DogBreedz Blog

Project 52-5: Bridges

2012-02-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

I wasn't sure I'd be able to participate this week ... I had a couple of ideas up my sleeve about where I'd be able to locate a bridge to use as a shoot location but nothing was really standing out. Last weekend I was up in San Bernardino doing ring side candid photography for some dog show clients and as soon as I entered the event venue I saw it: a serene lagoon with a charming wood and stone bridge at one end - perfect! Now, who was I going to use for my model? When Demi the Dandie Dinmont Terrier's owners and breeder offered her services to me, I knew the pairing couldn't have been better scripted!

Thanks for visiting my part of the Project 52 Blog Roll for Week #5. Now, remember to take a moment and click thru to the blog of Stephanie Madeline (of Chase and Snap Pet Photography - located in New Jersey). Enjoy the photos and give YOUR pets a hug from me!

Westminster Best In Show Records - interesting!

2012-02-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

Whether you are a dog show enthusiast or the average dog person, following the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show judging is probably on your must-do list. Some will be watching every movement on screen, others will have it on in the background while going about other tasks in the home. There are people who will only watch when "their" breed or group is in the ring and then there are those that really only care who the Best In Show winner is. No matter what your MO is regarding the Big Show, you just might find some interesting facts in this link: The Westminster Kennel Club Best In Show Records. This page chronicles the Best In Show stats from 1907 - 2011. Did you know there was no Best In Show awarded in 1923? I didn't (and now I'm wondering "why?"). Take a look at all the various breakdowns in the stats: What breed has taken the most BIS ribbons from this event? Which group has had the best BIS showing over the years at Westminster? There is a chart of the oldest and the youngest canine to take top honors. You can even view the charts of which handlers were there in the ring with the BIS dog.

For those nuts about watching the WKC show on the television - can you just imagine the thrill of actually BEING there live and in person, cheering on your favorite dogs? I am overjoyed that one of the nicest people I have ever met is getting her dream come true this year - check out Kelly's blog post about her upcoming experience.

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And for all you Groundhog Day folks out there who still haven't heard: Punxsutawney Phil, the most famous Groundhog of all, stuck his head out, saw his shadow, and promptly ducked back into his home and slammed the door on the waiting reporters. I've never quite gotten the whole Phil thing. I mean, really, if he sees his shadow wouldn't that mean it's sunny? And warming up? With winter ending sooner rather than later? I can see him being a ninny: getting scared and running off to hide again, but what does being a scardie-cat have to do with reporting on the onset of Spring? Seriously? Come to think of it, did I really just question the seriousness of a large rodent-type animal predicting our weather?!

Back to the Shows: Orange Empire Dog Club 2012

2012-02-01T00:49:00.000-08:00

December saw me taking some time off from the show circuit while I tended to more domestic pursuits over the end-of-the-year Holidays. It sure felt good tho, to fire up the truck and head out on the road again - this time to San Bernardino, CA for The Orange Classic to see some old friends and to make some new ones. Half of the classes were being judged indoors and I concentrated on the goings-on in the outside rings. My full gallery of images will be up in about another 10 days (prepaid Priority Requests are processed in only 3 days from the show - all the details on my pricing can be found on my main web site).

I started off my weekend ringside at the Obedience Rings. Watching these dogs work as a team with their humans was inspiring! Lyric is the Golden Retriever in my photo here. Can't you just see the concentration on her face as she searches for the dumb-bell that was "scented" by her owner and placed in a stack of other dumb-bells? While I was enjoying the Obedience classes I was treated to a totally cool meeting ... one of the SoCal Pet Photographers that I've admired for awhile came out to the show to enjoy the doggies and to take a few minutes to meet with me. Kienan (and her husband Alvin) are the VERY talented photographer team at Cowan Impressions. They have some stunning bully portraits, and their magic continues over to other breeds as well. I recommend you take a look at their work!

By the end of the day Saturday, I was running out of available light for the Group and Best in Show Judging (all done indoors). But this boy - GCH Graybulls Moonshine In A Mason Jar - just stole the show during the Non-Sporting Group judging. The is one Bulldog that knows that attitude and humor are an important part of being a Champion. He took third in his group on Saturday.

Sunday was just as beautiful and I enjoyed my second day on the showgrounds. Besides hanging with some favorite breeds, I had a chance to meet the Dandie Dinmont Terriers, up close and personal. I've admired the breed for awhile, but never knew much about them (you'll have to wait until Friday for my Project 52 post for that photo). I made a point to spend some time at the "Miscellaneous Breed" ring. The lighting made for some nice portraits - this example is the Russell Terrier Sierra Vista's Doc Diggins.

My weekend was finished up watching Lynda O'Connor-Schneider take Best of Breed with English Springer Spaniel CH Ramblewood Don't Stop Believin' (call name Barney). Springers are close to my heart (although Cockers HAVE my heart!) and it was a fitting way to close up my trip to San Bern. I'm back home now, editing away on ALL of the photos from the show. Thanks for visiting for this look into what's to come when the editing is done!

PS: The big winner for the weekend? Both days saw Ally (GCH Brighton Lakeridge Encore) the Standard Poodle taking home the big rosettes. Congratulations to Ally, and to everyone for another wonderful dog show weekend!

Project 52-4: Jumps and Cuddles

2012-01-27T01:00:00.000-08:00

THE JUMP
She flies thru the air with the greatest of ease ... no trapeze needed for Kodak's Canyonview Little Miss Independent! Indie was eager to show off her hang-time over the makeshift agility jump bar during a break in the rains last weekend. This is one of those "couldn't have posed it any better!" action shots that I love to capture. Good Girl, Indie!

THE CUDDLE(s)
While Indie was able to catch some sun, Bennett's plans to cuddle up with a friend's grandson got washed out. He made up for that lost photo op by testing out some of the Valentine's Teddy Bears on set. It was hard to choose just one photo of my boy, so here are two to raise the "aww!" factor at computer screens around the world - featuring the lover boy himself, Kodak's Canyonview The Best Is Yet To Come.

Thanks for visiting my part of the Project 52 Blog Roll for Week #4. Now, remember to take a moment and click thru to the blog of Stephanie Madeline (of Chase and Snap Pet Photography - located in New Jersey). Enjoy the photos and give YOUR pets a hug from me!

My favorite card (for today) ...

2012-01-26T10:44:00.000-08:00

Ooohh!!! I have SO many favorites! It changes depending on my mood and the occasion! OK, if I have to pick just one (grumble grumble grumble) I choose (insert drum roll here) ... this one --->
(of course, the actual card doesn't have the © info plastered across the front). Why am I posting a favorite card? Why did I choose THIS card? And who is Great Scott Designs (the card creator)? Read on and the mysteries will be solved (where that missing sock went to after you put it in the dryer? I don't have any answers for THAT mystery, sorry!) ...

Why am I posting a favorite card?
The peeps behind the scenes at Greeting Card Universe, the place where I host my greeting card designs, are holding a contest for the designers. We've been challenged to pick ONE favorite card that isn't one of our own. There will be a followup post on this card and this contest next week (and it will get even more fun at that time).

Why did I choose THIS card?
Like I said, my moods and the occasion all have something to do with what card is a favorite at any given time. But for THIS occasion at THIS time I chose THIS card. I like to think of myself as an upbeat, optimistic person in general. Life's Challenges hit all of us at one time or another and for me, a little humor is sometimes all I need to get perspective on the situation, so that's usually what I reach for when offering support to a friend in need. Great Scott Designs has no shortage of humorous cards and this one is a reflection of that fact. Of course an animal theme will catch my eye every time!

And who is Great Scott Designs (the card creator)?
I first "met" Colleen quite a few years ago when I was active on just one POD site. And when I stumbled upon her at GCU, it was a neat feeling almost like finding an old friend again. Here is an except from her "about me" (you can read more on the home page of her own greeting card store - Great Scott Designs at GCU):

" ... I'm really no "artist" but my goal is generally to make you (and me) smile in a real life sort of way ... The background story...single Mom set out to make one single band t-shirt for her son and kept going from there. Quite simply, I had to make a living in this everchanging world and it's been a blast!"

Click on thru to see Colleen's card for yourself. Did you know that GCU makes it super-duper-easy for you to change the inside text of any card during your order process? Go ahead, give it a try! You can even add your own text to blank cards if you'd like. Love it. And ... check back next week to see what the next phase of this little contest has in store for us all ...

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You didn't REALLY think I'd let you go without showing you a few more of my favorites, did you?!

Project 52-3: From The Hip

2012-01-20T01:00:00.000-08:00

I am a member of a network of professional pet photographers from around the world. We have a challenge project: a blog roll (Project 52) where once a week we take a photo to fit the week's theme, and then link to the next participating photographer. This week's theme is FROM THE HIP. I hope you enjoy this blog post with photos and feel like leaving a comment at the end. I love visitors! After you are finished reading, please do take a moment to click the link at the bottom and see what the photographer after me came up with for the theme. In fact, sit back and take five minutes, and keep clicking thru until you come around full circle back to here - I think you'll enjoy yourself!

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"From the Hip" ... one of the photographers in this Project 52 group termed it "shooting blind". No matter what it's called by anyone else, I call it a definite challenge and something that is currently well outside of my comfort zone in photography! But then again - that is one of the reasons I'm doing this project ... to stretch my wings and try new things. And hopefully to grow as a photographer as a result and offer an even better product to my clients. So off I went - camera in one hand and Indie the Cocker Spaniel in the other (okay, so it was her leash that was in the other, but you get the idea).

The outing started predictably enough - with a LOT of images that looked like the one to the right --->> Could I get any worse at this?! Well, the answer was "of COURSE" but needless to say, I won't be showing any of those images in this post. The answer expanded with "and I can get better too!" As with anything in life, practice is the key. I had always admired the photographers who were able to get those off-the-cuff shots (Suzy Mast Lee - you are one of my idols with your journalistic pet photos! Come to think of it, you are the one who introduced me to this group, too!). Lower to the ground gives a different perspective regarding the pets in our lives, but it takes some getting used to. As I got more comfortable shooting blind at the park ("Honest Ma'am, I'm NOT stalking your kid - please don't call the cops!) my resulting photos started turning out better.

Now this image may not seem like the ideal shot, at first look. But in reality, it actually is the perfect image to illustrate something that I've noticed, and just last week was telling a friend about. If you've ever walked a dog on a leash (and really, let's face it, who among my target audience here hasn't done just that?!) you have probably experienced this too. It especially happens when all you really want to do is to take the dog out on leash for a quick (and I stress QUICK) potty. Maybe it's raining, or your dinner is hot out of the oven and waiting (and cooling), maybe YOU have to potty as well. Or even a trifecta! But have you noticed ... the MOST desirable spot to sniff, the MOST "I have have have to check it out, Mom!" spot .... it is *always* just 5 inches past the end of the leash's length! And, if you give in and let your precious princess have that sniff ... suddenly THE spot has just moved ... another five inches past the end of the leash. You know I never would have been able to illustrate this concept had I been trying to get the photo. And shooting blind, from the hip got it for me.

Along with the dog park and the kids' park, there is a skate park, too - it's really a great area here in Santee! The bikes off to the side were just too tempting to ignore, and I especially like how this one turned out.

Thanks for visiting the Project 52 Blog Roll for Week #3. Now, please do take a moment and click thru to the blog of Terran Bayer (of Westway Studio - also located right here in San Diego County). Enjoy the photos and give YOUR pets a hug from me!

Meet the Breed: Poodle

2012-01-19T15:44:00.000-08:00

Ahh ... the beautiful French Poodle with all the looks but none of the brains. We've all heard this stereotype at one time or another, but did you know ... NONE of it is true! To start with, the Poodle originated in Germany. And for anyone who has had the pleasure of knowing this breed, all three varieties (Standard, Toy and Miniature) are exceptionally smart dogs. Even though the Poodle is runway-worthy with its model looks, it comes from a strong working background, being first used as a water-retriever during hunts. The clips we see on the show dogs, with the "poofs" left over the ankles and hips - did you know that this wasn't some strange fashion choice but has actual merit? The hunters developed this cut to help the Poodles keep joints and vital organs warmer while working in the cold water. The rest of the body is clipped to help the dog move easier through the water during the retrievals. The oldest of the three varieties is the Standard (the largest of the Poodles). The Miniature Poodle is thought to have been used primarily for truffle hunting. And the smallest variety, the Toy Poodle, was most often seen in performances and circuses.

All of the Poodle varieties are quite active and require daily exercise. Don't forget to give him a job around the house or interactive toys - keep his mind sharp and stave off the boredom! Poodles have a hypoallergenic coat that may reduce allergy responses in humans and the breed is often used in mixed-breed crosses for this reason. The coat does require regular professional grooming, however. A great family dog in all varieties, do be careful with small children in the home with a Toy Poodle - a smaller dog may not be able to withstand the less coordinated interactions of a very young child. Supervision of dogs and children with any breed is always a good idea. Poodles are recognized in a number of solid colors, including white, black, apricot and grey. While you may occasionally see a parti-colored Poodle (two colors in solid patches) this is not a recognized color in the American Kennel Club and you will never see this pattern in the American show ring. The United Kennel Club does recognize the parti-colored Poodle, but over the pond they are shown in separate classes from the solids. Within the UKC the Poodle is recognized in only two varieties, divided by size: the Standard Poodle and the Poodle (the latter having both the Miniature and the Toy as members).

The Poodle is AKC recognized (since 1887) and is a member of the Non-Sporting group (Standard and Miniature) and the Toy Group (Toy). The Poodle is UKC recognized (since 1914, and separated into two varieties in 2000) and is a member of the Gun Dog group (Standard) and the Companion Dog group (Poodle). The Poodle Club of America, Inc. is the official Parent Breed Club for the Poodle in the USA.

Pictured top: GCH Brighton Lakeridge Encore (call name Alley), middle: Sharbelle Chanel II Pamir (call name Chanel), bottom: GCH Hosanna Danica Dancing In The Rain (call name Tenley)

Shop for Poodle gifts at Zazzle: click here!

Shop for Spoiled Rotten Poodle on Board stickers: click here!

Shop for Poodle greeting cards at GCU: click here!

Shop for Gift Cards with Poodle Images: click here!

Annie at the Nursing Home

2012-01-19T09:44:00.000-08:00

Bonus post for the day - Annie has been added to my "Dog in the News" sidebar section. You can read all about her tragic to happy story here at Life With Dogs.

Vestibular Syndrome In Your Dog

2012-01-18T19:21:00.000-08:00

It looks scarier than it might be ...

NOTE: This is just my experience with Vestibular. I am not a veterinarian and this should not replace any information or care you receive from your veterinarian!

I've had the honor of fostering many a Cocker Spaniel for San Diego Spaniel Rescue during the 8 years that I was the Director. And boy did I learn a lot during that time! Early on in my foster days, a darling blind Cocker in my care, named Lacey, had symptoms suddenly crop up. What was going on? She could only walk in unsteady circles (in one direction only), her head tilted off to one side, and her eyes were quickly moving from side to side, back and forth over and over again. Off to the vet we went, and I heard for the first time (but not my last) "Vestibular Syndrome". It is often called "geriatric vestibular" or "old dog vestibular" since it is usually found in our older canine friends, but this isn't always the case, and those names are misleading. I learned that there are usually two types of Vestibular: one caused by a brain tumor and another caused by ear issues or with no known cause. Some people will say that stress or trauma can preceed an onset of the symptoms. My vet told me that if it was originating in the brain, we would see the rapid eye movements (called nystagmus) going up and down, and if it was idiopathic (without a known cause) or inner ear related, we would see the eyes moving side to side. For Lacey's symptoms, that alone helped calm me down! I also was told that her case wasn't as severe as it might be ... in some dogs the loss of equilibrium is so severe that they actually roll over and over, attempting to regain their balance.

Symptoms come on fast ... that is part of what is so scary to me! There isn't a cure for the condition, but I could be sure I was on top of her ear cleanings in case it was inner ear related. The symptoms would leave on their own, my vet assured me, after anywhere from 2 days to 3 weeks. To help ease the vertigo for Lacey, there is a medicine called Meclizine - he could give me a prescription for it, or I could purchase it over the counter in the form of Bonine. Check with your vet for how much to give your dog. For most dogs, the symptoms won't return. Unfortunately for Lacey, this wasn't the case ... we dealt with it a few different times while she fostered with me but the Bonine always helped her thru the episodes.

If you Google "Canine Vestibular Syndrome" you will get a LOT of information - verify everything with your veterinarian tho! This blog post by Luisa Serrano is one that caught my eye, and includes videos so you can see what it looks like.

(top photo: Siberian Husky. middle photo: Pumi. bottom photo: Boxer puppy.)

1/17/2012 - DogBreedz Specials of the Week!

2012-01-17T12:02:00.000-08:00

CURRENT SPECIALS

Shop and Save!
Have you been wanting to get a DogBreedz calendar, greeting card or other fun goodies? Now is the time with these current specials!

***** DogBreedz 2012 Wall Calendars and all items at Lulu:
20% off your next order. Save up to $100 on your next order through January 20, 2012. The fine print from Lulu: Enter coupon code PRICETHAW305 at checkout and receive 20% off your order. The maximum savings for this offer is $100. Sorry, but this offer is only valid in US Dollars and cannot be applied to previous orders. You can only use this code once per account, and unfortunately you can't use this coupon in combination with other coupon codes. This great offer expires on January 20, 2012 at 11:59 PM PST, so don't miss out! While very unlikely, we do reserve the right to change or revoke this offer at anytime, and of course we cannot offer this coupon where it is against the law to do so.

***** DogBreedz Greeting Cards at Greeting Card Universe: Special Offer: Order 10 or more cards and pay only $1.99 per card (regular price $3.00/each)! Use code 2012JAN199. Ends TODAY January 17, 2012.

***** DogBreedz Sweatshirts and Tshirts from Cafepress: Save 25% off sweatshirts and tshirts from CafePress.com through January 18, 2012 - no discount code necessary. Fine Print from Cafepress: Only applies to sweatshirts and short-sleeved t-shirts, subject to availability. Excludes bulk orders. Discounted prices are set forth on the website, no coupon code required. Promotion starts on January 16, 2012, at 12:00 a.m. (PST) and ends on January 18, 2012, at 11:59 p.m. (PST). Discount can be combined with other coupon code offers. All orders must be from the CafePress Marketplace. Offer valid online only, and may change, be modified or cancelled at anytime without notice. This promotion cannot be applied to past orders.

