Mother's Day gift from my dogs

I got a great Mother's Day gift from my dogs today and Willow and Moose had a great time. First of all, Moose got great news earlier in the week: he is heartworm negative. When adopted him in October, he was HW+. Because he was HW+, we have been restricting his activity. He's been getting "slow kill" heartworm treatment so he isn't supposed to run or jump around because that type of movement could cause the heartworms to break off from his heart, get into his lungs and basically suffocate him. He hasn't been allowed run and zoom around. Until today.

This was all set up perfectly. It was early this morning and I wanted to take some new photos of our dogs so I grabbed my camera and took Willow outside. I think I had snapped 2-3 pictures of her and then Don came down the street, just getting home from his run. Willow got really excited when she saw him. She perked her ears up and I snapped a few of those pictures and then she ran to great him. She is a really big dog to be running fast (and running isn't something she does often or for sustained periods of time.) I am really surprised there isn't a ton of camera shake b/c I think I was laughing at her. I love that I was actually able to get some "action" shots of her.

After Don and Willow got to the driveway, Don started petting her which she LOVES. If you look closely (or perhaps not too closely even), you'll see her fur floating off through the air. I snapped a few more pictures of her looking really silly and really happy.

All the while, Moose is sitting at the front door patiently watching all of this. Don went and let him out (this was the first time he'd been let outside in the front yard.) It isn't something we need to do regularly but he was very well behaved.

He and Willow immediately started posturing and I knew a game of chase was going to ensue. This is the first time they've actually played and acted like dogs in this manner. It made my heart smile. However, our large yellow dog didn't last very long. Fairly soon she was over by me wanting the crazy brown dog that was bouncing around to leave her alone.

One of our neighbors was walking up the street with his dog so we took our dogs Willow and Moose in the house. Both took a nap. :) It was a very nice Mother's Day moment for me. I am so grateful for my Mother's Day gift from my dogs.

This Pet Photographer and a little girl named Joey

Recently I had the pleasure of photographing Joey, a 6 year old rat terrier. I know her owners and I was so happy when we scheduled our session. We had a conversation prior to the session so I could learn a little bit about Miss Josephine and they even sent me a picture of her beforehand. This was my first photo session as a pet photographer with a dog I'd not met before. All of my prior sessions have been with dog walking or pet sitting clients so thank you to Joey for being a such a great model. Joey was a bit shy and nervous at first. We started our session inside where Joey's mom works and there were a lot of interesting things to smell in there so we just let her wander around and I snapped a few photos. With dogs who are a little shy for whatever reason (meeting new people, a little intimidated by the camera or whatever), I just take it very slowly. I have all the patience in the world when it comes to pet photography, perhaps because I love doing it so much. I always communicate with the parents so they know that we'll move things along at whatever pace the dog dictates.

This was my first inside portrait session so thanks again to Joey and her parents for helping me gain some inside portraiture experience. We started out inside and then when we took the fun outside, Joey seemed to be in her element. She just posed and posed and then she posed some more. I would've thought she'd been doing this for years. Joey was a great model and I so enjoyed taking these images of her. Do you have a favorite? So far in my pet photography experience, I've had a hard time picking one favorite out of a photo shoot. In this session, I have three favorites.

My photo session with Joey last about an hour on a Sunday morning recently. If you've got an hour or so to spare and you'd like to have professional photos of your pup like these, just let me know. This pet photographer would be honored to provide them for you.

Lesson Learned #50 by this pet sitter

I can't believe I'm posting my 50th Lesson Learned. It seems like a lot although I've actually learned a lot more than 50. I am excited to be posting this one. As a pet sitter, I have a lot of time on my hands to ponder well, a lot of things. This is one dilemma I've had for a really long time. In the movies or on commercials, you always see dog walkers say for instance in New York City walking a large (LARGE) number of dogs. My questions is this: how do they get all those dogs? In NYC, everyone lives in high rises. After the dog walker has gotten the first dog, does she take that dog to the 2nd apartment to pick up the next dog? Then does she take those 2 dogs to the next place to get the next dog? So when you see a dog walker walking 6 dogs, do the first 5 all get to go inside the 6th dog's house? I've always wondered how that works. Surely they don't all go into the 6th dog's house.... that owner doesn't want 5 other dogs in his house, right? The only solution I could come up with was they left all the dogs with the doorman. But surely that isn't part of the doorman's job. What if a resident needs help and the doorman is standing there holding the leashes for 5 dogs?? I have been truly stumped by this and have spent some time thinking about it over the past 6 years.

