Yappy Hour Primer...

Here's the first pic from Yappy Hour this Saturday, 7.25.2009! This is Casey, and his mom Brannon, of the Handmade Hound! Printz Photography's own dogs will soon be sportin', and modeling, some of their custom coats, of which a percentage of the proceeds go to, Greyhound Rescue! Now look at this handsome boy!! (please dbl click on image to see full sized)

In Memory of Dodger

I photographed Dodger and his buddy Bopsy this spring. I recently heard that Dodger passed away from Cancer. It is so hard to lose a dog, as far as I can see, the only problem they have, (for selfish reasons) is that their lives are far too short. Rest in Peace, Dear Dodger...

AUGUST SPECIAL OFFER

I've decided to run a SPECIAL for the LAZY HAZY RAINY DAZE OF AUGUST! Through-out this month, take 25% off both the Session Fee and Prints!



(This offer is only good for sessions booked FOR the month of August.)

More Charlie!

I don't always post pics from my sessions in this blog, as honestly, I just don't have the time... but... I had to make an exception here, as I am just so proud of the evolution of Charlie... from timid pup when we first met him, to super-model-extraordinaire, within a very short period of time. Lots of treats, and a fabulous assistant totally contributed to this, as did Charlie's great personality, and the very relaxed attitudes of his mom & dad. So, without further ado.. (and please, click on the images to see them full sized and Charlie, in all of his "stuning'ness..."

Pause Dog Boutique's Yappy Hour - 07-18-2009

Another GREAT Yappy Hour! So much fun was had by all - two legged and 4 legged! Laura plans to hold Yappy Hours every Saturday through July and August - and Tia and I plan to be at as many as possible -- I hope to see you there!
As always, click on images to enlarge. Enjoy....

Charlie, the Supa-STAHHH!

(click to enlarge)


Meet Charlie! I have to post him because he is special to me for many reasons -- He is the FIRST Pug I've had the privilege to photograph, and, his Mama was worried because he is very nervous with new people... When we first arrived, he barked in fear for a little bit... but then look at him here, 30 minutes into his session.. Can you say, "super model extraordinare???" He was AMAZING... we all had a GREAT time, and I honestly believe Charlie had a blast. I might post more later.. Thanks Katie & Charlie!

Pause Dog Boutique's Yappy Hours!

Remember the photos from the Yappy Hour at Pause Dog Boutique last month? Did you find yourself wishing you had gone? Laura has decided to hold Yappy Hours every Saturday, from 6 - 8pm, through the month of August! I will try and be at every one with my camera in hand. The store is located in beautiful Rhinebeck, across the street from Gigi's in Montgomery Row. It's in the back, next to the Paper Trail, a safe place for dogs and their humans to socialize! It'll definitely be a great time for you, and your dogs! I hope to see many of you there! Oh, and Tia will be the official "Bark-tender!"

The Handmade Hound

I just had the pleasure of learning about the Handmade Hound. A business started by Brannon Conza. The following is part of an email she sent me:

"I was inspired to start it (her business) because as you may know, greyhounds have nearly no fat below their skin, and so chill quite easily in the cooler weather. A coat is just an absolute must-have. But I figured why overpay for a coat I didn't love when I could happily (and more affordably) sew my own coats for our dog Casey. This blossomed into the idea that I could sew coats for other greyhounds, and even other breeds. As the months went on I decided to add custom & personalized bandanas, as well as all natural handmade dog treats. I also decided to donate 10% of all my net proceeds to the greyhound group I volunteer with (and the one that Casey came from) Greyhound Rescue Rehab of NY. They are a fantastic registered not-for-profit organization who has adopted out roughly 800 dogs in the last 10 year or so - including around 3 dozen over the last several months who were rescues from Guam, where a track closed and dogs were let loose into the jungle. I simply LOVE this organization, and volunteer with them at greyhound meet & greets, but I wanted to do more - so I'm contributing those portions of my proceeds to them."

I can totally identify with Brannon's passion for helping rescue, and admire her efforts. Printz Photography is going to be photographing some of her coats, using our own dogs as "models," so stay tuned for pics! It's so important to support local businesses, I try my best to shop local at all times, I hope you'll consider it too!

