Dog Photography Blog

The Rainbow Bridge

/ 5 Comments

The Rainbow Bridge is where our pet cross when they have departed from us.

Their landing point is a vast open area, brimming with every favorite landscape with ample opportunities to play, swimming, chase, fetch and nap. Each of our dogs who has departed and all the dogs before them live in harmony in this space, perhaps forever, perhaps until they return to the land of the living as a new dog in a new land, new time and with new people to protect, love, inspire and teach. This of course is based on your mythology of what happens to the spirit & soul once we depart. 

There aren’t any indications of if humans can visit, though the hope would be that we would be heartily greeted by each of our past pets with ample slobbery kisses, purrs and tail splashes (I will be greeted by some bullhead catfish haha!). 

To quote Will Rogers: “If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”

For us as people, the Rainbow Bridge means our pets are happy and healthy, in a better place as it is. For us though, the Rainbow Bridge signifies a massive loss. Our beloved dog no longer pats through the house, no longer gives us the eyes for a taste of what we’re eating, no longer is a source of companionship, giggles and snores. The house feels empty, and the moments of interrupted routine open up the waterways. (Ask me about how seeing grass this past spring opened the flood gates again.)

Our hearts hurt, our souls hurt, and we can’t hardly fathom how we can make it past the heartache. When we have the strength to stifle the tears, we remember their antics, their quirks and the fact that they are immortalized for our lifetime in images. We page through those images, remembering the younger dogs they were, the way they gained grey on a muzzle or freckles in their white colors. We remember the happy moments, the calm moments, the tough moments and the moments that they proved they were the bestest dog ever. 

(Ooof that was hard to write, I’m getting a little teary eyed which is not conducive to writing. Man I miss you Bender!)

It doesn’t matter if the images are from a cell phone, casual photography or from a professional pet photographer, their existence grants your dog immortality.

I’m so grateful that I have a knack for being trigger happy with my dogs. There is ample pictures from the early days of Mick, Icey, Axle and Bender with moments between as they aged, until they headed into their departure. Cueing up a single image of any of them brings up the memory tied to it, along with all the other memories that each dog left as a way to mend and make my heart stronger. 

And once our heart heals and grows greater and stronger, we look to add another pup or pet to enrich our lives again. Or we turn to the other dogs and promise to give them best lives ever until they too pass. 

(This is what happened with my quad pack. Mick departed, then Icey. Axle & Bender made two, until there was only one. And when Bender departed, the hurt in my heart was vast and the space in my house was empty. Losing each dog sucked, but it felt like Bender held the most pain as there were no other dogs to turn to for comfort. Cue the teary eyes again.)

If only we could request that our dogs remain by our side until we are well aged and they no more past the wiles of a puppy. Though, perhaps our dogs depart to teach us to handle loss, to learn how to love again, and give us to opportunity to grow as we add new personalities of dogs (or pets) into our household.

To all those who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge, we miss you vastly and we love you eternally. 

This is a sad topic. Be sure to hug your dog and whisper to the images around your house how much you miss the departed ones. 

Being a blog ring, head to the next blog and continue until you return to us. The next post is Jessica Wasik with Bark & Gold Photography, sharing five self-care tips for those caring for senior dogs.

The Rainbow Bridge Read More »

Remington’s Pride Baked Goods litter portraits

/ Leave a Comment

Who’s ready for puppy pictures??? EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK! I think the only thing more fun than seeing the puppy pictures would be hanging out with the said puppies. (Which I totally got to do!)

The day was perfect for weather, the light pretty. The puppies were from the pairing Tanger (Ch Remington’s Pride Fear Cuts Deeper than Swords) & Gus (Ch Crown’s Nothing but a Jenuine Raye of Light) – the first litter for both parents! 9 in total – 5 boys & 4 girls. And one of those boys will be added to our family on Friday! EEEEEEEEK!

And where did the name of Baked Goods come from? Yours truly! 

Sandra, the breeder of Remington’s Pride and I had been in contact early in the spring, just after Bender passed away. The plan was to photograph the upcoming litter and additionally get a chance to name the litter as Sandra was a little short on ideas. Brainstorming on my end and one of the results was Baked Goods. Who doesn’t like baked goods? Pies, cakes, cookies, brownies, yes please! Plus wouldn’t it be adorable to be at an AKC event and get announced as best of breed as Remington’s Pride Apple Pie or Lemon Meringue? 

Quickly I called dibs on Blueberry Buckle.

What the heck is the baked good that is blueberry buckle? 

This is a tasty dessert, frequently made by my mom throughout our younger years into the current day, that features blueberries and a streusel topping that “buckles” while the dish is cooking. It’s closest cousin is coffee cake, with buckles having been made since the colonial times. (Fun facts: If you omit the streusel topping a buckle turns into “boy bait”, while keeping the streusel and removing the fruit turns a buckle into a hearty coffee cake!)

