Today I got to meet Pretty Girl - a lovely Bernese Mountain Dog who's recently given birth to nine fluffy pups.
She's also made headlines recently.

Shortly after she came into care of the Victoria Humane Society, Pretty Girl helped nurse 11 orphaned puppies whose mom passed away after giving birth... in addition to her own 9. She is a super dog. For real.

You may question whether a dog should nurse 20 puppies. I would agree with 'no'. However, it was only for a few hours. When the 11 orphaned pups were taken away, Pretty Girl was sad. She followed  out the rubber bin they were being transported in and watched as the bin was taken away. 
Once out of sight, she headed back inside her foster mom's home and saw her own 9 puppies were still there, she gave them each a sniff, and all was ok again. 

When I came to her home today she was a tail-waggin, smiley ball of fluff.... until I took that first photo. 
Click, went the shutter.
Right away she skulked over to her foster mom for comfort. When I noted how frightened she was to Dianne (her lovely foster mom) she said that someone (no names mentioned) had recently used a flash to take her photo and it scared her to bits and has seemed to make her nervous of big cameras ever since.

So I gave her pups a snuggle and then worked on helping her get used to the sound of my camera. Who knows if she was afraid of big cameras before she came into care, but she knew the word treats, and some cupboard love definitely helped. By the end of the hour I'd say she didn't love my camera, but she and I did manage to get some photos of her not looking terrified - including some of her with the cute way she tucks her front paws under her when laying next to her pups, and even a head tilt. And with a little help she'll hopefully not be as afraid of it in the future because she's so adorable, people are going to wanna take her photo wherever she goes. Plus it'll be a good excuse to go back and visit her!

I've photographed over 500 dogs in the care of rescues and shelters as well as gaggles of newborn puppies, but the moms get me every. single. time. It's easy to get lost in puppy breath, but to give love to the momma dog - the one who's done the work - is something that gets me right in the heart bone.

In about 7 weeks or so Pretty Girl's litter of 'colour-named' pups will be weaned and then she and her gang will all be available for adoption through the Victoria Humane Society.

I can't wait to visit them again and watch them grow up.
This lovely girl definitely lives up to her name, in looks and personality. xo

p.s. the cute 'one of these things doesn't look like the other' is Missy, Pretty Girl's 13-year-old foster sister - gah!

It was June 2014 when I got the message through my website:
​

I got goosebumps and shivers and was super excited. I had met Jeff in September 2013 while I was up at the Whistler Sled Dog Co kennels. He was Joffre back then - named not after the Game of Thrones character, but the lake. He was curious, but nervous. He hung around me with the other dogs and took treats occasionally, but he seemed uncomfortable in his skin.
A short while later I'd learned that he was at the Victoria SPCA and he would have visits at his biological sister, ChiChi's place. I got to see him in November 2013 at Sledder Day Out (back when they were "sledders", not "sleddies") and then I didn't hear much again - it was ok though - he had been adopted.
Then I got that note.
Plans were made to meet up on July 1 for a Canadog Day gathering with a few of his old Whistler mates, including his sister ChiChi.
Jeff was still nervous but he seemed to know the gang.

For almost 4 more years I got to follow Jeff's adventures. His human mom would send me photos of him with his eyes closed - something Jeff and his sister ChiChi excel at - and it always made me smile and laugh. Every single time, no matter where I was. He made me laugh as I watched him sniff bums and follow his doggy girlfriends around - Jeff loved his lady dogs... and even one special boy dog. I watched him snooze in front of his fireplace and saw him play - like really play - with his dog brother, Ben so I know that whatever was plaguing him in his mind - whatever made him so nervous - had left some room for him to have moments of just being a dog.

Jeff's had a few medical issues over the years, all which were treatable. His human mom even took him swimming to an indoor pool to help with his mobility and he did really well and swam around on his own, seemingly quite content. He came to my studio to participate in i was a sled dog and he had a good time hanging out with fellow sleddie, Santana.
But last week Jeff took a turn and it wasn't good.
His humans made the decision to let him go. 

I know sleddies are not immortal. But they're superheroes to me. Superheroes who've had their own cheering squad who've helped them experience care, love and compassion. But damn, if it doesn't take a little piece of my heart each time.

Thank you to Jeff's humans and brother Ben for allowing Jeff to be Jeff.
Here's a few of my favourite Jeffy photographs.
More can be found at:

• Sledder Day Out
• Happy Canadog Day
• Sleddie Swim - Jeff's Pool Party
• Without Further Ado...
• Whistler Weekend Gone to the Dogs
• Retired Sled Dogs

Rest in peace and love Jeffy. 
xo

Some sleddies got together for a little gathering at Candy's new home today so I hit the road and tagged along so I could photograph Candy for my I was a sled dog project - her humans even let me put the tape on their walls and everything!

I managed to sneak a few more sleddies into the project and after their 'work' was done, it was time to zoom around outside and let the humans stand around and admire them and talk sleddie stuff.
There are fewer and fewer of the Whistler dogs left, and the group is evolving, but it's staying strong and new sleddies are coming into care and there always seems to be something to learn.
These adopters are something special... just like their dogs.

​Sleddie roll call:
Candy, Bella, Weasley + Kirika... sadly I had to leave before the other sleddies arrived.

As I was editing Candy's photos from today I wondered how many photos I got of her when I was in Whistler in 2013 - turns out more than I thought... and it would seems she's kinda notorious for jumping up for treats! She's the dog responsible for the pawprint on Penny's white pants!
Sweet Candy-girl
xo

Today started with a walk in the woods with some sleddies and a pyrenees... then I put on my volunteer hat and went to get some more photos and videos of some 4-week-old puppies at their foster home. 
Ruff Sunday. 