***** DogBreedz Photo Galleries: 10% off orders of $25 or more (tax and shipping excluded). Use coupon code Blog01172012 at checkout (enter it on the same screen you enter your payment information). This offer is good for prints and gift items at DogBreedz.SmugMug.com ... order the 2012 mini-valentines ... or prints of your favorite breeds and more! Coupon expires 1/22/2012.

(Top photo: Airedale Terriers Are Love On Four Legs t-shirt
Bottom photo: Mini Valentine's featuring Hannah the Pomeranian)

Breedz Wanted to Photograph: 1/16/2012

2012-01-16T09:45:00.000-08:00

Reminder: BREEDZ WANTED for Jan/Feb 2012

Just a reminder ... if you have one of the following breeds and would like a complimentary session at my Santee studio or on location before February 10, 2012, please do contact me. Your dog might appear in a national magazine, on a greeting card or in a calendar! I'm currently looking for the following breeds:

Rhodesian Ridgeback

Coton de Tulear

Curly-Coated Retriever

Chinook

Dandie Dinmont Terrier

English Springer Spaniel

Puppies, adults and seniors - I need them all! They must conform to breed standards, but they don't have to be show dogs - purebred pets and rescues are available for this offer as well. Contact me at DogBreedz (at) yahoo (dot) com to arrange your private sitting. If you are in the San Diego area and have a great house/yard to photograph in, then I may be able to come to you for the shoot. I would also love to do "lifestyle" shots and include the owner, if you are up to it. Does your dog do a job or fun activity? That is a possible shoot, as well. Shoot participants that are chosen for the National Magazine will receive a copy of the issue they are published in. All participants will receive 20% off any prints they wish to order. I look forward to hearing from you!

Project 52-2: Newness

2012-01-13T01:00:00.000-08:00

It was l-o-n-g overdue. Bennett had been patient far too long. To his credit, he was happily patient, and would have gone on being so (he is SUCH a good boy). But let's be honest ... his Busy Buddy Bouncy Bone from the wonderful company Premier had seen better days! As you can see from the photo above, he sure is proud to model off his brand new replacement. It's a new year, and for Bennett and his BBBB, it was time to say "out with the old, in with the new"!

Now the back story - I founded San Diego Spaniel Rescue back in September 2002 and ran it until 2009 when I stepped down to concentrate on my pet photography. During my time with the Rescue, I fostered many wonderful Cocker Spaniels. Whether they were fosters learning their house manners or youngsters learning everything in life, quite a few of those Cockers were Power Chewers. My all time favorite go-to chew toy for these PCs was the Busy Buddy Bouncy Bone. It saved many a sofa cushion (and cell phones, shoes, and furniture, too) in my foster life-time.

As you can see from the photo at the left - it is well-chewed! This is about a year and a half of Power Chewing by Bennett, and it stood the test of time, as it always does. The BBBB isn't really bouncy (Bennie's favorite thing to do in our last home was to sit on the sofa and drop it onto the ceramic tile floor - thunk! Then he'd pick it up, get back on the sofa, and drop it THUNK! again. It was a little annoying, but not as annoying as heading out for more sofa cushions). It comes with a few pressed rawhide rings that you can insert on either side of the center ball, to encourage chewing (and you can inexpensively purchase replacement rings, too, if you'd like). I never bothered with the replacements - the bone-shaped insert and the ball were all that Bennett (and many others) needed to stay interested in the toy.

Out with the old: saying goodbye!

And in with the NEW!

Thanks for visiting the Project 52 Blog Roll for Week #2. Now, please do take a moment and click thru to the blog of Ali Peterson (of Skyy Blue Photography - also located right here in beautiful Southern California). Enjoy the photos and give YOUR pet a hug from me!

1/10/2012 - DogBreedz Specials of the Week!

2012-01-10T09:39:00.000-08:00

CURRENT SPECIALS

Shop and Save!

Have you been wanting to get a DogBreedz calendar, greeting card or other fun goodies? Now is the time with these current specials!

***** DogBreedz 2012 Wall Calendars at Lulu: Buy one, get the second at 1/2 off! Even tho the promo info says "book" I tested it and this code works on calendars, as well. Save up to $50 on your next order through January 15, 2012. The fine print from Lulu: Enter coupon code ONEMORETHING305 at checkout and receive 25% off your order. The maximum savings for this offer is $150. Sorry, but this offer is only valid in US Dollars and cannot be applied to previous orders. You can only use this code once per account, and unfortunately you can't use this coupon in combination with other coupon codes. This great offer expires on January 6, 2012 at 11:59 PM PST, so don't miss out! While very unlikely, we do reserve the right to change or revoke this offer at anytime, and of course we cannot offer this coupon where it is against the law to do so.Enter coupon code SECONDHALF305 at checkout and receive your second book for 50% off. You need to have 2 books in your shopping cart for this coupon to work. The maximum savings for this offer is $50. Sorry, but this offer is only valid in US Dollars and cannot be applied to previous orders. You can only use this code once per account, and unfortunately you can't use this coupon in combination with other coupon codes. This great offer expires on January 15, 2012 at 11:59 PM, so don't miss out! While very unlikely, we do reserve the right to change or revoke this offer at anytime, and of course we cannot offer this coupon where it is against the law to do so.

***** DogBreedz Greeting Cards at Greeting Card Universe: Special Offer: Order 10 or more cards and pay only $1.99 per card! Use code 2012JAN199. Ends TODAY January 10, 2012.

(Top photo: Valentine's Card featuring Smidgen the Pug;
Bottom photo: Valentine's Day Card featuring Spenser the American Cocker Spaniel)

Breedz Wanted to Photograph: 1/9/2012

2012-01-09T03:15:00.000-08:00

BREEDZ WANTED

If you have one of the following breeds and would like a complimentary session at my Santee studio before Febryary 10, 2012, please do contact me. Your dog might appear in a national magazine, on a greeting card or in a calendar! I'm currently looking for the following breeds:

Rhodesian Ridgeback

Coton de Tulear

Curly-Coated Retriever

Chinook

Dandie Dinmont Terrier

English Springer Spaniel

Valentine's Pet Photo Shoot

2012-01-06T08:04:00.000-08:00

The Holidays are past, the New Year has been rung in - it's time to think about Valentine's Day! Next weekend, January 14, is the big V-Day package shoot here at DogBreedz in Santee, CA. 30 minutes of studio time, two different Valentine themed sets with props, an 8x10 of your favorite image, 6 mini-valentines, and a custom designed ornament are a part of your package. All this for only $99.00! Book now, sessions are limited for one-day shoots.

Visit the DogBreedz Valentine Ornament Store at Zazzle.com!

1/3/2012 - Specials of the Week!

2012-01-03T14:48:00.000-08:00

CURRENT SPECIALS

DogBreedz Photography Resources

2012-01-02T01:14:00.000-08:00

If you are a Photographer, Graphic Designer, or are just curious about the special touches that go into creating a treasured photo of your pet at DogBreedz, then you will want to check out the DogBreedz Photography Resources Blog. Over the years many faceless, nameless fellow artists on the 'Net have freely contributed to my art education and also have added to my graphic resources with their own offerings. It's time for me to pay it back ... or pay it forward ... whatever direction, it's time for me to put out my own offerings for another artist to use in their own works. 366 Textures at the DogBreedz Photography Resources Blog is my pet project (pun intended!) offering up one Texture a day for the taking. Fellow Artists: enjoy!

pictured above: a Scottish Terrier client shows how a texture overlay can change a plain black background from stoic formal to eye-catching grunge

Merry Christmas 2011!

2011-12-25T07:02:00.000-08:00

No matter which holiday you celebrate (or don't celebrate), we at DogBreedz.net wish you and your family a blessed and joyous Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year!

From Peggy, Indie and Bennett of DogBreedz.net

12/14/2011 - Specials of the Week!

2011-12-14T07:29:00.000-08:00

CURRENT SPECIALS

Shop and Save!
Have you been wanting to get a DogBreedz calendar, greeting card or other fun goodies? Now is the time with these current specials!

***** DogBreedz 2012 Wall Calendars at Lulu: 25% off any order! Save up to $150 on your next order through TODAY. The fine print from Lulu: Use coupon code COUNTDOWN305 at checkout, for 25% off your order. Maximum savings with this promotion is $150. You can only use the code once per account, and you can't use this coupon in combination with other coupon codes. This great offer ends TONIGHT at 11:59 PM so try not to procrastinate! While very unlikely we do reserve the right to change or revoke this offer at anytime, and of course we cannot offer this coupon where it is against the law to do so.

***** DogBreedz Greeting Cards at Greeting Card Universe: Special Offer: Order 10 or more cards and save 35%. Use code 2011DECSAVE35. Ends December 18, 2011.

***** DogBreedz Spoiled Rotten Stickers and Gift Items from Cafepress: Save 20% off your order from CafePress.com, excluding shipping charges, gift wrap charges and applicable sales tax. Fine Print from Cafepress: Excludes specially priced or discounted items, Gift Certificates, Flip products, SIGG bottles and bulk orders. Coupon code NOEL20 must be entered at check out. Promotion starts on December 12, 2011, at 12:00 a.m. (PST) and ends on December 14, 2011 (TONIGHT!), at 11:59 p.m. (PST). All orders must be from the CafePress Marketplace (go to Cafepress.com and enter "DogBreedz" as a search term). Offer valid online at CafePress.com only, cannot be combined with any other coupons or promotions and may change, be modified or cancelled at anytime without notice. This promotion cannot be applied to past orders.

***** DogBreedz Gift Items from Zazzle Including "My Best Friend" iPhone covers and Holiday Breed Ornaments: 15% off all products AND free shipping on orders $50 or more! The fine print from Zazzle: Enter code: WISHCAMETRUE at checkout in the "Zazzle Coupons/Gift Certificates" box To qualify for this free shipping offer, one or more Zazzle products must be purchased with a net sale price equal to or greater than 50.00 dollars. The free shipping offer is for standard shipping to U.S. addresses only. Offer does not apply to shoes, custom framed prints, or screen printed apparel. Shipping charges will apply to oversized orders and orders being shipped on an expedited basis or outside the U.S.15% of the Zazzle product net sale price will be deducted when one or more qualifying products are purchased and the coupon code WISHCAMETRUE is applied at checkout. For most products, the net sale price is the price of the product (excluding shipping and taxes). For Zazzle Custom Stamps, the net sale price is the difference between the price of the Zazzle Custom Stamps (excluding shipping and taxes) and the face value of the postage. Offer is valid through December 16, 2011 at 11:59 PM PT. This promotional offer may not be combined with any other Zazzle promotional or volume discount offers. If a volume discount applies to your order, you will receive either the discount set forth in this offer or the standard volume discount, whichever is greater. Offer valid on Zazzle.com only.

***** DogBreedz Photo Galleries: 10% off orders of $25 or more (tax and shipping excluded). Use coupon code Blog12142011 at checkout (enter it on the same screen you enter your payment information). This offer is good for prints and gift items at DogBreedz.SmugMug.com ... order the 2012 breed wall-print calendars ... the breed Holiday Gift Tags or Greeting Cards - or prints of your dogs or your favorite breeds and more! Coupon expires 12/19/2011.

(Top photo: Holiday Gift Tags featuring Itty Bitty the Toy Poodle; Bottom photo: Clarence the Yorkshire Terrier)

Fidose Of Reality Holiday Photo Contest

2011-12-13T06:42:00.000-08:00

"It’s that time of year. Turkeys and Christmas trees, silver and gold, falling snow and presents galore.

And time for the first annual Fidose of Reality holiday photo contest for prizes and blog fame!!!"

Okay, I love this Fidose blog and the people behind it, so I'll ignore my pet peeve of "first annual" (grrr ...) and get right into the good stuff ... a Holiday Pet Photo contest!

I've helped a number of pet parents get super Holiday images of their dogs and cats and I want to help you enter the contest this year. If you have a favorite image from the DogBreedz.net files from ANY YEAR that you would like entered, just let me know. I'll get you the proper resolution digital (no charge) and include a copyright release allowing you to enter the contest. Deadline to submit entries is 12/21/11 at 11:59 p.m. EST so get those requests into me NOW!

Happy Howlidays!

(photos in this post: TOP - Henry the Vizsla; BOTTOM - Holly the Border Collie)

Breedz Wanted to Photograph: 12/12/11

2011-12-12T09:45:00.000-08:00

BREEDZ WANTED

If you have one of the following breeds and would like a complimentary session at my Santee studio this coming Wednesday, December 14, 2011, please do contact me. Your dog might appear in a national magazine or a calendar! I'm currently looking for:

Pug

Irish Setter

Alaskan Klee Kai

New Guinea Singing Dog

Welsh Springer Spaniel

Anatolian Shepherd

12/9/2011: DogBreedz week in review and the weekend ahead

2011-12-09T07:42:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy week, editing the projects that are in my queue for wonderful clients! The Free Wednesday Sittings have been a hit at Su-Et's Kennel in Santee - it has been a great way to introduce their clients to my pet photography services. This last week I've finished photos from Free Wednesdays thru November 16, and paid shoots through part of November 17. The Del Sur Kennel Club asked me to be their official show photographer for their Fall Puppy Match (thank you!) and those photos are up now too. This weekend I'll be finishing and posting photos from the Santee Studio shoots and from a fundraiser at Camp Bow Wow El Cajon, benefiting their foundation Bow Wow Buddies. No dog shows on the books for me this month. I'm catching up on editing and getting ready for the dog show 2012 circuit kickoff at Palm Springs. This weekend however is my annual time to put aside my camera and don the role of the photographer's assistant for Don Osborne (Scoundrel Photography) as we shoot Santa Photos at the PetSmart in Santa Ana, California to raise money for English Springer Rescue America. It's always a hit and we have the BEST Santa around! Add to that the professional studio lighting, and you can't miss!

What are YOU doing this weekend?

(photos in this post: Top photo - Bosco the Staffordshire Terrier; Bottom photo - Black Russian Terrier puppy)

Meet The Breed: Dalmatian

2011-12-08T09:37:00.000-08:00

The true origin of the Dalmatian is unknown, although it is believed to have originated in India. Paintings and figures of spotted dogs have been found in ruins as old as 5,000 years - and the Dalmatian is the only spotted breed of dog. Numerous written references to spotted dogs occur throughout history. The modern Dalmatian was developed in Great Britain. While some Dalmatians were used for hunting, the breed’s primary purpose was as a coach dog. Coach dogs were there to guard the passengers and property in the coach. Because of their affinity for horses, it was natural for the Dalmatian to follow horse-drawn fire engines. Many fire departments are still graced by a Dalmatian mascot who guards the firehouse and helps educate children about fire safety. Dalmatians have been in this country since its founding, with George Washington being the most well known early breeder.

The Dal is a highly energetic, fun-loving breed, requiring regular interaction to work both the body and the brain. Devoted family dogs, they are well-suited for active homes with children. Although short, their coat sheds almost year-round, but regular brushing will help lessen the shedding around the home. Dalmations are recognized in two varieties: black and liver and Dal puppies are born without their spots. And for a little trivia ... the Dalmatian is also known as the English Coach Dog, the Carriage Dog, the Plum Pudding Dog, and the Spotted Dick.

The Dalmatian is AKC recognized (since 1888) and is a member of the Non-Sporting group.
The Dalmatian is UKC recognized (since 1914) and is a member of the Companion Dog group.
Dalmatian Club of America, Inc. is the official Parent Breed Club for the Dalmatian in the USA.

Shop for Dalmatian gifts at Zazzle: click here!

Shop for Spoiled Rotten Dalmatian on Board stickers: click here!

Shop for Dalmatian greeting cards at GCU: click here!

Corn Wheat and By-Products - the Big Bad Three in Dog Foods

2011-10-19T16:37:00.000-07:00

Almost everything I've learned about dog food was taught to me by the Cockers - but what I learned can apply to any breed of dog. Cocker Spaniels are prone to food allergies and these usually show themselves with skin problems - from dry patches to red, itchy areas to a dog chewing on his feet throughout the day to frequent ear infections. No, not all Spaniels will lose luster in their coat if they eat inferior foods, but just as you wouldn't want your human kid to live on McBurgers every day, three times a day, you probably wouldn't want your fur-kid to eat less than healthy food either. And another plus - improving your Cocker Spaniel's diet may just help keep many of those flare-ups of ear infections at bay!

Whether you feed bagged or canned food, or a mixture of the two, be sure to read the label for ingredients. The three big "no-no's" to avoid are: corn, wheat and by-products (including both meat by-product and chicken by-product). That's it, really - just three ingredients that are too easily found in our pets' food choices. This is just a minimum standard in my home. When I ran the local Cocker Spaniel Rescue this minimum restriction was usually enough to bring an unhealthy dog back to proper health. Sometimes we had to explore and restrict further (soy, for example, is a common allergan in the breed) - but for almost all the foster dogs, limiting the "Big Bad Three" was enough.

Corn is basically a low-cost filler and usually found in the top 5 listed ingredients. Not much nutritional value as it is not an easily digestible ingredient. You might as well just tear up your dollar bills and put it in the food bowl as you will feed a bigger amount of food for proper nutrition (the filler comes out the other end and is, literally, wasted!). Corn is also a seratonin trigger, changing the brain chemistry of your dog, making him more reactive to stimulus (more likely to bark at the mailman, less likely to fully concentrate during training, etc). Wheat is a common trigger for food allergies in our Cockers and is best avoided at all costs. As for by-products, beware! Animal heads, feet, beaks, necks, bones, intestines, cattle hide and feathers are all commonly found in pet quality by-product ingredients. Many ingredients inedible to humans end up in pet and animal feed, usually marked as "by-products". Have you seen the documentary "SuperSize Me"? about the health issues the writer had after eating only fast food for 30 days? That is exactly what we are doing to our dogs by constantly feeding them food with by-products in the ingredients.

Grab your feed from the shelf right now and read those ingredients. While you are at it, read the label on the box of treats too. These ingredients shouldn't worm their way into your pet's diet by way of snacks and cookies, either. Has it been a while since you read the label? Better check again. When one company buys another, the bag may look identical - everything except the list of ingredients that is. Think that just because your kibble came from the vet's office and cost $50.00 a bag that you are safe? Read the label and learn otherwise!

Yes, the initial purchase price of decent food may be a bit more at the cash register - but pound for pound, you'll actually be saving money! A healthy food means you don't have to feed three cups to our little Cockers ... you can feed closer to the average of 1/2 cup am and 1/2 cup pm (adjusting based on your dog's metabolism and activity level). That "more expensive" bag will likely last a lot longer than the bag you've been used to feeding! And, over the life of the dog you will save even more - a healthier dog means less money being spent at the vet's office.

Hugs to your pooch!

recommended reading:
.....

foods my Cockers eat:
..... .....

