The Working Dog

/ 7 Comments

The working dog. You may have visions of German Shepherds on the police force, Bloodhounds with their noses to the ground, Dalmatians escorting firetrucks, Border Collies herding sheep and an extensive group of service dogs working in everything from assistance to scent work. True these dogs all have jobs which means they are working, yet (excluding the undefined dog types of service dogs) NONE of them are actually working dogs! Or at least not in the working dog breed classification of the AKC! (UKC outlines guardian dogs / mastiffs instead of a working class!)

German Shepherds are in the HERDING class! They are grouped with the Border Collie, Australian Shepherd (not from Australia!), Collies and Corgis! 

Bloodhounds are in the… yup you guessed it HOUND group! (And props to the Bloodhound “Trumpet” being best in show at the 2022 Westminster Dog Show!). 

Dalmatians are in the NON-SPORTING group! This is where Bulldogs, Bichon Frise, Boston Terriers, Shiba Inus & Poodles are!

Working Group is defined by the AKC as: Quick to learn, intelligent, strong, watchful & alert. Bred to aid humans, they excel at guarding property, pulling sleds & performing water rescues. They make stellar companions, though often being large & naturally protective they need ample & proper training and socialization. The Working Group isn’t always the best fit for a first time dog owner. 

Breeds include:

  • Akita
  • Alaskan Malamute
  • Anatolian Shepherd Dog
  • Bernese Mountain Dog
  • Black Russian Terrier
  • Boerboel
  • Boxer
  • Bullmastiff
  • Cane Corso
  • Chinook
  • Doberman Pinscher
  • Dogo Argentino
  • Dogue de Bordeaux (French mastiff)
  • German Pinscher
  • Giant Schnauzer
  • Great Dane
  • Great Pyrenees
  • Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
  • Komondor
  • Kuvasz
  • Leonberger
  • Mastiff
  • Napolitan Mastiff
  • Newfoundland / Landseer
  • Portuguese Water Dog
  • Rottweiler
  • Saint Bernard
  • Samoyed
  • Siberian Husky
  • Standard Schnauzer
  • Tibetan Mastiff

Now, not only do I love dogs, but I love history & origins of things. Cue the historical research into each of the working class breeds!

The findings were rather intriguing. Some breeds pull their lineage from the ancient days of early domestication (we’re talking after the family tree branched into ancestor wolves & possible protodogs 40,000 to 30,000 years ago) while others were designs of the early 20th century.

Breeds in themselves were defined & designed in the mid 1800s onward as Victorian interest in categorizing, grouping and standardizing shifted into dogs. The AKC / American Kennel Club was formed in 1884 followed by the UKC / United Kennel Club in 1898. Dog shows became fashionable and the “sport” of dogs – breeding, showing, trialing – rose in popularity.  The modernization of the breeds we love and know had begun. 

In 1885 there were 24 breeds of dogs registered with AKC. By 1898, the French Bulldog pushed the number to 51 registered breeds. 100 years later, in 1995, there were 140 breeds registered with the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog rounding out the number! Today you can find 197 breeds registered under the AKC & clustered into one of the 7 groups – working, herding, hounds, non-sporting, sporting, terrier & toy. 

Back to the working group & their breed histories. TONS of information, much more than a single blog post will be able to broadcast, so each breed will get a couple short tidbits of info + their 2021 AKC popularity ranking!

Additionally a curious observation – most dogs in the working class are large or giant sized with the exception of the German Pinscher & Standard Schnauzer. Many were livestock guardians & watchdogs, and often were employed as draft dogs. Interestingly the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Leonberger, Mastiff, Rottweiler & Dogue de Bordeaux all have mentions throughout their history of being butcher’s dogs (Metzgerhunde) as well as being draft & watchdogs. And the large to giant size? Attributed to ancient bloodlines that descend from molossers, mastiffs and huge wolves. 

