still in his litter box! Notice how innocent he looks?

This one at least gave me the benefit of the doubt and didn't actually hiss until I tried to pick him up. Hence his picture in the kennel.

I'm not sure if I made this guy happy or really annoyed. At one point I thought someone was running some sort of machinery outside... and then I realized it was him... growling. Yikes! But then I realized he would growl when eating the treats I had. So maybe it was a happy noise? That doesn't explain the hiss when I reached out to pet him though! Really, it wasn't my day to interact with cats.

And this dude was seriously good looking. You have to go see him for yourself as the picture does not do him justice.

As always, if you are looking at adding a furry friend to your family, be sure to check out the Lethbridge Animal Shelter!

Baby Bloodhound

2010-03-17T20:51:00.000-06:00

I've been watching this little guy grow up. I see him about once a week at the dog park. I love the little string of drool across his nose. So typical!

I can't wait to see him grow into his humongous feet. He's gonna be a very big boy.

Eye Candy

2010-03-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

All of Lily's puppies have been adopted but I could not resist visiting with them again. I could have spent all afternoon just watching them. They were so cute and all so different.

This little dude has the sad puppy dog look down pat!

This guy totally cracked me up. He hung out like this for quite a while.

Don't you love the little rolls of puppy fat on the guy below on the right?

The "Cattle Dog" on the left was a trouble maker! His sibling on the right was the complete opposite. His expression says it all.

"Patches" is the second trouble maker in the litter.

I love the way none of them look like siblings. It is hard to believe they are even related.

I have no idea what their names or sexes are - hence the nicknames and for some reason Patches is the only one that seemed like a girl to me!

I Escaped

2010-03-11T19:27:00.000-07:00

Without this dude in my pocket.

It was close though!

More pictures from the shelter to come soon.

Fun at the Shelter

2010-03-06T15:21:00.001-07:00

Every time I go to the animal shelter, strong emotions emerge and today was no different except today started with pure delight. I LOVE Tonka.

He was such a riot. He would fetch the ball, bring it back but then lie down and tuck the ball under his chin. When you reached for the ball he would use his head to block your hand. It was all part of the game and you really had to dig to get the ball back.

And then Guiness, reminded me of Chewy at the daycare. He kept pawing and meowing asking to climb aboard. If I didn't already have a cat, I think this one would have been coming home with me. He had a great personality. And don't you love those wild eyebrows?

Cleopatra (below) made me a little sad. She was very scared and just wanted to be comforted. I was on the floor taking pictures and she would crawl under my legs to find a safe spot and a few times when I was laying down she burrowed under my head and made a little nest in my hair. She was so sweet and just wanted to be loved.

And there is always something about Siamese crosses. They are just soooo gorgeous.

Campino definitely has the best name! He too was a little unsure of his new situation but with a little time and patience, he would make a very sweet companion.

As always, this is just a taste of the pets at the shelter. Go visit, fall in love, and bring a new friend home.

Puppies, Puppies and More Puppies

2010-02-26T19:05:00.002-07:00

Warning: Do NOT go to the animal shelter if you have puppy fever. These guys were dropped off 5 minutes before I arrived. SO CUTE!!!

Can you tell who the super model was? Talk about a mischief maker!

And to top it off, Lily's puppies are still there too, but I believe they have all been spoken for....

Check out the guy on the right using his sibling's foot as a soother!

And if that wasn't enough to push you over the edge, check out this gorgeous Basset Hound.

And this handsome mastiff cross was very sweet.

And I think this little girl is available. She was hanging out with the puppies and I don't know what her story is.

So if you are in the mood to come home with a new little bundle, there are lots available at the Lethbridge Animal Shelter! There are still lots of cats too which I wasn't able to photograph today because all the available rooms were filled with pups.

The Boys

2010-02-22T07:49:00.000-07:00

Jo, Kort, Tate and I went out to Fort MacLeod yesterday for some pictures. The off leash park there is great, and usually deserted.

I can only ever seem to find game paths to walk on, which is fine if you don't mind a whole bunch of willows slapping your face with every step. They sure look nice in the background though. We did manage to find some "open" ground next to the fence which made walking easy for a while.