"ENOUGH"

This is a cross post for my two friends, Kate Fraser and Beth Connolly. They both work tirelessly at the Pit Bull Rescue org, Animal Farm Foundation. and I have the utmost respect for them, and everything they do for this amazing breed.

Kate wrote:

Subject: A Blog worth reading...

My co-worked and friend Beth Connolly-Horton is not only a lover of animals, and all around good Gal, she is also a talented artist. When we met four years ago, she was working with the horses at the farm and came to work with the dogs "part-time". She had a wonderful little rescued beagle, Bishop, who was a little gray around the muzzle, but had a strong spirit and that unique beagle sense of humor! (He used to honk Beth's car horn if she was late with his lunch!) We used to say that he guarded the pit bulls and when he died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 13, everyone mourned his loss. A couple of months after Bishop left to become an angle, a litter of pups came to AFF and among them Bethy found her next dog, Ziggy Marley. Zig and Beth have an amazing bond and compete (and win) in Rally-O competitions.

It wasn't long after Beth started working with the dogs that she began painting portraits of them. The portrait she did of AFF's Ambassador dog Snoopy was one of her first and it is one of my most cherished possessions. Many portraits have followed, some are of dogs that went on to live happy lives with their adoptive families. Others are of dogs whose journey ended at AFF, but who nonetheless, knew love and caring and compassion perhaps for the first time in their lives.

I believe the people who work with the dogs are also on a journey. Bethy not only found Zig and more recently Kane, she found a passion as an advocate for pit bull dogs that she may not have known if she hadn't made that trip down Puglsey Hill from the stables to the shelter four years ago. I'm sure glad she did. Not only does she capture the dogs through her art, she has also become a great blogger and they are one of her favorite subjects. This is the link to her most recent blog, I think its one of her best so far, please give it a read.

Click here.

All the best to each of you,
Kate

p.s.
Beth has started a new blog, inspired by Holly. It is called Painting4theVoiceless Please visit and become a follower!
* Lisa

July 2nd SURPRISE......

This morning when I went outside to open up the chicken coops and feed the goats, I noticed an Auracana hen was out. This is unusual because we close the chickens up every night, but I have actually noticed her out a few times before this month, and wondered how and why that was. Today, when I looked again, I noticed she had 7 tiny little chicks walking closely by her side!

Chickens go "broody" from time to time, (obsessed with hatching eggs) but we rarely let them hatch them, for fear we'll get too many roosters. Well, Mama Auracana was sure determined to have her way... as she succeeded in secretly laying a bunch of eggs, away from her coop, AND successfully sitting on them for 21 days!

We couldn't leave them outside, as I didn't want to chance having Mama or any of her babies caught by predators, I called Tia, and she and I caught them all. This sure as heck was NOT easy... I grabbed Mama first... and maan, did this chicken FIGHT not to be held! With her held tightly in my left arm, I managed to somehow catch three chicks with my free hand while Tia (like Mama like Daughter?) caught the remaining FOUR chicks. We were determined to catch them all, because if we left any behind, we might never find them in the tall grass of the goat pen.

We decided to put them into our third chicken coop, which has been empty for the last couple of years. We made our way over there holding mama and 7 chicks between the two of us, and plopped the family into safety.

Just inside the door to the right are 4 laying boxes that sit about 36" off the ground. Tia and I were shocked to discover that this was where Mama auracana had made her nest! There were many broken eggs, and sadly, two chicks that didn't make it, too.... Can you just picture the 7 little guys that made it, JUMPING to the ground from up there??? Nature... it NEVER ceases to AMAZE me.

I left out how when I climbed the goat fence to get to the chicks, a rail broke.... so the goats could have escaped... thankfully they didn't.

I also didn't mention how when we first put the chicks down in the coop, 5 of them ran straight to the opposite end of the coop and OUT a tiny, and I mean TINY hole... Tia and I caught them, and then I spent the next 30 minutes moving cinder blocks around to block any potential escape holes....

Mama and babies are now safe and sound in their coop. Lastly, I should share the fact that our Auracana mix rooster Voldemort, that lived with the Auracana hens, died last month. I wonder if there's any chance that Mama Auracana's brave determination was born from a desire to bear his young? We'll never really know, but one thing I do know... I love living on a farm, and have so much respect for all the critters who live with us on it.

Oh, and one more thing. Yesterday was Tia's birthday. I'm SURE some of this group shares a birthday with her. How cool is that?