Neat facts about the breeds + their 2021 AKC popularity ranking: 

  • Akita
    – AKC ranking: 52
    – into AKC in: 1972
    – country of origin: Japan
    – history:  old – 1,000+ years
    – two versions exist: Akita (American) & Akita Inu
    – US soldiers preferred a larger dog. When WWII ended, they brought with them puppies and developed the larger size Akita.
  • Alaskan Malamute
    – AKC ranking: 68
    – into AKC in: 1935
    – country of origin: Alaska
    – history:  ancient / basal breed – 4,000+ years
    – shares a close genetic relationship with Siberian Husky & are related to Chukotka sled dogs from Siberia
  • Anatolian Shepherd Dog
    – AKC ranking: 88
    – into AKC in: 1996
    – country of origin: Turkey
    – history:  ancient / centuries
    – sent to the US in 1930 for a super secret government program to find the world’s greatest sheepdog
    – program fizzled out due to the depression & the dogs were shipped off to a farm somewhere

  • Bernese Mountain Dog
    – AKC ranking: 20
    – into AKC in: 1937
    – country of origin: Switzerland 
    – history:  old, possibly 15th or 16th century, show up in artwork in 17th & 18th century
    – history 2: linage back to 1000AD & bones – though most likely it was the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog progenitor 
    – correct temperament was problematic in the 1940s, Newfoundland influence was added (naturally or by design) in 1948
    (can you see the Newfoundland influence in Berners?)
  • Black Russian Terrier
    – AKC ranking: 127
    – into AKC in: 2004
    – country of origin: Russia
    – history:  new – designed in 1950s
    – developed by the Russian military to replenish & exceed previous canine military soldiers
  • Boerboel
    – AKC ranking: 118
    – into AKC in: 2015
    – country of origin: South Africa
    – history:  oldish start (1650s?) refined further in 1920s, with a breed society arriving in 1986
    – could possibly be an even older breed base with ancient mastiff ancestor lineage
  • Boxer
    – AKC ranking: 14
    – into AKC in: 1904
    – country of origin: Germany
    – history:  old – late 19th century breed was designed
    – the origin of the name Boxer is unknown – perhaps how the dog plays like a boxer? Or a corruption of the word Boxl ?

  • Bullmastiff
    – AKC ranking: 56
    – into AKC in: 1934
    – country of origin: England
    – history:  old – mid 1800s breed was designed – mastiff + bulldog
    – known as the Gamekeeper’s dog, designed to be fast & hold a person until the Gamekeeper arrived 
    – brindle was the favored color of the Gamekeeper as it was hard to see the dog in low light or woods!
  • Cane Corso
    – AKC ranking: 21
    – into AKC in: 2010
    – country of origin: Italy
    – history:  ancient (1130s AD?) –  related to ancient Roman Molossus dogs
    – closely related to the Neapolitan Mastiff and unchanged in appearance for eons
    – faster “catch” dog than the Neapolitan Mastiff, used for hunting and war duties
  • Chinook
    – AKC ranking: 172
    – into AKC in: 2013
    – country of origin: USA 
    – history:  newer – breed designed in 1920s
    – Chinook, the founder, is a “sport” dog – which is a phenomenon of nature where he didn’t resemble either of his parents
    – all of Chinook’s offspring carried his coloration, size & general characteristics!

  • Doberman Pinscher
    – AKC ranking: 16
    – into AKC in: 1908
    – country of origin: USA 
    – history:  old – breed designed in 1860s, refined into the early 1900s
    – designed to be a swift, efficient guard dog for the tax collector & founder Louis Doberman
  • Dogo Argentino
    – AKC ranking: 89
    – into AKC in: 2020
    – country of origin: Argentina
    – history:  newer – 1920s
    – designed to be a cooperative hunting dog created with Cordoba fighting dog (now extinct) as the base – dog aggression was bred out so the Dogo could work in a pack situation when hunting
  • Dogue de Bordeaux (French mastiff)
    – AKC ranking: 70
    – into AKC in: 2008
    – country of origin: France
    – history: ancient, possibly descended from the Roman Molossus
    – at one time there were two varieties: Dogues (larger) & Doguins (lighter & smaller) – the Doguins are now extinct
  • German Pinscher
    – AKC ranking: 146
    – into AKC in: 2003
    – country of origin: Germany
    – history: old – designed in the 1800s
    – originally siblings with the Standard Schnauzer – coat types were set as separate breeds in the early 1900s
    ** German Pinscher is considered a category III endangered breed
  • Giant Schnauzer
    – AKC ranking: 65
    – into AKC in: 1930
    – country of origin: Germany
    – history: pretty old – arrived in the 17th century
    – not just a “big” version of a schnauzer but an entirely different blend of breeds including the Standard Schnauzer!
    – largest of the Schnauzers, though not giant in size