As usual, the boys looked gorgeous. Just look at that big white ruff!

I always enjoy seeing which pictures Jo will pick as her favourites. They aren't usually the same ones I pick. I think I am getting better at figuring out what she likes though. We'll see how close I come this time.

Thanks Jo for letting your dogs model for me again. It is always a pleasure!

Bright Eyed

2010-02-20T12:23:00.001-07:00

Just a couple of pictures from my dog walk this morning.

This top fellow is Gus. He is a border collie, golden retriever just like Coulee. You'd never guess they were the same mix.

And this is Jetta. We are dog sitting her for a few weeks and she has been learning that the camera usually means treats and fun.

Bigger Sausages

2010-02-13T14:45:00.003-07:00

I went back to the shelter again today. I couldn't resist a peek at the little sausages. You can see "Jersey" a little better this time. Is it bad, that I've named a puppy? Lily the mom is a beagle cross and they think that daddy was probably a rottweiler due to the black and tan pups.

This girl (whose name I can't remember) was so fun to hang out with. She played fetched with a tennis ball, ate many treats and smiled lots for the camera.

Sage was so sweet and so sad. She was an owner surrender and her heart seemed to be broken. She would very gently take treats and then retreat with a beaten look. I had a hard time getting her ears to come up but even then you could see the sadness in her eyes. Poor girl. I wanted to take her home.

Hardi was being surrendered just as I arrived. :( She had just recently been adopted from the shelter too. I don't know what happened, but she seems like a fun loving girl to me.

This is either Whiskers or Tuffy! They are both grey with yellow eyes and I could barely tell them apart in person, never mind from their photos. I need to figure out a system where I can better identify them once I get home. :)

Kaleah was so much fun to photograph. She has really striking features and was a total ham for the camera.

Angie is probably mirroring the look I was giving her. :) She would NOT sit still and pose nicely for me. I'm not sure if it is just me, but I swear the black cats, which are the hardest to photograph in the first place, are the worst at sitting still and giving eye contact. I like to going to the shelter on a Saturday because then I have all the time in the world and can wait a little more patiently for them to finally strike a pose.

And this little girl was also just dropped off while I was there. She was found wandering the streets. She was so sweet. She just melted at my feet every time I came near her. All she wanted to do was please me.

If you or anyone you know is looking for a pet, please consider checking out the Lethbridge Animal Shelter. There are always tonnes of great dogs and cats there.

Shelter Pictures

2010-02-09T06:47:00.000-07:00

Life seems to have gotten in the way of volunteering these past few weeks. I had an hour yesterday so I decided to pop into the shelter to see what was new. Boy was I surprised!

Do you remember Lily? She has been at the shelter now for 2 months. Poor girl. And she must have gotten pregnant just days before being picked up as she is now the proud mama of 7 little bundles of cuteness! I can't wait to see these little guys grow up. There is a little jersey cow one tucked up right next to her that I instantly fell in love with.

And this is Chuck. A friend sent me a link back in December saying that the shelter had a "lancashire heeler" (which is what Lacey looks like, but isn't). He definitely isn't a lancashire, but he is awfully cute. I'm not sure why he is back at the shelter as he seemed friendly, laid back and playful to me. He has the most unique colouring I think I've ever seen.

Doesn't this guy have the most handsome face? He was pretty new to the shelter and was a little unsure of me and especially the camera, but he gave the cutest little head tilts when I squeaked a toy.

I am way behind on all the cats. This little cutie is Mini. She truly is tiny.

And I think this last guy here is Cooper. Handsome eh?

As always, if you or anyone you know is looking for a new pet, there are lots waiting for homes at the shelter!

A little Change

2010-02-07T11:09:00.000-07:00

After getting some feedback from some internet photography friends, I decided to make a few changes to my photography website. I wanted to make it a little cleaner, show a larger variety of photos, and have it match my blog a little more. Let me know what you think! Just click on the front page below to go to the website. Feedback is very much appreciated!

Doodle Baby

2010-02-05T07:05:00.000-07:00

This little girl started off a little shy, not wanting to venture far from her daddy's legs.