Tuesday: Specials of the Week!

2011-10-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

CURRENT SPECIALS

Shop and Save!
Been wanting to get a DogBreedz calendar, greeting card or other fun goodies? Now is the time with these current specials!
***** DogBreedz 2012 Wall Calendars at Lulu: Free ground shipping! Save up to $50 on your next order through Thursday October 20, 2011. The fine print from Lulu: Use coupon code OCTGROUND305 at checkout, select Ground Shipping and receive the shipping free. Maximum savings with this promotion is $50. Calendar and tax amounts are excluded. You can only use the code once per account, and you can't use this coupon in combination with other coupon codes. This great offer ends on October 20, 2011 at 11:59 PM so try not to procrastinate! While very unlikely we do reserve the right to change or revoke this offer at anytime, and of course we cannot offer this coupon where it is against the law to do so.
***** DogBreedz Greeting Cards at Greeting Card Universe: Special Offer: ALL Cards $1.49 each - use code 2011OCT149. Ends Today!
***** DogBreedz Photo Galleries: 10% off orders of $25 or more. Use coupon code BurbankDelayed10 at checkout. This offer is good for prints and gift items at SmugMug.com ... order the 2012 breed wall-print calendars ... the breed Holiday Gift Tags or Greeting Cards - or prints of your dogs or your favorite breeds! Coupon expires 10/25/2011.

Tipping: Behind the Scenes at the Grooming Salon

2011-09-01T14:25:00.000-07:00

TIPPING: BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE GROOMING SALON

Do you tip your groomer?

The Mirriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary defines the term TIP as "a gift or a usually small sum of money tendered in payment or often in excess of prescibed or suitable payment of a service performed or anticipated". In some situations, a tip can almost be expected: at a restaurant or retrieving your car from the valet, for example. Most people tip their hair stylists without thinking twice about it but do you tip your DOG'S hair stylist, the groomer? I talked to a small sampling of groomers at a few salons
recently, and found that most clients do tip. Around the San Diego area in the salons I spoke to, the gratuity seems to fall between $5 - $10. The current economy has affected the rate of tipping, just as it has affected the frequency of the grooming visits. The concensus among the groomers interviewed is that they would rather see you bring your dog in on a regular basis and scale back on the tip. Keeping your dog's coat in a good, healthy, unmatted condition is best for your pet, and makes future salon visits easier on both dog and groomer! But if you can't tip, do take a moment to let your groomer know - a simple "Fifi looks wonderful, I do wish I was in a position to tip you this visit!" offers the compliment and the regrets to your groomer, instead of just picking up your dog and racing out the door without a word. Take a couple of business cards with you and pass them out at the dog park, on walks, whenever you get that compliment on how good your pet looks - a referral to your favorite groomer, especially in these trying economic times, is the ultimate compliment you can give. If you find that extra $8 hard to come by at your next appointment, find out your groomer's favorite drink or treat - pick up a bottle of her preferred tea or soda - at the end of a hot summer day of grooming, that will always be welcome!

Why should you tip your groomer? Some people will think that the groomer did exactly what was asked for and didn't do anything over and beyond in any way. Why tip for what you are already paying for? This is a valid point ... in theory. If you have a well-behaved dog that has regularly scheduled appointments and who is brushed between salon visits, go ahead and show your appreciation with a $1-$3 tip. Those regular clients are the ones that keep your favorite salon in business. And remember: your groomer likely isn't only bathing, brushing and clipping your dog ... expressing the anal glands is not an enjoyable experience - that alone calls for a tip in my book! If your dog is difficult in any way (he shows up with three or more fleas/ticks on him, is a three month old that has never seen the groomer, is a senior dog that won't stand up for grooming, is a spaniel that screams when someone even thinks about touching his paws, is a dog that goes to the groomer only twice a year, is a biter, is a dog that has been "fired" from one or more salons already, the examples could go on!) then please think about handing over that $10 or $20 bill in your pocket in appreciation for the extra effort.

Holiday time is pretty much a no-brainer. A small gift, a plate of cookies, a fruit basket, or a card with extra cash. Gift giving is rampant at the Holidays. Don't forget your pet's groomer at this time of year. Even if you don't have an appointment, stop by and wish a Merry Holiday to the staff.

A good groomer is personable and she cares. If trusting your pet's groomer and appreciating her skill isn’t enough of a reason to tip I don’t know what is!

SHOW PHOTOS: NEXT STOP - VALLEY CENTER

Cabrillo Kennel Club

September 3rd and 4th is right around the corner and that means it's almost time for the Cabrillo Kennel Club All Breed shows at Bates Nut Farm. This is a great venue for ringside candids - the grass is actually GREEN at Bates Nut Farm! I am taking Ringside Requests now - email me at Dogbreedz (at) yahoo.com to have me keep an eye open for your dog in the ring. Priority Ringside Requests are $35 and Regular Ringside Requests are FREE! Get your requests in before the show weekend. For a look at what each option entails, take a look at my photo shoot pricing page for details. From an earlier show at this venue, this is one of my favorite parti cockers: Parti Cocker Spaniel #10: GCH Dal Mar's Pea Pickin Heart (call name Emily). Mt Palomar Kennel Club All Breed Show. May 21, 2011 in Valley Center, California. Owned by Brenda McManigle PhD and Stephanie McAliser-Hermann. Bred by Johnny Downing and Donna Harrington. Handled by Stephanie McAlister-Hermann.

CURRENT SPECIALS

Shop and Save!

Been wanting to get a DogBreedz calendar, greeting card or other fun goodies? Now is the time with these current specials!
***** DogBreedz 2012 Wall Calendars at Lulu: Purchase 2012 Merry Cocker Spaniel Calendar or any other title with 15% off with coupon code SEPTSAVE305. Hurry ... offer ends this Friday.
***** DogBreedz Greeting Cards at Greeting Card Universe: FREE SHIPPING when you order 10+ cards - use code 2011HOLSHIP10 - Ends Sept. 1st (U.S. only).

BREEDZ WANTED
If you have one of the following breeds and would like a complimentary session at my Santee studio before September 10, please do contact me. Your dog might appear in a national magazine or a calendar! I'm currently looking for:

Siberian Husky

Basenji

Komondor

They must conform to breed standards, but they don't have to be show dogs - purebred pets and rescues are available for this offer as well. Contact me at DogBreedz (at) yahoo (dot) com to arrange your private sitting. If you are in the San Diego area and have a great house/yard to photograph in, then I may be able to come to you for the shoot. I would also love to do "lifestyle" shots and include the owner, if you are up to it. Does your dog do a job or fun activity? That is a possible shoot, as well. I look forward to hearing from you!

COMING UP
•Ongoing: Studio Portraits in Santee; •Through September 30: Smile For A Cure reduced price private shoots, benefiting National Canine Cancer Foundation; •September 3 & 4: Ringside Candids at Cabrillo Kennel Club at Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center, CA; •September 10 & 11: Ringside Candids at San Diego Poodle Club Specialty in Oceanside, CA; •September 24 & 25: Ringside Candids at Santa Ana Kennel Club in Cerritos, CA; •October 5: Fundraiser Portraits at Camp Bow Wow in El Cajon, CA; •October 8: Studio Portraits at The Blessing of the Animals in Balboa Park, San Diego, CA. Contact me if you would like me to capture your dog showing in the ring, for a private photo shoot or to participate in a mini-session in Santee. The full shooting schedule can be seen on my main website, or just take a look over in the right sidebar of this blog. I'll see you through the lens - because EVERY moment matters!

Butterflies, Dog Shows and other news

2011-08-24T09:18:00.000-07:00

LIGHTNING ROUND: BUTTERFLIES

Papillons and Butterflies (and more)

The GCU Community Blog at Greeting Card Universe is a wonderful corner where the Artists gather for fun and educational tips. Even the fun times are opportunities for us to expand our graphic art skills and marketing techniques! This last challenge was a Lightening Round with a subject of BUTTERFLIES. 9 artists took on the task of blogging about their interpretation of the topic. Read the roll call, click through and enjoy everyone's contribution!

A Bit of Fun with Colorful Butterflies
“Ever since I can remember, I've been intrigued with the beauty of butterflies…”
Sunshine’s Creative Explorations, Donna Lorello

Beautiful Butterflies
“I have noticed lots of butterflies lately...”
Dragonfire Graphics, Betsy Bush

Papillon: The Butterfly Dog
“The big dog in the small body...”
DogBreedz, Peggy Mundell

The Delicate Life of a Butterfly
“So you have a great love for butterflies?”
Sheryl Kasper Card Store, Sheryl Kasper

To a Butterfly
“I’ve watched you now a full half-hour...”
Photography TK Designs, Tracie

Greeting Card Universe & Butterfly Changes
“I started this blog as a way to promote greeting cards...”
Janet Lee Designs, Janet Palaggi

Monarch Butterflies
“The beauty and wonder of Monarch butterflies inspired me...”
It’s a Beautiful World, Catherine Sherman

Good Luck
“A most unusual thing happened this week when I was gardening...”
Painted Cottage, Judith Cheng

Butterflies
“Imagine, Dare, Do!”
Naquiaya’s Cards, Naquaiya

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!

3 days left to vote - DogBreedz has been nominated

Channel 10 sponsors the San Diego A-List and DogBreedz.net has been nominated this year! Thank you! We are joining the campaign a little late, but are moving up in the rankings quickly. Please take the time to vote for me at the following URL:

http://kgtv.cityvoter.com/dogbreedz-pet-photography/biz/623250

Hurry - voting closes on August 26! And feel free to spread the word. Locals who vote will be thanked with the option to purchase an $80 photo shoot deal (normally $150!) Thank you for your support!

SHOW PHOTOS: NEXT STOP - VALLEY CENTER

Cabrillo Kennel Club

Coming up in Valley Center on September 3rd and 4th - the Cabrillo Kennel Club All Breed shows at Bates Nut Farm. It should be great weather and a popular weekend packed with beautiful dogs doing their thing in the show rings! If you are an owner or a handler and want me to take ringside candids, please request either Priority ($35) or Regular Candids (FREE!) before the show weekend. For a look at what each option entails, take a look at my photo shoot pricing page for details. From my most recent show, this is one of my regular show clients, rendered as a digital oil painting: Toy Poodle GCH Hosanna Danica Dancing In The Rain (call name Tenley). South Bay Kennel Club 68th All Breed Show. August 13, 2011 in Torrance, California. Owned by/Bred by Patricia Stabler. Handled by Allan Chambers.

BREEDZ WANTED
If you have one of the following breeds and would like a complimentary session at my Santee studio before September 10, please do contact me. Your dog might appear in a national magazine or a calendar! I'm currently looking for:

Siberian Husky

Basenji

Komondor

oh no - SKUNK!; Vote Now; Meet the Breed: Papillon, the Butterfly Dog; Show Photos

2011-08-18T10:49:00.000-07:00

OH NO - SKUNK!

Dog + Skunk = EWWWW!

Indie is almost 6 years, Bennett is 3.5 years ... and living where we do it was bound to happen sooner or later. A mid-evening skunk visitor to our front yard caught the kids in his spray. Luckily it wasn't a direct hit - more of how a woman walks thru a spray of perfume to apply it. But this "perfume" from what we call the Bad Kitty isn't one I enjoyed! The kids got their first skunk spray - and their first de-skunking baths.

One of the tricks to de-skunking your dog is to get to it sooner, rather than later. But no matter what you do, especially with a direct hit, expect the odor to reappear when your dog gets wet again - it just won't be quite as overpowering! Now that Spot is in the bathtub - what do you reach for to undo the smelly damage?

The first thing that comes to most folks' minds is the home remedy of a tomato juice bath. Save the juice for tomorrow's breakfast ... it really doesn't do the job unless you want to spend hours juicing, rinsing and repeating and that just isn't my idea of a good time. There are one or two Skunk Baths on the market - but if it's after retail hours and you don't have anything stocked up, don't despair! You likely have the perfect ingredients for a great remedy already at your fingertips!

Take a look through your supplies and gather up three simple supplies: Hydrogen Peroxide (1 quart - the larger bottle), Baking Soda (1/4 cup) and some Dawn dish washing liquid (1.5 - 2 tablespoons). Mix your solution together and apply it to your dog. Work it into the fur and skin, and leave it on. The original directions say to leave it for 15 minutes - but be warned: the Hydrogen Peroxide can start to highlight your dog's hair! Unless you want your pitch black Scottie to have red highlights, my groomer suggests to start your rinsing at about 8 - 9 minutes. Rinse well, get it all out. And after your blow dry, you too will have a de-skunked doggie, ready for more mischief!

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!

DogBreedz has been nominated

Channel 10 sponsors the San Diego A-List and DogBreedz.net has been nominated this year! Thank you! We are joining the campaign a little late, but are moving up in the rankings quickly. Please take the time to vote for me at the following URL: http://kgtv.cityvoter.com/dogbreedz-pet-photography/biz/623250

Hurry - voting closes on August 26! And feel free to spread the word. Locals who vote will be thanked with the option to purchase an $80 photo shoot deal (normally $150!) Thank you for your support!

MEET THE BREED: PAPILLON

The Butterfly Dog

The big dog in the small body, who thinks strangers are just friends he hasn't yet met ... that's the Papillon! This little butterfly dog is easily recognized by his beautiful ears, resembling the wings of a butterfly. Hailing from France, this breed doesn't suffer any Napolean complexes - he is happy and carefree no matter the setting. In the 16th/17th centuries, they were known as Dwarf Spaniels, and their unique ears were of the drooped variety (Phalene) and were a favorite among nobility. Over time the elegant erect ears became prominent and today both Papillons (erect eared) and Phalenes (drop-eared) can be born within the same litter. Happy, alert and friendly, the Papillon makes a great addition to the family. But he's a smart dog - give him lots of interactive toys and "jobs" to keep him from getting bored if alone for long periods of time. At home as a pet, in the agility ring and in the show ring - the Papillon is ready for anything!

The Papillon is AKC recognized (since 1915) and is a member of the Toy group.

The Papillon is UKC recognized (since 1950) and is a member of the Companion Dog group.

Papillon Club of America, Inc. is the official Parent Breed Club for the Papillon in the USA.

Shop for Papillon gifts at Zazzle: click here!

Shop for Spoiled Rotten Papillon on Board stickers: click here!

Shop for Papillon greeting cards at GCU: click here!

SHOW PHOTOS: UPDATE

South Bay Kennel Club

It was a gorgeous weekend in Torrance, California and I welcomed the opportunity to get back out to a show again. Priority Ringside Candid Requests and Regular Ringside Candid Requests from both days are already finished (ahead of schedule - yes!) and posted to my online gallery. I am working the General Candids now. This photo is Bouvier des Flandres GCH Bon Idee's Great Expectations (call name Garrison). South Bay Kennel Club 69th All Breed Show. August 14, 2011 in Torrance, California. Owned by Pilar Kuhn and Angie Motta. Bred by Angie Motta of Bon Idee Bouviers. Handled by Pilar Kuhn. Garrison took Best In Breed on Sunday - congratulations!

Cabrillo Kennel Club

Coming up in Valley Center on September 3rd and 4th - the Cabrillo Kennel Club All Breed shows at Bates Nut Farm. It should be great weather and a popular weekend packed with beautiful dogs doing their thing in the show rings! If you are an owner or a handler and want me to take ringside candids, please request either Priority ($35) or Regular Candids (FREE!) before the show weekend. For a look at what each option entails, take a look at my photo shoot pricing page for details. From my last time out at Bates Nut Farm, this is one of my FAVORITE Afghans: GCH Countrywinds Calico Queen. Del Sur Kennel Club, March 20, 2011 - Valley Center, CA. Owned by Catherine Harker. Handled by Sara Lopez.

Siberian Husky

Basenji

Komondor

They must conform to breed standards, but they don't have to be show dogs - purebred pets and rescues are available for this offer as well. Contact me at DogBreedz (at) yahoo (dot) com to arrange your private sitting. If you are in the San Diego area and have a great house/yard to photograph in, then I may be able to come to you for the shoot. I would also love to do "lifestyle" shots and include the owner, if you are up to it. Does your dog do a job or fun activity? That is a possible shoot, as well. I look forward to hearing from you!

COMING UP:
•Ongoing: Studio Portraits in Santee; •Through September 30: Smile For A Cure reduced price private shoots, benefiting National Canine Cancer Foundation; •September 3 & 4: Ringside Candids at Cabrillo Kennel Club at Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center, CA; •September 10 & 11: Ringside Candids at San Diego Poodle Club Specialty in Oceanside, CA; •September 24 & 25: Ringside Candids at Santa Ana Kennel Club in Cerritos, CA. Contact me if you would like me to capture your dog showing in the ring, for a private photo shoot or to participate in a mini-session in Santee. The full shooting schedule can be seen on my main website. See you at the shows!

San Diego A-List, National Canine Cancer Foundation, Dog Shows, Bow Wow Buddies - and more!

2011-08-11T10:49:00.000-07:00

How do I fit in the time to blog?! I know it needs to be done and I know I LOVE to share with you what's been going on ... but the time? Where do I find it? I am still working double shifts at my non-photo job to raise the money to pay off the debts from last summer's Tour. The death of my sponsor dealt a blow, but I hate complaining - after all *I* am still alive! All of my hard work to improve my photo skills and get the word out by way of local reputation (to bring in the finances and to spread the joy of the pet photographs) is starting to pay off. People are starting to reach out to me, letting me know when they will be at shows. Dog Fancy
is using my images more regularly. The feedback from the studio shoots is wonderful to hear. It is gratifying to know that the work I love can bring such joy to others!

So ... what HAVE I been up to? Read on!

SAN DIEGO A-LIST
Channel 10 sponsors the San Diego A-List and DogBreedz.net has been nominated this year! Thank you! We are joining the campaign a little late, but are moving up in the rankings quickly. Please take the time to vote for me at the following URL:

http://kgtv.cityvoter.com/dogbreedz-pet-photography/biz/623250

Hurry - voting closes on August 26! And feel free to spread the word. Locals who vote will be thanked with the option to purchase an $80 photo shoot deal (normally $150!) Thank you for your support!

I SEE SPOTS!
I've been on a Dalmation shooting spree! The owners and breeders of this fine breed have been teaching me about the history and the characteristics of the Dalmatian. From puppies to seniors, I'm meeting quite the cast of characters - and loving every minute! Pictured below is young Dillon, just 30 days old. Already he is campaigning his daddy to keep HIM from the litter - he knows how to strike a pose! Owned by Scott A Crispell, Neil Malmquist and Nancy Dandrea.