  • Great Dane
    – AKC ranking: 17
    – into AKC in: 1887
    – country of origin: Germany
    – history: very old – ancient, ancestors hailing from the 5th century
    – possibly created from the cross breeding of mastiffs & greyhounds or wolfhounds between the 5th & 16th century
  • Great Pyrenees
    – AKC ranking: 63
    – into AKC in: 1933
    – country of origin: Pyrenees Mountains, the border between France and Spain
    – history: very old – first descriptions of the breed arrive in 1407  
    – related to the Maremma Sheepdog, Kuvasz, Akbash Dog & Polish Tatra – slightly related to the Newfoundland & St. Bernard
    – their ancestors are lupomossoloid, not related to mossoloids / mastiffs! In fact they may be descendants of a strain of white wolves that lived up in the mountains!

  • Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
    – AKC ranking: 78
    – into AKC in: 1995
    – country of origin: Switzerland
    – history: very old, approx. 2,000+ years ago,  possibly with ancestors of Roman mastiffs / ancient mastiffs 
    – may have been a foundations in the development Rottweilers & St. Bernards
    – there was a red & white coat variation that may have been sold as St. Bernards when the Bernards became popular in 1850s
    – Bernards also lent to the loss of popularity in all the tricolor Swiss mountain dogs & their near extinction
  • Komondor
    – AKC ranking: 186
    – into AKC in: 1937
    – country of origin: Hungary
    – history: ancient – 13th Century
    – they are livestock guardians & their corded coats help them look like the sheep they protect
  • Kuvasz
    – AKC ranking: 169
    – into AKC in: 1931
    – country of origin: Hungary
    – history: ancient – pre 2000 BC – one of the OLDEST breeds in existence! 
    – may be descended from Tibetan Mastiffs or Molossian or Pre-Molossian dogs!
    – all related: Great Pyrenees, Komondor, Tatra, Maremma & Akbash
  • Leonberger
    – AKC ranking: 102
    – into AKC in: 2010
    – country of origin: Germany
    – history: old – designed in the 1840s – tawny lion look arrived in 1899
    – designed to resemble the lion on the crest of Leonberg Germany
    – puppies were gifted to high profile figures which helped spread interest in the Leonberger
    – golden lion color we know in modern day Leonbergers didn’t arrive until after the founder had died

  • Mastiff
    – AKC ranking: 35
    – into AKC in: 1885
    – country of origin: England
    – history: ancient, back to the days of the Romans & older
    – when the Romans invaded they found these Mastiffs superior to their molassus & thusly brought scores back to Rome
    – many large dog breeds can trace their lineage to mastiffs – Chow Chows & Pugs can too!
  • Napolitan Mastiff
    – AKC ranking: 106
    – into AKC in: 2004
    – country of origin: Italy
    – history: ancient, may be a direct descendant of Molossus war dog 
    – points of the Napolitan Mastiff’s ancestry points back to 3,000 BC!
    – closely related to the Cane Corso (the lighter Molossus!)
  • Newfoundland
    – AKC ranking: 45
    – into AKC in: 1886
    – country of origin: Island of Newfoundland
    – history: very old, possibly from the 15th century or as a native dog evolution or 1000 AD with the vikings
    – first mention of Newfies is in 1775 when George Cartwright applied the name of the island to his own dog
    – the dog that traveled with Lewis & Clark was a Newfoundland named Seaman
  • Portuguese Water Dog
    – AKC ranking: 44
    – into AKC in: 1983
    – country of origin: Portugal 
    – history: very old, possibly with ancestors in Roman times
    – Portuguese Water Dogs & Poodles may have had a shared ancestor, but when the tribes they lived with departed the breeds developed apart from each other