But she couldn't resist playing.

And she even managed to find the courage to steal the wubba from Coulee!

Pearl - Happily Ever After

2010-02-02T13:04:00.002-07:00

I know this is going to sound incredibly cheesy, but Pearl has definitely found her "Happily Ever After". She was recently adopted by Shawn and Catherine, and their bond is incredible. As you can see Pearl loves her momma!

And the love is mutual. Shawn and Catherine didn't stop smiling the whole time. And not because they were smiling for the camera, but because they were smiling at Pearl.

She would do anything to make them happy. Even "stay" when she'd rather be chasing the ball. :)

She is normally a tennis ball fan, but the Orbee from Planet Dog seemed to hold her attention too.

I love stories that have happy endings and I'm really glad Pearl has found hers.

Chicken!

2010-02-01T06:31:00.001-07:00

I knew I was going to have a lot of fun Saturday morning with Norman, Pele and Cindy. How could I not? Norman and Pele are such fun dogs and Cindy is one of the nicest people I know. She is constantly popping in to the daycare to bring us things - "just because". I hope these have brightened her day as much as she brightens ours.

I'm always struck at how different dogs will act at daycare, than they do on their own "turf". At daycare we see a whole lot of this....

But on our walk, I had trouble getting the two of them in the same frame, never mind actually interacting with each other. I guess outside there are too many things to smell and see than to bother playing with a sibling!

Norman kept striking these very serious, majestic poses for us which is not the Normie I know! He isn't usually so serious at daycare.

Pele just has the most beautiful face.

She too can strike an elegant pose.

If you are wondering why the post is titled "Chicken!" it is because with Norm at the off leash park, you tend to see a lot of this...

Cindy has discovered that if he knows there is chicken waiting for him (and she lets him know by calling out "Chicken!" whenever she wants him to come back), he usually comes back and does this...

Thanks Cindy for such a fabulous morning. We can definitely do this again in the summer - but only if Barry agrees to come too! :)

{Teaser} - Norman, Pele and Pearl

2010-01-30T18:32:00.006-07:00

I had a very busy day today with 2 photo sessions. It never feels like work though! It always feels like I'm just going for a walk with friends.

I started off my day with Norman and Pele, two beautiful elkhounds. My husband took one look at the pictures and started grilling me about temperment, size, etc. I assured him they were wonderful dogs, but that they had a lot of hair! ;)

Then this afternoon I met with Pearl. She was recently adopted from the Prairie Dog Canine Rescue. She has come to daycare a few times and has been a fairly quiet, reserved girl. It turns out she has been holding out on us. She is really a fun loving party girl!

More pictures to come over the next few days so stay tuned!

Taz and Nikko

2010-01-27T20:28:00.004-07:00

I had a chilly photo session last Saturday with Taz and Nikko but it was still a lot of fun. They are both so full of life. Some people worry their dogs will be too wild for a photo session, but let me assure you... there is no such thing!

Even wild and crazy dogs like these two will eventually stop moving... at least briefly!

I love it when a dog runs with their tongue hanging to the side - it is the sign of a good time!

Getting a "traditional" family portrait with dogs can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. ;)

What do you know? There is that tongue again. :)

The perfect winter scene... two fun loving dogs.

Thanks Stephanie, Taz and Nikko for a great time last weekend! I hope you enjoy your pictures.

{Teaser} - Taz and Nikko

2010-01-24T08:08:00.001-07:00

I met Stephanie, her brother, Taz and Nikko at the dog park yesterday for a cold (and quick) photo session. Taz and Nikko were fine - they were running around in the snow as if it was summer, it was the rest of us that were freezing.

Stay tuned for more pictures of these fun loving pups!

He's All Ears

2010-01-22T19:06:00.004-07:00

Shelter Pictures

2010-01-09T14:54:00.012-07:00

Are you ready for more cuteness? All of these guys are currently at the Lethbridge Animal Shelter.

This is Lily. A beagle cross after my heart.

Once she discovered I had treats, she wouldn't leave my side and started to do everything she could think of to get more. She was very sassy.
It was love at first sight when I met Aladar. They have him listed as a Chesapeake Bay Retriever but I don't see any of that in him at all. He has a light build more like a border collie. He would make a wonderful agility dog. He was full of bounces and was ready to go, go, go!

