like most people, i prefer to give EVERY pet every last possible chance, however i’ve always been somewhat unsettled by the term “no-kill”.  i’ve known of dogs languishing in no-kill shelters for years, in fact, their entire lives … living in kennels with only the most minimal of human contact and care and only the slimmest hope of having a real life.  sure, you read of some rare cases that finally get adopted at the age of 10 or 11, but honestly, what kind of life is this for a dog?  in cases like this, perhaps euthanasia isn’t such a bad thing, no?

of course, there are better alternatives!  education. spay and neuter. stricter laws and penalties.  whatever.  but not leaving dogs to live out their lives in cages.  or worse …

… the Toronto Humane Society … dogs and cats dying slow, agonizing deaths in their cages, denied the simplest of dignities and gifts we can give them - a quick release - simply because the organization is determined to keep its recorded euthanasia numbers down in order to better stay in the public’s favor and thereby garner more donations and funding.  my heart breaks.  if you’ve ever had an animal die in your arms you’ll know what i’m talking about.

read the article if you want the full story … The Globe & Mail: Killing them with kindness. but be warned, it’s not pretty.

it seems vets come and go from the THS … routinely quitting because what is demanded of them goes against their code of ethics, and even against the law.

By law, it is a requirement for veterinarians employed by humane societies to have language in their contract that makes them responsible for all decisions relating to the care of animals.

“I couldn’t work at the Toronto Humane Society any longer because it violated my professional oath as a veterinarian,” said Johanna MacNaughton, a veterinarian who resigned in April.

Another veterinarian, Amanda Frank, quit later that month for the same reasons.

“I would never make a euthanasia decision without great consideration, and I would only euthanize an animal if it was suffering with no chance of recovery,” said Dr. MacNaughton.

And an internal memo obtained by The Globe confirms that euthanasia decisions must be cleared by management, many of whom have no medical training.

i can only shake my head and try not to weep …

“It is heart-wrenching, I’ve watched critically ill animals suffer and die in my hands while I run around trying to get permission to euthanize,” said Magdalena Smrdelj, a THS veterinarian.

again, read the full article if you dare.

it seems that Kate Hammer’s article sprang from a recent adoption of a dog - now named Harley - adopted from the THS with a broken leg.  yeah, you read that right.  she’d been sitting in her kennel at the shelter with a fracture.

now okay, hold up … every story, EVERY story, has two sides.  maybe this dog was being treated by THS staff, maybe it was some hairline fracture that couldn’t be cast, wired, whatever.  but to have that dog up for adoption?! and to a self-proclaimed “low-income” couple who would then have to take on the expense of this ‘condition’?

but that’s not the real issue - at least, not for me - and it’s not the primary reason for my post … Harley’s suffering was minor compared to the other documented sufferings going on behind the walls of the THS.  again, read the full article and view the photos to understand just some of these conditions … The Globe & Mail: Killing them with kindness

thank you to Harley’s new owners - Ainsley Kendrick and Dian Miguel - and of course Kate Hammer of the Globe & Mail, for bringing these atrocities to light.  and thank you to the brave individuals - former and current THS staff members - who have risked their jobs to speak up  in order to uncover a raft of disgraceful and unethical practices and ‘policies’ embraced by the Toronto Humane Society.

i hope that Kate Hammer’s article is just the beginning, and not only for the Toronto Humane Society, but maybe for other so-called “no-kill” shelters in this country and beyond.

and Ainsley and Dian, if you’re reading this and ever want to set up a complimentary shoot for your wonderful girl, just say the word.

last week’s session with old man marley was one such case …

whenever i shoot, i like to think that i get to know each dog’s soul and heart just a little bit … through their looks, their energy, their body, and through the whispers that we share during those few hours we engage.  granted, some are busy-bodies and are simply too busy showing off their fetching skills or their selection of toys to really tell me their stories, but in other cases — like sweet man marley last week — there is almost an intimacy in the moments shared that make me feel as though i’ve known this dog for years.