  • Rottweiler
    – AKC ranking: 8
    – into AKC in: 1931
    – country of origin: Germany
    – history: very old, possibly with ancestors of Roman mastiffs as well as Swiss mountain dogs
    – the first Rottweiler club was developed in 1914
    – Rottweilers are named for the town of Rottweil, Germany where the breed was established
  • Saint Bernard
    – AKC ranking: 53
    – into AKC in: 1885
    – country of origin: Switzerland
    – history: very old, ancestors in Roman mastiffs, or the Alpine mastiff
    – breed designed and developed at the St. Bernard Hospice high up in the Alps
    – the St. Bernards of the hospice were trained in rescuing people when the pass became to treacherous
    – Barry was a famous dog who made many rescues (legend is 40 in his lifespan)
    – possibly founded from Greater Swiss Mountain dogs, along with mastiffs, then later with Newfoundlands and Bernese mountain dogs to form the longer coat. Overall head size and bulk of modern St. Bernards was most likely influenced by mastiff.
  • Samoyed
    – AKC ranking: 55
    – into AKC in: 1906
    – country of origin: Russia & Siberia
    – history: ancient and very little influence – dates back to 1000 BCE
    – in the mid 1800s Samoyeds were parts of the dog teams in the Antarctic & Arctic explorations

  • Siberian Husky
    – AKC ranking: 19
    – into AKC in: 1930
    – country of origin: Siberia (though Siberia disputes this & says the husky is American…)
    – history: very old with a lineage as far back as 4,000+ years
    – Huskies were brought to Nome, Alaska in 1908 and used as racing sled dogs
    – in the early 1900s they were known as “Siberian rats” due to their smaller size in comparison to Malamutes
  • Standard Schnauzer
    – AKC ranking: 96
    – into AKC in: 1904
    – country of origin: Germany
    – history: rather old, 14th or 15th century (breed developed in the 1800s)
    – sibling to the German Pinscher, though developed separately in the early 1900s
    – Schnauzer literally translates to “snouter” & means colloquially “moustache” or “whiskered snout”
  • Tibetan Mastiff
    – AKC ranking: 147
    – into AKC in: 2006
    – country of origin: Tibet
    – history: ancient – the breed has existed for 1,000s of years 
    – history of the breed is very mysterious as Tibet was closed to foreigners until the mid 1800s
    – may have been a progenitor of many mastiff type dogs as tribes moved from Asia across the world

One of the super cool things I found in the ample research into the histories of each breed was the depth of information some breeds had. It flowed deeper beyond the breeds themselves and into the beginnings of dogs and their relationship with humans (all theories of course, as we have little knowledge of early dogs aside from skeletons & cave drawings).  Other dogs had histories that were brief no matter the sources combed. Relationships between breeds emerged (many mastiff lineages). Newfoundland influenced Bernese Mountain Dogs and the Leonburger. Leonburgers were part of the rebuilding of the hospice St. Bernards, while St. Bernards may have a bit of background from Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs (or could have even been red & white Swissies when Saints became super popular). 

And in comparison: the Greater Swiss Mountain dog with the “old” type St. Bernard that was found in the mid 1800s into the early 1900s (the breed standard arrived in 1887, the hospice monks preferred the “Barry” type, while other breeders pushed into found favor in heavy heads, shorter muzzles and stronger stops similar to modern St. Bernards.) The resemblance is uncanny… 

1945 Juno von Hetzensberg
1906 St. Bernard, a "Barry" type

A ton of awesome information about the working dog group of the AKC! Do you have a favorite breed out of the working dogs? (I rather love rotties & Swissies!)

We’re in a blog ring with awesome dog & pet photographers around the globe! Next up Las Vegas Dog Photographer, Nicole Hrustyk, of Pawtraits by Nicole talks about sport dogs and shares a sport perfect for getting started in dog sports.

The Working Dog Read More »

Location Spotlight: Theodore Wirth Regional Park | Golden Valley MN

/ 8 Comments

One of my favorite locations to visit for sessions in the Twin Cities metro: Theodore Wirth Regional Park. 

