Last night we shot at a beautiful farm setting in Philomont, VA. Our subject was Savvy, the 9 year old yellow lab, who lives with the Strickland family.

We were told Savvy didn't care much for the camera but we think he handled himself quite well!

He also thought all the treats were worth the effort...

(Don't forget you can click on each image to view larger)

Well, another afternoon thunderstorm.

We thought we had it in the bag. But we'd barely started yesterday evening with Brandi, a 15 year old Yorkie, when the storm clouds rolled in and fierce weather loomed.

Brandi, all of 4 or 5 pounds, was an old girl with an attitude! Don't tell her she's a senior.

Brandi decided a few things. She prefers to be on the move at all times. She thinks she can leap from high places. She does not like grass that is taller than her. And she definitely does not like the camera. This was expressed clearly in the last image below!

We still managed to capture a bit of this old girl's personality. I bet she slept all the way home!

(Don't forget you can click the image to enlarge)

So, after one reschedule due to the stormy weather, we finally got to shoot the dogs who live with Cheryl Hardy.

Maybe I should say, the dogs who let Cheryl live with them. A feisty duo of 2 Cairn terriers, Katie and A Chroi, and the drop dead handsome, Deken Wolfen Stern, a GERMAN German Shepherd. (He speaks German!)

I was like a kid in a candy store! As always, I just seem to see something through my lens that I don't see with the naked eye. Every so often, I'm lucky enough to capture it.

Sometimes, even when there is no pet around, you just have to pull over and shoot.

On what was one of the hottest days of the year thus far, the labs had a "meet-up" at Leesburg's Canine Country Club.

True to form, the labs didn't know it was hot. Balls were caught, frisbees were chased, pools were splashed in!!

It always amazes me what I see through the lens of a camera. Often, through all the dashing and darting, one misses the true joy in the eyes of playing dogs.

Stopping their play with my shutter allows us, I think, to see the sheer fun of it all!

Buffy and Beeper have a wonderful human who loves them dearly.

Just one problem, she is devastatingly ill and has been hospitalized for months.

The dogs have been shuffled in and out of friend's homes, foster care and finally found a temporary respite at Stoneleigh Kennels in Hillsboro, thanks to the kindness of kennel owner, Candace Terry.

All of this was done in hopes of eventually returning them to their original home.

Well, sadly, this is not to be. Buffy and Beepers will never be going home again. Their owner's health is such that she cannot adequately care for them.

Though their foster caretakers loved them, the cats in the family did not. Seems one of the dogs just won't leave cats alone.

While the kennel gig gave some breathing room - that too, has come to an end. The summer season is upon Stoneleigh and they need the space.

So, it's the end of the line for these two. They are about to be placed into a shelter situation.

While we all know so many animals out there who need homes - it just seems the sad circumstances surrounding these two deserve just a bit of extra consideration.

So, if you, or anyone you know, has room in their heart and home for this happy, loving pair, please contact Patti Best at Everything and the Dog for more specific information.

Patti can be reached at: pbest@everythingandthedog.com

Let's give these two their independence back in time for the 4th of July!

The art of Nose

Another sweltering evening shoot. Lots of hanging tongues mixed with short spurts of speed (not to mention a few forays into the fountain for a drink!)

Tickles and Rocky spent a of couple hours at their "grandmom's" for their photo session.

They are a couple of sweet dogs. Both dogs were adopted but Tickles (the spotted red & white girl) was rescued from a research lab in Michigan.

Her human says she went through 2 or 3 other homes before finding her forever home.

It's amazing to me that a shy dog, with little opportunity to be socialized in a lab, let me get so close by the end of the shoot as to get some detail eye shots.

That's the thing about dogs. No matter what we do to them they still keep opening their hearts up to us. Ever hopeful.

We could learn a lot from dogs I think...

On a hot and steamy summer evening, Willow came out to the new Purcellville farm location for her second puppy shoot.

Still a pistol in perpetual motion, she came this time with some new skills.

Seems that Willow and her human Sonja have been working hard. At less than 4 months old Willow sits, spins, recalls with wild abandon. She may well be Sonja's next great agility pup!

Though the fish-eye lens can be overused - I couldn't resist a pug face and a fish-eye!

Well, never say never.

Dogs in wedding attire? Why not?

My assistant Michelle, and her fiance, Jimmy, are getting married in September.

They'd been pondering what to do for wedding invitations.

Well, ponder no more. Their two dogs, Delmer and Peaches, volunteered (sort of) to pose in wedding garb to make that invitation unique.

What a cute couple....