marley is having some mobility problems in his older age, so a lot of our shoot found him resting and me belly to the ground as well.  no problem, i always dress accordingly.  the slow-paced shoot in the comfort of marley’s back yard was, of course, a nice break from some of my crazier, wild shoots where i’m lugging 50 lbs of camera equipment and swapping lenses while standing groin-deep in a snowbank or balancing on slippery rocks in a streambed, for sure.  however, i would have gladly taken those conditions for the opportunity to have met marley in his younger, more vibrant days.  but we take what we can get …

as is typical of my shoots, i spent over three hours with this boy, and still, during the drive home, i was kicking myself for the shots i wish i’d thought of while i was there.  i imagine most photographers do this.  still, regardless of age or physical-state, marley delivered tenfold.  more than any dog before him, marley churned out one expression after the next.  in fact, his is the largest single-dog gallery to date .  narrowing down the selection of images took me almost a full day as i came back and back and back again to image after image of unique expressions.  and far be it from me to be the one to pick from that myriad of mugs!

the love that owners tracy and shawn share for their boy marley is unmistakable.

they’re much better at this taking-care-of-an-aging-dog than i am.  with every stumble and fall marley made, my heart ached … but tracy and shawn were troopers, rolling with the punches right along with marley, in true dog-like fashion … smiles on all their faces … live in the moment.

and yes, marley was allowed on the bed … although he did need a little help up.

he even introduced me to his “kitty” and his favorite lookout spot by the front window …

then back outside on the deck for a few more treats.  the old man’s still got a few tricks in him …

thank you, tracy and shawn, for a most memorable afternoon. and thank you, marley, for letting me into your big heart to glimpse a small part of your amazing soul.

so this Mother’s Day hug your mother … and then hug your boobies too.

matea says so!

you won’t find a truer representation of “scruffy dog” than snaggle-tooth Jasper.  does he not fit the scruffy dog logo silhouette to a tee?

to date, this is going to be my biggest blog entry as far as the number of photos i’m posting in one go.  i simply can’t narrow down my choices from this rather large gallery of images from this priceless dude.  so here goes … hope you enjoy them as much as i enjoyed this little man.

it was a great day at the park … awesome weather and, in spite of a run-in with a mean dog the week before and some injuries, Jasper was a little firecracker.

Jasper was purchased from a pet store in North Dakota years ago but is, in fact, a rescue … left at the pet store because his former owners no longer wanted him, he landed himself a sweet deal in his  musician dad Raymond who was looking for a companion to share his cross-country adventure.  and so began a long and deep friendship.

i should probably explain the Cuz ball.  i bring Cuz balls to all my shoots because there aren’t too many dogs who can resist them.  little Jasper was rather shy when i first arrived, so i worked with him … sitting on the floor, encouraging him with treats and gradually building his trust without even bringing out the cameras (they don’t come out until we’re outdoors anyway, especially with the shy dogs).  but to really win Jasper over i decided to bring out his Cuz present early … and during our entire 3+ hour shoot — through the park, wading in the river, over the bridge, along the railroad tracks — wherever we went that ball had to be in his mouth.  i bet that even as i write this, that Cuz ball is somewhere close by to that little furball right now. 

even when he took a few minutes out, that Cuz ball was never far …

and once inside, i was a big meanie and finally took the Cuz ball away … just for a few ball-less shots.

no worries … i always leave the Cuz balls.  thanks Jasper and Raymond for a memorable afternoon.  i hope you enjoy your gallery of images.

last weekend i covered Spirit Ridge’s most recent Paws for Literacy event …

… and man, these kids were cute.

i was going to post only a couple of shots, but simply can’t help myself.  here are a few shots from the event coordinated by Jim Tsitanidis that partners handlers and their dogs with eager children ready to boost their reading skills.

you couldn’t pull these kids away from these dogs once they got going.

and if you DID manage to pry them away from their reading buddy, they simply moved to another dog.

and don’t think the dogs didn’t enjoy themselves either …

… or maybe even try to help out with a word or two.  that Koukla is just way too smart … for a dog.

yup, cuteness overload, and, of course, a good inspiration to keep these kids reading.

so a very successful day.  congrats to Jim and all the handlers in the Paws for Literacy program and to the Hillsburg Library for hosting this program.  as a writer myself, i’m always thrilled to see new readers on the horizon!