RECENT AND UPCOMING SHOWS/SHOOTS

Scottish Terrier Club of California and National Rotating Specialties

I knew these would take a while - there were so many beautiful and handsome Scotties, strutting their stuff! I admit to still having to work the Best In Terrier Group for Great Western, however. The Scottish Terriers (and a couple Wire Fox Terriers and Border Terriers) are online at my proofing galleries. From Friday's Scottish Terrier Club of California 2011 Specialty, here is GCH McVan's Be Bop Baby (call name Betsy). Owned by Victor Malzoni, Jerson Valle and Vandra Huber. Bred by Vandra Huber and Michael Krolewski. Handled by Rebecca Cross. You can visit McVan's Scottie's at their web site.

South Bay Kennel Club

I'll be ringside at South Bay Kennel Club capturing candids of many breeds, seeing old friends and making new ones! If your dog will be showing on the West Coast and you would like some moving candids, just let me know. Details of Ringside Shoots are at my
Pricing page. Pictured next is Wire Fox Terrier Warwick Kiss Me Kate at the Western Fox Terrier Breeders Association Specialty Show at Great Western Terrier Association. June 25, 2011 in Long Beach, California. Owned by/Bred by Michael and Carol Nemeth. Handled by Jennifer Wornall.

Camp Bow Wow, El Cajon

I love my partnership with Camp Bow Wow. Every facility I've visited has been clean, orderly, and staffed with the nicest people who really love the dogs! Last month I had another fundraiser booked with the El Cajon location - we raised funds for Bow Wow Buddies. You may remember previous images of Scruffy, the lovable Terrier Mix. He is so photogenic and LOVES visiting the set! This is his third time in front of my camera, and he is definitely a natural! Owned and loved by Linda Toussaint.

Fundraiser Shoots for the National Canine Cancer Foundation

Smile For a Cure is a National campaign, featuring talented photographers from across the US and Canada. Thru September 30, 2011 you can book a private session with me at a reduced price - and ALL proceeds are donated to the National Canine Cancer Foundation! After we book your session time, you make your donation directly to the NCCF and then we have a blast shooting together. You can read details of the shoot at my Pricing Page.

BREEDZ WANTED
If you have one of the following breeds and would like a complimentary session at my Santee studio before September 10, please do contact me. Your dog might appear in a national magazine or a calendar! I'm currently looking for:

Siberian Huskies

Basenjis

Komondors

They must conform to breed standards, but they don't have to be show dogs - purebred pets and rescues are available for this offer as well. Contact me at DogBreedz (at) yahoo.com to arrange your private sitting. If you are in the San Diego area and have a great house/yard to photograph in, or want to visit a nearby beach or park, then I may be able to come to you for the shoot. I would also love to do "lifestyle" shots and include the owner, if you are up to it. Does your dog do a job or fun activity? That is a possible shoot, as well. I look forward to hearing from you!

COMING UP
•Ongoing: Studio Portraits in Santee; •Through September 30: Smile For A Cure reduced price private shoots, benefiting National Canine Cancer Foundation; •August 13 & 14: Ringside Candids at South Bay Kennel Club in Torrance, CA; •September 3 & 4: Ringside Candids at Cabrillo Kennel Club at Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center, CA; •September 10 & 11: Ringside Candids at San Diego Poodle Club Specialty in Oceanside, CA; •September 24 & 25: Ringside Candids at Santa Ana Kennel Club in Cerritos, CA. Contact me if you would like me to capture your dog showing in the ring, for a private photo shoot or to participate in a mini-session in Santee. The full shooting schedule can be seen on my main website - or just take a look on the right-hand side of this blog page.

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!
Channel 10 sponsors the San Diego A-List and DogBreedz.net has been nominated this year! Thank you! We are joining the campaign a little late, but are moving up in the rankings quickly. Please take the time to vote for me at the following URL:

http://kgtv.cityvoter.com/dogbreedz-pet-photography/biz/623250

Hurry - voting closes on August 26! And feel free to spread the word. Locals who vote will be thanked with the option to purchase an $80 photo shoot deal (normally $150!) Thank you for your support!

Bonus Post - cats everywhere!

2011-07-05T07:02:00.000-07:00

My Kitty post last week was a part of a fun "Lightning Round" of participating blogs, with the subject being (appropriately) CATS. If you are a cat lover and just can't get enough, then you just might enjoy this master list of Cat and Kitten Blog posts from the other graphic artists who took part in the fun. I should be back later this week for my regular blog post too, so my dog-loving visitors can have THEIR fix as well!

LIGHTNING ROUND: KITTIES

Furry Friends
"Animals are such agreeable friends..."
Painted Cottage, Judith Cheng

Cats Are Angels Among Us
“Let’s face it, cat lovers are passionate about their cats…”
Rycky Creations, Robin Chaffin

Jack and Lillie: The Story of Two Rescues
“Jack and Lillie are cats...”
DB Visual Arts, Denise Beverly

Friends with Fur
“I wish I could say I have kitties and cats running all over the place...”
Janet Lee Designs, Janet Palaggi

An Ode to Kitties
“I love cats...”
Diana’s Cards, Diana Delosh

For All Us Cat Lovers
“A life without cats?!? A love story...”
Aura2000, Aura 2000

Everyday Art: Inspirational Kitties and Cats
“The key to finding inspiration in everyday places and things is observing…”
Sun at Night Studios, Sun at Night

Feline Friends
“Cats can be great companions...”
Sunshine’s Creative Explorations, Donna Lorello

Feline Fever
“I fell in love with cats almost twenty years ago...”
It’s a Beautiful World, Catherine Sherman

The Kitty and the Mashed Potatoes
“Sulu was a rescued feral kitten...”
Kilter Cards, A Ley

Luna, a New Family Member
“My daughter and her boyfriend just got a sweet little kitten a couple days ago...”
I Love Cuttables, Cindy Johns

Cats in Love
“Could it be that cats in love express more with their body language than we can imagine?”
Naquiaya’s Cards, Naquaiya

Meow, Meow, Meow
“Being the owner (did I say that?) of five cats…”
Cherie’s Arts ‘N Crafts, Cherie

When the Cat’s Away
“Cats, can anyone truly resist them?”
Salon of Art, Doreen Erhardt

Our Beautiful Gypsy Kitty
“One day probably 20 years ago a gorgeous seven toed calico cat just showed up literally on our doorstep…”
Dragonfire Graphics, Betsy Bush

Here, Kitty! Kitty! Kitty
“DogBreedz isn’t only about Man’s Best Friend…”
DogBreedz, Peggy Mundell

My Rescue Cat Speckles: A Love Story
“On one blazing hot summer night in 2006 in Plano, Texas, a cat wandered outside next to the large patio of my apartment…”
This & That, Rick McBride

CorrieWeb is the Cat’s Meow
“I love kitties!”
CorrieWeb, Corrie Kuipers

I Was Always a Dog Person
“Kitties were an acquired taste for me...”
Cottage Creek Greetings, John H. Johnson

My Cat Loves Birthday Candles
“I live with a cat who is fascinated by fire…”
Blessing Art Cards, Sharon Fernleaf

New ‘Kit’ On the Block
“Introducing Abby, our newest critter kid!”
Cards from the Heart, Lisa Charlton

Here, Kitty! Kitty! Kitty!

2011-06-29T11:35:00.000-07:00

Here, Kitty! Kitty! Kitty!

DogBreedz isn't only about Man's Best Friend. Move over, Rover .. it's time to pay homage to the felines in our lives!

A friend of mine has a 14 year old "kitten" girl named Mollie. Lately Mollie hasn't been feeling very well and she was diagnosed with kidney issues. She is on a 2x a week schedule for subcutaneous fluids and her mom had been taking her into the vet for these sessions. What a difference they make in Mollie! She is herself once again, full of energy and mischief! But those car rides - they are torture to both Mollie and her mom. Caroline (the mom) decided it was time to learn how to do the Sub-Q fluids at home and she turned to me for her education. After 8 years of running a local dog rescue, and 9 months of my boyfriend's Springer being on twice daily fluids, I felt confident helping out. But I had the added issue of Mollie really not tolerating people in her home. She turns from an adorable fluff ball into a kitty-Cujo - those teeth can rival any angry dog!

My sister does a lot of cat rescue on the East coast and had a wonderful hint for me - and since it works so well, I wanted to pass it on to you. Do you know how a mother cat lifts and carries its young, by the scruff of the neck? Not only is this a good way for Mom to get the job done, without the benefit of opposable thumbs, but to the kitten, the pressure from mom's mouth is a signal (instinctual? physiological? psychological? is this an accupressure point?) that relaxes the kitten.

Sister Kat told me to get a wooden clothespin (the kind with a spring in the center that you pinch to open) and to use it in the same place the momma cat would grab to lift a kitten. With Mollie's head covered so she couldn't see me and swaddled in a blanket to keep those claws at bay she was still tense and vocal about the indignities of being man-handled in such a way. The moment I applied the clothespin - she immediately relaxed her muscles and didn't have anything else worth complaining about! It worked! And with Mollie relaxed in her mom's lap, I was able to finish her fluids in less than five minutes. I hope this magic tip works for you when needed, too.

Kitty Condolences

If you remember my last blog post, a fellow graphic artist Cindy lost her beautiful cat Missy after sharing many years together. Her story and photo of Missy were touching, I felt moved to do some artwork to the photo. Cindy enjoyed the final result so much, she turned it into a pet loss sympathy card in her online store. I enjoy collaborating with other artists from time to time. Here is Cindy's card:

Dog Shows: German Shepherd Dog Specialty & Scottish Terrier Specialty from GWTA

San Bernardino/Riverside German Shepherd Dog Specialty

The San Bernardino/Riverside German Shepherd Dog Club held their annual back-to-back Specialty show in Claremont, California earlier this month. Added to the eventful weekend was the German Shepherd Dog Club of America's Regional Specialty. Mix it all up, and you get a lot of regal German Shepherd Dogs on site! The official winners' photos were up a few days after the show. All candids are online in proofing galleries on my photo site (there are three albums, one for each show during the weekend). This is one of two youngsters who came and entertained us during the break on Sunday - cuteness overload!

Scottish Terrier Club of California and National Rotating Specialties

Scottish Terrier/Great Western Terrier Association photos are being worked. This will take a while! When they are ready, each class will be uploaded as they are finished into my online galleries.

Here's a look at what's in store: This is Paloma's Caramel Brulee. Cara seems to be telling judge Mr. Gary L. Doerge why he should be choosing her for his final four (she took third in the Open Bitches class this day).

BREEDZ WANTED
If you have one of the following breeds and would like a complimentary session at my Santee studio before July 10, please do contact me. Your dog might appear in a national magazine or a calendar! I'm currently looking for:

Havanese

Pyrenean Mastiffs

Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs

Boykin Spaniels

They must conform to breed standards, but they don't have to be show dogs - purebred pets and rescues are available for this offer as well! Contact me at DogBreedz (at) yahoo.com to arrange your private sitting. If you are in the San Diego area and have a great house/yard to photograph in, then I may be able to come to you for the shoot. I look forward to hearing from you!

Coming up:

Ongoing: Studio Portraits in Santee; July 1 - Cocker Spaniel Club of Orange County Specialty in Long Beach; July 2 - Kennel Club of Beverly Hills in Long Beach; July 13 - Fundraiser Portraits at Camp Bow Wow in El Cajon; August 13 & 14 - South Bay Kennel Club in Torrance. Contact me if you would like me to capture your dog showing in the ring, for a private photo shoot or to participate in a mini-session in Santee. The full shooting schedule can be seen on my main website - or just take a look on the right-hand side of this blog page.

See you at the shows!

Pet Loss, Dog Shows, Blog Carnival, Show Advertisements

2011-05-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

Pet Loss - a journey of grief

This has been a hard week for some of my pet-loving friends (both in real life and e-friends). Cindy at I Love Cuttables! lost her cat Missy after 17 years together, my friend Tina in Memphis helped her darling Cocker Shiloh (age 16) to The Bridge and a dear massage client of mine is mourning the passing of her 12 year old Standard Poodle, Kelev. My heart goes out to each and every one of them!

We know the odds are there that we will outlive the pets we bring into our lives, and the grief is overwhelming. But we do it anyway. The joys, the love, the comfort, the companionship - they all add up to knowledge that the pain their end-of-life brings us is definitely outweighed by the good times and treasured memories. However this doesn't make the passage easy on us!

How do you work through your grief? This answer is different for everyone and is a very personal process. What works for one may not bring any comfort to another. For some, bringing a new fur-kid into their lives is just what the doctor ordered. This doesn't replace the former pet, but it does help fill that hole left behind. Others prefer to heal in their own time before beginning the search for the new four-legged best friend. I fell between those two examples when I lost my first heart-dog, Kodak, in 2002. She was 14 and we had been together since I rescued her at 8 weeks old. Joined at the hip, bonded at the heart - she meant so very much to me! My emotions at losing her were too raw and jagged - I knew I couldn't committ to another companion until I moved through the stages of grief. But OH! How the house was empty! Fate stepped in and introduced me to the world of dog rescue one week after Kodak left this world and provided me with MY perfect answer - I began fostering dogs (and life as I knew it would change forever - for the better). I had the pitter-patter of little feet to fill my days, the satisfaction of helping a dog in need, the fulfillment of matching orphans to new families - and when I was ready (2 years later) I was in a position to look into a set of Cocker Spaniel eyes and know that I had found my new furry friend.

I was fortunate to have been ready to accept my path when it was presented to me. Not everyone has that experience however. The grief can be truely overwhelming, engulfing, especially if you don't have anyone close in your life who understands what your loss really means to you. A support group might be the answer. Many local shelters or humane societies have pet loss support groups to help you at this time of your life. If you are in a smaller or more remote community, an online group might be the answer. Just google "Pet Loss Support" and you will find many options available to you - one should be just the right fit for what you are looking for. One article that I find to speak to me is about The Emotions of Pet Loss and can be found by clicking here. To quote from that site: "Perhaps the most vital step in coping with the emotions you will feel upon the loss of your pet is acknowledging them. 'Let yourself feel--write down your feelings, cry, be angry, call someone. Know that it is all right to be so upset over losing your pet and that it takes time to heal,' wrote Susan K. of New York". Feel free to leave a comment at the end of this blog post - tell your story, share your memories. If you have lost a pet - at any time in your life - my heart goes out to you and your family!

Dog Shows: Lake Mathews, Rio Hondo, Mt. Palomar

Lake Mathews photos are finished! It was a blustery, windy day and the dog hair was blowing all around. This made for some striking portrait shots - but also cut down on the amount of elegant stacked poses that I could capture. You can find all the photos in my online galleries. This is CH Kingsleah Shamal (call name Ben). He is a handsome Afghan Hound owned by Kathy Rich and bred by Gunilla Holgren of Kennel Kingsleah.

Rio Hondo photos are being worked now. Each breed will be uploaded as they are finished into my online galleries. To tide you over until I am finished, I'd like to introduce you to CH Twisted Creeks Xlnt Adventure (call name Rufus): shaking it off and getting ready to be serious in the ring. Owned by/Bred by Michael and Christine Smith. Rufus is the #8 Redbone Coonhound in the country (Canine Chronicle breed standings thru April 30, 2011).

Mount Palomar Kennel Club 2011 photos will be next in the queue. It was a beautiful day at Bates Nut Farm and I ran into a lot of show friends - canine and human. I also had the chance to meet two other freelance photographers who came out to capture images. What a wonderful way to spend the day! This striking boy is CH Kamikazi's Tokyo Rock Star, intent upon his handler (Tammy Miyagawa) as he took best in Toy Group during the Saturday show. Owned by/Bred by Jo-Ann & Roy Kusumoto and Moe & Tammy Miyagawa.

Blog Carnival Winner!

The community of artists at my greeting card community are wonderful at inspiring and teaching their fellow artists. Earlier this month the GCU blog owner Corrie hosted a Blog Carnival, with the theme "Summertime and the Living is Easy!". She challeged us to create a summer-themed post that was relevant to our blog subject. This was the inspirtation for my last blog post. The Carnival Winner was chosen at random - and I won! It was a fun challenge and there was a wonderful group participating - you might enjoy visiting their blogs as well:

Mariana Musa - Summertime at Greeting Card Universe

The days are full of sunshine and the temperatures are slowly rising...

Catherine Sherman - Summertime Flowers and Fruit

The fragrance of roses all summer long, the juice of ripe fruit on our lips...

Sun at Night - Summer Celestial Events and Art

The summer month of June is just around the corner...

Maryann Nolan - Discontent for Summers Past

Ah summertime, full of sunny days, steamy temperatures, blue skies ... I long for thee!

Cindy Johns - More Father's Day Cards

While I'm on the topic of Father's Day (see the 'funner' stuff below)...

Naquaiya - Summertime, and the Living Is Easy

Summer is a time for a little fun, a little soaking up some nice warm rays...

Shelley McLeod - Is Summer Almost Here?
Well, after two 80 degree days, we are back to 50s and raining...

Judith Cheng - Summertime

Nothing beats sketching by the water after our long winter...

Betsy Bush - It's Summertime and the Living is Easy!

It’s hard to believe it is approaching summer what with all the rain ...

Doreen Erhardt - Ah, Sweet Blessed Summertime

I was born in 1961 in a suburban area and the memories of those summers ...

Denise Beverly - Summertime, Summertime, Sum, Sum, Sum, Summertime

That song always makes me sing it whether I want to or not...

Cherie - Summertime, and the Living Is Easy

One of the things that I love most about summer is being able to lay outside...

Janet Palaggi - Summertime Food 'n Fun

That`s right folks, Summer Is Finally Here...

Sheryl Kasper - Summertime Grilling

Have you been thinking about the warm days of summer during the cold days of winter...

Sue Baumgardner - Summertime and the Kids' Education Goes Out the Door?

Learn how to teach your own children and as many others as you decide to include...

Aura2000 - I Love Summer!

Maybe it's because I'm born in Summer, but I just love this time of the year...

Dog Show Advertisements

The day has come! I've been spending six months immersed in the dog show trade magazines, going over the ads with a close eye. What do I like? What makes me linger over an ad? Does it speak to the intended audience (is it for the judge? is it offering a dog for stud? is it announcing a Kennel's acheivements?)? I have finally reached a place where I am comfortable offering my services in this niche and here is a look at my first advertisement (created for Sue Annette Maniscalco of Su-Et's Scottish Terriers). Gracie is growing up and ready to hit the show circuit - she'll be making a splash at the Scottish Terrier National Specialty in June.

