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Baily

Posted in Pets

 

I love doing before and after photos of dogs at play on the beach… especially dogs who love the water. They always look so refined and dignified before they get in the water, and then the aftermath… well, you can almost see the joy in their faces after they’ve had a good long play. How is it dogs can tolerate cold ocean water? Do they feel the cold? Or does the fun of chasing after the ball override any discomfort they may have? Baily absolutely loves the water. But I have to say, I was seriously impressed with her level of restraint. As soon as she hit the beach, she bee-lined it for the water, but stopped immediately when she was called..we had to take some photos before she reached the waterlogged state! She was so well behaved! Not only did she resist going for a swim, but no matter what was asked of her, she complied. She would sit so patiently as I took her picture, even if all she wanted to do was chase that ball! Such a sweet sweet dog.

 

Posted in Pets

Seven Dogs

Posted in Pets

 

That’s right… seven dogs with their seven humans, all in one photo shoot on the beach! It astounds me how incredibly unique each of them is. From the smallest to the biggest, they each had something to reveal to me. Whether it was the pup with the longest eyelashes in the history of dogdom, or the one who could hold the most still while I tried to get in close to get a good nose shot, each one could have won a beauty pageant in their own original category. The youngest of the bunch experienced his very first dip into the ocean, and he did such a good job keeping up with the bigger dogs and their bigger splashes! In the beginning, they were all nicely groomed… clean and fluffy…. and by the end, they looked waterlogged with skinny legs and sand on their cute little noses. Here are a few of my faves…

Posted in Pets

Bruno

Posted in Pets

 

Meet my new favourite four legged fellow. His name is Bruno. Such a strong burly name for such a tender little pup! This day, he walked further than he ever has in his short life. The world must have felt like a big, busy place. He explored every nook and cranny he could find, and still paused to pose for me… well, sort of. If there were treats, he would pause for me… but only for a second or two. There was too much to do! So much, in fact, that he finally just stopped walking. His little feet were done. Time for a nap.

 

Posted in Pets

Natalie and Starbuck

Posted in Families, Pets

 

Right from the first moments of arriving at the barn, I knew these two had an extraordinary connection. Natalie’s love for this horse runs deep, and Starbuck… well, he will do almost anything for her. I loved watching them interact with each other as I captured these pictures. When we went into the field, all Starbuck wanted to do was munch on the fresh green grasses at his feet.. Natalie would lightly smack him with the rope to get his attention the way good friends playfully nudge each other when one is acting up. They each had their own idea about how this photo shoot was going to go, and for Starbuck, it wasn’t about looking pretty for pictures. When we returned to the barn, I was so moved when I watched them hug each other as Natalie gently removed his halter. I found myself smiling the entire time I was editing these photos, because I was so utterly charmed by this horse. I was editing, but also reminiscing at the same time.. wishing I could go back and visit Starbuck once again. Speaking of halters, don’t you just love how he has a custom bridle with his own beautiful nameplate?

 

Posted in Families, Pets

All Beak and No Wing

Posted in Pets

 

They are called Indian Runner Ducks, and they hatched a few weeks ago in Ms. Takhar’s kindergarten class at Lochside Elementary. They have been adored since the first beak cracked open the egg. The class gave each of them a special name… Star, Rosy, Rocky and Chirpy. Now they reside on my friend’s beautiful organic farm, and it is truly a lovely place to call home. They have so much room to run, and they are excellent runners, which is a good thing because they don’t really grow wings. Even as adults, they don’t fly. They prefer to forage in the grass and even catch flies! love how they stand tall, almost penguin-like, and how they always stick together. Soon, they will lose their fuzz and grow a fresh coat of pretty white feathers. Hopefully, they will grow into those big beautiful beaks, too. I know that these lucky four will be living the good life.