Enter my new client who has lived in NYC with her dog. At the end of my initial consultation with her, I had to ask her this burning question that I've pondered for years. She probably thought I was nuts. She said her previous dog walker worked in a pair so there were actually 2 of them! Truly a light bulb moment for me and a benefit of working in a large city. Getting to work along side another dog walker all day (assuming you like said dog walker) would be awesome!

I love Lesson Learned #50!!

Bruiser and Meow Meow

I am getting to spend some time this week with Bruiser and Meow Meow. It poured outside yesterday and today was cloudy but it didn't rain at all this afternoon. Since it was overcast, I grabbed my camera and went to hang out in their backyard. Bruiser and Meow Meow both were willing subjects although I don't think Meow Meow even noticed the camera. Both were fun to watch. Earlier this morning when I was walking Bruiser as we came back up to the house, his nose caught the scent of something I could tell. He walked over in the grass and there was a dead rat lying there. Smallish for a rat but bigger than your typical mouse. (I'm not an expert in rodents so that is my best description.) I am guessing that Meow Meow had some fun at the rat's expense. I am hoping that nature takes its course tonight and some owl swoops down and takes off with the rat.

Dog Walking and Robbers

I never thought when I got into this business and I'd write a blog about dog walking and robbers but I am. This was my afternoon starting around 1pm. I drove through the neighborhood next to mine after leaving one job and on my way to the next house. I drove by a house with 4 police cars parked around it. The house had a privacy fence and I immediately assumed someone tried to break in. The police helicopter was flying over too. I had just let two dogs out in the backyard of a house about 1/4 mile from this house. I went onto my next job which was several miles away all the while wondering if I should go home and just check on things. Everything was fine at my house thank God but there was a lot of excitement and drama in my neighborhood around 2:15pm when I got home. Several police cars were in my neighborhood.

Apparently the 2 suspects that had tried to break into the house around 1pm took off running and came into my neighborhood. We have a lot (criminals hear this: stay out of my neighbhorhood. We have A LOT) of people who work from home in my neighborhood. One of the men in my neighborhood saw a guy running through his next door neighbor's backyard. He texted that neighbor and asked if he had anyone doing work in his backyard. The response was no so they called the police.

I don't have all of the details of how both guys were caught but one was found in the crawl space of another neighbor's house. Apparently that is a common place for them to hide.

Everyone be safe and be diligent. Keep your eyes open for unusual activity around you - suspicious people, suspicious cars, etc. Because my neighbor was diligent, these two criminals have been caught.

I would prefer to never write another post entitled dog walking and robbers.

Happy 6th Anniversary to See Spot Run!!

Yesterday I celebrated my 6th anniversary of walking dogs. My first dog walk at See Spot Run was with a golden retriever named Mojo 6 years ago yesterday. I can't believe it was 6 years ago. Time has flown by and I'm still loving every day that I get to do what I love for a living and I'm so thankful. Unfortunately because of my busy schedule over this holiday weekend, Don and I were not able to enjoy Easter Sunday sunrise service. I am home now Sunday morning and I have my piano (that has a player on it), playing on the spiritual music station. This isn't a station I listen to often but I am enjoying it on this Easter morning. I hope everyone else is having a wonderful, celebratory Easter morning. Happy 6th Anniversary to See Spot Run and Happy Easter to all!

Here are a few pictures from the pets I've been seeing over the weekend. I had my camera along with me yesterday afternoon so some of the dogs and cats I'm seeing I don't have pictures of b/c it was too dark outside when I saw them or I didn't have my flash with me to take inside photos.

Rocky, Maddie and Cotton - I stopped and picked up new cat food yesterday afternoon although I've not seen any diarrhea in the cat box at all. I switched them still to the new food as of last night though.

Sparky - I wish it would've been light enough outside for me to get some pictures of her!! Unfortunately it was always too dark when I was there. She is doing great and I even got kisses from her this morning. Loved it!!

Special K and Harley - They've both been eating well and Special K is always up for playing after a little breakfast. She chases that light around and goes sliding across the wood floors, makes me laugh every time! Harley just sits back and watches as if to say "kids.... grow up!!" :)

Chloe - Chloe has greeted me every visit. I've been giving her a little bit of wet food every visit so I know she hasn't wanted to sleep though that! She loves it and she's been loving the attention too.

Bella - I was a little later this morning (it was around 7am when I got there) and I still had to wake Bella up. I believe she is like my yellow lab Willow who prefers to sleep in (unlike our choc lab Moose who likes to wake up at 5-5:30am... even on Sunday!) Bella has been eating well and enjoying her outside time.

Ursa and Luna - I left Luna in the front part of the house overnight and this morning since it was so chilly out this morning. I fed them both and both gobbled down their breakfast. They definitely get the clean plate award!