Coming up:

May 26 - Ringside Candids at West Coast Cocker Spaniel Specialty Show in Pomona, CA; May 27 & 28 - Ringside Candids at the Mission Circuit in Pomona, CA; May 29 - Private Shoot in San Diego, CA; Contact me if you would like me to capture your dog showing in the ring, for a private photo shoot or to participate in a mini-session in Santee. The full shooting schedule can be seen on my main website. See you at the shows!

Summertime, Meet the Breed - Dachshund, Show Updates and more!

2011-05-18T23:44:00.000-07:00

Summertime, and the living is easy!

Summer is around the corner (I write as an unusual Spring storm is pouring rain over San Diego County) and it's time to prepare! In this part of the country, there are two predictable times of the year when our hard-working county and city animal control folks are rounding up more than the usual amount of strays from the streets. The January wind storms are notorious for knocking down fences and letting animals run amouk. The other time is July 4th. All that booming and flashing lights that make us go "oooh!" and "ahhh!" oftentimes have an entirely different effect on our beloved family pets. Even an animal that takes thunder and lightening in stride can surprise his humans by being freaked during our celebratory traditions. Think about it - Nature's firework show (thunder/lightening) is preceded by barometric changes that your dog can feel - announcing the upcoming weather blow-out. But nothing warns our pets of our firework show!

There are a number of steps you can take to help your dog be more comfortable during this year's celebration of our Country's birthday. Is your pup a nervous-nellie for
most noises, regardless of the occasion? You might want to think long-term and enroll in a positive-reinforcement clicker training class in your area - this is a wonderful training method and actually increases your pet's confidence level. A more confident pet is less nervous in new situatiuons. Looking for a shorter-term solution, with July peeking around the fold of the wall calendar? Take a look at the ThunderShirt - its gentle, constant pressure is a terrific solution for many types of dog anxiety, fearfulness, barking and more. You can also create a safe place for your dog, if you haven't already. A room, a crate - some place your Buddy can go and KNOW that nothing bad will happen there. Start using the safe room a week before the Fourth of July. You can block off your kitchen, or turn the bathroom into a safe haven. If you already know your dog will be a bit crazed and you choose to use a crate - do not use a wire crate for this solution. A dog that is frightened can find ways to get a paw - or worse - caught in the wire openings; go with the plastic crate option instead. And be sure to check in on your pet during the night of revelry. Take a high-value treat and talk in soothing, low tones to keep her anxiety level low.

Are you leaving town for the long weekend? This may not be the time to take your family pet along with you. One loud boom and you could end up with an escaped dog - and being lost in an unfamiliar neighborhood is even worse than being lost in your own home stomping grounds with no recognizable landmarks to help Fido get home. During other times of the year you may use a dog sitter, but unless they can stay with your dog the night of the fireworks, you might want to visit some local kennels now and find one you are comfortable with. At the one I use, the kennel manager lives on-site. That gives me extra peace of mind when I'm away! With the economy being what it is, you may be staying closer to home for your r&r that weekend. Whether you are hosting a BBQ at your place or heading out to a friend's house to celebrate, you still might want to consider a boarding kennel. I had one foster dog that would attempt to escape loud noises by launching himself at the living room window! One hint: when kenneling during any holiday, it's best to make your boarding reservations in advance. Even with less people traveling out of town these days, the good kennels are still filling up their schedule books ahead of time.

I am a huge advocate of microchipping. Check with your local shelter for low-cost clinics and remember to register your new chip with the home company. Keep your Fourth of July celebration fun and exciting - and don't let it become the date that your dog escapes!

Springer Specialty - photos are finished!

Ringside candids from the Gateway Cities English Springer Spaniel Association Specialty held in Walnut, CA on April 30 are finished and posted. Also finished are the Rescue Parade and the portrait booth photos. I LOVE the Spaniel breeds!

Meet the Breed: Dachshund

Germany is recognized as the country of origin of the Dachshund. The Dachshund can be found in historical accounts dating back to the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, when illustrations reflected badgers being hunted with dogs with elongated bodies, short legs and hound-type ears. The dogs of medieval Europe were noted to have the tracking ability of hounds and the proportions and temperament of terriers, much needed to pursue their main quarry of badgers. Early in the 17th century, the name Dachshund (badger-dog) became the designation of a breed type with smooth and longhaired coat varieties, and in 1890 wirehairs were added as a third variety. Today you can find all three varieties in both the miniature or standard size. True to the breed, they are friendly with a keen sense of smell. Whether participating in earth dog trials or sailing over agility obstacles, the Dachshund is sure to impress with his attention to detail.

The Dachshund is AKC recognized (since 1885) and is a member of the Hound group.

The Dachshund is UKC recognized (since 1919) and is a member of the Scenthound group.

Dachshund Club of America, Inc. is the official Parent Breed Club for the Dachshund in the USA.

Shop for Dachshund gifts at Zazzle: click here!

Shop for Spoiled Rotten Dachshund on Board stickers: click here!

Shop for Dachshund greeting cards at GCU: click here!

I am working the Lake Matthews show photos now, and will be enjoying the upcoming weekend with the dogs at Mt. Palomar. From Lake Matthews on May 1, 2011, this is Chesapeake Bay Retriever Marnetts Loves to Play Shelby. Bred by Annette B. Monugian of Marnetts Chespeakes and owned by Jon and Edith Pierson.

Once Lake Matthews' photos are finished, I'll be working on the pix from Rio Hondo Kennel Club Show held Sunday May 8th, 2011 in Pomona, California. This little cutie is 13 inch Beagle Gone Postal Blue By You (call name Ellie). Bred by Julie Wright of Just Wright Beagles and Doug & Mary Postal, owned by Doug and Mary Postal. She sure caught my eye ringside!

Coming up: May 20 - Studio Mini-Sessions at Su-Et's Kennel in Santee, CA (weather permitting); May 21 & 22 - Ringside Candids at Mt. Palomar Kennel Club in Valley Center CA; May 26 - Ringside Candids at West Coast Cocker Spaniel Specialty Show in Pomona, CA; May 27 & 28 - Ringside Candids at the Mission Circuit in Pomona, CA; May 29 - Private Shoot in San Diego, CA; Contact me if you would like me to capture your dog showing in the ring, for a private photo shoot or to participate in a mini-session in Santee. The full shooting schedule can be seen on my main website. See you at the shows!

May 13 - Tips for Photographing Your Pets, Dog Shows, Poochie Bells, All-American Dog Design and more!

2011-05-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

Tips for Photographing Your Pets

The company I use for my pet photo greeting cards is called Greeting Card Universe. Besides their top quality cards, exceptional customer service and friendly artists' community, I appreciate them for their review process of submitted cards. Most "print on demand" companies don't have one, and there is nothing more frustrating as a consumer than ordering something online and having the final product in your hand looking crummy. It's quite embarrassing, as an artist, to have this happen too (I know firsthand ... I had a calendar cover in 2009 that said "January through Decmeber")! As a result of the review process, you, the shopper, aren't likely to be disappointed in any card you order thru this company - and you can have full confidence when you use their direct-mailing option as well (sending your purchased card with your custom "hi there!" greeting inside, directly to the recipient ... no more hunting for stamps!).

But with the reviews come frustrations on the part of the artists - sometimes images and designs are sent back for re-working or even denied for publication all together. The GCU Community Blog invited me to be a guest blogger last week and I shared some tips for getting better shots of your lovely furries at home. This proves just as relevent for the pet owner as for the greeting card designer. Check it out by clicking here -> Guest Blog by DogBreedz.net. Of course, I still recommend you visit a professional photographer at least once a year for some heirloom images, too. If you are in SoCal, the Santee studio is open on a regular basis during the week - let me know when you are in the area!

Springer Specialty, Walnut, CA

Photos are almost complete from the Gateway Cities English Springer Spaniel Association Specialty on April 30. In the morning I caught some ringside candids of beautiful Springers in motion and stacked for the judge. After the Rescue Parade I stayed close to the portrait booth for some studio shots. This is Peaches - she is available for adoption through English Springer Rescue America and I am IN LOVE with this girl! High energy (of course - she's a Fieldie!) and smart as a whip. I don't think she'd be a good choice for a first time dog owner, and definitely not a dog to hang alone while her human is at work for 8 hours a day. Bored dogs get into mischief when left alone. Peaches has tons of love to give, and that's pretty much a match to her energy level and her smart-savvy. Is YOUR home and life-style ready for a Springer like this one?

Poochie Bells

Back in 2002 I concieved, founded and ran San Diego Spaniel Rescue - the abandoned and stray Cocker Spaniels in San Diego County finally had an advocate! In January of 2003 I brought the first blind dog into Rescue and my life has never been the same. Lacey was a beautiful 1940's style red/white parti girl and her human owner had passed away. Lacey's blindness was recent - and sudden - swelling in the optic nerve cause irrepairable damage to the nerve and nothing could be done to reverse the sight loss. Lacey took it all in stride - she had only been blind a week when I first met her, yet she still acted like the queen-of-the-world that she was!

Yes, to Lacey it was just another day in her life. But before I brought her home to foster with me, I was anything but calm! A blind dog! What do I do? How do I do it? What about my flight of 12 stairs down to the yard? Help! I turned to the internet and asked questions of people with blind dog experience.

The suggestions that came in were wonderful, and even better - they stimulated my brain to think outside the box and to create some solutions that were specific to my situation. For example - while I didn't have a way to put a gate at the top of the stairs right away, with Lacey's input I went another route. I led her up and down the steps quite a few times on leash, and she quickly proved to me that navigating the stairs was a no-brainer to her (Silly Foster Mom! I know THAT phrase went thru her cute little head many times!). But what I needed was a way to let her know that the steps were coming up - what if she was running and playing with another dog, and didn't know how close the steps were? I had two 12 square-inch decorative blocks, about two inches in width available. I laid them down flat about a foot in front of the steps - she had plenty of room so if she stumbled into them, she'd realize the steps were nearby, yet enough room that when she was ready to go down and play in the yard, she could step over them, then on down the stairs.

I was still nervous about her being outside and navigating the area without supervision (Lacey eventually taught me to be much less up-tight). The next step for me was to block off the doggie door and only allow her on the deck when I was available to be out there with her. With my computer and my office in the back of the house, I wasn't observant enough to pick up on Lacey's silent clues that she had to go potty - after all, SHE didn't know I wasn't right there to see her waiting patiently at the door! If I didn't make it out to check on her soon enough - well, let's just say that it's because of my time with Lacey that I decided to replace the carpeting with tile ... But what to do? How do I help a blind dog tell me it's time to go outside if she's one of the quiet, non-whiney furkids?

Poochie Bells to the Rescue! This was a tip that was given to me and I love it - sighted or blind, deaf or hearing - the Poochie Bells were my best (non-fur) friend for the 8 years I fostered dogs at my old house. I'd be using them in my new home, but it's small enough that I have a clear sight line to the door and can see when Bennett is wishing it would open - even while on the computer. Now, I did start with just a string of Christmas Sleigh Bells hanging on the door from my holiday collection. And you can home-make a string of bells (just be sure your Fido can't chew any off your strand and swallow any - another reason I prefer the commerically made bells from Poochie Bells). When I saw the different designs in the Poochie Bell line of housebreaking tools, I was hooked - a classy look and a wonderful houestraining aid! Still not convinced? Take a look at them here: PoochieBells.com. The company even has cute dog-themed hooks, if you don't want to hang yours on the doorknob. Training a dog to use the bells is relatively easy to do, too. Get your Poochie Bells and let me know your training story!

Lake Matthews Kennel Club

Next up in the editing queue - ringside candids from the Lake Matthews Kennel Club 2011 dog show in Chino Hills, CA. At this show I spent time following nine breeds (English Setters, Clumber Spaniels, Finnish Lapphunds, Sloughi, Bouvier Des Flandres, Afghan Hounds, Scottish Terriers, Lhasa Apsos and Samoyeds). It was a blustery day which gave some cool looking images for me to photograph, especially with the long-hair breeds - although I can imagine that as an exhibitor or a judge it must have proved a bit frustrating. This is GCH Set'r Ridge's in the Sensation JH (call name Chloe). Owned by Toni and Roger Barbosa of Milestone Setters and bred by Melissa Newman of Setter Ridge Kennels. I love this shot! And I hope to see much more of Chloe - her face is adorable.

Patriotic Design

I'm still getting a hang of looking ahead to upcoming holidays. While the average consumer may think this means Memorial Day, Shavuot and Father's Day, to the card designer this really means Labor Day, Grandparents Day and Rosh Hashanah. For the REALLY on-the-ball designer, it even means Halloween! Like I said, I'm still wrapping my head around it and am not reaching quite as far out as I should be, yet. With Memorial Day, Flag Day and July Fourth coming up, and Labor Day in the "design NOW!" category, I decided to come up with a patriotic design that can be customized for all the holidays and occasions that celebrate the USA (including cards to thank a serviceman/woman for their duty, welcoming a dear one home from service, and more). This is the design I came up with - in about 3 weeks it should be active and available for sale in all my available breeds. I hope my Patriotic Line suits a need for YOU! The image is already available for customization with your image and your requested text - just contact me for details (no design charges apply for this one).

Rio Hondo Kennel Club

My Rio Hondo photos will be next after I finish Lake Matthews pix. It was a good weekend for a dog show - beautiful and not too hot. I only made it out to the grounds on Sunday, but stayed to the very end. This weekend I spent time with some of my favorite breeds: Beagles, Cocker Spaniels, English Cocker Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels, Clumber Spaniels, West Highland White Terriers and Border Terriers. I also had a chance to see a couple of Toy Poodle and Black and Tan Coonhound friends strutting their stuff in their rings. During the Group Judging, I made sure to have my camera ready during the Sporting, Hound and Terrier Groups. Here's a tease to keep you hanging on until I get to those shots. This is Sylar (CH Lndi's Ott To Be Villain Or Hero) chillin' before he entered the ring to take Best of Breed. Owned/Handled by Star Ott, bred by Linda Cribbs and Star Ott.

Rottweilers, everywhere!

I wanted to meet the breed, and boy did I! I had a full day spent with Paula Cignota of Summerfield. I was surrounded by these gentle giants - and the seven week-olds were there to greet me too - how cute can it get! Paula's Rotties are show quality (many are retired champions in multiple countries) and are obedience and agility trained. Did I mention many are herding champions? Talk about your well-rounded canines - these dogs are superstars!

Love and Marriage ... and Briards

Back in the 80's that song was the theme for the sit-com "Married ... With Children". I just learned this week that the family dog, Tiger, was a natural-earred Briard. Actually, to be honest I also just learned that the breed standard allows for natural ears as well as the more familiar cropped, upright ear. While they can typically be a little stand-offish with strangers (this seems to be a trait shared among the upright herding breeds), it wasn't longer than a "hello" and a sniff that I was the new best friend of these two cuties: Nikki (CH Briaramour's de Moulin Rouge CD, RE) and Lily (Brairamour's Fleur de Lis), owned by Benita Keiss, DVM. This mother-daughter team were charming hosts and I have to admit, I am entirely enchanted with them. Nikki and Lily - I'll be keeping my eyes open for you at future shows and agility trials!

Bests Of The Week

In the May 6 issue of Dog News, I once again recognized a winning dog of the week from when he was in front of my camera. Big Congrats and Four Paws Up for Havanese GCH Bellatak McDreamy (call name Dreamer), owned by John Oakes, Carole Shea, Kathy & Tom Patrick and Jane Samson. Congrats for his Best In Show win at Lake Matthews Kennel Club. My photo of Dreamer was taken during the Best In Group judging at Rio Hondo Kennel Club's 2011 show.

Coming up: May 13 - Studio Mini-Sessions at Su-Et's Kennel in Santee, CA; May 21 & 22 - Ringside Candids at Mt. Palomar Kennel Club in Valley Center CA; May 26 - Ringside Candids at West Coast Cocker Spaniel Specialty Show in Pomona, CA; May 27 & 28 - Ringside Candids at the Mission Circuit in Pomona, CA; May 29 - Private Shoot in San Diego, CA; Contact me if you would like me to capture your dog showing in the ring or for a private photo shoot. The full shooting schedule can be seen on my main website. See you at the shows!

May 2011 - English Springer Spaniels and so much more

2011-05-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

May is off to a rollicking start - a weekend full of dogs is my idea of a perfect one! The last day of April found me in Walnut CA at the Brookside Equestrian Center: the site of the Gateway Cities English Springer Spaniel Association Specialty. English Springer Rescue America had a large fundraising booth, and I was invited back to hold a portrait shoot fundraiser. During the morning I sat ring-side for some candids of beautiful Springers. This is Westshore's Iron Man, owned by Laurie Pedreira. Photos will be up in my Dog Show album when finished early next week.

On Sunday I headed out to Chino for the Lake Matthews Kennel Club all-breed show. I spent time this day with the English Setters, Clumber Spaniels, Finnish Lapphunds, Sloughi, Bouvier Des Flandres, Afghan Hounds, Scottish Terriers, Lhasa Apsos and Samoyeds. A very special time was spent with one Samoyed in particular - I'll keep that as a teaser until I have her photos finished (now you have to check back next week)! The ringside candids from this show will also be in the Dog Show album on my photo viewing site. Here's a look at Bouvier Des Flandres GCH Bon Idee's Great Expectations (call name Garrison) after he was done in the ring. Garrison loved the wind in his face, taking in all the smells around him! His mom Pilar Kuhn took time out of her day to introduce me to the breed. I'm looking forward to spending more time with both of them in the future.

My final Easter shoot is finished processing and viewable in its public gallery at my photo site. Again, I have to give a shout out to Su-Et's Kennel for providing the location for this free photo day. Even Ivan the Kennel Kitty was ready to give me some more poses featuring his handsome mug!

Photos from The Hound Classic in Silverado have been pushed to the back of the queue for processing ... the paid shoots and breeds requesting my presence ring-side at shows are taking precedence over this one. I'll be sure to post when those are finished. Until then, enjoy Afghan Hound Kamy Rohd of Mountain Top One, owned by Kiyoshi Yamagami, seen here showing in the Group Sweepstakes.

On April 28th I was honored to receive a GCU All-Star Award. The nice folks at Greeting Card Universe are bestowing the fun stars on artists that actively promote themselves and work to contribute to the GCU Community. Thank you for including me in the inaugral offering, GCU - and a huge congrats to fellow card artists Bright, Doreen, Cindy, Elizabeth, Judy, Tora, Robin, Janet Lee, Maryann, Moonie, Roseanne, and Sun at Night who also received their Star that day! I enjoy creating greeting cards for my GCU storefront and have fun seeing what states and countries my creations get sent to.

