SANTA PAWS PHOTOS ARE DONE! | Phoenix Dog Photographer

We had SOOOO much fun photographing all the adorable pups that came out last weekend to the Villa La Paws Santa Paws Event!

Thank you so much to all of you that brought your dogs out to benefit seven of our local rescue groups!  We all had such a great time while raising money for these awesome organizations.   I hope you enjoy your images!

I have lots of fun events planned for the new year, so make sure you subscribe to our blog and "Like" our Facebook Page!  This is where all the events and special Mini-Sessions will be announced first!
 
This is just a sampling of some of the dogs we had a chance to meet...

SANTA PAWS AT VILLA LA PAWS...

The Santa Paws Event at Villa La Paws is coming up soon... Next Sunday, Nov. 20th from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  This event will benefit 7 different local rescue organizations.

There will be a choice of two backdrops...  One with "Santa Paws" on a holiday backdrop and a second set-up where headshots of your four-legged friends can be done with all sorts of holiday scarves, bandannas, antlers, hats...etc!  You get your choice of one of the two.

The fun part of this event...  along with the beverages and cookies of course, is that you can choose which organization you want your donation to go to.  There will be a jar for each organization and you will be given a 'chip' when you pay for your photo.  Just drop your chip in the jar of your choice.  Or for those that can't decide... there will be a jar that will be split equally between all the organizations that are there!

So, mark your calendars!  Printing will be done on-site, and you'll receive a holiday frame to display your photo!

HANK AND EMMY | Phoenix Pet Photographer

This shoot was a blast!  Both of these pups are adorable!

Hank and Emmy belong to Tom Murry, the owner of Villa La Paws.  This is where Hank's story begins... Hank (the light beige pup) was boarded at Villa La Paws when his owner became ill.  Weeks turned into months and sadly, the owner's health was deteriorating.  Tom had been keeping in touch with her and visited her at the hospital...weekly!  Just because that's the kind of guy he is! 

After four months the owner was distraught because a relative who lived in California that was going to take her beloved pup had decided not to.  She told Tom she didn't know what to do and Tom assured her Hank had a home.  That very night, Christmas Eve, Tom went back to Villa La Paws and took Hank home with him...for good!  He's lived in the lap of luxury ever since!

And, according the their website, Hank earns his keep as their "VP of Media Operations"! 

His little sister, Emmy helps keep Hank young and active.  Even though Hank is starting to lose his eyesight, he romps and plays and chases Emmy around the house!

Emmy is a little star in her own right!  Check out those feathered ears!  She is so expressive and she never stops smiling!

Thank you Tom... for allowing me to photograph your pups!  Here is a 'sneak peek' of some of the photos to come!

Meet Hank...

And here is Emmy...the little dancer! 

HOLLYWOOD DOGS | Phoenix Dog Photographer

I had a chance to photograph the graduates of the "Hollywood Dogs" class at Villa La Paws last Thursday, and it was so much fun!

Celeste Richardson, whose uber-talented dog 'Singe' has traveled the country doing photoshoots, movies & commercials, and whose picture is now on the front of Petsmart's dog treats, teaches the class!

Kathleen, from A-1 Animal Talent, was there to scout out new dogs to sign with her agency! This is such a fun class!  My little rodent-dog 'Squirt' and I took it a couple months ago and had a blast!  Wendi Faircloth, the Training Director at Villa La Paws, was in our class and she's already done a commercial with her dog 'Secret' for the Arizona Lottery!

Check out some of the great dogs from the last class...

HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD...

Hollywood DOGS, that is!

Thursday night I had the chance to photograph the latest graduating class of Villa La Paws Hollywood Dogs class!

They all have the sweetest faces and all of them did great!  In fact, Pilar, the Golden you'll see in the video was signed by A-1 Talent today!  Way to go, Pat and Pilar!!

'SECRET' HIT THE LOTTERY!!

Well, at least the Lottery Commercial!

I've written about the "Hollywood Dogs" class that Squirt and I were in at Villa La Paws...  Well, Wendi Faircloth, the Training Director at 'Paws' and her dog, 'Secret', were also in our class. 

Today 'Secret' made her debut in the new AZ Lottery Commercial!  Secret is the little dog standing along side the road and in the Jeep during the flashback sequence.

WAY TO GO!  We're so proud of you, Secret!!  You definitely deserve some extra treats tonight!!

MY FUTURE'S SO BRIGHT... | Cave Creek Dog Photographer

Squirt, my little Rodent-Dog, and I have been taking a REALLY fun class over at Villa La Paws called "Hollywood Dogs"!  It's taught by their new trainer, Celeste Richardson.  Celeste's dog, Singe, has done lots of photo and movie work, so she knows all the ins and outs of what goes into training your dog to work on a set with (and for) the photographers and the client! 

