A German Shepard Named Loki. A Maine Photographer

A few weeks back I photographed an 11 month old German Shepard named Loki.  Loki was one of my lucky Dog Wash Etc portrait winners...but I'm the lucky one!!  You see Loki was having a play date with one of his cousins, a 3 year old doberman named Maverick.  Out of all the dog portraits I have taken, I had not yet photographed a German Shepard or a doberman.  Both of these dogs were incredibly mellow, well behaved and gorgeous!

Today I contacted Loki's owner to let her know I would be putting photos up on my blog.  She shared some pretty scary info on an illness Loki has been battling.  She felt because I photograph a lot of dogs I could spread the word.  I'm so happy to do this for her, and for all of us dog owners, and I'm so grateful Loki is ok.  Here is what she told me.
" Loki is recovering from a very serious bout of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Erlichiosis, both caused by tick bites.   It was quite scary and we thought we might lose him but they finally figured out what it was, thank God.  He's lost a bit of weight so it's good you got pictures when you did. I know you deal with a lot of dogs and their owners, so people need to realize that while it's important to vaccinate your dog against Lyme disease, they don't prevent this type.  According to our Vet, the coast of Maine is is a hot spot for this type of tick and lots of dogs are getting sick.  I'm just passing this info along to everyone."

So let's keep a good eye on our pets health and thank you to Loki's owner for sharing.  Now, enjoy these photos of beautiful Loki and Maverick.

Coco the Dog. A Maine Photographer

I feel it's been awhile since I posted, and yet I have so much to say...well...there isn't a good enough reason for me to explain without making excuses...so here's  to a new strategy...post once a week...every Wednesday perhaps?...yes...I will try.

The photos I'm sharing with you today are of Coco.  I took them about a month ago, so of course I can't remember lots of the details...including that I can't remember if he was a she...but I'm pretty sure Coco is a he...I'm pretty sure he's 13 years old...and I'm pretty sure he's a chocolate lab...but I'm going to send this link to his Mom Julie, of Portland, and she will let me know if I need to update these simple but important things I've just stated.

I do remember my conversation with Julie over the phone, when I told her that she was the monthly dog portrait winner from Minor Moments Photography and the Dog Wash Etc and Julie told me that her daughter would be going into labor at any moment and that she was expecting her first grandchild...but that her dog was 13 years old and so I told her I was available RIGHT NOW because her daughter was not yet in labor, but that her dog was 13 and really, there was no time to waste!  Julie agreed to meet me at Jewel Falls just a few hours later so we could do a small photo shoot with Coco.

We met at Julie's house, and I got to meet her two cats also...yah yah....you guessed it...I don't remember their names either...but I think her kids call the black and white one cow?...Julie forgive me...and feel free to set me straight!  (heck...I'm assuming we have a baby name by now too...and I won't even venture a guess on name...or boy or girl for that matter...)  Yes, I'm pathetic when it comes to remembering certain things, but I truly do make up for it in the images I capture.  I am certain to capture a memory that will last your lifetime and beyond...because that is how important the "Coco's"and "Cows" of our lives are...it's their sweet faces and their eyes that we will look back and remember fondly how they filled our busy lives with love and joy.

 ...and lastly, I'm dedicating this blog post to one of my new friends, who already has become a dear friend...yet I didn't even know she had a dog...and she is currently dealing with the anguish of having had to say goodbye forever to her dog.  I'm not in the habit of asking my new friends if they have a dog and to please let me photograph their dog for them...so I'm putting it out there again...to all of you who have pets, please know that my business and pleasure is to capture forever moments for you.  I am honored...and blessed.  I was searching through my own blog, so I could share with my friend the words I put down when I grieved the death of my own beloved Tasha three years ago.  Tasha was the first and only dog I ever had.  In researching this morning I realized that I never did complete a blog post on losing Tasha.  I never shared some of the many photos I have of her...and I never eulogize her in my blog.  The pain was great, but I had also lost my big sister just three weeks earlier and I remember feeling torn of how to express my grief differently over a sibling and a pet.  Three and a half years later I have discovered that I must not have been able to do it, so I chose not too.  I believe I am ready now.  I have unfinished business to attend to, and it appears blogging material for next Wednesday...I hope you will visit again soon!

The photos below are of Coco and the cats...who shall for now remain nameless.

PUGS. A Maine Photographer

My next 5 blog posts will go to the dogs!
I've been stock piling my dog photo shoots, so that I can entertain us all during these cold weeks of February!

Those of us with a dog in the family know just how special they are...but I also know only a small percentage of dog owners have their pets professionally photographed.  I understand that for most folks, a profession dog portrait falls into the "nice to have" category as opposed to the "need to have" category. 

That is why I partnered up the The Dog Wash Etc a few years ago.  Every month we give away one free pet photo session for one lucky dog!  Wash your dog at the Dog Wash Etc and enter the monthly drawing to win a free pet photo session. 