Raven is a sweet tempered lab cross that just wanted to be petted and scratched.

I think Lilly is the most beautiful looking cat I've ever seen. I almost smuggled her out in my coat, just so I could take her home and take more pictures. :)

This is Iris... She was more playful and rambunctious than her sister Lilly but just as beautiful.

Coca hasn't quite settled in yet, but she was quick to ask for chin rubs once she decided you were a friend.
I loved little Arwhin. His big yellow eyes just make you want to make all his worries go away.

This is Tux. He was always on the move... swatting at toys, exploring the room and running over for a quick scratch behind the ear.
May I introduce Fluffy. He is a tank! If you are looking for a docile cat that just wants to lay around and keep your lap warm, he is the cat for you! Hmmm. I just noticed he isn't on Petfinder anymore. That is probably good news!
If I had to use one word to describe She-Ra it would be busy. Busy, busy, busy. Hence the blurry photo - she didn't sit still for more than a second! She was the exact opposite of Fluffy.
And last, but not least is Athena. She was a little unsure but just melted into your hand when you rubbed her head.

Stunning

2010-01-08T19:56:00.004-07:00

This gorgeous girl is at the Lethbridge Animal Shelter along with her equally stunning sister. More pics to come tomorrow.

Volunteering

2010-01-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

The Lethbridge Animal Shelter is FINALLY on Petfinder. I found out right before Christmas and called to find out if they would be interested in me taking some photos of the pets for them. I'm going to try and get there about once a week.

Yesterday was my first day and I had a lot of fun. The dogs were all very sweet and most were just happy to be outside sniffing and playing with toys. Personally, I was freezing. I took tonnes of photos of the first dog, realized that I couldn't spend 2 hours straight outside, and started clicking the camera a little faster. :) I was relieved when the dogs were done and I could come inside to take pictures of the cats.

I think Oliver was just brought in. It sounded like his home might have already been found, but I couldn't resist taking at least a few pictures! I just loved Buddy's beautiful brown eyes. He was a little shy of both me and the camera but I have a feeling he would warm up quickly if given the chance. Howser was so cute. When we came back inside he spotted a leash on the floor, scooped it up and stood at the door waiting for his walk. He has definitely been loved by someone! Buster was quite sweet and pretty timid. But not too timid to take a treat. Herbert was my favourite. He kept play bowing to me and just wanted to be scratched under his chin. Yig was a handful. But a fun handful. :) Bocis was a total softy who was so fun to watch play. He would run and fetch the ball and then run around with it. Then it would fall from his mouth and he would joyfully chase after it again. I think Dief was my favourite to photograph. There was just something about him. And don't you just love that little pink nose? Not sure what this fellow's name is but trust me, he was friendly than he looks. He was just giving me the tough guy look, he doesn't really mean it. Alley definitely knew how to strike a regal pose. Straya had me at hello. He was simply gorgeous and had the personality to match. Koda definitely had a knack for modeling. He would not only look directly at the camera, but he would hold the pose long enough for me to take the picture. Good kitty! Kalidiskope, or Owl, (as I tended to think of him) was really quite sweet. He wasn't too happy that I moved him into another room and pointed a camera at him though. He had beautiful markings and gorgeous big round eyes. Oreo has been at the shelter for a few months. I'm not sure how so many people could have resisted these beautiful green eyes. I think Goulla must mean "cute" in some foreign language. She was the first cat I brought out and a struggled to get any pictures because all she wanted to do was snuggle on my lap. I think it is funny that the pictures the shelter has of Charlie are pretty much the same ones I took. He was resting in his litter box (everyone except Charlie and Trevor (below) were trying desperately to visit with me) so I decided to let him have his rest. I have a feeling he isn't a very high maintenance kind of guy. Trevor was also resting comfortably in his kennel and I didn't want to disturb him. It doesn't look like I succeeded. ;)

Well that is all of them. I only missed one cat, but he already had a home waiting for him. So if you, or anyone you know are looking for another pet, the Lethbridge Animal Shelter has some sweet dogs and cats that would love to call your house their home.

