My photography related resolution this year is to improve my lighting skills. So, it's only appropriate that I somehow manage to include my dog.
This year, I want to participate in the 52 Weeks for Dogs project. I believe the project started out as a Flickr group. The basic idea is that you take one photo of your dog each week and share it with the group. While I'm not planning on participating in the Flickr group, I will be posting all 52 photos on this blog. I know there are a few other bloggers out there who participate in this (Dig-it Fetch-it Herd-it comes to mind).
I'm hoping that by committing to shooting Iris each week, I'll also be pushing myself to experiment a lot more with my techniques. Even though I'm hoping to do a lot more client sessions in 2011, I tend to shy away from experimenting during a client shoot. If I can get all my experimenting and practicing done with Iris where there's no real pressure, I'll be much more confident playing around with different techniques during a client photo sessions. That's my hope anyway!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Friday, December 24, 2010
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to me!!!
Six weeks seizure-free!!!
Now THAT is something to celebrate! I honestly don't know why she's been seizure-free for so long. It's the longest stretch she's ever had (5 1/2 weeks was the previous record and that was back when she first started having seizures - about 1.5 years ago now. Maybe it's her diet? Or the season change? Her allergies have been better lately too, which I suspect is seasonal. Or maybe still related to the increase in Phenobarbital a few months ago? Who knows. Everything about epilepsy seems like a bit of a crap-shoot sometimes. Regardless, I'm not complaining. And I'm trying not to hold my breath for too long waiting for the next one...
So while I can't explain it, it's probably the best Christmas present I could get!
Iris says she'd rather have the present hidden under tree since waiting until tomorrow could take FOREVER!
Just in case you haven't seen enough of the red dog today... The company I work for makes virtual tours out of 360 degree panoramas. Every year they take a pano of the entire staff to send to clients as a Holiday Card. This year's card was shot during our the Holiday party:
So while I can't explain it, it's probably the best Christmas present I could get!
Iris says she'd rather have the present hidden under tree since waiting until tomorrow could take FOREVER!
Just in case you haven't seen enough of the red dog today... The company I work for makes virtual tours out of 360 degree panoramas. Every year they take a pano of the entire staff to send to clients as a Holiday Card. This year's card was shot during our the Holiday party:
I'm also certain that Iris wishes we had parties at work more often. I know she was getting plenty of handouts from my coworkers, but it's only once a year so everyone should get to enjoy themselves! Even crazy dogs.
Today's Laugh
I saw this post on Craig's List and thought it was too funny not to share. Just in case it gets flagged and taken down, here's the text from the post.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Please help! (Anywhere!)
Please help! After two long years of being on a waiting list for a dog, we have been notified by breed rescue that, at long last, our number has come up and ... WE ARE HAVING A PUPPY!
We must get rid of our children IMMEDIATELY because we just know how time consuming our new little puppy is going to be and it just wouldn't be fair to the children. Since our little puppy will be arriving on Monday we MUST place the children up for adoption this weekend!
They are described as:
One male -- his name is Tommy, Caucasian (English/Irish mix), light blonde hair, blue eyes. Four years old. Excellent disposition. He doesn't bite. Temperament tested. Does have problems with peeing directly in the toilet. Has had chicken Pox and is current on all shots. Tonsils have already been removed. Tommy eats everything, is very clean, house trained and gets along well with others. Does not run with scissors and with a little training he should be able to read soon.
One female -- her name is Lexie, Caucasian (English/Irish mix), strawberry blonde hair, green eyes quite freckled. Two years old. Can be surly at times. Non-biter, thumb sucker. Has been temperament tested but needs a little attitude adjusting occasionally. She is current on all shots, tonsils out, and is very healthy and can be affectionate. Gets along well with other little girls and little boys but does not like to share her toys and therefore would do best in a one child household. She is a very quick learner and is currently working on her house training. Shouldn't take long at all.
We really do LOVE our children so much and want to do what's right for them. That is why we contacted a rescue group. But we simply can no longer keep them. Also, we are afraid that they may hurt our new puppy.
I hope you understand that ours is a UNIQUE situation and we have a real emergency here! They MUST be placed into your rescue by Sunday night at the latest or we will be forced to drop them off at the orphanage or along some dark, country road. Our priority now has to be our new puppy.
PS - If you laughed or understood the seriousness of this posting, please repost it in other areas of the country as well as continue to repost it. It doesn't matter how quickly it was flagged (this has already been flagged twice within a matter of hours in Worcester) the point is that SOMEONE SOMEWHERE will have read it and thought about it for a minute. Maybe that person will look at the pets they are rehoming and reconsider giving them away or dropping them off at a pound. Maybe they will help counsel someone that they know is doing it. Keep the silver lining in mind, otherwise those of us in rescue will succomb to how incredibly morbid the whole situation is and we can't risk any good people giving up. I can't take credit for this posting, it was in the Best Of Craigslist section but this can and should be applied to EVERYWHERE and I think that the original poster would take it as a compliment to see that their ad helped someone along the way.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Please help! (Anywhere!)