Digging through my mom’s recipes I found a pair of this yummy classic – though I’m not sure which is the go to. Theoretically the one marked “mom’s recipe” is from my Grandmother (my mom’s mom) and ought to be old-ish haha. Pair with a cup of coffee! (Or even ice cream!)

Pretty straightforward on ingredients (notation of Bev 1 tsp references an adjustment that my Aunt Bev – mom’s sister – had changed at some point in the recipe’s life.)

Flipping the card gets us into a vague mix & bake method (because the recipe has been done a bazillion times before). Beat everything together, fold in blueberries, greased pan, spread mixture into pan, let set. (Not sure what the “only” notation means…) Make the topping, bake and enjoy! Let me know if you try this version!

Ok ok, I know you want to see the puppy pictures! And man were these guys MEGA adorable and full of personality at 7.5 weeks!

We had a cute basket, red gingham tablecloth, faux cupcakes & donuts, and some wee little kids baking utensils quaintly set up for themed pictures of each pup, plus we were going to take advantage of Sandra’s yard for non themed pictures. Each puppy’s new owner will be getting copies of these pictures – their puppy’s first portraits!

The first puppy and the most easily recognized was Mr. Green. He rocks a slim streak of white on his nose making him easy to find amongst the broader white blazes of his siblings. He LOVED the cupcakes and would hardly leave them alone haha! 

Luckily we got a couple of split moments where he wasn’t happily engaged with the cupcakes!

The second puppy was the charismatic Mr. Black. He was a charmer, had no concern for the cupcakes and props, but instead got hilarious puppy zoomies! Not one to spend a lot of time with portraits, he told us he was done by trotting back to the pen of his siblings haha!

Puppy number 3 was Mr. Red. He rather liked the cupcakes, but was happy to chase Sandra and meander around the yard as well. 

The boys club was interrupted by Miss Purple. She loved the cupcakes, but really loved chasing Sandra and pulling on the hem of her capris! In fact she totally forgot the cupcakes were there as she ran about!

The second girl and puppy #5 was Miss Pink! She was cute, happy to chase and mildly interested in the cupcakes. Look how happy she is strutting her stuff! Plus she has beautiful markings!

A totally charmer and photogenic pro (he made photographing a puppy EASY!) was Mr. Blue. This handsome hunk wanted little to do with the cupcakes until he noticed them after trotting about the yard. Man he cracked me up with his reaction of “what the hell is that?!?” – it reminded me of puppies trying veggies for the first time like this Berner puppy video! What a hoot!

Following him was Miss Light Blue (have you been counting? We’re at number 7!). I had remarked that none of the puppies had grabbed and run away with the cupcakes. Until Miss Light Blue! Granted she didn’t go running with the cupcake, but instead instantly went into play mode, batting the cupcake about like a cat!

The last of the boys, Mr. Brown, brought out the charm. He sniffed the cupcakes, trotted about the yard but preferred to chew on leaves and sticks (he prefers organic toys hahaha!). 

Final, and littlest, but not lacking in personality was Miss Yellow. The peanut was very in love with the cupcakes, happily picking them up to chew on them. She also gave Sandra sass when she was repositioned into the basket, so we sent her on a jog & chase in the yard then reset her into the basket for a lovely portrait. 

All puppies photographed, light waning, we shifted locations and brought out Tanger for an attempted group shot. Tanger was excited, ran laps, played with a couple of her pups and when we got her settled, the whole pack of puppies thought the snack bar was formally open. 

I made the call to re-wrangle all of the puppies and to photograph them individually then work some magic so it looked like they were all sitting alongside their mom. 

Check out this superstars! Plus having the pups lined up with Tanger you can really see the variations of blazes on their faces as well as the white on their bellies. 

Have you guessed which puppy will be coming home with me on Friday?
(Hint: It’s one of the boys and it’s not Mr. Black!)

Remington’s Pride Baked Goods litter portraits Read More »

How to over plan for your puppy!

/ Leave a Comment

If you know you’re adding a new 4 legged (or perhaps tripod) to your family, here are some ways to over plan for your puppy:

  • Do a MEGA MEGA TON of breed research. 
    – Find every source you can about the breed (or breeds) your puppy will be. If you get a wicked cool Heinz 57 puppy, then this part is rather hard to do, especially if both mom & dad are of assorted heritage as well. (Opt for a genetic test like Embark or Wisdom Panel to get an idea of what your pup is made of!)

    – Once you’ve read every source of breed information – breed books, breeders, Reddit, Google searches – reread each at least 5 more times. Bonus if you purchase breed books.  