There is Something About Aussies

2010-01-01T20:57:00.003-07:00

I seem to be around aussies a lot lately.

Today I had the pleasure of going for a walk with 3 of them.

While they all look quite different, they are all gorgeous.

"I Gotta New Camera" Sale

2009-12-17T21:12:00.004-07:00

I just got a new camera and I am in love. I'm having fun, Coulee and Lacey are having fun and I want you to have fun too.

If you want to get in on the fun, take advantage of my "I Gotta New Camera" Sale and at the same time, get some great winter photos of your pet. Every photo sessions that takes place during the month of January will be half price! Spaces are limited so book early!

Trip

2009-12-12T22:16:00.006-07:00

Amanda is currently dog sitting the cutest little Aussie pup named Trip. I could NOT resist taking a bazillion photos of him today.

He is only 14 weeks old and already knows how to shake a paw. Whenever he thinks you are wanting him to do something, he offers his paw. It is the sweetest thing.

It was so cold out today we had to go outside for pictures for just a minute or two at a time but it was totally worth it.

I'm hoping I can take more tomorrow!

Mr. Smiley

2009-11-30T09:57:00.002-07:00

We ran into this handsome lad a few days ago at the dog park.

He is only 9 months old and had lots of energy to spare.

Lacey had a blast running around with him and I hate to admit it, going after his tail. I know everyone who knows Lacey will be shocked by this, but I'm telling you, it is true. I've deleted all the evidence to protect her innocence but that doesn't mean it didn't happen.

Have Lap, Will Travel

2009-11-26T19:14:00.003-07:00

Lu has to be the easiest cat to photograph. To get her into any particular room all I have to do is sit down, and stretch out my legs. I swear she can "hear" when your lap is available. The moment your legs are stretched out, she comes out of nowhere and jumps on board.

So when I want her in the living room near the large window I just sit down on the floor and voila! She is in the perfect spot for some indoor pictures with lots of natural light.

Cody

2009-11-14T21:46:00.007-07:00

Cody was not impressed with me and my camera. He did not appreciate his nap being interrupted.

I was given the evil eye on more than one occasion.

After being bribed with some treats, he was finally feeling up to a little bit of modeling.

He was even convinced to play a little.

Although that was pretty short lived. I think the glare above is his "subtle" way of telling me to back off and let him go back to sleep.

Alright Cody. You win.

Corgi Cuteness

2009-11-01T15:21:00.003-07:00

This little girl is giving Pixel a run for her money as the cutest Corgi ever.

Dog Park Cuteness

2009-10-17T17:33:00.002-06:00

Some days I can't resist taking pictures of random dogs we meet at the dog park.

This little cutie was too shy to visit, but not too shy to bark. :)

A Man and His Dog

2009-10-07T18:19:00.000-06:00

George had spent time hunting this weekend and still had energy to spare.

I have a feeling he would get up and go, any time his dad asked him to.

I love tugging pictures. They are so much fun to take and I love the end results.

But I have to remember that big dogs are strong - he almost dislocated my shoulder!

What lab doesn't love water? It was pretty chilly though so we didn't end up hanging out there too long as soon the pups were shaking.

I'm learning that no matter what the weather, I always have such a good time out on these photo sessions. Thanks everyone for making them so enjoyable and for having such great dogs to photograph!

Small Packages

2009-10-05T18:08:00.000-06:00

Daisy Duke is quite small for a border collie but she has a lot of energy, focus and determination crammed in that tiny package. As with all border collies, she has a job to do. In her case, that job is to retrieve toys until your arm is exhausted from throwing. Or until, you hide the toy.

I am completely in love with Daisy Duke. If all border collies were as fun and friendly as her, I think I'd have 20.

I'd have to be single too as there is no way my husband would let me have that many dogs. Good thing, Daisy is one of a kind! ;)

Could you resist?