Nestled minutes from downtown Minneapolis, Theo Wirth is a massive 740 acre park that ambles around Wirth Lake & the golf course. There is a big sandy beach, a playground, and ample trails looped throughout. Pair with big fields, wooded paths and an adorable bridge, this park has a MEGA ton of diversity in backdrops. 

I was introduced to this park in 2017 with a session with Suzi & Elli. Fluffy dandelions in golden hour, many textures of walking paths, a sandy beach and a calm pond, what more to love? Inspired, Theodore Wirth became a go to for the park setting while only being 16 mins from Minneapolis. 

Each time I visit, there are familiar spots to traipse: the beach & the bridge. 

The beach has a lovely beach house (the playground is here too) and this is the best place to find parking and coordinate. If we’re doing a session, we won’t be doing the beach right off the bat! Instead we’ll stroll around the park and leave the sand & water to the end of the evening when the light settles in to a brilliant sunset. 

Directly across from the park the paths start. Heading right the path is mown and it makes a giant loop around the park. If you continue on the path it passes Birch Pond and then leads you towards the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden (dogs are NOT allowed in the garden area). I’ve never followed the loop that far to know how scenic it is. 

If instead of going right at the first path fork you’ll be on a broad paved path with multiple paths jogging off to the right. Saying on the paved path will loop you up the hill to the Theodore Wirth Pavilion. Dogs aren’t allowed in, but the building is rather quaint. 

Following the path that leads from in front of the pavilion, you’ll head downhill to a smaller parking lot for the park. There’s a mega cute wooden fence that makes a lovely backdrop. You can head into the woods that flank the path to the right. The paths in the woods meet and make the same loops & connections to the main paved path – you can traverse them in either direction!

If you decide to turn left instead of right, you’ll cross a relatively busy road and head towards the water access. Go down the canoe launch for pretty views of the lake, or head up into the trees and hilly area. There is ample open space to explore plus the wide openness of the area is awesome for some running action shots! This is where you’ll find fluffy backlit dandelions in the early summer. There is one tree that actively turns orange well before the others, so if you’d like some color in your fall images find that tree!

If you pick up the paved path it heads towards the farthest edge of the park crossing Basset Creek as it does. Be mindful, this is a bike path! Make sure to move over or off the path to allow bike traffic to travel safely. 

Crossing Basset Creek is an adorable bridge, a must visit even if you’re just strolling. If you’re feeling surefooted you can explore the creek by traipsing down big rocks to the water’s edge. 

Continuing the path brings you to Highway 55. This busy road serves as intersection between the park area and the golf course. It looks like there is a trail that might loop around the golf course and turn into a mountain bike path (via Google maps) though I haven’t yet adventured that direction. 

After you visit the bridge, backtrack to beach and let the sun work its magic as it departs the sky. 

There is a trail that loops around the west side of the lake, but I haven’t yet travelled it to see how scenic it is. If you do, let me know if its pretty enough for a session! 

(Once you wrap up for the day, head into the north loop of Minneapolis and get some ice cream for you and your pup! MN Nice Cream has dairy free pup cups & is only 14 mins from Theodore Wirth Regional park!)

We’re in a blog ring with awesome pet photographers around the world! Next up Abby Moreno of Paws Fur Joy Photography shares one of her favorite spots for pet photography, Raleigh Little Theater Rose Garden. 

Location Spotlight: Theodore Wirth Regional Park | Golden Valley MN Read More »

Outdoor Adventures at Mississippi River County Park | Rice MN

/ 7 Comments

Outdoor adventures and scouting a new location? Heck yes!

Those in central Minnesota may be familiar with Bend in the River Park with its charming barn, old house, various textures of outbuildings and prairie area with ample grasses and flowers found throughout the seasons.  HEAVILY popular with photographers – stop out in the fall and you’ll find rather coordinated packs of photographers and families swarming the park. 

No we didn’t adventure to Bend in the River. Instead we headed directly across the river to Mississippi River County Park. 

Acquired in 1973, Mississippi River County Park follows the flow of the Mississippi River for 1.3 miles, while the overall park covers 230 acres. There is an archery area adjacent to the park, ample walking trails that move along the river, though the woods, pass a grassy area, through the floodplains area and around the entirety of the park. Plus there’s a disk golf course that weaves throughout the park. 