Please help! After two long years of being on a waiting list for a dog, we have been notified by breed rescue that, at long last, our number has come up and ... WE ARE HAVING A PUPPY!
We must get rid of our children IMMEDIATELY because we just know how time consuming our new little puppy is going to be and it just wouldn't be fair to the children. Since our little puppy will be arriving on Monday we MUST place the children up for adoption this weekend!
They are described as:
One male -- his name is Tommy, Caucasian (English/Irish mix), light blonde hair, blue eyes. Four years old. Excellent disposition. He doesn't bite. Temperament tested. Does have problems with peeing directly in the toilet. Has had chicken Pox and is current on all shots. Tonsils have already been removed. Tommy eats everything, is very clean, house trained and gets along well with others. Does not run with scissors and with a little training he should be able to read soon.
One female -- her name is Lexie, Caucasian (English/Irish mix), strawberry blonde hair, green eyes quite freckled. Two years old. Can be surly at times. Non-biter, thumb sucker. Has been temperament tested but needs a little attitude adjusting occasionally. She is current on all shots, tonsils out, and is very healthy and can be affectionate. Gets along well with other little girls and little boys but does not like to share her toys and therefore would do best in a one child household. She is a very quick learner and is currently working on her house training. Shouldn't take long at all.
We really do LOVE our children so much and want to do what's right for them. That is why we contacted a rescue group. But we simply can no longer keep them. Also, we are afraid that they may hurt our new puppy.
I hope you understand that ours is a UNIQUE situation and we have a real emergency here! They MUST be placed into your rescue by Sunday night at the latest or we will be forced to drop them off at the orphanage or along some dark, country road. Our priority now has to be our new puppy.
PS - If you laughed or understood the seriousness of this posting, please repost it in other areas of the country as well as continue to repost it. It doesn't matter how quickly it was flagged (this has already been flagged twice within a matter of hours in Worcester) the point is that SOMEONE SOMEWHERE will have read it and thought about it for a minute. Maybe that person will look at the pets they are rehoming and reconsider giving them away or dropping them off at a pound. Maybe they will help counsel someone that they know is doing it. Keep the silver lining in mind, otherwise those of us in rescue will succomb to how incredibly morbid the whole situation is and we can't risk any good people giving up. I can't take credit for this posting, it was in the Best Of Craigslist section but this can and should be applied to EVERYWHERE and I think that the original poster would take it as a compliment to see that their ad helped someone along the way.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Ode to the Red Dog
I meant for this to be a Thanksgiving Day post and even typed most of it up a few weeks ago, but I just haven't had a chance to get it posted. Regardless, I think the entire holiday season is a good time to be thankful! I've been thinking a lot about how much my little red dog has grown and I just recently remembered something I was told only a few months after I adopted Iris.
One of the first things I did with Iris was a beginner pet obedience class. All of the dogs in class were adults and many were rescues. During that very first basic obedience class, the instructor told the class that for most dogs it takes three weeks to get used to a new environment, three months to get used to new people, and three years to really bond.
Iris is seven now and the past summer was our "three year mark." I remember thinking that strangely enough the three weeks and three months adjustment periods actually seemed pretty accurate for Iris. But three years seemed like an eternity. Well, it turns out that three years isn't an eternity. It's actually pretty fast.
Fast forward three years, and here we are today. The reason I've been thinking a lot about my crazy little red dog is because it just feels like in the last six months we've finally found the same rhythm. Even though I didn't believe it at the time, the trainer who said "three years to really bond" just may have been right. At least for me and Iris. Sure, I've loved this dog for last three years and she's been my constant shadow, but it wasn't until recently that I think we've found the same tempo. Ok, maybe I shouldn't say that I've loved her for quite three years. You want to know my deep dark secret? I really thought about returning her to the shelter. She was crazy. I mean, I wanted a fun dog. Not some insane, aggressive nut job. I felt like I was in way over my head with this crazy dog who exploded every time someone new came through the door, and exploded every time an unfamiliar dog was near her, and exploded every time she got stressed out about any little thing. I just wanted a perfect agility dog and I somehow ended up with this crazy thing that ran back and forth and back and forth through the house all day barking at everything that moved outside. The problem I kept running into is that as Iris' behavior problems were becoming more apparent, she was also opening up into a sweet cuddley wiggle butt. When she wasn't being crazy. Which was most of the time. But I'm crazy too and I didn't want just "a dog." I wanted Iris. Just, it needed to be Iris with a whole lot less crazy if we were going to make it work.