Why scruffy dog?

So why scruffy dog photography?

Because scruffy dog is about DOGS … well, and horses and cats and other critters, too, of course.

We shoot dogs … not brides, not family picnics, not children … although we’re happy to shoot your kids with Rover.  We’re not about shooting couples or portraits, or babies or bellies, or even your restaurant’s latest menu, but we’re more than happy to sample it!

We’re about dogs.  We shoot dogs.  We know dogs.

Shooting dogs environmentally, in their natural element, using available light takes a certain skill set and experience.  Just like illona wouldn’t presume to shoot a wedding or a bar mitzvah, there are some photographers who - quite honestly - should never try to shoot a dog.  So, choose your photographer wisely.

If you are after someone to shoot your wedding or your child’s birthday party, illona will be happy to try to recommend someone for you.  But if your Rover needs his own session, you’ve probably come to the most experienced person.

Experience with dogs

illona has a lifetime of experience with animals.  Her first job was training horses, and she has lived with and trained dogs her entire life.  With incredible insight into their behavior, a vast knowledge base in regards to their body language, as well as many years feeding a self-managed and highly-researched natural diet to her crew of dogs and cats, Illona brings much more than shooting skill to the table when she arrives at your doorstep.

Bringing the best out of your dog

Not every photographer can shoot dogs.  It takes a special insight and handling ability - years of truly knowing canines - to bring a dog’s true character out, to enable them to relax with the camera equipment and to respond with a new person and situation … it takes experience and it takes truly knowing your subject inside and out, from a technical and a behavioral aspect.

Utilizing extreme patience and dog-savvy, illona has worked with fear-biters and shy dogs alike, and has not yet turned down a dog.

Get the most for your money

Unlike studio photographers who charge by the hour (often your fee covers only one 45-minute session), scruffy dog takes as much time as needed with your dog.  The average shoot is 2-3 hours, with difficult dogs taking even longer … so your session fee goes a long way.  illona will shoot anywhere from 350 to 600 or more frames at your shoot (even more with multi-dog session) to ensure a wide variety of choices for your final gallery.

High-quality products

illona never stops searching for the highest-quality products to offer her clients … from the finest gallery canvas wraps to deluxe coffee-table books … balancing affordability with longevity, durability and - always - archival quality.  Nothing but the best for scruffy dog clients and their precious memories.

BEFORE HIRING A PHOTOGRAPHER

With the advent of the digital SLR many people today call themselves ‘photographers’.  In fact, anyone sinking a couple thousand dollars into a prosumer DSLR fancies themself a ‘pro’ and, trust me, I’ve met my share of their disappointed clients.  Please do your homework before hiring a photographer.

Here is a MUST checklist when considering a photographer for your dog:

- does the photographer have a professional website or are they using a free, on-line photo-sharing service like Smug-Mug, flickr, Photobucket, Picasa, etc. to display their images?

- look closely at your prospective photographer’s online portfolio or gallery.  It should be extensive, not just a couple dozen photos.  Anyone can throw together a dozen great shots.  Is there a good variety of photos demonstrating a wide array of client dogs and shoots?

- is there consistency in quality, and a breadth in variety of environment, approach, angles? indoors and out? action and stills? … unless, of course, you’re specifically after only a few rigid, posed head shots of your dog.