I met up with Jack (IG: mr_jack_the_lab / FB: Mr. Jack the Lab) and his people and we headed towards the path. 

If I may add a notion: Minnesota has 11,000+ lakes, many areas of ponds, streams, creeks and ample woods which means: MOSQUITOS. Millions of MOSQUITOS! And those bloodsuckers were ravenous and aiming to drain us dry as soon as we entered the woods. 

The paths we first took wound into the woods and followed the edge of the river. We found a cool stand of logs, some lovely ferns and cool, very swampy, gnarly mosquitoed pond. The paths were WIDE and very mown. Great for strolling on esp in a group of people, though the area felt rather open in comparison to “classic” hiking trails. 

The river path was equally as wide and was bushy along the water’s edge. Way less mosquitos! 

 

Hiked out, then headed to the split in the road and went right instead of left. (Left & left brings you to the main parking lot). Right heads towards the public water access with a slight right that leads to the parking lot for the floodplains. Huge trees around the parking lot lending the feeling of being deep within the woods. We headed down the path, instantly assaulted by the mosquitos as we took in the view (quite lovely!). Paused for a moment for pictures, then continued down the trail that transitioned into a mud path (thanks rain in the AM & the midday shower). Had the mosquitos not been so aggressive I would have considered the mud, but the pair were lending towards an impasse, so we turned tail and headed back to the cars. 

The road winds a bit then plops into the public water access area. No docks, but the boat launch was rather pretty with tall banks & ample foliage / brush. Jack took to the water like a classic Labrador. He pursued a stick, drifting slightly in the current of the river once he caught it(be aware that the water gets deep quickly and moves at a good clip if your dog decides to go for a dip). The stick was chomped to bits, then a MONSTER stick found (Jack is notorious for fetching tree size sticks…). 

Monster stick was tossed aside and Jack enjoyed splashing in the river. Mom Lindsey says Jack will dunk his whole head in the water and even lays down in it! He didn’t show off his dunking skills, but he did enjoy the water. He’s a majestic water beast! We did lose light briefly when a cloud shimmied over the sun, giving the images a new serene vibe. Luckily the sun returned swiftly to brighten the vibe & the landscape. 

Out of the water for a few more woodsy images, then we wrapped up for the day. A lovely way to spend an evening! A HUGE thank you to Jack & his parents for helping out with this blog theme!

You may have noticed a unique plane of focus in many of the images. If not, look closely. Some of the planes of focus are very narrow & horizontal, while others are narrow and VERTICAL! Wait what? Vertical plane of focus? 

Yes! And yes this effect is done in camera!
Wait what? That’s voodoo magic! How?
– With a tilt shift lens! 

Tilt shift lenses feature multiple knobs to adjust the shift, tilt or both of the elements within a lens. 

 Originally designed to be used with architecture to correct tipping backward buildings & keeping parallel lines parallel. When only the tilt function is used, the tilted elements inside the lens manipulate the focal plane (ie what’s in focus). When done right it can make a scene look as though it was a miniature model (this works best when viewing from above – cityscapes & landscapes look pretty epic!).

Left shows how buildings lean backwards (as do trees) with nearly all lenses, esp the wider the lens.  Right shows the image corrected with a tilt shift lens. See how the lines are closer to proper vertical? And the trees & signs too! This is what a tilt shift (or perspective control / PC)  lens was designed for!

Left is original, how a classic lens would capture the image. Aperture at f5.6. Right shows the “miniaturized” look when tilt is artistically employed. Note the blur in the background & foreground. Same settings as the image at left with f5.6 

Another property of using the tilt: manipulating the focal plane to something other than horizontal. 

WHAT???

Your focal plane is a line, found in all lenses, that will always be horizontal from left to right no matter if the image is vertical or horizontal. The depth of field in your image is how narrow or wide the area of focus is and it falls on your focal plane – or where you are focusing. A tilt shift lens can SHIFT the focal plane into something other than horizontal. Enter the voodoo magic! 