Teaser {Daisy Duke and George}

2009-10-04T18:02:00.003-06:00

It was raining this morning. Not a good thing when you have a photo session that afternoon. But we decided to go ahead. And for the most part, (if you ignore the brief stint of frozen rain) we actually had decent weather

Daisy Duke (the border collie) was her usual toy obsessed self which made for easy portrait pictures, and George (the lab) was a busy boy who occasionally lifted his head for a photo. :) I had a lot fun and as you can tell, Daisy and George seemed to have as well.

More photos to come in the next few days!

I Believe I Can Fly

2009-09-27T19:54:00.003-06:00

Talk about split personality! At daycare, I would describe Amber as a quiet, sweet, gentle girl who loves to cuddle and be held. When she is with her family she is a carefree, wild, bouncy girl who couldn't possibly sit still if there is fun to be had.

I had a sneak peek at her other personality at the RDog event the day before. She flew around the agility course and I couldn't believe she was the same dog.

We went out today to get pictures of Amber doing agility and hanging out with her sisters. It was great to get some pictures of agility from different angles, instead of just sitting on the sidelines. Amber was having too much fun to worry about me laying on the ground under the jumps or holding the camera on the A-frame.

I was constantly worried about doing too much repetition and tiring this little girl out.

Apparently I didn't need to worry. She was racing around until the very end.

Although I did manage her to sit still for a few photos. But only around 5!

Teaser {Amber}

2009-09-27T19:13:00.004-06:00

What? Were you expecting mild and meek? I know I was!

She jumps so high, she was constantly jumping right out of the frame.

Fearless Mountain Cat

2009-09-07T11:40:00.002-06:00

Well that might be a slight exaggeration. In reality, I had my longest lens, at it's furthest extension to get any pictures of this beauty.

I only managed to get a few pictures before he/she scampered off home.

Where There's Smoke...

2009-09-04T21:12:00.006-06:00

... there are bright yellow eyes looking at you.

Smoke was a perfect model.

She would look at the camera whenever you made a noise.

She would pose with her toy.

And, she would lounge in front of a bright window so I had lots of natural light. What more could a girl ask for?

Intense Smoke

2009-09-02T20:27:00.004-06:00

Last December my sister's family adopted a cute little grey kitten named Smoke. I went for a visit last weekend and I can't believe how much she has changed. She is now a gorgeous, sleek cat. It is amazing how quickly cats grow up. She has the most intense eyes.

More to come soon!

Pug Happiness

2009-08-28T13:32:00.001-06:00

Otis (on the left) and Tucker (on the right) weren't always the best of friends but I never would have guessed it.

Otis was definitely more of a "daddy's boy".

Whereas Tucker wanted to play with the toys AND visit with anyone who would spare the time for a few scratches.

Apparently it is Tucker that gets all the attention from people they pass on their walks. Poor Otis is often over looked but I think he is awfully cute.

Although there is something about Tucker that just makes you want to smile.

Thanks guys for a GREAT evening. Even the mosquitos were kind enough to stay away until the very end. Mental note: never leave home without bug spray!

I'll leave you with just one more picture. There are two things I love about it:

1. I love the way you can see Tucker lapping up the love in the background

and

2. I love Otis' perfect little row of white teeth

Have a great weekend everyone!

Teaser {Otis and Tucker}

2009-08-27T13:23:00.002-06:00

I met up last night with Otis and Tucker and their parents at Peenaquim. Poor Otis was a little afraid of the guns going off at the firing range, but he recovered by the end of the walk. I think Tucker was breathing too loudly to even hear the guns. ;)

I'll have more pictures of these two cuties for you tomorrow.

Happy Birthday Go! Dog! Go!

2009-08-22T16:20:00.008-06:00

Go! Dog! Go! is an amazing agility training group, led by two amazing women. Sarah and Amanda wanted something better for their own dogs, and their student's dogs, so 4 years ago they went out and made it happen. They jumped in with both feet and have never looked back. There are now some pretty amazing agility dogs in Lethbridge thanks to them!

To celebrate, they did what they all love to do - agility of course! It was so much fun to see how much the dogs (and handlers) have learned since I last saw them. One thing hasn't changed. The dogs still love the game.

Pearl is an expert at the weave poles.

Vito couldn't resist a quick visit.

Stoker looked this happy the entire time he was out there.