And then it seems like all of a sudden (three years later...) she's really settled down and blossomed into a wonderful little dog. I couldn't ask for a better companion. I don't know if it's her getting older or us settling into a better routine, but in just the last few months I feel like I actually have the dog I was wishing for. So many of her issues have melted away. She's leaps and bounds better with strange people than she used to be, including strangers coming into the condo. She comes to work with me regularly and sleeps quietly under my desk. She no longer barks at everything outside the windows (I think mostly because she isn't allowed to look out the windows anymore, but she knows that rule and only rarely attempts to check the windows). She's good on a leash and even gets to go hiking off leash. Honestly, the only "issue" I would say she still has is being reactive with other dogs. And while she's still a bossy bitch, she's far better than she used to be.
I look down at my little red merle shadow and I can't imagine that at one point I was seriously considering returning her to the shelter. So my crazy-head red dog, here's to three years and hope for many more!
One of the first things I did with Iris was a beginner pet obedience class. All of the dogs in class were adults and many were rescues. During that very first basic obedience class, the instructor told the class that for most dogs it takes three weeks to get used to a new environment, three months to get used to new people, and three years to really bond.
Iris is seven now and the past summer was our "three year mark." I remember thinking that strangely enough the three weeks and three months adjustment periods actually seemed pretty accurate for Iris. But three years seemed like an eternity. Well, it turns out that three years isn't an eternity. It's actually pretty fast.
Fast forward three years, and here we are today. The reason I've been thinking a lot about my crazy little red dog is because it just feels like in the last six months we've finally found the same rhythm. Even though I didn't believe it at the time, the trainer who said "three years to really bond" just may have been right. At least for me and Iris. Sure, I've loved this dog for last three years and she's been my constant shadow, but it wasn't until recently that I think we've found the same tempo. Ok, maybe I shouldn't say that I've loved her for quite three years. You want to know my deep dark secret? I really thought about returning her to the shelter. She was crazy. I mean, I wanted a fun dog. Not some insane, aggressive nut job. I felt like I was in way over my head with this crazy dog who exploded every time someone new came through the door, and exploded every time an unfamiliar dog was near her, and exploded every time she got stressed out about any little thing. I just wanted a perfect agility dog and I somehow ended up with this crazy thing that ran back and forth and back and forth through the house all day barking at everything that moved outside. The problem I kept running into is that as Iris' behavior problems were becoming more apparent, she was also opening up into a sweet cuddley wiggle butt. When she wasn't being crazy. Which was most of the time. But I'm crazy too and I didn't want just "a dog." I wanted Iris. Just, it needed to be Iris with a whole lot less crazy if we were going to make it work.
And then it seems like all of a sudden (three years later...) she's really settled down and blossomed into a wonderful little dog. I couldn't ask for a better companion. I don't know if it's her getting older or us settling into a better routine, but in just the last few months I feel like I actually have the dog I was wishing for. So many of her issues have melted away. She's leaps and bounds better with strange people than she used to be, including strangers coming into the condo. She comes to work with me regularly and sleeps quietly under my desk. She no longer barks at everything outside the windows (I think mostly because she isn't allowed to look out the windows anymore, but she knows that rule and only rarely attempts to check the windows). She's good on a leash and even gets to go hiking off leash. Honestly, the only "issue" I would say she still has is being reactive with other dogs. And while she's still a bossy bitch, she's far better than she used to be.
I look down at my little red merle shadow and I can't imagine that at one point I was seriously considering returning her to the shelter. So my crazy-head red dog, here's to three years and hope for many more!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
National Sheepdog Finals
I know other people have blogged about this too, but just in case anyone hasn't seen it...
The National Sheepdog Finals are being broadcast live this weekend! It's all Border Collies, but these talented dogs are a blast to watch.
The National Sheepdog Finals are being broadcast live this weekend! It's all Border Collies, but these talented dogs are a blast to watch.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Bored Aussie
Wow, it's been a long time since I updated this blog. Things have been pretty quiet for Iris and pretty busy for me. I've been putting all of my free time into getting my photography business off the ground while Iris has had a relatively uneventful summer. She's had some allergies off and on for the last couple weeks, but other than that she's doing pretty well. She still has seizures on a pretty regular regular basis (damn 4 week mark!), but at least she's very predictable.
