Weekend Roundup: Bahia Sur Kennel Club

It was a day of seeing old friends and making new ones. The show grounds for Bahia Sur Kennel Club's annual show is always so pretty in photographs. The weather on the other hand can be either oppressive (hot hot hot!) or summery (still hot, but with a very comfortable breeze). Luckily for me on my Sunday visit the show grounds were very summery and breezy. Ahhhh!

Beckham (GCH Winfree Dream Boy At Rosecliffe)is now officially a favorite of mine. What a darling ECS he is. So ready for smoochies and hugs. Of course, he is a "parti" in my mind (but in reality, he is a very handsome orange roan). English or American, I just love me some Parti Cockers (swoon)! Moving over to the Herding Group, I got to spend time with Paladin Artemis Nike Clayfield (pictured), who was a friend of beautiful Indy who I got to cuddle up to in West Covina in April. Demi (GCH Derrydown Double Indemnity) the Dandie Dinmont Terrier strutted her stuff for me again, all the way into the Terrier Group Ring. Layla (Brussels Griffon GCH Sleepyhollow You Can Do Magic Bear) was very happy to just let her hair down and play with me in the shade when she was done in the ring. Also pictured is Dalmatian Milla (Tateland Sandlapper's Good Fortune) and Scottish Terrier Shelly (GCH Blueberry Shall We Dance). Border Terrier Tatum and Scottie Pieter were my puppy nephews in attendance, getting the feel for the show ring and getting ready to show the world what they are made of.

Enjoy these sneak peeks while I work hard at all of my images for the day - and be sure to let me know when YOUR beautiful show dog will be in a California ring!

Top Photo: BEST OF BREED - German Shepherd Dog #6: Paladin Artemis Nike Clayfield. Bahia Sur Kennel Club 2013 All Breed Dog Show. June 16, 2013 in Chula Vista, California. Bred by/Owned by Hazel Maloney, Dr Gloria Rice and Sharlonna C McGhaha. Handled by Sharlonna C McGaha.
Middle Photo: BEST OF OPPOSITE SEX - Dalmatian # 8: Tateland Sandlapper's Good Cortune, RN (call name Milla). Bahia Sur Kennel Club 2013 All Breed Dog Show. June 16, 2013 in Chula Vista, California. Bred by Dr Anita L Tate and Kimberly Humphries. Owned by Heather Appleman and Tristan Davis. Handled by Tristan Davis.
Last Photo: BEST OF BREED - Scottish Terrier #8: GCH Blueberry Shall We Dance (call name Shelly). Bahia Sur Kennel Club 2013 All Breed Dog Show. June 16, 2013 in Chula Vista, California. Bred by Kathi Brown and Susan Getgood. Owned by Sueannette and Andrew Maniscalco. Handled by Sueannette Maniscalco.

Christmas in July - custom pet portraits with SANTA!

It's almost here - Christmas in July! It is time for your pet's photo shoot with SANTA CLAUSE!

With special thanks to Tammy Ryan of T Ryan Photography in El Cajon, DogBreedz.net now has a wonderfully air-conditioned indoor studio hosting this special Holiday shoot in the middle of summer. This isn't your run of the mill Santa photo shoot however. Santa is making a special trip to join us and plans on just being the supporting actor - YOUR pet is the STAR in each photo!

Professional pet portraits with Santa

Mark your calendar - Santa is coming to town on JULY 20, 2013 and he is ready to let YOUR pets be the stars in these unique Christmas Portraits.

$59.00 Package includes: ~ mini-photo session with Santa ~ 1 free 8x10 print (photographer’s choice of image)

$89.00 Package includes: ~ mini-photo session with Santa ~ 1 free 8x10 print (your choice of image) ~ 25 custom Christmas Cards

DogBreedz.net pet photography hosted at T Ryan Photography Studio, 1456 North Magnolia Avenue, El Cajon, CA 92020. To reserve your private session call 858/997-7135 or email through the "contact me" button at the top of this page.

All pets accepted. Package fees good for up to 2 pets. Additional pets in same photo $5.00 each. Newborns, Infants and toddlers to age 5 accepted as well (with or without pets). Portrait Hours 10 am - 6 pm, by appointment only.

12/11/2012 - Model Call: Pomeranian and more

Model Call: BREEDZ WANTED for December/January 2012/13

If you have one of the following breeds and would like a complimentary session before January 10, 2013, 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:

Pomeranian

American English Coonhound

Belgian Sheepdog

Berger Picard

Puppies, adults and seniors - I need them all! They must conform to breed standards, but they don't have to be show dogs; purebred-looking pets and rescues are available for this offer as well.

