This golden face who you find smiling at you is Armani.  He is our new, old dog. CH. Sonora’s Suit Yourself, aka, Armani came into our home after a dear friend of ours passed away from Cancer.

We have known Armani for awhile.  I’ve competed against him in the show ring.  I always loved seeing him on the table, virtually asleep while his Mom was getting him ready to show.  When the offer was made to us to take care of Armani, I jumped at the chance.

Ball Guy

When he came into our house we found out what his true personality was.  He is the mushiest dog I have ever met in my life.  Soft doesn’t even begin to describe him!  He is so very sweet and is very practiced with his puppy dog eyes.  When you pick him up to take him off the grooming table, he is a rag doll.  Not one wiggle out of him, no matter what you do!  We’ve had 6 Goldens before Armani and none of them have prepared me for him.

I have always had respect for people who rescue dogs and I’ve always given to help rescue.  But my level of respect has gone up even further now for the people of rescue who foster and adopt dogs that they have only just met in their 5th year of life.  Armani is five years old and he is who he is.  He has adapted to his new home with us and has learned to love the early morning walks, that he’s never had before.  But he is a challenge to me since I am so used to dogs I have raised from a puppy.  What I mean is, that usually when I raise a dog, I know what makes them happy, what triggers the wild dog run around the yard, the good words to use when I need to get the proper cock of the head for a picture.  When you get a dog who is already established, you  have to find all of this through trail and error.  While this can be fun, it can also be a bit frustrating and I guess that is what I am saying about Armani.  He is teaching me  how to reach out to him and how to be patient because he is such a different personality than any of our other goldens!

It’s been two months or so now since we have brought this silly, mushy boy into our home and I love his eyes and enjoy looking for a tail wag.  My hats off to you who rescue dogs of all ages and breeds.  What a job you do finding out how to make a neglected or abused dog whole and happy again.

Mani boy smiling

And Romeo make 5, months that is!  I’m working on the 2010 Arizona Border Collie Rescue calendar.  I first met Romeo when he was a puppy at Travel Hounds USA.  Romeo’s Mom is my friend, Layne, who owns Travel Hounds.  Ever since I’ve know Romeo, he’s been a very shy border collie and only warms up to you if you are worthy.  I was delighted to take pics of Mr. Romeo when he was a pup and this is one of my favorite pics and probably will show you his personality more than I can describe.

Owning a store full of agility equipment, you would think that Layne would have an agility dog - and as I see it - she finally took a step to the dark side and was going to try out her BC agility dog.  However, Romeo had different ideas.  There was something about agility that he wasn’t really keen on, so one day, Layne does what every BC owner seems to do at one time or another - she went herding with her Romeo. Most of those who run off to herd fall in love with the sport.  I think it’s something about watching your dog do what they were bred to do.

As a photographer, it’s really hard to capture the herding shots you think you should be taking.  For instance - the dog working the sheep.  I have always wanted the shot with the herd in the forefront and the BC coming around them.  But, alas, sheep and herding dogs don’t go where photographers want them to go.  So, I go for one of my other favorites - the BC watching his sheep.

I also love to focus on the sheep - because they seem to be talking in some of the shots.  Or they just look plain vacant.  I would title this one “Sheep Talk”:

As a dog lover, I really enjoy watching the border collies herd.  It is just fascinating that they know this stuff to the core of their being.  Watching Romeo herd was especially fun because I have known him since a puppy and Layne’s struggles with his shyness and finding something that he likes to do.  Romeo, the herding dog, is COMPLETELY different from the Romeo I’ve met.  He is full of confidence and walks with a completely different air about him.  I have no doubt that the calendar picture we pick for him will be of this new Romeo on his way to being a herding dog extraordinare!

The Arizona Border Collie Rescue 2010 Calendar should be available for purchase in September 2009.  Keep an eye here for ordering information!

About two months ago, I dropped one of my camera’s with a lens attached.  I was getting this weird error 99, so I sent it in to be fixed.  When it returned, I found a note from the technician that told me I might still get the error and if so, I needed to send in the lens.  Well, of course I got the error and I was NOT excited about having to send in my lens.  So, I decided to write them about it and complain, not that it was going to do me any good, I was still expecting to send in the lens.

As it turns out, I followed their directions of cleaning the contacts for the lens and voila - I got some NICE pics this morning from the offending lens and camera combo!  My moral of the story being - before you send in your camera for repair - email them and ask if there is anything you can try first.  