Imagine a horizontal image, focal plane running from left to right. Now imagine the same horizontal image but now the focal plane is going up and down. Narrow depth of field has the left & right side blurred but now your subject and what is below & above them in a vertical line is in focus. Things on multiple planes are now in focus together! (The picture of Jack with the boat in it is a great example.) 

Plus depending on the lens you can also manipulate your focal plane to be DIAGONAL! That’s some crazy voodoo magic! 

Can you spot the tilt shift images above? (Hint: there are 16 of them – not including the non-dog ones!)

I LOVE this lens, but man was it an expensive hobby lens that only sees the world a few times a year. I’m thinking of incorporating it into sessions though the main drawback is… it’s manual focus. (Tilt shifts are ALWAYS manual focus.) Which means active dogs are hard to nail down for focus. But when it works, the effect is one of a kind!

(And since we’re talking lenses, the two others employed for the day: Sigma 135 f1.8 & Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4. The tilt shift was 85mm f2.8. All lenses mounted on a Nikon D5.)

We’re in a blog ring! Head through the other posts from fellow dog & pet photographers across the globe and when you land here you’ve made the full circle! Next up Las Vegas photographer, Nicole of Pawtraits by Nicole, shares her recent adventure at Lake Mead!

Outdoor Adventures at Mississippi River County Park | Rice MN Read More »

5 Tips to Make the Best of 4th of July with Your Dog

/ Leave a Comment

The ooos and ahhhs of firework watching is just around the corner as we celebrate with the 4th of July. As much as we fancy those showy displays of light, many dogs are not fond of the booms that accompany fireworks. Each dog is different – Icey my rottie didn’t mind fireworks, Mick ran away once & hid under a deck, Bender didn’t care but most frequently was in the house so he didn’t get nommed on by mosquitos and Axle didn’t get much exposure to them (he may not have liked them). 

Here are 5 tips to make the best of this 4th of July:

  • Get your walks in before the booms begin.
    Walk in the morning and in the evening before dusk rolls around. The walks will maintain your dog’s routine, help lower anxiety level and expel extra energy your pup may have. A tired dog is a dog will will quiet easier and snooze deeper making those booms pretty minimal.  
    ** Too hot to walk? Play fetch or tug in the yard or bring your dog out for a swim (or put your tootsies in the kiddie pool & “fish” for toys). 
  • Stay home with your dog. (Unless your dog is groovy with the fireworks, then bring them with!)
    If all the fizzes and pops from the little neighborhood shows and booms from the big show will rattle your dog, opt for staying home with them. You are your dog’s comfort and protector and being home will help them understand not to be too worried about the noises outside. Pop in a favorite movie, snuggle into the couch and share a bowl of popcorn. 
    ** Instead of a movie, cue up videos featuring fireworks. Start with a low volume and each time the sound of the fireworks is heard, give your dog a piece of popcorn. Up the volume, repeat. Bonus popcorn if anyone in the neighborhood shoots off fireworks. The ideal is fireworks = yummy treat = no so bad!
  • Give your dog some space & respect their fear.
    If you dog is super rattled and wants to hide in their crate or under a giant pile of blankets, let them. Dogs need to have an option to “escape” a situation if they feel overwhelmed. This is part of puppy training too. Scary things should invoke curiosity, but if they are too much the puppy needs to have the option to opt out. Let your dog have that too. Make sure their crate or safe spot is cozy – toss a blanket over their crate to make it even more den-like – and check in on them throughout the evening. 
  • Make sure your dog has the updated identification, just in case.
    It’s as simple as making sure your dog has tags on their collar. Rabies tags will have a notation of the vet who did them + ID #, city dog license will have an ID # and if anyone finds your pup, they can call and let them know your pup was found. Make sure your dog’s main ID take has updated phone numbers – don’t forget to make sure your dog’s microchip has an updated phone number & address too!
  • If it’s really really bad, talk to your vet about meds.
    Meds can help your dog chill so they can zonk into a solid sleep and put the noises of the day at bay. If the fireworks are long winded into July from neighborhood activities, talk to your vet and see what the best plan for comfort for your dog will be. 

If your dog is groovy with the fireworks, bring them with for the activities. Make sure they have up to date identification in case they get startled. And remember to have an exit plan if your dog gets overwhelmed and needs to retreat. 

