Here, Kitty! Kitty! Kitty!

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!