One of the behind-the-scenes bonuses at GCU is the artist community. The helpfulness shared and e-friends made thru the Forum goes a long way to fostering that community. One of the most fun "challenges" was put out on the Forum by Tom Rent whose shop Comical Captions is chock full of hilarious cards. An artist donates an image to the community pool, and anyone who wants can use that image to create a card for sale in their own shop. I had a fun-loving Doberman visit me on set in Ohio last summer and I wanted to see what the other artists would come up with. They had a blast with this dog and their resulting cards are definitely a hoot! Take a look and see what YOU think:

My fellow artists had so much fun with the Doberman Pinscher, I just had to toss another image into the mix. This raccoon was visiting at the bird feeder one morning in Tacoma ...

While I was at the Lake Matthews show on Sunday I picked up the April 29 issue of Dog News. As I flipped to page 34 to check out the Bests of the Week, I saw some familiar names - wonderful show dogs that I have had the opportunity to photograph. Congratulations to English Setter GCH Oakley's B'Dazzled (seen here handled by Bruce Schultz at Lake Matthews Kennel Club Show and owned by Donald & Georgean Jensen and Erik & Jennifer Strickland. #1 English Setter*) and to Harrier CH Downhome Hitech Innovator (at the Del Sur Kennel Club Show, owned by Joe Sanchez #3 Harrier*) - way to go!

*as of March 31/Show Systems & Canine Chronicle

Thank you to Mary Ann Nolan, for enjoying my greeting card site enough to mention it on her artist blog. Mary Ann is another GCU All-Star and is does a great job of promoting her fellow artists. I hope you'll take time to check out her shops, as well! I just love this Welcome Home card of hers!

Two fellow artist friends have given me the best gifts of all - original artwork featuring my own Indie and Bennett! Polly Bennett of Polly's Portraits was moved by photos of both my fur-kids and sent me her wonderful watercolors. I haven't been able to take a good photo of Bennett's artwork, but here is fabulous image of her rendition of Indie.

And Ann Kallal of Maggie Ross Dogs endured my pestering for a few years to add an American Cocker to her "kennel" of artwork breeds. My 2009 valentine portrait of Indie caught her eye and my nagging came to an end. I'm pleased to say that Indie's image graces many gift items and clothing choices at Ann's shop - am I'm thrilled to have her work on canvas in my collection.

Thank you, Polly and Ann - I treasure these works of art and appreciate your gifts so VERY much. You are two talented ladies!

Coming up: May 7 & 8 - Ringside Candids at Rio Hondo Kennel Club in Pomona, CA; May 21 & 22 - Ringside Candids at Mt. Palomar Kennel Club in Valley Center CA; May 26 - Ringside Candids at West Coast Cocker Spaniel Specialty Show in Pomona, CA; May 27 & 28 - Ringside Candids at the Mission Circuit in Pomona, CA. Contact me if you would like me to capture your dog showing in the ring or for a private photo shoot. The full shooting schedule can be seen on my main website. See you at the shows!

This Week: Meet the Breed - Labrador Retriever

2011-04-27T22:56:00.000-07:00

Originating in Canada, the Labrador Retriever has been the most popular dog breed in American homes since 1992 and keeps his first place ranking once again, according to the American Kennel Club Registration Statistics. The ancestor of the Labrador Retriever was the St. John's Retriever, a smaller version of the Newfoundland. These dogs were brought to England, probably on fishing boats. Gamekeepers crossed these Canadian imports with various breeds of gun dogs, always striving to improve the breed's hunting and retrieving instincts. By the middle of the 19th century, the Labrador's characteristic water-resistant coat and otter tail were already apparent. By the late 1880s, the breed was sufficiently distinctive that "Labrador Retriever" became the generally accepted name of the breed. Originally black in color, the first recorded yellow Labrador appeared in a litter born in 1899. Chocolates were also recorded at about the same time, but never achieved the same level of popularity as the blacks and yellows. Originally bred to retrieve from water, the modern Labrador Retriever has proven to be one of the most versatile breeds, excelling in hunt tests and field trials, in obedience and agility events, and also as service dogs. The Labrador Retriever is AKC recognized (since 1917) and is a member of the SPORTING group. The Labrador Retriever is UKC recognized (since 1947) and is a member of the GUN DOG group. The Labrador Retriever Club, Inc. is the official Parent Breed Club for the Labrador Retriever.

Shop my exclusive line of greeting cards, featuring your favorite: the Labrador Retriever: click here! Shop for Labrador Retriever gifts at Zazzle: click here! Shop for Spoiled Rotten Labrador Retrievers on Board stickers: click here!

The Lakeside Rodeo photos are all posted! I've decided that barrel racing (for the sportsmanship and horse/rider atheletic abilities) and bull riding (because the bull is big enough to fend for itself!) are my favorite events to watch. You can view all of the 2011 Rodeo photos by clicking here. The final Easter shoot of the year was held last weekend, and thanks to Su-Et's Kennel in Santee, this was a FREE shoot for participants. We had a great turnout and it was hard to pack away the Easter props - they were so much fun! Photos are being worked and should be online in their own gallery soon. This cutie is Bella Woods, a regular visiter to the set. She is a Cairn Terrier. Coming up: April 30 - Fundraising photos at the Springer Specialty and Parade of Rescue in Walnut, CA; May 1 - Ringside Candids and private photo shoots at Lake Matthews Kennel Club Show in Chino, CA; May 7 & 8 - Ringside Candids at Rio Hondo Kennel Club in Pomona, CA. Contact me if you would like me to capture your dog showing in the ring or for a private photo shoot. The full shooting schedule can be seen on my main website. See you at the shows!

Happy Easter from DogBreedz.net!

2011-04-24T07:31:00.000-07:00

I hope my Blog Followers and Doggie Friends all have a wonderful Easter Day!

April 2011 at DogBreedz.net

2011-04-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

There is so much to do in San Diego County on any given weekend - and I suspect that it is due, in part, to the wonderful weather we tend to have. I grew up in Upstate NY in what is known as the Snow Belt. Cold isn't something I enjoy, so it should be no surprise that I relocated out to SoCal! I am very excited to announce that I am now a contributing photographer to Brown Trout Calendars. I'm busy gathering images to submit for their 2013 breed lines and we all have our paws crossed here that some of my clients are chosen for publication. If you haven't yet found your perfect calendar for this year, take a look at some of my privately published offerings from Lulu. My friends at Camp Bow Wow El Cajon scheduled another fundraiser day to benefit Bow Wow Buddies Foundation. This is one of my favorite locations - the animals are always so well-behaved, the camp workers are fun, and the owners are true animal lovers. I love supporting Bow Wow Buddies Foundation - I think it is wonderful that all the Camp Bow Wow locations across the US support their local rescue groups with foster spots. This is Buddy, a darling Basset Hound who sat for me at Camp Bow Wow. My next stop was in Orange County for a very fun day spent at the Papillon Club of Southern California Specialty. I spent some time with my Cocker friends watching the obedience, then turned my attention to the afternoon classes in the main Papillon ring. Such wonderful cuties parading in front of me! This is Adfams Mighty Aphrodite. She is looking at her mom with absolute devotion and intensity while stacking in the ring! The next day I headed a little further north to West Covina, CA for my turn as official photographer for the Scottish Terrier Club of California's Spring Puppy Match. Besides ring candids and winners photos, I also had my portrait booth set up and was able to meet some of these feisty darlings one on one. Congratulations to Morgan's Tam O' Shanter for the Best In Match win! I can't remember the last time I attended a rodeo - and it was time for the famous Lakeside Rodeo, practically in my own backyard. To make it even better, all workers at the event were volunteers and all the money raised was for local charities. The skill of these riders was awe-inspiring! And while the excellent riders were definitely caught on film, sometimes the great shots are of the "oops!" moments. I can't decide if I aspire to be one of the official photographers or if I would be too scared to be IN the ring with all the action! I don't have my photos finished an in a gallery yet, but here are two of my favorites in the meantime. And then back to Orange County for The Hound Classic (photos still being worked ...)! I had a chance to meet a breed that is new to me. In the AKC Miscellaneous Class, meet the Portuguese Podengo Pequeno. This cutie is Gabriela Da Casa De Maio. I spent most of my time with the Borzois (Russian Wolfhounds) as I arrived too late to hang with a couple of my favorite breeds (Beagles and Ibizan Hounds). This is Zabava Atlantis. What a graceful breed! Easter is only a few days away - have you sent your Easter Greetings yet? With Greeting Card Universe, it's not too late! Order your cards online, and pay regular postal shipping costs - the fine folks at GCU will drop it in the mail for you! And if you've waited just a little TOO long ... you can change the inside of any card easily yourself. For example, my DogBreedz Easter cards by default read "Somebunny special is thinking of you - Hoppy Easter!" You can order yours, and change the inside to something like: I got distracted hunting for chocolate bunnies - Happy Belated Easter! Here are a few breed samples: Or you can take a look at some of these cards from other artists - designed especially for the procrastinator! Upcoming Shoots: Ongoing studio portraits at Su-Et's Kennel in Santee, CA, April 30: Fundraising Portraits at the English Springer Specialty in Walnut, CA. May 1: Ringside Candids and Scheduled Private Shoots at Lake Matthews Kennel Club show in Chino, CA. May 7 & 8: Ringside Candids at Rio Hondo Kennel Club in Pomona, CA. May 21 & 22: Ringside Candids at Mt. Palomar Kennel Club show in Valley Center, CA. All events are listed on my Shoot Schedule. Contact DogBreedz (at) yahoo.com for more information.

This Week at DogBreedz

2011-04-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

It's been a hectic six weeks, although it seems like just yesterday I posted last. I want to start this update with a huge congratulations to ANGEL (CH Cross B's Divine Gabriella) and her mom Sonia. Angel is representing the Chow Chow breed in the May issue of Dog Fancy magazine. Look for Angel and revel in her beauty! Here is another image of her: At the end of February I headed up to Del Mar for the Cocker Spaniel Club of San Diego Specialty Show and caught some ringside candids (in spite of the lousy indoor lighting). Cockers are my special breed and I am drawn to the partis. While I usually am drooling over the black and whites, this red and white was just SO stunning to me. Every photo I have of her - she is such a lovely girl! Meet Sherwood's Frosted Mini Wheat. Owned by Eva Cerna and Dana Copjakova and handled by Bryan Santos. The next two days were in the same location for the Silver Bay Kennel Club all-breed shows for more ringside candids. This weekend I was following the terriers and had a blast with my Scottish Terrier friends! On Saturday, Red Cloud became Champion Su-Et's Fire Dancer. Owned by SueAnnette & Andrew Maniscalco and handled by Bergit H. Kabel. It sure has been fun watching this boy grow up! A few weeks ago, Camp Bow Wow in El Cajon held their third birthday/anniversary party and combined it with their fourth annual adoption event. It was a beautiful day and a great turnout of both adoptable dogs and members of the public. I had a free photo shoot booth there and Marge was just one of the cuties that spent some time on set with me. Spring is here! The flowers in the front yard container garden are blooming and between the weather, the color and the fragrance, I love being outside! The Sour Grass (oxalis) blooms were perfect for a bright "thinking of you" greeting card. About this time the Super Moon made an appearance - and there was just enough of a break in the clouds out here in Santee for a clear look. I wasn't able to get out at moonrise for any neat horizon shots, but I think what I got was amazing enough to work on a Friendship greeting card. And then it was time for another great dog show! I headed to Valley Center for the Del Sur Kennel Club all-breed show, ready to spend some ringside candid time with the Cocker Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels and Border Terriers. In between the classes I was asked to cover, I had a chance to marvel at the movement of the Afghan Hounds. Being new to the breed, I didn't realize they came in a brindle color - this girl took my breath away! GCH Countrywinds Calico Queen, owned by Catherine Harker and handled by Sara Lopez. The German Shepherd Club of San Diego County held their annual Specialty Show. I wasn't able to be there for very long, but I sure enjoyed meeting some handsome dogs and watching their movements in the ring. This is Nike Clayfield Paladin Romeo, HT, PT, CGC, TC, owned by Sharlonna McGaha, Dr. Gloria Rice, Debra Kaser, Joyce Shelp and Cind Tellefsen. Little Salsa (CH Ott to be Hot Salsa) is a regular playmate with my Cocker kids and she had a couple of private sessions this last month. We went out pre-grooming and played in the woods. Here she is in her blown-coat, feeling all "Queen of the World" up on a rock wall. Bennett got all spiffed up and gave the Easter Set a try. I don't think he has quite figured out what the bunny was up to when I took this photo! This set will be featured at the on-going Su-Et's Kennel shoots for the month of April ... Bennie should have time to understand the rabbit ... Kaiyou (SunRumbas Life's a Beach) came to visit me on set and introduced me to the breed known as the Ibizan Hound. What a regal breed - with just enough of an impish side to keep me laughing! I am looking forward to seeing more of this breed, and their owners. In Salsa's other private session, we set a date for the beach - she loved stretching out her legs and running thru the surf! I'm now working on finishing up the Camp Bow Wow Easter Shoot, ringside candids from the Papillon Specialty and ringside, fundraiser portraits and official win photos from the Scottish Terrier puppy match. I'll share those with you at a future update. Easter is around the corner! I have a full line of dog breed Easter Cards at my Greeting Card Universe store. Here's a look at the French Bulldog Easter Greeting. The Easter card design translated so well onto the oval ornaments that I had to do a full breed line in my Zazzle shop. Dress up your Easter Baskets with my Dog Breed Easter Ornaments for a unique gift - one that will last longer than the chocolate bunnies! Coming up: April 16 - Lakeside Rodeo, April 17 - Ringside Candids at Western Hound Association of Southern California, April 30 - Fundraiser Portraits at Gateway Cities English Springer Spaniel Specialty. All events are listed on my Shoot Schedule. Studio portraits are available at my Santee location - just email for an appointment. Enjoy your week - see you on Monday for another update!

DogBreedz Week in Review

2011-02-22T09:14:00.000-08:00

Rain rain go away! The mobile studio in Santee can't set up in the rain, so this last week I've been busy following up on client inquiries and getting my creative juices flowing with two new card designs for St. Patrick's Day. The greeting cards will be active soon at the DogBreedz Greeting Card Universe shop, with many dog breeds represented. You can even request a card with your own pet (or request a different nationality on the "Kiss Me" series). Why should the Irish get all the lovin' on St. Patrick's Day? Go ahead ... Kiss ME! It seems everyone becomes Irish on St. Patrick's Day ... even our dogs! This week the Santee Studio will be open on Wednesday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Foster animals can sit for free - digital images will be provided to their Rescue to help promote them for adoption. Will you be around Del Mar this weekend? I'll be ringside at the Cocker Spaniel Specialty Show on Friday and the Silver Bay Dog Show on Saturday and Sunday. On the weekend, I'll be hanging with the Terriers - stop by and say hi! And a final note - check out my ChipIn page for a unique way to help out a great group of animal rescues.

Valentine's Day!

2011-02-15T08:11:00.000-08:00

Indie and Bennett enjoyed their Valentine's Day - many of their doggie friends sent sweet greetings and I read every one to them. Here are their official Valentine's Portraits for 2011 ... It was another great week of shooting. Camp Bow Wow El Cajon hosted a fundraiser benefiting Bow Wow Buddies Foundation and there were some very handsome campers who made time to come for portraits. This is Charlie, who loves his daddy very much and was such a darling on set for us! Saturday was another beautiful day in Santee, so the studio was open at Su-Et's Kennel. Bronson came for a sitting, and if you know Bulldogs, you KNOW that any photo session with this breed is a fun session full of laughter and love! Meet Cyndle - a sweet teenage West Highland White Terrier. Those that know me know that Cocker Spaniels are my heart dogs, but the Westie is a close second, as I grew up with both breeds. This one is a darling and loved posing for the camera. And no photo shoot at Su-Et's is really complete without a Scottish Terrier sitting for the camera! Meet Duncan and Angus - yes, they are related to many of the other lovely Su-Et's-bred Scotties that you've met through my photos. Such characters, these two! As much fun as the Valentine's set has been, it's time to pack it away until next year. For the rest of February I'll be featuring classic portraits on set, and I might come up with some fun surprises for the pets and owners who want to celebrate a bit of the Irish. Speaking of St. Patrick's Day, the ornaments are available - 50 breeds are up and more to come! You can see them at my Zazzle Store by clicking HERE. Here's a sample, featuring an American Staffordshire Terrier. And I'd like to end with a special tribute to a very special kitty. This is Sylvia's senior portrait, taken in 2009 when she was 20 years old. Sylvia was the Grand Mistress of the kennel, greeting all who came and showering disdain upon the canine world. After a slow physical decline - all the while with her mind sharp and her purr-motor strong - she made her final trip to the vet and is now at The Rainbow Bridge. She is very missed around here! THIS WEEK'S SHOOT SCHEDULE: Rain is in the forcast for the week. If Friday holds at a drizzle, then the Santee Studio will be open from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. It is looking as though Saturday will be too rainy for shooting, however. Location: Su-Et's Kennel, 10631 Prospect Avenue, Santee, CA 92071.

Valentine's at DogBreedz.net

2011-02-07T10:36:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday was a fun Valentine's celebration here at the DogBreedz.net studio in Santee, CA. I had three much-loved family pets come to sit for me and we all had so much fun on set! Brandy is a senior Poodle. She lives with her adopted momma in a local senior facility - I just love it when our family members can stay together like this! Then Sarah Jane and Jesse James were treated to a session, gifted to them by their groomer (thank you Aunt Jeri!). She figured that so many of their extended family have been in front of my camera, they deserved a turn too. From Su-Et's breeding, they are retired from the show ring and now rule the living room in their home. This Wednesday February 9th I'll be set up at Camp Bow Wow El Cajon from 2 pm - 6 pm. Come on by for the final Valentine's shoot of 2011! The Santee Studio will be set up Friday and Saturday, February 11 & 12 from 10 am - 4 pm for $30 mini-sessions (and free sessions for local Foster pets). I'm working on some new designs for St. Patrick's Day - I hope to start offering them soon. Stay tuned!