With these 5 tips we hope you and your pup will have a wonderful and safe 4th of July!

5 Tips to Make the Best of 4th of July with Your Dog Read More »

The World of Summer Break

/ Leave a Comment

Summer break has solidly arrived, paired nicely with warm & rising temps, bugs and blooming flowers. Days have grown longer, though oddly have seemed to pass with swift velocity. We are already at the 22nd of June – how?

A pair of garage sale days, then the annual cabin trip up to the Park Rapids area from the 15th to 18th swept away many of the days. The other days have been with ample over-planning for the coming puppy (x-ray tomorrow, puppies arrive the 27th or 28th EEEEEEEEK!) as well as managing the exuberant growth of weeds and the garden. Plants have been added along with future plans for a produce garden (the fencing ought to be up this summer, but planting may not being until next year.)

Wednesdays and Saturdays are plasma donation days, with ever other Saturday spent slinging Atomic Collars at the MPLS Pet Market at Unleashed Hounds and Hops. 

Did I mention the overzealous puppy planning? (This morning I charted out rough age for each of the upcoming holidays starting in September and outlined some guidelines to follow for each holiday – no handouts from the table mom!)

Projects to be completed throughout the summer: the produce garden, a “built in” cabinet that will house the puppy’s crate, another garage sale, basement organization and puppy proofing the house. There’s a monstrous side garden to move and a massive amount of mulch needed to “finish” the gardens along the other fence. And grass removal from the gardens… man my dislike for grass is high!

July marks the 4th with fireworks viewed from our side yard. A few weeks pass and my sister is getting married to a lovely lady on July 16th. I’ll be photographing her wedding! The rest of the month will be spent in lounge or exploring some less frequented areas for new photography locations (if your dog wants to be a model, get in touch with me!). The MPLS Pet Market will continue Saturdays into August with Atomic Collars & other vendors, and plasma will continue to be cranked out on Wednesdays & Saturdays. 

July moves into August with my birthday on the 9th. The puppy arrives at the end of August and school starts back up for my mom at the same time. School starting marks the end of summer but also the beginning of life with the puppy! 

What are your plans for this summer break season?

Summer break has solidly arrived, paired nicely with warm & rising temps, bugs and blooming flowers. Days have grown longer, though oddly have seemed to pass with swift velocity. We are already at the 22nd of June – how?

A pair of garage sale days, then the annual cabin trip up to the Park Rapids area from the 15th to 18th swept away many of the days. The other days have been with ample over-planning for the coming puppy (x-ray tomorrow, puppies arrive the 27th or 28th EEEEEEEEK!) as well as managing the exuberant growth of weeds and the garden. Plants have been added along with future plans for a produce garden (the fencing ought to be up this summer, but planting may not being until next year.)

Wednesdays and Saturdays are plasma donation days, with ever other Saturday spent slinging Atomic Collars at the MPLS Pet Market at Unleashed Hounds and Hops. 

Did I mention the overzealous puppy planning? (This morning I charted out rough age for each of the upcoming holidays starting in September and outlined some guidelines to follow for each holiday – no handouts from the table mom!)

Projects to be completed throughout the summer: the produce garden, a “built in” cabinet that will house the puppy’s crate, another garage sale, basement organization and puppy proofing the house. There’s a monstrous side garden to move and a massive amount of mulch needed to “finish” the gardens along the other fence. And grass removal from the gardens… man my dislike for grass is high!

July marks the 4th with fireworks viewed from our side yard. A few weeks pass and my sister is getting married to a lovely lady on July 16th. I’ll be photographing her wedding! The rest of the month will be spent in lounge or exploring some less frequented areas for new photography locations (if your dog wants to be a model, get in touch with me!). The MPLS Pet Market will continue Saturdays into August with Atomic Collars & other vendors, and plasma will continue to be cranked out on Wednesdays & Saturdays. 

July moves into August with my birthday on the 9th. The puppy arrives at the end of August and school starts back up for my mom at the same time. School starting marks the end of summer but also the beginning of life with the puppy! 

What are your plans for this summer break season?

The World of Summer Break Read More »

Scroll to Top