Today's post makes me absolutely giddy!  Meet Tucker (8 years old) Gus (6 years old) and Delylah (5 years old princess).  Amanda was our December portrait winner.  I thank Amanda for our January play date at Ferry Beach in Scarborough, just one day after a fresh blanket of snow. I have lived in Maine my whole life, but seeing snow on the beach was brand new to me.  I love walking the beach at any time of year, but I had never been to walk after a snow storm before.  One more comment to add...it was kinda like where's Waldo when they wondered into the dunes!  To all of my pug lovin friends...this post is for you!

Milo. A Maine Dog Photographer

OK, here goes...a few weeks back I gave myself a challenge to blog for 7 straight days because I had so much to share that I hadn't shared, and I was in desperate need of challenging myself with something, feeling like my blog was taking a back seat in my life.

Now, several weeks later I am admitting that I failed miserably at this challenge.  I'm happy to say that it's ok, because it's about the only thing I have failed at lately, and I'm accepting that it's ok to fail once in a while, and admit that this time of year, year after year, I tend to bite off way more than I can chew.

So here's a quick recap of whats going on, and keeping me from my blog.  The biggest impact is that I've gone back to LLBean to answer the phones for my sixth holiday season in a row.  I started back mid October, and in the beginning I'm always pretty good with keeping my life and business in balance...but...as the end of November arrives, so do the extra hours at Beans...and ever so quickly my work-life balance gets a rude awakening.  Anyone who knows me well knows that when I make a commitment, I follow through to the best of my ability.  Even though Beans is just a seasonal gig to me, I do give it my all and show up for all of my scheduled hours.

In additional to my commitment to Beans, is of course my commitment to my family and my business.  I continue to volunteer and photograph the cats at the animal refuge league every week, and both of my boys have active extra curricular activities.  In addition to all of this, my husband and I decided jointly that it was time to renovate the side of our house that is home to my business, and rent it out for income.  We put a self imposed deadline of December 1st, and despite our best efforts, this deadline is failure number two for me.  (...so new deadline is December 15th!)

Despite all of these activities, I still have many new photo sessions to share with you all.  I'm guessing the next few blog posts will not have as many words as this one has, but...once again, I'm going to try and keep you all entertained with my crazy December schedule...because I haven't even begun to share!  (we have 4 brand new kitchen appliances being delivered on Thursday...and a new kitchen floor to install before then...:)

So, what did I do this weekend in between filling up a storage shed with many of my personal belongings?...I photographed the Westbrook High Hockey team...finished up a wedding album, and photographed a home for sale with a local realtor...and I still managed to help my husband pull up an old carpet and lino!

Please, feel free to drop me a comment with words of encouragement...December hasn't even begun yet!

So, now, a bit about the photos I'm sharing today.  This is Milo.  He was one of my Dog Wash portraits this past summer.  Milo is a three year old first generation Labradoodle.  Milo was welcomed into a home suffering from broken hearts from the loss of a wonderful dog named Madison.  Milo's sweetness and joy and boundless affection and antics mended these broken hearts and earned him his own special place in their lives.  These photos were taken at Avant-Garde Pet Care in Windham, where Milo takes agility training.  I fell completely in love with Milo...but then again...what's not to love?

   

Teddy the Golden Doodle.Scarborough Dog Photographer

Day 27 of 30.
Teddy was April's lucky winner of my free Dog photo shoot chosen from the entries at the Dog Wash Etc.  When you wash your dog at the Dog Wash Etc you can enter to win a free photo shoot for your dog.  If you win, we'll meet at the place of your choice and snap some great photos.  I then pick my favorite, have it Artiplaq'd and hang it in the Dog Wash for a year.  I put all of the other photos up in an online gallery for you to view, share, and purchase if you wish. 

Now, about Teddy.  He's a 17 month old beautiful golden doodle (that's part golden retriever, part standard poodle).  Teddy is pure joy.  He loves people, he loves dogs, he loves beach sand, balls, sticks, birds, water, and kids!  The world is a big playground to Teddy...and I could have photographed him all day!  When he showed up with his person, Debbie, she warned me...photograph him while he's still on his leash...because once the leash comes off it's playtime!  She wasn't exaggerating...and guess where Teddy went after the beach?  To the Dog Wash!

These photos were taken this past Sunday at beautiful dog friendly Ferry Beach in Scarborough.

  

Jerry

My once a month " monthly portrait winner " at the Dog Wash Etc dog photo shoot is becoming one of my favorite hours of the month.  (sorry for the hard to read full of info sentence above)

Here is my latest photo shoot. 
Jerry is an eight year old Wheaton Terrier...and for me...it was love at first sight!  What an absolutely wonderful and energetic and down right beautiful dog.  Jerry's owner Caroline bathed and brushed him for his big portrait session, and I think a bribe of greenies was also included.

I do take my work seriously...but these free photo dog shoots are just a great way to add fun into my day!
Thank you Caroline for fitting me into your schedule and sharing Jerry with me.  I look forward to seeing Jerry's portrait hanging in the Dog Wash very soon!

Now...to all my dog lovin fans...you too have a chance to win a free dog photo shoot, every month, when you wash your friend at the Dog Wash...remember to enter!