Contact me to arrange your free private photo sitting. Shoot participants that are chosen for a 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 from the free session.

Studio sessions will be held at my Santee studio and location candids are available at San Diego County area parks or beaches. If you are in the SD, CA 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 (playing, walking, everyday life with your dog). Does your dog do a job, sport or fun activity? That is a possible shoot, as well. I look forward to hearing from you!

top photo: Hannah the Pomeranian on the photo set
bottom photo: Belgian Sheepdog #5: GCH Sanderle Kindred R. South Bay Kennel Club 69th All Breed Show. August 13, 2011 in Torrance, California. Owned by Roxanne Chumbley and Richard Skinner. Bred by Sandra E King and Roxanne Chumbley. Handled by Tiffany Saxon.

11/30/12 - the weekend ahead with DogBreedz.net

Friday! The weekend is almost here!

For most people that sounds like one more day until freedom from work - but for the dog show photographer and conformation, obedience, luring and agility people it means gearing up for another weekend of serious dog business. I have a rare weekend off, which leaves me chomping at the bit just a little. Now that I have the energy to trot off to a show, my slate is empty! However ... I have some Holiday photos to edit, a work Holiday Party on Saturday and Sunday is my birthday. So this is actually a good weekend to stay close to home, working images on the computer and playing with the Cocker Spaniels. You know THEY like the "stay close to home" part of that equation!

Today I have a personal ordering session set up for Huggy Bear's mom. Bear has visited my set numerous times over the last two years and is a favorite with my assistants. Even on his grumpy days (hey, we all have them!) he is photogenic. Pictured here, his Charger Spirit shines through during the 2010 Holiday Season. His last visit with me was on a recent Holiday shoot at Camp Bow Wow El Cajon. He told me his mom is thinking about sharing his photos with friends and family. What a great way to celebrate your furkid and keep a smile on others' faces! I know I'll enjoy my morning coffee with Bear's mom.

This is my last "weekend off" (even tho I am editing) for a while. My volunteering for ESRA (Springer Rescue) as photographer's assistant and head dog wrangler will keep me busy over the next couple of weekends. Then work at the Spa and a final "last chance" Holiday shoot in Santee (weather permitting) will wrap up December, as far as business goes.

What do YOU have planned for yourself this weekend?

***** ***** ***** ***** *****Don't forget to enter my Thursday Giveaway for a unique way to share your love of animals during your gifting this Holiday Season!

Indie gets ready for The Big Surprise

Indie shows how she is preparing for The Big Surprise. She is certain that her favorite collar and looking good is the key! In my last blog post, we saw how Bennett chose to prepare.

Are these two Cockers really getting ready for the same event?!

Indie: it's all about how you look!
Bennett: no it's not, Indie! It's about what you know!
Indie: and about how you look.
Bennett: no.
Indie: uh-HUH! Look right here: #3 - Appearance and Grooming!
Bennett: (rolls his eyes) that's not what that means, Silly!
Indie: then why do they say it, if it's not what it means?
Bennett: (big sigh) OK, Indie, whatever you say ...
Indie: See - I told you!
Bennett: SQUIRREL!
Special thanks to Classy Critter Collars for Indie's wonderful wardrobe!

Project 52-12: Vintage

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 RETRO/VINTAGE. 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 back here - I think you'll enjoy yourself!

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Well, it's been a busy month behind the camera ... busy enough that I've had to let my blog lag and now it's time to start making up for that! I've been playing with some layers, textures and overlays for retro effects and when this challenge theme came up, it seemed a perfect match for getting back in the game. With Easter right around the corner, Indie gave me a great idea for my photo to match the theme of the week. Here's a scrapbook page, starring Kodak's Canyonview Little Miss Independent herself, replicating what we think an Easter photo from years gone past would look like. Complete with antique lace and pearls!

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Thanks for visiting the Project 52 Blog Roll for Week #12. Now, please do take a moment and click thru to the blog of Nashville Pet Photographer, Kelly Coyle of Sweet Silver Photography. If you keep clicking through to the next photographer, you'll end up right back here. Enjoy the photos and give YOUR pets a hug from me. Remember: Every Moment Matters!^TM

Project 52-7: Mood

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 MOOD. 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 back here - I think you'll enjoy yourself!