Here’s a small check list for your SLR before contacting your camera maker:

Clean all the lenses - including taking off their protective filter and cleaning it.

Take an eraser or soft cloth and clean off the contacts where the camera body and lens come together.  Be sure not to get anything in the camera body.

Clean your sensor according the instruction manual that came with your camera.

Check your cards and format them in the camera.

Just by doing this simple maintenance you may find an improvement in the clarity of your photos!

Have Fun!

This recipe is more effective and cheaper to make than using tomato juice. Anyone with a dog should keep some of this on hand at home, “Just in Case…” If it can resolve skunk odor, anything else stinky your dog may get in to can be taken care of with the following recipe:

Combine 1 quart 3% hydrogen peroxide with 1/2 cup
baking soda and 1 teaspoon liquid soap. Bathe dog, leaving solution on 30 mins to an hour, depending on the strength of the odor, and
rinse thoroughly with plain water.

Keep an eye on here and Twitter for more ABCR calendar fun!  Next week we are off to Flagstaff to look for snow for November, December or January calendar dogs!

When we are looking, we have to remember to look from dog height.

Look how nice and blue the sky is!

This will be a tricky shoot tomorrow trying to get calendar worthy shots with red rocks in the back ground!  Let’s not forget we have to avoid all the people who will walk into the shot too!

Here she and TAG are while the judge goes over him.

Here’s Lori with Noble.  Last time I saw Noble, he was dressed in a Christmas outfit and sound asleep in my studio.  Noble was one of the most popular Slice of Nice models during Christmas this year.  Click here to see him as a puppy.

Riggs at sunrise

Getting up at the crack of dawn does have a few perks, the lighting is great!  I just love this effect on Goldens.  And the best thing is, it’s not an effect, it’s just plain ol’ sunlight.  

Tasha looking for cookies

Vicki was trying to set Tasha up for her stand and she couldn’t figure out why she was so figity.  The judge was turned looking at the dog showing to her with her hands behind her back, facing Tasha.  Turns out that Miss Tasha was wondering if the judge had cookies for her!  

Jackie watching the judge

Just another little puppy who found the judge interesting that day!

She bred her Sage to our Bailey and that produced Duncan and Tess.  Tess is Emma’s Mom.  Emma’s Dad, Kramer, won a Best in Show for Cyndy.  So, today during the speciality we had a moment of silence for her and our other good friend, Dawn who also lost her battle to Cancer last year.  In the ring, all of Cyndy’s friends gathered with all the Sonora (her kennel name) dogs in the ring to observe the moment.  I can’t tell you how many time’s I’ve heard “wow, these Sonora Goldens are all over the ring” as I walk ringside to enter and show.  Cyndy may have lost her battle to Cancer, but she will live on in the pages of each Fiesta Cluster program for years to come as the owner of some nice dogs who have given us our Duncan’s and Emma’s.  

Here are a few more pics from today.

Tess (Emma's Mom) with Vicki

Emma's sister, Tasha

Tessie

Emma

Have you ever wished you were a model?  That everyone was clamoring to get your autograph or put your poster up in their room?  Or are you more of a stop and smell the roses kind of person?  Morgan was only 8 weeks old when we started doing photo shoots with her.  At this age, she wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted to be when she grew up.  She truly loves to model, but she has a lot to explore and do, so she felt it was time to stop and smell the fake flowers!  Never mind that there was a photographer (namely me) on the other side of the camera, throwing monkeys, making kitty noises and in general making a complete fool of herself trying to get the attention of an 8 week old puppy.  

A few pictures later, I’d lost her attention again and she decided it was time for a break.  You know models have the right to break, it’s in their contract.  It says, that when the photographer isn’t being creative enough or if they’ve lost the ‘moment’ they can take time to regain their focus so that they can give their best.

As a photographer working with models, you really have to know how to motivate your models.  You have to get inside their heads and speak their language, stroke their egos.  Obviously, I’m not speaking the right language as I snap this beauty.

Finally!  A moment later and my young 8 week old pup is sitting tall, putting on some good expression and enjoying the screaming of the monkeys as they are thrown!  Working with models is always a challenge, but a rewarding and fun one.  So, remember, stop and smell the fake roses every once and awhile!

Click on the last picture if you would like to order this Slice of Nice card for your Valentine!