Last night was 'graduation' night and Celeste invited Kathleen, one of the owners of A-1 Animal Talent, to come check out our dogs! 

Everyone did GREAT!  We each had the chance to meet with Kathleen one-on-one afterward and get feedback as to how our dogs did and the little things she thought they would need before being able to work on a set!

We set up a portable "studio" and Elizabeth, from Villa La Paws, took photos that will be sent on to the Talent Agency!  She did a GREAT job! 

Squirt did awesome!  I am so proud of him!!  BUT, here was my feedback (all constructive, I might add, and only after she said lots of nice things about him!)  He's getting gray and starting to show his age!  Well... um....  so am I!!  She thought his opportunities were limited to maybe senior dog food or products geared toward aging dogs unless I touched up his gray!  So...tomorrow involves a trip to Sally's Beauty Supply to pick up something to 'wash away the gray'!

What I realize is, it really doesn't matter whether we ever get print or commercial work (although it would be sooo much fun to see his cute little face in an ad); that little dog gives me 110% of everything I ask him to do!  We have so much fun playing together! 

He is my heart!!  I love you, little man!!

(This is an older photo, so it really doesn't show the gray!!)



AMY AND DUKE... | Phoenix Pet Photographer...

Are these two cute, or what?  'Amy' is the German Shepherd and 'Duke' is the Golden!  I had a chance to meet them at the Grand Opening of Villa La Paws!  Their mom, Cindy, contacted me and wants to order prints but she's only able to view their pictures in black and white.  I don't know what happens out in 'cyberspace' between sending the photos from my hard drive to hers...but it's beyond me how they magically transform themselves from color!

So, Cindy...  here is what your kids photos look like in living color!  Hope you like them!

TAKE ME HOME....PLEASE!!! | Cave Creek Pet Photographer

Home Fur Good Animal Rescue is trying to find a 'forever' home for this sweet pup!  It was one of the dogs I had the chance to meet at Villa La Paws Open House a couple weeks ago!

How could anyone resist this sweet little face??

VILLA LA PAWS PHOTOS HAVE BEEN SENT!

YES!!  All the photos taken at the Grand Opening of Villa La Paws new Indoor Training Facility have been sent on to their rightful owners!  Well, that is with the exception of a few that left incomplete e-mail addresses or were sent back by that darn "Mail Administrator"!  I gave it my best guess on the e-mail addresses I couldn't make out... but they've come back.

Sooooo...  if you haven't received your photos yet, please contact me!  You're probably one of of the 5-6 people who's e-mails were returned!

I had such a great time meeting everyone and their gorgeous pups!  I'm sorry I didn't have a lot of time to spend with everyone individually, but hopefully, we'll get to work together in the future!

I just loved this little Mexican Hairless!  His name is "Chupacabra"...  He wears a little tee shirt when he's outside so he doesn't get sunburned.  He even had little 'tan lines' where the sleeves of the tee shirt stop!

PHOTOS FROM VILLA LA PAWS are ALMOST ready!!

Okay...  for all of you that stopped by the Grand Opening of Villa La Paws and had a photo taken...  the editing is FINALLY finished!  You'll be getting an e-mail in the next few days with your FREE photo attached!

It took longer than usual as I was gone for a week in the interim!  I'll be posting photos from the awesome week I spent at my girlfriends ranch in the next week or so!  Suffice it to say, I had a great time! 

Here are a few of the photos from the Grand Opening!!  I met some of cutest dogs!!

GRAND OPENING OF A NEW INDOOR DOG TRAINING FACILITY!!

Okay...my poor blog has been seriously neglected lately!  With the best intentions to blog on a regular basis, it seems that every time I'm in 'overload mode' my poor blog takes the hit!  Oh well... my intentions were good!

But... this weekend I'll be taking part in a fun event that I wanted to let everyone know about!  VILLA LA PAWS, a cage-free boarding, grooming, and doggie daycare facility is celebrating the Grand Opening of their new 9,000 sq. ft. indoor Dog Training Academy!  This new space ROCKS!  And the timing couldn't be more perfect...  We're just weeks away from triple-digit temperatures that make the summer months less than stellar times to train our dogs outside!

Come check them out this weekend, Saturday (4/30) and Sunday (5/1) from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. They're located on the NW corner of 32nd St. and Shea (between Second Look and the Dance Studio). There will be agility demonstrations, training demos, dog shows and vendor booths; along with dog massages, dog contests and lots of free give-aways!  Meet their groomers and trainers and check out the fun classes they offer.

And... there will be FREE portraits of your pooches (that will be e-mailed to you following the event), so make sure to bring your pups with you!

Wendi Faircloth, their Training Director, is owner and trainer of this awesome disc dog, Boost!