For the last couple weeks, my company has been moving into new building so I've had to leave Iris home during the day. And I've been spending nights and weekends working on my photography. The result? A very bored Aussie. I've noticed that the last couple nights she's been very antsy. I think she's just really not getting enough mental stimulation. To top it off, we've battled against Iris' weight gain all summer, and she's actually looking pretty good right now. She's lost 4 lbs since the beginning of the summer. I think she could still lose a little more, but right now I'd really like to get some more muscle tone on her too. But the combination of more time by herself and feeling better physically might drive me insane before it drives her insane!
I've been thinking about ways to get her out of the house for some mental activity. I did some clicker training with her tonight and she threw herself into it. Literally. Like, throwing her entire body into it. I haven't done much training with her this summer, and it seems like someone misses that. Our last herding lesson was in June. It's been five months since I had her in a class (Control Unleashed). It's been over a year since we've done any agility. That's the one I can't believe. My plan was to take the CU class and then put her back in agility in the spring.
Her seizures became more frequent last spring before we decided to increase her meds. The meds have such a negative effect on her balance and focus until she adjusts to them better. I've really gone back and forth on whether I should be pushing her to do anything. Her last couple of herding lessons haven't really gone well. She just really lacks focus. I'm not sure she had the intensity ro drive for it anymore. If we tried to take a 6 week agility class instead, it's very likely that we'll only be able to make 4 or maybe 5 out of every 6 classes because of her seizures. I'm also not certain if the meds would have a more noticeable effect on her balance if we were doing something like agility (a rather large factor in why we haven't gone back to agility).
I've been thinking about putting her back in the reactive dogs agility class I had her in at Dogs! Learning Center. It's about a 30 min drive from here so it's not terrible. Something closer would be easier with my work schedule, but the reactive agility class runs continuously and you pay as you go rather than paying for a 6 week block. So that would be a lot better for Iris. I have NO intention of ever trialing Iris, so I'd like to do a sort of "agility lite" class for her. I want the chance to work her around other dogs and get her some mental and physical exercise. But I don't care of she's jumping full height or doing every single obstacle (weave poles.......)
For the last couple weeks, my company has been moving into new building so I've had to leave Iris home during the day. And I've been spending nights and weekends working on my photography. The result? A very bored Aussie. I've noticed that the last couple nights she's been very antsy. I think she's just really not getting enough mental stimulation. To top it off, we've battled against Iris' weight gain all summer, and she's actually looking pretty good right now. She's lost 4 lbs since the beginning of the summer. I think she could still lose a little more, but right now I'd really like to get some more muscle tone on her too. But the combination of more time by herself and feeling better physically might drive me insane before it drives her insane!
I've been thinking about ways to get her out of the house for some mental activity. I did some clicker training with her tonight and she threw herself into it. Literally. Like, throwing her entire body into it. I haven't done much training with her this summer, and it seems like someone misses that. Our last herding lesson was in June. It's been five months since I had her in a class (Control Unleashed). It's been over a year since we've done any agility. That's the one I can't believe. My plan was to take the CU class and then put her back in agility in the spring.
Her seizures became more frequent last spring before we decided to increase her meds. The meds have such a negative effect on her balance and focus until she adjusts to them better. I've really gone back and forth on whether I should be pushing her to do anything. Her last couple of herding lessons haven't really gone well. She just really lacks focus. I'm not sure she had the intensity ro drive for it anymore. If we tried to take a 6 week agility class instead, it's very likely that we'll only be able to make 4 or maybe 5 out of every 6 classes because of her seizures. I'm also not certain if the meds would have a more noticeable effect on her balance if we were doing something like agility (a rather large factor in why we haven't gone back to agility).
I've been thinking about putting her back in the reactive dogs agility class I had her in at Dogs! Learning Center. It's about a 30 min drive from here so it's not terrible. Something closer would be easier with my work schedule, but the reactive agility class runs continuously and you pay as you go rather than paying for a 6 week block. So that would be a lot better for Iris. I have NO intention of ever trialing Iris, so I'd like to do a sort of "agility lite" class for her. I want the chance to work her around other dogs and get her some mental and physical exercise. But I don't care of she's jumping full height or doing every single obstacle (weave poles.......)
Friday, July 30, 2010
And We're Live!!!
I know I haven't been around much lately, but it's because I've been pretty busy with another project. Building the website was a much bigger project than I anticipated. But it's finally live!!!
Check it out, pass it along! Also, I'd really appreciate any feedback people have. My target audience is pet owners so what you guys think is important!
- Is everything loading ok? Loading quickly enough?
- Does all of the text make sense? Is there anything that's confusing?
- How does the gallery work for you? Do you like the format? Does it load quickly? Do you like the way the thumbnails look? The way the images open in a new window?
- Is there anything you think I should change? Anything that isn't there that you'd like to see?
And just in case anyone is wondering, yes the logo is Iris. :) Who else could represent the business besides my little red dog?
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