 

  • Read ALL the dog & puppy training books! (And buy them too!)
    – Borrow them from the library, collect them and if you want total overwhelm then head to the Google machine. There is TONS of information out there. 

    – Modern dog training has many approaches, though the most common you’ll come across are positive reinforcement, balanced training, and alpha/dominance (this is an outdated approach). You’ll also come across different tools, from clickers to electronic collars. Do AMPLE research and decide what method you will employ. 

    – Note that different generations of the same training books will have different approaches to training. The “Puppies for Dummies” method in 2000 leans on the corrective approach (correct the bad behaviors) whereas the 4th edition 19 years later focuses on positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement started in the 1940s, but didn’t really gain until the 80s. Now it is easily the most common dog training method. 

    – Reread as much as you can & revisit during puppy days especially when your puppy is napping or if there are any naughty behaviors that start to become habit in your pup. 

 

  • Buy all the basics you NEED & then buy all the cutsie things you can for your pup
    – the basics: collar (of course you need at least 2…), leash, crate, food, food & water bowls

    – everything else: treats, tons of toys, puppy Kongs, beds, washable puppy pads x2 (so you can wash one & have one on the floor), carrying methods for when you’re navigating the world before your pup is fully vaccinated, baby gates, brushes, nail clippers, enzyme cleaner, outfits (I’ve been collecting patterns… and baby clothes to turn into puppy clothes!), name tags, seat belts, blankets, more toys, more treats, bins for food, and AMPLE ideas for future things – collars, harnesses, coats & clothing – that you have to wait to get because you won’t be sure how big your pup will be when the fall arrives, the snow buries us, the spring thaws or the summer heats us. The first year (a few months less for those small dogs, and a few months more for the giant pups) will bring tons of changes in your puppy as they grow up. 

    – duplicate items as you see fit – double everything seems appropriate haha!

 

  • Pick your puppy’s color for collars, leashes & accessories!
    –  Obviously you’re in charge so there’s no wrong route to go here. Pinks, purples, seafoam & mint as well as pastel colors are great for girls, while richer bolder colors and blues, greens, red, black and grey are wonderful boy colors. Though feel free to mix and match to fit your style. Girls can rock bold colors as easily as boys can rock pastels. 

    – Your pup’s coat color ought to be neutral enough to go with every color, though black, white & brown toned dogs look best when not wearing colors that match their coat colors. 

    – And…. pick a theme if you have ample time on your hands haha! For our puppy we know he’s a boy and he has a baked goods name. Aside from baked goods & what makes them, I lean towards sharks & dinos for patterns for him. And definitely blues for his color!

 

  • Prep for cold weather & plan indoor adventures
    – Unless you’re in an area that negates winter by staying in the 40s or 50s or warmer in the winter season, you’ll be in an area where winter will arrive. The farther north you go the more brutal the winters can be (MN is notorious for sub zero winter temps). Cold temps and snow can be hard to handle for not only us, but our young pups too!

    – April pups will be 6 months in October, while a June puppy will be 6 months in December, and pups born September through March (at least here in MN) will experience winter in their youngest days. 

    – Prep, prep, prep and research a bazillion into indoor adventures you can have when the weather goes north for the winter. Look into training & further training especially if the lessons are held inside. Occasionally you can find “open gym” style playtime for your pup. Look into indoor dog parks (Minneapolis area has at least 2!), indoor patio spots (The Block Food + Drink in St. Louis Park has an enclosed dog friendly section with an epic Instagram wall and cozy fireplace!) and dog friendly breweries (if you happen to be in the Minneapolis area there are TONS of options that allow your dog inside, food trucks pending). Obviously pet supply stores – Petco, Petsmart, Pet Evolution etc – are dog friendly indoors, but did you know that most hardware stores are dog friendly? The general rule of thumb: if they don’t sell or prepare food, they may be dog friendly. Always call before you head out on an adventure!

    – Prior to your pup being fully vaccinated AVOID: pet supply stores, indoor dog parks (most require your pup to be 4-6 months old at least) and places that are heavily frequented by other dogs such as the über popular brewery or indoor patio. Once you’re clear with vaccines def add these places as spots to work on training, stretch your legs & build your dogs manners. 

Repeat each of these things at least twice paired with ample overzealous planning. Count down the days (10 days before our boy comes home EEEEEEEEEEEK!) and realize that for all the ample preplanning you’ve done, nothing compares to having your puppy home. You get to snuggle, absorb the puppy breath and learn your puppy’s personality.

From there the learning and teaching begins, the over planning lending to insight on how to lead your pup into adulthood. 

Best of luck! Congrats! And if you need puppy pictures, we’d love to coordinate for a series to capture your pup in his or her first year!

How to over plan for your puppy! Read More »

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 »

Scroll to Top