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You'd think that with a topic as wide-ranging as "mood" it would be easy to come up with some images to fit. I can easily look thru galleries of past photo sessions and find finished images that would be perfect. But that would be cheating - besides sharing great images with you, my Blog Followers, the goal of this project is to take NEW pictures to fit a pre-chosen theme and to grow as a photographer. But ... looking thru those galleries gave me just the inspiration I needed to get me going. The dogs and I went off to play at the local dog park and the mood was:

... PLAYFUL!

... and FRIENDLY!

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Thanks for visiting the Project 52 Blog Roll for Week #7. Now, please do take a moment and click thru to the blog of Karen Weiler of Posh Pets Photography, located in Toronto. If you keep clicking through to the next photographer, you'll end up right back here. Enjoy the photos and give YOUR pets a hug from me. Remember: Every Moment Matters!^TM

2/14/2012 - Specials of the Valentine Week!

CURRENT SPECIALS

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Have you been wanting to get a DogBreedz Cotton Blanket, Greeting Card or other fun goodies? Now is the time with these current specials.

***** Dog Breedz Cotton Throw Blanket: Save $40 on either size! Expires 2/21/2012. Use one of my images or submit one of your own.

***** DogBreedz Photo Galleries: 10% off orders of $20 or more (tax and shipping excluded). Use coupon code Feb142012 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. Coupon expires 2/28/2012.

***** DogBreedz 2012 Wall Calendars and all items at Lulu: Free Ground Shipping. Save up to $50 on your next order through February 17, 2012. The fine print from Lulu: Enter coupon code FLIGHTLESS at checkout to receive this deal. 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 February 17, 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 Gift Items from Zazzle: 14.02% off all orders for one day only (today)! The fine print from Zazzle: Enter coupon code HAPPYLOVEDAY at checkout in the "Zazzle Coupons/Gift Certificates" box 14.02% of the product net sale price will be deducted when one or more qualifying products are purchased and the coupon code HAPPYLOVEDAY 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 until February 14, 2012 at 11:59pm PT. This offer does not apply to past purchases and 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 Gift Items from Zazzle: Free Shipping on all orders over $50 through March 31, 2012! The fine print from Zazzle: enter coupon code FREESHIPFORU 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 coupon code FREESHIPFORU must be entered during checkout to receive the offer. The free shipping offer is for standard shipping to U.S. addresses only. Shipping charges will apply to oversized orders and orders being shipped on an expedited basis or outside the U.S. Offer is valid through March 31, 2012 at 11:59pm PT. Your order must be placed during that time to qualify for this special offer. This promotional offer may not be combined with any other Zazzle promotional or discount offers. Offer valid on Zazzle.com only.

*****Visa and Mastercard Gift Cards: FREE shipping on all gift card orders of $75 or more! The fine print from GiftCards.com: Get free 1st Class shipping on all Mastercard and Visa gift card orders of $75 or more! Use code CUPID2012 at checkout. Offer good until February 14, 2012. Happy Valentine's Day from GiftCards.com!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Project 52-6: Noses

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 NOSES. 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 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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As soon as I heard the topic for this week (Noses) I just knew Bennett was the dog for the job! I really don't know if the image even NEEDS me to patter away about it. I tend to think it speaks for itself ...

Working on this assignment reminded me of two foster dog photos in particular from years' past, so I thought I'd share them with you as well. Enjoy!

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Thanks for visiting the Project 52 Blog Roll for Week #6. Now, please do take a moment and click thru to the blog of Terran Bayer of Westway Studio - just up the road from me here in Southern California. Enjoy the photos and give YOUR pets a hug from me!

I'm an Abnormal Dog Owner ... and I'm proud of it!

I'm a moderator on a Cocker Spaniel forum that I have been a member of for some time. One of the forum members posted this link today, and I think it's worthy of sharing with my blog readers. Click through and read on about "The Myth of 'Normal' Dogs". For illustration, here is Huckleberry the Labrador Retriever .... being a normal dog and eventually ready for his photo shoot (I still laugh when I think about this session)!

Project 52-5: Bridges

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 BRIDGES. 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 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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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!

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?!

Project 52-3: From The Hip

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

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!

Vestibular Syndrome In Your Dog

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!

CURRENT SPECIALS

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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

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

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 NEWNESS. 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 back here - I think you'll enjoy yourself!

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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!

Merry Christmas 2011!

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

Fidose Of Reality Holiday Photo Contest

"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)