Charm was a little cutie who was super fun to watch.

Wicca is almost as intense and focused as her momma.

Maggie is a little less intense... She is just out for a good time.

Can we say born to model? Sniper did what he was asked and then turned for his cover shot.

Lucy always makes things look effortless.

Tag is so fast it is almost impossible to get a picture of him. By the time you push the button he is gone.

Andre manages to always look so refined.

Kaleb never seems to look very refined. ;)

Neena thinks the jumps are set too low.

I think this is Jazmine... I know it isn't Kaleb as there isn't a big tongue sticking out.

Boone would like everyone to know you can be athletic and stylish all at the same time. Isn't his collar gorgeous? It is from Nearly Naked Neckwear.

Gyppie is another one of those "almost too fast for the camera" dogs.

Stryker is getting older and slower, but he isn't having any less fun than he used to.

Tag is impatient to be off the "boring" table.

Roxy was looking gorgeous with her beautiful, shiny black coat.

Jane has the cutest little bum.

Lucy literally flies to the end of the teeter-totter.

See I told you he always looks this happy.

There is something about watching Vito do agility that makes you smile.

Congratulations Go! Dog! Go! for an incredible 4 years!

Homeless

2009-08-20T19:27:00.007-06:00

Freddie ~~is looking for a home~~ has found a home!

He is confident.

He is friendly.

He loves to purr.

He loves to play.

And he is cute as the Dickens.

What more could you want?

If you, or anyone you know, would like an irresistible, 6-week old, fluffy kitten, please contact us at info@paws-on-the-run.ca.

Outtakes {Harley}

2009-08-17T08:06:00.000-06:00

Why is it that when you take pictures of people acting naturally you get all these weird expressions that make you cringe, but when you do the same thing with dogs, you get pictures that make you smile?

More Obedience Dogs

2009-08-14T17:45:00.001-06:00

Esmae wasn't the only gorgeous dog at Henderson last weekend doing obedience.

There was also:

Wicca

Don't you love the way she is looking up at her Mom!

Vito

Vito is making the treat dispensing easier by jumping up to get them.

Kort

Kort was practicing watching the people go by.

Bosley

Bosley is super cute with his little dumbbell.

Epic

Epic is an uber-handsome Belgian Sheepdog.

Maui

Maui was briefly distracted even though a treat was being offered. She is definitely not a retriever who would have vacuumed that up in a heartbeat!

And Lacey

Lacey wasn't doing obedience. Her only job was to look cute.

Melty

2009-08-12T17:23:00.005-06:00

Some friends get together occasionally at Henderson Park to do some obedience training. Henderson has lots of open grassy areas and lots of people and dogs going by to add distraction and hence difficulty to the training. I decided to tag along and take some pictures.

I was completely smitten with Esmae.

How could I not be? She is not only gorgeous but is also very cuddly. Actually cuddly isn't quite the right word to describe her. She is more like "melty". I sat on the ground and she was instantly on my lap, melting into me like a giant marshmallow. I could have sat there all day.

Handsome Harley

2009-08-11T10:56:00.008-06:00

Harley is just as fun and playful at the dog park as he is at daycare, but he was also quite different.

At daycare, Harley never plays fetch. Never. He doesn't even look at the toys. But at the dog park, he was totally obsessed with the toys and didn't want to stop playing fetch. When we tried to hide the toys on him, he would just wander around looking for them.

I was also expecting him to be glued to Jeri's side. You should see how excited he gets to see Jeri when she picks him up at daycare. He can hardly contain himself. At indoor dog park, he wouldn't leave her side unless she put him in a stay and walked away. But yesterday when we wanted to get a picture of the two of them, he was too obsessed with the toy to want to pay attention to her. :)

It was fun to see such a different side to him.

There is something about butt shots, that always appeal to me!

Thanks Harley and Jeri for a really great time! I'm still amazed at how much fun I can have "at work".

Teaser {Harley}

2009-08-10T10:47:00.003-06:00

I met Jeri and Harley out at Peenaquim for a very fun morning. Harley was the perfect model. He wouldn't strike a pose for long so I had to be quick but thankfully, he offered me lots of opportunities.