- be sure your prospective photographer lists their print and product prices, and - if not - be sure to get a copy of these before you contract for a shoot.  You need to know upfront what you’re getting into with a professional, custom shoot.

- ask to see a recent client’s proofing gallery … is that gallery chock full of the same poses over and over again? or is there a variety of poses, environments, settings, light, situations? How many unique photos is the client truly getting to choose from? What is the quality like?

- don’t be fooled by super low rates!  A lot of those ‘pros’ with their prosumer cameras undercut the standard rates of professional photographers because (a) they’re not doing this for their livelihood (and therefore don’t necessarily have the experience), and (b) they’re probably not selling you professional-quality, lab-printed, archival products.  So beware.

Do your research.  This is your investment. Look over your prospective photographer’s website and portfolio extensively.  Choose wisely.  In almost every case, you get what you pay for.

DOGS DON’T BELONG IN THE STUDIO

… but it’s your choice.  scruffy dog is about capturing life-long memories of your dog.  And face it, the memories that you have of your dog from their every day: Rover in his bed, in his back yard, in his favorite spot on the deck, along his favorite trail, his favorite park, with his best buds … not in some artificial environment.  Don’t get me wrong, some dogs can do great in a studio and i think studio shots can be a wonderful addition to ‘home’ and environmental shots, but I firmly believe that those life memories should be the “real” ones.

THE COST OF CUSTOM PHOTOGRAPHY

For an interesting article on the cost of custom photography please read Marianne Drenthe’s article Why Does Custom Photography Cost More?

* * *

as always, i welcome any feedback!  and thanks, Claire, for getting me going on this finally.

it took a while to warm athena up as she can be something of a fear-nipper.  this is the kind of dog that i’ll spend a good half hour or more with before even bringing the camera bags out of the car … and this is where i’m thankful for my years of experience with dogs, able to read their body language and ease their fears and anxiety, no matter what level.  with a little patience, athena was a doll.

… and we had fun indoors and out …

i enjoyed shooting this regal girl … and her shadow, of course …

and loved her expressions …

and - as with most of my clients - i like to leave ‘em good and tired at the end of a shoot.  athena was no exception.

thanks, john and jacquie for a lovely afternoon.  i hope you enjoy athena’s photos for years to come.

but without further ado (and excuse-making), here is another lovely i wanted to share with you from the client-pool … darling Zoey.

how sweet is this old girl?!

we had a great hike along the balmy trails with fresh snow underfoot and even ran across a pack of coyotes.  unfortunately, i had the absolutely wrong lens on the camera for the encounter … i was capturing this shot of Zoey’s eye at the time …

… so I was using my macro lens … the completely wrong lens to be entertaining when confronting a startled pack of coyotes even at close range. so this was as good as i managed to capture.

… and then back to Zoey.  of course, she had to get over her own uneasiness over the close-encounter.  these guys were much bigger than her.

and sometimes i couldn’t help thinking Zoey looked a bit like a coyote herself in the landscape we walked through.

but back home, it was clear who owned the front porch of the wonderful home she shared with mom Deb.

… and of course, that gorgeous red door.

thank you for an awesome shoot, Zoey and Deb … for a wonderful and most-eventful afternoon.

one little girl in particular left a lasting impression … meet sweet Jada …

i swear i wanted to snatch up this 11-year-old dollface and take her home for morley.

and for 11, she sure is a firecracker …

in fact, Jada’s owners were aiming for a strictly indoor shoot because it was that sloppy time of the spring where everything was melting, but i persisted.  and when i showed Jada’s mom this money-shot in the LCD i think she finally agreed that heading outdoors had probably been a pretty good idea after all. 

… along with a few classic poses, of course.

and indoors, Jada was a consumate poser … putting even my two models at home to shame.

.. and with mom and dad …

but when this girl goes down for the count, she goes down.

thank you for an awesome shoot, Jada.  and Jenny and Blair, hugs to your fantastic little girl.