Back in the Saddle Again - post-Flu

2011-01-31T07:48:00.000-08:00

It's been forever since I've come down with the flu-bug - I had forgotten about the "run over by a truck" feeling and how even your aches can have pains of their own! Well, it's all over but the after-cough and I was able to celebrate with a few cuties on set this past Saturday. Lady Bug is a rescue doggie. She's been living with her favorite family for about 8 years now and keeps her retired dad busy (his job is to provide a lap for her to settle on when she's done being an expert mouser in the yard). She is a TINY thing, with a HUGE personality! Meet Lady Bug: And this is Grace, a show puppy Scottish Terrier who is proving to her mom that she is every bit as adorable as her brother. She has left the awkward stage far behind her now! Last, but far from least, is Grace's brother, Tim. These are two of the happiest, tail-waggingist Scottie pups I've met yet. Little Darlings! It won't be long before they are taking the show rings by storm. This week the Santee studio will be open on Wed, Fri and Sat from 10 am - 4 pm for 15 minute mini-sessions. Valentine's is still the featured theme and I'm looking forward to seeing more beautiful cats and dogs on set this week. And my big news of the week - the main website is back online! It's being tweaked and fixed up, but at least it comes up when the URL is entered once again - YIPPEE!

Another great week of Valentine's portraits

2011-01-19T07:26:00.000-08:00

I've had the pleasure of more great dogs on set this last week, and a handsome kitty too. Pepe is one of the resident kennel cats, and even tho the strobe lights still scare him (I can reliably get one shot off before he changes his mind out the whole idea) HE is the one who comes asking to have me take his photo. He is trying so hard to be a brave kitty! Here he is, with his rugged good looks: Spencer and Tara come to the kennel like clockwork for their baths and grooms - their mom takes great care of them and it shows. Tara (the black) is a retired show Cocker (thank you Eileen, for breeding such a looker - I remember the day/night she was born!) and Spencer (the chocolate) was adopted thru the local Rescue - he's worked his way thru the paces and is now a certified therapy dog. Tucker is certified too - a certified goofball. This loveable lug kept us all on our toes during his session, all in good fun of course. Tucker's Tongue is quite lengendary ... his shelter photo had a similar pose to this one: But he was ready to show his sweet handsome side too, once we explained to him that this was a Valentine shoot. Tucker is a "sprocker" - Springer/Cocker mix. And he knows how to work those Spaniel eyes! I had my first chance to spend time on set with Wire Fox Terriers. What a kick this breed is! No matter what they are doing, they do it with a single-minded vengence. Stunning looks too, as you can see in these three champions. Jay-Jay (CH Whimsicals Whodunit) Lovey (CH Belwood for Love of the Game) Bella (CH Libwyres Belles and Whistles) This week the studio will be open on Wednesday Jan 19 and Fri Jan 21 from 10 - 4, by appointment. Call 858/997-7135 to reserve your 15-minute session (leave a message if no answer). If there is enough demand, I'll have it open on Sunday Jan 23, as well - just let me know! I'm still working on transfering my main web site to a new server, I'll definitely be happy when that is accomplished and behind me. Until then, you can go straight to my photo site at http://dogbreedz.smugmug.com . BLOG SPECIAL OF THE WEEK: PHOTO PUZZLES - reg price $56.45 ... SALE PRICE $46.99 until 1/31/11 Create your own one-of-a-kind jigsaw puzzle from your favorite photo! This large, 252-piece puzzle measures 14 inches by 10 inches and has a glossy finish. It comes in a black box with a 5 x 7 print of the image on top of the box (box measures 5.625" x 7.625" x 1.2"). Makes a great gift for Valentine's Day, too. Safe ordering on-line thru SmugMug for quick delivery. To order, find your favorite photo and above the larger preview on the right side of the screen, click on BUY. Choose PHOTO PACKAGE from the drop down menu and scroll down to Photo Puzzle Special.

Monday Blog Update

2011-01-10T09:09:00.000-08:00

It's been a great week - lots of beautiful animals all around! The Valentine's set this year has turned out beautifully. Indie took a moment to show off for me and test out one of the props. What do you think of her final image? The Valentine's set will be featured throughout the month of January in the mobile studio set up at Su-Et's Kennel in Santee, CA. Plain backdrops are available too, if you are looking for a simpler glamour shot. This is Goldie the Yorkie-poo showing an alternate background. What a sweetie! See my previous blog post for details of the January mini-sessions. This week the studio will be open on Friday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, by appointment. You can even call the kennel and have your dog bathed and/or groomed prior to their photo shoot - drop off in the morning and pick up in the afternoon, we'll handle it all (kennel phone 619/448-8760 for grooming appointments). Bennett was ready to show off on set too - as much as he complains about being brushed out, he asks for a good combing when he wants to be photographed. This boy strikes a pose and makes me fall in love with him all over again! Here he is, modeling our newest Valentine Card design: On Saturday my friends at the West Coast Cocker Spaniel Club held their popular agility trial at City of Industry. This venue is on dirt and under cover. However with no electrical lighting, it's a lousy trial for photographing in a traditional way. I like to go, not only to see old friends and to make new ones, but it also gives me a chance to practice my timing for taking the photos. This is Abby, a Beagle who just loved taking the obstacles - she teamed up with her mom Elise Smith. Abby q'd on this run and came in second in her height class. My web host is still MIA, so the main URL of dogbreedz.net is currently not loading - you can go straight to my photo site by clicking on http://dogbreedz.smugmug.com - or you can find me on Facebook at http://facebook.com/DogBreedz. My mini-valentine's are proving to be popular - I've already had a reorder from a dog with lots of friends! Details in my previous blog post. See you next week - hug a dog for me!

A New Year - already?

2011-01-03T12:13:00.001-08:00

How in the world did 2010 fly by so fast?! One of my hopes for 2011 is to keep up weekly posts on the blog - I've even set a Monday morning alarm on my iPhone to help me remember ... let's see how it goes! Christmas holidays are behind us and it's time to look forward. For the month of January I'll be featuring my Valentine's set in my mobile studio at Su-Et's Kennel at 10631 Prospect Avenue, Santee, California. This week coming up will be a Wednesday and a Friday shoot, from 10 am - 4 pm. Sitting fees of $30 get you:

15 minutes in front of the camera

a $16 print credit to use toward your photo order

proofs on line in 7-10 days

2 custom designed Valentine's Day cards in your on line gallery (one in 4x8 size and one in 5x7 size - no design charge)

a sheet of custom designed mini-Valentine's in your on line gallery (8 to a sheet - great for therapy dogs to hand out on rounds! - no design charge)

and a custom designed Valentine's Keepsake Ornament (available in my Zazzle store - no design charge). Your print credit can be used towards the Valentine's cards (full-size and mini) but not towards the ornament. Here is a look at one of my Valentine's designs for this year, and the set of minis: You can see the Valentine's Ornaments at my Zazzle store by clicking here. Look in the gallery called Dog Breeds Valentine's Ornaments. Yours will be in a different gallery and will have the year 2011 added to them. The back is blank so you can add whatever you like to it, such as your pet's name, with a marker. Still looking for that perfect 2011 wall calendar? Check out four of mine at my Lulu.com store. BLOG SPECIAL OF THE WEEK: Take a look at the one-page 2011 calendars listed at http://dogbreedz.smugmug.com/Calendar-Prints. Order yours today and save 10% off the original price. Use coupon code 2011Calendar at checkout - valid until 1/10/11.

On Sale for this week - Photo Business Card Holders - save $11.00!

2010-09-12T17:57:00.000-07:00

The Tour was great - in spite of a broken foot and a major computer crash ... photos are still being edited and then I'll be booking locations for next year's fundraising photo tour. I have a very special sale this week for my pet friends - custom Business Card Holders in two styles - choose your favorite photo and have it stand alone or add a text embellishment: your pet's name, your kennel name, or your family name are all great suggestions! Our silver-plated business card holder measures 3 1/2" x 2 3/8" and its slim design is sized to fit comfortably in a pocket, grooming apron or purse. It is ideal for a thank you gift, holidays and more. Made from durable aluminum, it can hold up to 12 business cards. The photo is printed out on a high quality photo paper and coated with a waterproof enamel that is crystal clear and lasting. Regular Price: $24.99 plus $6.00 shipping to any country. SPECIAL PRICE: until Sunday September 19th you can order yours for only $19.99 and no shipping charge - that's $11.00 saved! To order, email DogBreedz @ yahoo.com and be sure to put BUSINESS CARD HOLDER in the subject line. I'll contact you to find out your preferred photo and style. Approximately 7 - 14 days for delivery.

2010 International Summer Photo Tour - Weekend 4

2010-07-05T06:16:00.000-07:00

Oklahoma is OK! (pictured above: Indie and Bennett, American Cocker Spaniels and official Tour Mascots, let their hair down and dirty before their next bath) Weekend #4 of the DogBreedz.net Summer Photo Tour happened in Oklahoma - three full days of shooting, benefiting Okie Dokie Cocker Rescue. This was a very special stop for me. The director of this Rescue used to run Temecula Valley Cocker Spaniel Rescue in Southern California. By the time I began San Diego Spaniel Rescue in 2002, TVCSR had closed it doors when Anita Powers moved to OK, but her stellar reputation lived on. After 8 years of being e-friends, we finally met in person! It was like meeting up with an old friend - what a wonderful way to start the weekend! First order of business, tho, was to let Indie and Bennett drop their official duties and "just be dogs". Running in the local dog park was even better with the addition of swimming in the lake - so much fun for them! (pictured above: Charley Walker, the Pittie, throws a huge Holiday Hello your way) We had dogs galore and a kittie, too. A1 Pet Emporium hosted and developed a grand Rescue Event around our arrival. Saturday had 20 Rescue groups showing in the parking lot, with food vendors and "dunk the DJ" from a local radio station. We sure were glad to be inside in the AC however. And spending our time taking pictures - what could be better than that? A1 knows how to throw a party, that's for sure! (pictured above: Maggie Dickerson, the American Cocker Spaniel - it's so EASY to be a diva with Dogbreedz.net) I was fortunate enough to meet some more online friends. There's a great Cocker Spaniel community called Zim Family Cockers, with a very active online Forum. Two more e-friends, now are additions to my real-life Cocker Spaniel family! It's hard to remember the days before the Web, Forums, Facebook ... remember dialing a telephone and winding your watch?! (pictured above: Bailey Madoux the Miniature Schnauzer puppy, celebrating his first ever Fourth of July) With all the techno-things in our lives, it's easy to start depending on them. This blog post is a week late due to my not updating my virus protection in a timely manner. The bugs are gone from my 'puter and ESET is back in place, doing it's thing (and doing it quite well, I might add). I can concentrate on the dogs once again! Oklahoma was a wonderful stop on The Tour and I am looking forward to working the images and to coming back again next year. On to Weekend #5 - Memphis, Tennessee! (pictured above: Indie the Tour Mascot gives OK a full-nubbie salute) NOTE: The Summer Photo Fundraising Tour is a 3-month coast-to-coast International Tour to raise money for animal rescue organizations across the country. My biggest expenses on the Tour are hotel and gasoline costs ... if you or you business would like to help sponsor the Tour, contact the photographer at dogbreedz @ yahoo.com - sponsor one or more hotel stays or donate a gas card to help with expenses - your support would help multiple Rescues! Stops and sponsorships are also being accepted now for the 2011 Tour - let me know if you are interested.

2010 International Summer Photo Tour - Weekend 3

2010-06-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

DogBreedz hits the road! (pictured above: Lilly Ehrhardt the Yorkshire Terrier goes high for a better view of the fireworks) Weekend #3 of the DogBreedz.net Summer Photo Tour flew by in a whirlwind of activity. This stop benefited Cocker Spaniel Rescue of East Texas and was hosted at the Sugar Land store of Natural Pawz. The Fourth of July/Americana set was a huge hit while the plain backdrops came in handy for folks who are planning ahead for ... Christmas Cards! (pictured above: Chad Trahan the Great Dane puppy, ready for his close-up) This two-day shoot was packed to the max with dogs of all breeds and sizes. Singles, pairs and foursomes, they paraded in and did their best "good dog!" poses. The Rescue volunteers came out in force to play with the dogs (and owners) and to help keep things running like clockwork. No cats or other critters this weekend, but the canine variety was awesome! (pictured above: Cabo Meeks welcomes me to The Yard) We had openings for private shoots while I was in the Houston area, and I also made a stop in Austin for a private sitting on my way out here. These shoots are fun and relaxed, allowing me to capture the dogs in their own homes, where they are most comfortable. A handful of props and some portable backdrops come along for the animals that are ready for something a little more formal. (pictured above: Sweetie Stanley strikes a demure pose in a private sitting) Basic private shoots are an hour to two hours, with my mobile lighting. On location at the pets' homes or out and about, I end up being everyone's favorite "Aunt Peggy" when I show up with my special treat bag. Although, sometimes the ducks at the pond are a bit more interesting than I am! (pictured above: Lucky Joliloeve keeps one eye on the ducks - no funny business, Quackers!) Weekend 3 of the Summer Photo Tour is now a happy memory. I'm busy at the computer editing some fun photos (Santa Barbara - almost finished!) and getting ready to head north. Our next stop is a three-day shoot at A-1 Pet Emporium in Oklahoma City, OK, benefiting Okie Dokie Cocker Rescue. Private shoots will be available on Thursday June 24 and Monday June 28. Catch you in Oklahoma! (pictured above: McDuff Collins snuggles with some special friends at home) NOTE: The Summer Photo Fundraising Tour is a 3-month coast-to-coast International Tour to raise money for animal rescue organizations across the country. My biggest expenses on the Tour are hotel and gasoline costs ... if you or you business would like to help sponsor the Tour, contact the photographer at dogbreedz @ yahoo.com - sponsor one or more hotel stays or donate a gas card to help with expenses - your support would help multiple Rescues! Stops and sponsorships are also being accepted now for the 2011 Tour - let me know if you are interested.

2010 International Summer Photo Tour - Weekend 2

2010-06-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

DogBreedz' final SoCal shoot for the Tour! (pictured above: Chevy Fasani showing his American support) Weekend #2 of the DogBreedz.net Summer Photo Tour was a relaxing, entertaining day in San Pedro, CA. This stop, at Dee O'Gee's Grooming on South Weymouth, raised funds for Take Me Home, an LA-based Boxer Rescue. We had a variety of sets and some fun new props to test out before hitting the road to continue touring. (pictured above: Frankie Reynolds - you're never too old to love the Summer holiday) Some of our doggies and their pet parents came down from Santa Barbara for this shoot: they wanted to capture some great portraits of their fur-kids while I was still shooting in Southern California. Everyone stayed for lunch and we had a wonderful day socializing while raising money for another deserving animal organization. It is always heart-warming when on-line friends from out of the area make the trip for one of my photo sessions. (pictured above: Gracie Reynolds - she's addicted! At only 12 weeks old, this was already her 5th DogBreedz.net photo shoot!) Weekend 2 of the Summer Photo Tour is over now - it was a great way to wish Indie, Bennett and I "Bon Voyage" as we turn the truck east. Our next stop is Saturday June 19 and Sunday June 20 at Natural Pawz in Sugar Land (Houston) Texas, with an opportunity for some private shoots in Austin Texas on June 17 & 18. The Sugar Land shoots are in support of Cocker Spaniel Rescue of East Texas. See you in Texas! NOTE: The Summer Photo Fundraising Tour is a 3-month coast-to-coast International Tour to raise money for animal rescue organizations across the country. My biggest expenses on the Tour are hotel and gasoline costs ... if you or you business would like to help sponsor the Tour, contact the photographer at dogbreedz @ yahoo.com - sponsor one hotel stay or donate a gas card to help with expenses! Stops and sponsorships are also being accepted now for the 2011 Tour - let me know if you are interested!

2010 International Summer Photo Tour - Weekend 1

2010-06-07T07:55:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Summer Tour has BEGUN! (pictured above: Indie Mundell testing out the 2010 Tour Set) 23 Fundraisers - 11 Rescue Groups - 3 Months - 2 Countries - 1 Photographer and her two pups ... add them all together, shake well, and you have the Summer Photo Tour from DogBreedz.net. The Tour has begun with our first two stops this past weekend. Saturday was in Carpenteria, California for the 2nd Annual Second Chance Cocker Rescue Reunion Picnic. Sunday found us set up at The Pet House in Goleta, California for a day-long shoot, also for SCCR. (pictured above: Hope Carvalho at Toro Canyon Park shoot) Saturday was beautiful! Toro Canyon Park was a wonderful setting for this early afternoon BBQ picnic. Second Chance had very tempting raffle items available as well as beautiful hand-crafted doggie blankets for sale. The food was beyond yummy and the dogs beyond gorgeous (but we all know that I'm partial to those Cocker kids, anyway). Indie and Bennett were perfect photographer's dogs - being patient in their private suites and greeting all the humans who came by. Sometimes I think they are more well-known than I am! (pictured above: Jax Van Orsdel at The Pet House shoot) Sunday - another gorgeous day (is there any other type in the Santa Barbara area?!) ... and Indie, Bennett and I headed out to The Pet House located in Goleta. The staff was friendly and the products were fun to browse, but I was there to work so I cut my shopping short. A nice variety of doggies paraded through, along with some Cocker Friends. Second Chance Cats was set up in the next area of the store for an adoption event, so I had a chance to play with some great cats and kittens on set too. Indie provided extra incentive for pups to perk their ears for me, as she was VERY hopeful for a chance to play with lovebirds and parrotlets that were on display in the store - and let us hear her enthusiasm when she thought it might prove worthwhile. (pictured above: Foster Kitten) Weekend 1 of the Summer Photo Tour is over, leaving great photos, wonderful memories, and two tired pups. Our next stop is Sunday June 13 at Dee O Gee's Grooming in San Pedro, CA. There are still sittings available - contact the photographer at dogbreedz @ yahoo.com and schedule YOUR pet for a photo session, benefiting Take Me Home Boxer rescue. See you in San Pedro! NOTE: The Summer Photo Fundraising Tour is a 3-month coast-to-coast International Tour to raise money for animal rescue organizations across the country. My biggest expenses on the Tour are hotel and gasoline costs ... if you or you business would like to help sponsor the Tour, contact the photographer at dogbreedz @ yahoo.com - sponsor one hotel stay or donate a gas card to help with expenses! Stops and sponsorships are also being accepted now for the 2011 Tour - let me know if you are interested!

Cocker Spaniels are such Charmers!

