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.

Cat Photo Contest hosted by Cokie the Cat

Cokie the Cat is hosting a Cat Holiday Photo Contest on his blog! Entries are accepted through Dec 9, 2012 - take a look: by clicking here. Cat-egories for Traditional Holiday Cat and Silly Holiday Cat. Have fun!

RIP Dear Pepe

Pepe has been reigning King of the Kennel, expertly taking over the repected title when Sylvia passed 2 years ago (she made it to 21!). At age 19, Pepe fought his physical challenges bravely. Regular blood panels to monitor his thyroid issues were our first clue that something was amiss; he sure wasn't acting sick! After the blood numbers indicated something going on, a followup chest xray showed the severity of his condition. The vet was surprised that Pepe was still alive! However, with the amount of damage already done, the decline would be quick - within one or two days the vet thought. The decision was made by Pepe's mom to let him go while he still had great memories of health and happiness.

Pepe on the photo set in December 2010
Spunky Ivan is now the head of the kennel - will he grow up enough to become the King?

Ivan playing Camouflage Kitty, February 2012
Soon we'll be on the lookout for a sweet black/white tuxedo long haired female kitten to bring home to help Ivan run the greeting room in the kennel. But for today, we stay home and fondly remember handsome Pepe, running free at the Rainbow Bridge.

Bonus Post - cats everywhere!

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!

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!

2010 International Summer Photo Tour - Weekend 1

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!