 

Posted in Pets
2 comments

  • Gyneth Turner - Oh my gosh, those ducks are the cutest lil things!  They look like Easter!  Did they hatch in Helena Takhar’s class?  Great names. .ReplyCancel

    • rhayne73@yahoo.ca - Aren’t they sweet? Indeed they did! They lived in the kindergarten classroom for a week before they found their new home at Michelle’s farm!ReplyCancel

Lacey

Posted in Pets

 

She was so little, we couldn’t take her for a walk at the beach yet. But that’s ok… she was showing me just how adorable she is, just by sitting on the couch! No need to find the perfect setting when you’ve got eyes the size of dinner plates and the softest puppy fur imaginable. Little Lacy stole my heart.. over and over again. Everything she did was scrumptious. We played indoors for a little while and then ventured outside with her sweet little ladybug leash that she loved to chew. Everything in the world was new to her. We couldn’t keep her contained! She went here, there and everywhere, with a little bounce in her step. She jumped into the hedge and almost completely submerged… she crawled under my car…. she smashed the pansies in the front yard…and when she finally tuckered out, she flopped down on her favourite mat and fell into a deep snooze. She’s so very new and very small, but looking at the size of those paws, she’s in for a bit of a growth spurt!

 

Posted in Pets

Bella and Puddles

Posted in Pets

 

Do you ever wish sometimes you could go back to a time in your life, perhaps in childhood, when the world was completely new, and every experience was a novelty? Meet Bella and Puddles. They are still so very new to this world, so this was their first day ever on the beach! They were quite tentative at first, not sure about all that soft deep sand and wide open space. Bella, dressed all in black, was the braver of the two, and she was the first to venture out, but as you will see in the above photos, she looked just a little bit terrified at first. But she got over it quickly, and in no time, was all over the map, exploring every nook and cranny. Sweet, tiny Puddles took a little longer to warm up to this new adventure, but perhaps as he watched Bella, he soon realized that this world exploration thing could be a whole lot of fun! He trembled and took baby steps, and then he found his feet. All four of them. He even climbed big logs and things. Here’s to stepping outside of comfort zones!

 

Posted in Pets
2 comments

Mozie

Posted in Pets

 

Mozie is such a fun dog. He is so full of energy, and sometimes that energy gets him into trouble. He has been found in other people’s homes playing with their dogs… he even dug himself a dog-sized hole in his backyard. He has gone through many toys and chewed up leashes. To Mozie, its all good times. To his family.. well… he definitely keeps them on their toes! But they love him so much.. and so do I. Each week I look forward to seeing him, because he makes me happy. For many months,  I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to photograph him on the beach. We finally got together this past weekend, but yeah.. that high energy made for some challenges! Who doesn’t love a good challenge? Especially when it involves this guy? That face… one look and he’s got your heart!

Posted in Pets
1 comment

  • Gyneth Turner - Woof!  Mozie!  I would love to play on the beach with you – what a lovely boy!ReplyCancel

Chilli

Posted in Pets

When the heaviness of world events start to cloud my moods, sometimes all I need to feel lighter is a little dog therapy. And that is just what I received this weekend in the shape of a sweet golden retriever named Chilli. I’d like to think that she was given that name because she’s so “chill”… or maybe I’m just taking a hint from the universe to just chill out myself and take in love in any form. And Chilli knows all about love. The moment I walked in the door, without knowing me, she rolled over on her back and looked at me with her soft puppy dog eyes as if to say “belly rub, please?”… She knows how to love, and she doesn’t see any reason why she wouldn’t receive it either. Goldens are like the dolphins of the dog kingdom… they have built-in smiles and such a gentle nature. Thank you, Chilli… for bringing me back to my happy place.

 

Posted in Pets

Halley and Havoc

Posted in Personal, Pets

This is my beautiful cousin Halley and her magnificent best friend, Havoc. He’s actually not as much Great Dane as he is a small horse. But despite his name, he’s actually quite remarkable. Graceful even. Halley brought him up to spend Christmas with us at the old ski chalet, and even though the main floor was usually crowded with people and tables and other various pieces of furniture, I watched as he seemed to glide right through it all without knocking a single thing over. He’s a big dog who seems to know where he is in space… and he handles tight spaces with surprising ease! He even ventured under the Christmas tree a few times to find an alternate route through the chaos.. and not one ornament fell from that tree! Even more remarkable… he was at nose level with the appie and food table, and though I know he was tempted to steal a quick bite, he never touched a morsel! I don’t know, Halley… he doesn’t seem to raise havoc.. he raises a lot of eyebrows though, I bet. When he is around me, I can’t seem to take my eyes off of him. He’s just so huge! Huge and graceful. And patient with us as we Christmassed him up for photos.

Posted in Personal, Pets
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