2010-05-12T06:31:00.000-07:00

The story went out on the Cocker Forum at Zim's. My friend Terri at American Cocker Spaniel Rescue in Washington State received a phone call from a SoCal shelter - a sweet Cocker that she had adopted out a couple of years ago was in their care, dropped off in the night box! We may never know how little Candy went from a loving home to the shelter, but one thing was certain - Candy was definitely going back to her Rescue group. Terri moved heaven and earth to find a way to get her home. In the meantime, a wonderful Cocker owner in Alaska had fallen for a 12 year old senior from Florida that was looking for a new home. I had volunteered to get Aussie to her in Alaska. Since I was going from San Diego to Seattle as a stop over, this adopter offered to pay for Candy's health certificate and flight with me! Problem solved! A dear friend from English Springer Rescue America lived in the same town as Candy's shelter, so she handled all the paperwork and the shelter went over and above to help us out. My flight landed in Seattle and Candy was home - after charming EVERYONE she met at Alaska Airlines! Last I heard she is convincing her Foster Daddy to make it official and become her FurEver Dad. Way to go, Candy! Back to Aussie - she was doing some charming of her own - between computers being down in Orlando at checkin and someone in Florida falling in love with her, I receieved a phone call letting me know that Aussie would not be joining me in Seattle. Cocker Spaniels are such Charmers! Yes, my laptop traveled with me, so I could continue editing photos from the recent shoots. Here is Lucy, a darling Schnoodle (Schnauzer/Poodle Mix) who sat for me at Yorba Regional Animal Hospital. Also working on the Rescue Parade photos and the Camp Bow Wow pix. Gotta get back to the editing - have a great week!

Busy Busy Busy!

2010-05-03T11:25:00.000-07:00

What a fun month April was! If this is any head's up on what the Tour schedule is going to be like, I'll be hopping all summer long! So what HAVE I been up to? Take a look ... April started off with a private shoot, won at an English Springer Rescue America fundraising auction last December. Springer Grace and English Cocker Annie (my God-furDaughter!) were wonderful subjects for the day. Here is Grace in a pensive moment: Next I went down to Chula Vista where Doggie Days in Paradise hosted a shoot to benefit Greyhounds2Go. This day care has such nice clients and the staff is tops! One of my favorites from the day, here is Scuffy the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel loving on her momma: Then it was time to pack up the car and head thru the Eastern Sierras, destination: Reno, Nevada. This was my first multi-group adoption event - the Karen DeSouza Memorial Super Pet Adoption Event and Festival. It was a great day with wonderful ESRA friends and animals galore! At this venue I hosted free photo shoots. Between my time in the booth I roamed the event and took candids. Photos are still uploading (it was quite a day!), but here is one of my favorites - a 5 month Boxer pup looking for his new forever home that weekend: Back in Southern California, next up was a visit to Yorba Regional Animal Hospital in Anaheim Hills. What a facility - wow! My assistant for the day set up this shoot, and the beneficiaries were Boston Buddies and Angels Under Our Wings - two groups that I have a fondness for. We were busy from start to finish with just enough time to take in a quick lunch. This is Sadie, a Cocker Spaniel girl who was adopted from Angels Under Our Wings. She loves to pose for my camera (I've lost count of how many sittings we've had since she picked her new family!): You'd think I'd be ready to hang up the camera bag by this point - but nope ... I was due in El Cajon with one of my regular haunts with my friends at Camp Bow Wow. We (Indie, Bennett and I) enjoy going there! Meet this character - Eddie the Bichon/Shih Tzu mix: May kicked off with a booth in Walnut, CA at the Gateway Cities ESS Club annual Specialty. This was an ESRA fundraiser and a free shoot for the rescue dogs participating in the ESRA Parade of Rescue. Meet Coco, a gal who is thrilled to be in a home with a family who loves her as much as she loves them: Tomorrow has me off to Seattle and Anchorage to deliver Cocker Spaniels to their new homes. Back to San Diego to love on my own fur-kids and then east to MN for a great Cocker Spaniel event: the 2010 Upper MidWest Puppalooza!

New Guestbook Feature

2010-03-02T08:42:00.001-08:00

Just in time for my International Tour - DogBreedz.net friends can sign the interactive Guestbook. Add a photo of your favorite pet, too!

Big News!

2010-01-31T10:57:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, in June 2009 I stepped down as President of the Rescue I founded: San Diego Spaniel Rescue. It was my dream in 2002 to create a strong 501c3 organization, with a governing Board of Directors that would carry on long after I was gone. Most of the SoCal Rescues are individually run, with no Board - when Anita's husband retired and they moved to OK from SoCal, Temecula Valley Cocker Rescue closed it's doors (but OK's gain is Okie Dokie Cocker Rescue!). A couple of other SoCal Rescues have to take regular breaks, to keep from being overwhelmed, or burnt out. A Rescue with a full group of dedicated volunteers and a guiding Board of Directors would avoid these issues. Last summer, with my being burnt out, with physical issues as well, I wasn't being the strong leader that I had been in the past. It was beyond time to finally step aside and let a capable Board take the lead. Those of you that know me, know that once I was beyond my immediate personal challenges, I would be back in the world of Rescue once again. My massage practice is going well, my pet photography business is rockin' n rollin' and my health is back on track. Just in time ... Earlier this month my membership into American Spaniel Club was approved! I joined at the invitation of ASC members after they approached me at last summer's National. I am hopeful that I will be able to be a proactive part of National Cocker Rescue through the ASC Foundation - assisting member Rescues around the country as they work on behalf of our chosen breed. I am also committed to organizing and presenting the National Parade of Rescues at each year's National Specialty (this year in Richmond, VA). I'm looking forward to meeting more of my National friends and making new ones. And I am VERY excited to take my Rescue work to a National level!

Vistaprint to the Rescue!

2010-01-26T09:34:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you how MUCH I love the folks at Vistaprint. I caught a spelling error on a promotional product that I had proofed and gave the a-ok to ... AFTER it had already printed and shipped to me. OH NO!! I called VP Customer Service to reorder, and they comp'd the complete order, including the faster shipping to get my product to me in time for February promotion - Vistaprint ROCKS! Click this link to save up to 80% on custom printed products at Vistaprint. Order today and they'll thank me with cash back on my next order!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-05T07:09:00.000-08:00

A friend commented that it seems just last year we were worried about Y2K and the big computer crash that was inevitable. Where on earth did the last TEN years go? More importantly, what can I do to make 2010 better for myself and everyone I come into contact with? I tackle that question on a day-to-day basis, to make it much more managable. I hope the 2009 Holiday Season found you surrounded by furry friends and family. My year started off with a great fundraising photo shoot in Yelm, WA, hosted by Julie Hydro of K-9 Klips. Her stunning Ch. Hannon-Le New World For SoSly (Snow White) was our first photo subject for the day, and set the tone for the hours to come. My assistant proclaimed all the dogs perfect angels, and he had his face "washed" many times over by willing, friendly tongues. Almost $400 was raised to benefit American Cocker Spaniel Rescue of WA. Thank you to everyone who made this happen! Snow White I am booking now for January and February fundraiser and private shoots, with a lovely Valentine's theme available. I'll have sample shots up in a week or so. Non-holiday themes are available, as well. Contact me soon to get the time slot that works best for you. My photography gallery at DogBreedz.Smugmug.com has added a new feature, just for my customers - the ability to custom create your own greeting cards! From your gallery, as you look at the larger view of your chosen thumbnail, click on the BUY button - and choose "create a card". You have the choice of creating 5x7 folded cards (1 for $4.49, 10 for $34.99, 25 for $49.99) or 4x8 flat cards (20 for $39.99, 50 for $74.99, 100 for $99.99). They all come with envelopes, and the multiple quantities come boxed. As always, I can still create custom cards for you, in many different themes, at a lower price point. But for those of you (like me!) want to do things NOW! ... you can. You can experiement with card designs before deciding to add anything to the cart or enter payment information. Come play! Also, be sure to check out my seasonal specials at my Valentine's Goodies page. Mini-Valentines, 5x7 (flat) and 4x8 (flat) VDay greetings on professional-grade photo stock - many to choose from and all adorable! Besides being great for personal use, this is a fun way to raise money for Rescues and Breed Clubs. Here is one of my favorites (the text can be modified, but I loved this for the photo): pictured: Zhen Zhen the pug, from Su-Et's Kennels And, just for my Blog Followers, a special coupon! Blogger New Year Cheer Savings - $10.00 off any DogBreedz.SmugMug.com order over $30.00 - don't forget to check out the new Greeting Card options. Enter coupon code BlogNewYear2010 at check out. Valid until 01/31/2010 (tax/shipping not included). Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays from DogBreedz!

2009-12-26T07:23:00.001-08:00

To my Blog Buddies and their Fur-kids: Wishing you holiday happiness to warm your heart and home with special joy! From Peggy, Indie and Bennett Mundell

Danbury Mint Cocker Spaniel Christmas Tree

2009-12-17T08:25:00.000-08:00

Hurry! Read this post then click on the title - today is the last day for this wonderful opportunity for Cocker Spaniel lovers! A hard-to-find Danbury Mint Cocker Spaniel Christmas Tree is up for raffle - and the raffle ends today. This collectible item has been out of circulation for a few years, and The Mint has no plans to bring it back (according to them, they have lost their supplier for the Cocker figurines). The cause is a very deserving Cocker Spaniel Rescue named Life's Little Paws. Like me, they have a special place in their hearts for the sight-challenged Cockers that cross their paths - this raffle will kick-start funding for a dedicated medical account, and LLP already has three Cockers slated to be helped. You can read more about them, and the raffle, at http://www.lifeslittlepaws.com/treelights.html Oh how I long to have this in my personal collection! Beautiful!

Holiday Cheer Coupon!

2009-12-09T05:07:00.000-08:00

Henry, a fun Vizsla from the Huntington Beach Shoot in November 2009 Holiday Cheer! Just for my blog followers: save $10.00 on all orders over $30.00 at DogBreedz on SmugMug! Stocking stuffers and great gifts with adorable dog faces to keep you smiling year 'round. Just enter the promo code at checkout - so easy to save! Code: BlogCheer200912 Valid 12/09/2009 → 12/31/2009 (23 days) All merchandise applies for discount - from prints, to prints on canvas, luggage/crate tags, 'fridge magnets, tshirts and so much more - enjoy!

Huntington Beach Photo Shoot - a barking success!

2009-11-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

What a great weekend this was! Organized by Tricia Pratto and benefitting Second Chance Cocker Rescue, DogBreedz was invited to help raise money money for the organization that Tricia's Crosby was adopted through. 43 good-looking dogs paraded in front of my lens, striking poses on the Holiday backdrop and gathering oohs and aahs from their parents and admirers. Lilly, a tri-colored American Cocker Spaniel, is Tricia's other fur-kid Paco was the first to model our newest Holiday prop - the wicker Santa Sleigh. We had enough of the smaller dogs that we made good use of this one! Paco Opalewski, Chihuahua I'd better hustle back to my online darkroom and continue with my photo processing - seven galleries are done so I have 36 patient doggie-parents waiting for their images to be posted! You can see all the photos as they are ready in their online galleries at http://dogbreedz.smugmug.com/Charity-Fundraiser-Shoots/Huntington-Beach-Shoot. Oh! Before I forget, my greeting card service is offering a sale through tomorrow (11/25). Order 10 or more cards (mix and match, even) and pay only $2.29 per card. Details on my card site: http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/dogbreedz. Happy Thanksgiving, Fellow Animal Lovers!

Bennett models the Holiday Set

2009-11-12T13:23:00.000-08:00

The new backdrop arrived! It was an exciting day here at Canyonview as it was unfurled and hung for effect. Indie and Bennett were ready to help their Momma test out the lighting on the Holiday set and the results were enough to put me in the Chritmas spirit. Here is Bennett's offering, soon to be available in our greeting card section .. Today was a fun shopping trip - I came home with an adorable Winter Sleigh prop that the puppies are going to look adorable posing in. Cute! There are a couple of openings still for the shoot this Sunday in Santee - make your appointment now for a truly wonderful Holiday memory. The DogBreedz.net first newsletter went out this morning. It includes some great feature articles, a special subscriber-only sale, and information on the upcoming shoots. See you in Santee!

Where's Peggy?

2009-11-02T08:09:00.000-08:00

When is this blog going to be updated? What has DogBreedz been doing? Is she still taking pictures? Did you hear, Peggy's been abducted by aliens! And such was the word on the streets throughout San Diego and Orange Counties. Never fear - the camera has been hard at work! It's been an eventful summer, complete with computer issues galore (no, no photos were lost in the melee, thank Goodness!), a trip to the Cocker Spaniel Nationals (where I chaired the National Parade of Rescues), a changing of the guards at San Diego Spaniel Rescue (after 7 years as fearless leader, I've finally been able to realize my original vision and turn the operation over to a very capable Board of Directors) and so much more. My poor blog has languished! What's worse than going to a blog and reading someone thinking out loud "I thought this little table should go by the front door, but decided it was a better fit in the upstairs hall"? I'll tell you - going to visit a blog you are looking forward to reading and finding NO updates since May! I'm guilty of that last category, I must admit. But - back to the business at hand! DogBreedz.net has been busy with fundraisers all over California. Most recently a trip to Brentwood and Livermore and what a weekend it was! Over $700 raised for Camp Cocker Rescue and SO many good looking dogs striking a pose for the camera! To see all the dogs from the Camp Bow Wow Livermore shoot, click HERE. To see all the dogs from the Grooming Lounge and More shoot, click HERE. ABOVE: Geisha the chocolate Labrador Retriever - at Camp Bow Wow Livermore on October 9, 2009 BELOW: Henry the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and his human sister Hailey at The Grooming Lounge and More in Brentwood on October 10, 2009
Don of Scoundrel Photographics has been busy gathering new equipment for us to use at the shoots - he has a brand new Christmas backdrop coming in today that will be featured at two fundraising shoots later this month (Huntington Beach, benefiting Second Chance Cocker Rescue; and Su-Et's Kennel in Santee, benefiting the Scottish Terrier Club of America's Health Trust) as well as at FOUR days of fundraising at the PetSmart on 17th Street in Santa Ana in December (to benefit English Springer Rescue America). Wow! Speaking of ESRA, I just finished shooting for their annual Holiday card, my first year doing it as Don (Scoundrel Photographics) wasn't able to fit it into his shoot schedule this year. Thanks for the referral, Don! They liked it so much that they asked me to work up ANOTHER card for them, for their online storefront. They should be up soon at their website How could I ever say no to ESRA? They are my dear friends and Rescue mentors! As long as we are talking about Holiday cards - I have created a gorgeous one for Thanksgiving, featuring one of the top ASCOB Cockers in the US. Check it out at my DogBreedz Card Shop. INSIDE TEXT: May your day be filled with joy, grace and love. Happy Thanksgiving! The Holidays are almost here! From my main website you can access a new link called: Holiday Goodies. Order gift tags with one of your images from a DogBreedz photo shoot! Scroll down a little more and you can access a full online catalog of Christmas and Hanukkah cards that you have your photo added to for a one-of-a-kind printed Holiday greeting this year. Off to update the upcoming shoots - and remember, custom photo items make great Holiday gifts!

Agility Photography and a Special Cocker Collectible

2009-05-21T08:51:00.000-07:00

In between processing photos from the Su-Et's Kennel Shoot, I popped up to Murrieta for a Temecula Valley Agilty Club Trial and met some great folks! I am thrilled to announce my accepted membership in this club - another place to regularly practice my canine sport photography - YAY! This handsome boy is Charlie the Border Collie. He was being run that day by Lynn Hummel. BC's have such intensity when they are enjoying their runs, and Charlie is no exception! Sometimes the best shots are the ones that are just not quite perfect. This one of MacKenzy shows the Sheltie flying thru the air, already taking a look at what is next on the course. I'm new to the sport, but I would bet that this means her owner/handler Nancy Edwards was doing a great job coordinating the course with MacKenzy! My photograph just didn't get the crispness and sharper edges that I am going for. But it sure does translate to a beautiful piece of artwork. Printed out you can see the crosshatching details and mesmerizing texture! I have a strong art background and I like to think it came out in this next shot. Gigi, a happy little Rat Terrier and her mom, Deborah Davidson Harpur, reached their Agility Championship and were presented their pole and ribbon this day. Agility Judge Jim Hibbard said it was his first time awarding a Championship - so it seemed like an extra special occasion to me! This shot shows Jim signing his first Champ pole. After you check out my Agility Photo Gallery (hint - click on the blog post title!), take an e-stroll over to look at the photos Marty, my new photog friend, took on Sunday as well. Photography by M is his web site. We ended up making a pretty good team, even being with two different photography studios. I'm looking forward to seeing him at more trials! I am a strong supporter of animal rescue and one of my two main Rescues that I support is San Diego Spaniel Rescue (the other is English Springer Rescue America, in case you were wondering!). SDSR has come into possession of the ever elusive Danbury Mint Cocker Spaniel Christmas Tree - out of production for a few years and extremely hard to find. People who were lucky enough to score one usually hold it close! SDSR is offering their's up in an online auction hosted by Life's Little Paws. Check it out!

Shoot News and San Diego Photographers

2009-05-14T10:11:00.001-07:00

Take a look at these cuties! Jackson and Atticus are two Pomeranian puppies who joined me at the most recent photo shoot. We met at Su-Et's Kennel in Santee and raised some bucks for Scottish Terrier Rescue of Southern California. These pups have a great life ahead of them - only 4 and 6 months old and they already have such great manners (way to go Pom Parents)! The day brought something new my way. Sylvia is the grand matriarch of the kennel, she makes sure things run smooth and that everyone takes a moment to send some adoration her way. You can't tell from looking at this beauty, but she is going to be TWENTY YEARS OLD in August! Wow! As I was surfing the search engines, checking my web sites' placements, I came across an interesting surprise. There's another Mundell in San Diego - and he is a photographer too! Mike is a dog lover as well, but his photography is usually centered on the humans around us rather than the four-leggers. If you are looking for a wedding or event photographer, you might want to check out his website at MundellStudios.com. While I'm tossing about local photographer names, I have to include Julie Edwards, Alicia McGraw and Jen Petit. I first came across Julie's photos when I started my relationship with Dogs and the City Day Care in downtown San Diego. She also does doggie shoots there and has a great style. Her human shots are just incredible! Take a look for yourself at her website: JEdwardsPhotographer.com. Alicia is a fun photographer! She is incredibly patient, as she didn't blink when *my* Indie went on a 40 minute run in the middle of a park shoot. She had Bennett, Spencer and Tara to keep her company while I went to corner and collect the Diva. Alicia does some great "retro" work too. Check out her site at AlishaMcGrawPhotography.com. My all-time hands-down paws-up favorite pet photographer (other than myself, of course!) in San Diego is Jen Petit at Fuzzle.info. Jen is a wonderful supporter of local animal rescue and takes some awesome luring photos as well at LurePix. I have some great role models and someday hope to see my name on a photographer's list of "faves"!

Greeting Cards are HERE!

2009-05-08T20:59:00.000-07:00

Imagine an image like this on full color, glossy greeting cards. Then click the linked title to this post and you are there! My new greeting card store features my favorite photos from each shoot - which means it's growing every day! Happy Shopping!