Introducing the walk crew: Spirit the Pyr (and head goofball), sleddies GreyGrey, Daisy, Jasper, Mary Kate and Roo!
p.s. Mary Kate and Roo are adoptable through Victoria Humane Society! Two super smart sleddies who love adventure!

Second set of photos is Rosemary, the pittie in foster with the Victoria Humane Society who had 11 puppies 4 weeks and 3 days ago (according to her foster mom, but who's counting!). I met her a couple weeks ago so am sharing some of those photos as well. You may not see a difference in Rosie, but you will in her puppies! Today her puppies got to be outside for the first time! (see video at end)
Rosie's puppies will be adopted fast - they're so stinking cute - but it's the moms who take a little longer sometimes to get adopted. Rosie LOVES to meet new people and dogs but she gets a bit overexcited and jumpy so she's learning new ways and is very smart! 
Plus, she has one of  THE BEST head tilts going, gives great face washes and is full of love now that she's getting some.
Let the love begin!

Spring is on its way, and the dogs are feelin' full of beans!
With sleddie Kismet in town from the interior, visiting with his mom to participate in my project, I Was a Sled Dog, we met up with the gang at Francis King park for some forest bathing... only Santana didn't get the 'forest part' - she just bathed... and some other silly dogs followed suit.
Here's Niv + Cedar, Knik, Boomer + Jinx (the low rider), Saru (the Shiba), Santana, Jasper, Daisy, Mary Kate + Roo and Kismet!
p.s. Mary Kate and Roo are available for adoption through the Victoria Humane Society!

Back in June of this year I shared the story of Dave the Girl Dog.
My friend (and super dooper groomer to our little dogs) Kelsey brought her back after volunteering at Baan Unrak Thai Animal Sanctuary.
Dave has since had her back legs amputated and after some healing, she's starting to feel better - both physically and mentally.
Kelsey still has to help her express her bladder (photo 3) and change her diapers (no photos of that one), and Dave wears a onesie to help limit chafing on her undercarriage, but she can zoom around our yard - her back end coming off the ground - and looks like she's actually having fun and taking time to smell the air, the flowers, the pee from my dogs. ;)
It's so cool to see her continual transformation - she's more relaxed, she can read the cues of my dogs and she's even content to go snooze by her backpack. 
This is truly a labour of love - Dave is a foster dog and Kelsey knows that the perfect home is out there for her - and it would open up Kelsey's home to another foster dog. Good thing lovely little Lily (last photo) is such a superstar and takes it all in stride. 
​For more on Dave's journey, please visit Dave Does Canada! on facebook.

Victoria Humane Society spokesdog Gus, a puppy "parade", some stylish clothes, a gaggle of adoptable dogs and some real 4-legged (and a super special 3-legged) superstars!
Thanks to Jaxx for giving me such a fantastic final shot... with his eyes closed. If you know me, you know how much I love photos of dogs with their eyes closed (I've made two books on it!).
Thanks to Outlooks for Men for such an incredibly fun event benefitting the important and tireless work of the Victoria Humane Society!

Super cool to have a photo session with these two... Bill met Brennan last year they met while both modelling at the 2016 Man and His Dog Fashion Show Fundraiser that was raising money for the Victoria Humane Society.
This year, they're the poster boys!
I got to photograph them for their ad... and Brennan, who's now Jax, was such a chill guy we had to wake him up from  his afternoon nap (amidst the hustle and bustle of Outlooks For Men on a Saturday afternoon) to get 'ready for his close up'... here's some of the fun we had...
Can't wait to see these two strut their stuff this year!

This year's show takes place on November 9 at the Atrium, 800 Yates Street beginning at 6pm. Admission is $55 and includes one drink and nibbles. Tickets are available now at Outlooks, 534 Yates Street and online at outlooksformen.com

​See ya there!

There are some pretty kind, caring, cool people in this town. And my friend Kelsey is definitely one of them.
Not only is she a super talented, patient groomer to my dogs, she recently went to Thailand to volunteer for a month at Thai Animal Sanctuary. She saw some incredibly difficult things, but she also had some rewarding times. One of those rewarding experiences was the opportunity to bring Dave home. To bring her home and help give her another chance. She's only been here two weeks but she's settling in incredibly well. It's unclear if she was born with her physical issues or if it's the result of an untreated injury, but nevertheless this gal (yes, a girl named Dave) has an adventurous spirt. With no feeling in her back end she wears diapers a lot of the time and she's got two completely uneven, unusable back legs, but man can she run!
She came and hung out while her mom groomed my dogs and afterwards we spent time in the backyard - and she chased the ball and ran around the yard and sniffed and then just relaxed. She's also ball crazy.
She's almost ready for adoption through the Thai Animal Sanctuary via Kelsey, but she's gotta get her new wheels as her old ones aren't working so well anymore. In the meantime - and to enable her to be both more mobile and able to lay down when she's tired - she wears a shopping bag to help prevent chaffing and scratching on her underside.. but she wears it well.
She's amazing to watch. 
Today she let give her pets and treats and and rub her ears, which she really loves because she can't do it herself. 
She doesn't feel sorry for herself at all so it's easy to just admire her and the bright light that shines from her insides.
Yes - there are a lot of photos included with this post, but I just couldn't whittle them down any further... between Dave, her foster sister Lily and the lovely Kelsey... and the sunshine... gah.

Please also check out Dave by following her adventures on facebook: Dave Does Canada!
I can't wait to see the shenanigans she's going to get up to!