Just some family pictures. Needed an excuse to try out some new lighting gear.

Possible Stylish Owners: Presidents, Sailors, People with anchor tattoos.

Good enough for the Obamas, good enough for you. For all you heritage heads, the Portuguese Water Dog is the perfect accessory to a Breton-stripe shirt or a peacoat. Originally bred as a seafaring pup, the good ol’ PWD is also known for its high obedience and the ability to swim. Couple that with its fluffy mane and its colorblocked coat of fur (that’s also available in all black for you goths out there), and you’ve got one stylish canine.

Possible Stylish Owners: People who love the idea of “fashion”, J. Crew shoppers

This season’s hottest accessory, by and large, is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Just look at that thing. You want to hug it and hope it sneezes glitter and sprinkles. Those droopy eyes, those floppy ears, the perfectly mussed coat of fur. It’s a living embodiment of this “high/low” concept every other person who pays attention to style is really feeling right now. It is a literal lapdog who wants nothing more than to just chill out, and the desire to do absolutely nothing? That’s luxe.

Possible Stylish Owners: People who shop at Orvis, Dads with Barbour jackets that faintly smell of gunpowder

For men who wear hunting jackets for real, actual hunting, and use shooting patches to cushion the blowback from the butt of their Winchester rifles, this is their unironic dog. Man’s best friend was bred to find foxes and other wildlife, and direct its masters to their prey. Add in speckled fur and a rich brown coat that isn’t too far removed from tweed, and you have a regal pup that you would find cast-iron intrepretations of above a mantle in the Ralph Lauren mansion.

Possible Stylish Owners: Independent shop owners, Sensitive bros with a #menswear Tumblr

Like Jay-Z had to make a song cry, sensitive style thugs choose to let a Frenchie represent their soft side. You’ll find this little guy hanging out at boutique menswear shops, either lying down by the counter or lounging by the fitting room. Doesn’t matter if they’re playing hip-hop or indie rock, he’s down with both. His primary job is to be a shop mascot, and usually has an appropriately-alt name like “Winthrop” or “Olivier.” You’ll also find him hanging out at the 1-bedroom apartments of stylish cool guys who make shit tons of money for seemingly inane things, like taking selfies on Instagram with a beer bottle from a specific brand..

Possible Stylish Owners: Creative types who work from home, Stylish fat dudes

This is the canine equivalent of heavyset dudes that look awesome. The pug’s own gluttonous, lazy nature is a perfect match, and the fact that he can just eat the day away and still be as adorable as ever is his greatest advantage.

Possible Stylish Owners: Royalty, People who buy full-price stuff from Barneys

The Corgi, known for its associations with British royalty, is a regal pup. Having a bunch of these guys greet you at the door shows that their owner is pretty much living, breathing wealth. That they couldn’t last more than an hour out in the wild doesn’t matter, because they are adorable. Look at their little faces, completely ignorant to every other thing in the world, like dogs less fortunate than they are. The best part about owning them? You’re probably rich enough to pay other people do do the dirty work, like scooping up their poop so you don’t have to worry about dirtying your Margiela sneakers or Balmain jeans.

Possible Stylish Owners: Dudes who wear a sportcoat 24/7, Dudes who wear double monks on the reg

The Boston Terrier is the icing on the perfectly tailored cake that is the sprezzed-out #menswear dude. Docile and regal, his black and white coat almost looks like a natural tuxedo. Throw a bow tie on instead of a collar, and you’ve got a canine gentleman. When he’s not being walked around with a horse-bridle quality leather leash, he’s probably seated in the basket of a single-speed bicycle, leisurely riding through the city as his master pedals his way through the annual Tweed Ride.

Possible Stylish Owners: People with a streetwear brand, Well-coiffed bartenders at nightlife hotspots

The Brussels Griffon is to the downtown cool guy what the Boston Terrier is to the suited and booted #menswear douche. Originally bred by downtown cab drivers as effective rat killers in 17th century Belgium, this breed has come a long way from its gritty roots—much like many of the native New Yorkers who possess them. Plus, they’re small enough to be able to live in a tiny apartment, but large enough that people won’t give you flack for owning one, unlike Pomeranians, which are pretty much the Ed Hardy shirts of dogs.

Possible Stylish Owners: Menswear Bloggers, Menswear Dog Bloggers

Like the bloggers that probably own them, the Shiba Inu is a lot shorter in real life than in photos, and tends to have a highly inflated perception of themselves. That doesn’t mean it’s any less stylish though, as any person who’s actually seen Nick Wooster or Prince in real life will tell you. Style isn’t about physical height, it’s about sartorial height, and when you’ve got the tenacity and handsomeness of a creature like the Shiba Inu—or the boldness of a precision-tailored Thom Browne suit—no one can mess with you either way.

Possible Stylish Owners: Riccardo Tisci, Kanye West, Victor Cruz

There’s an obvious reason why the rottweiler tops this list, and that’s Givenchy. Of course, the most stylish dog breed would be the graphic focal point of one of the most buzzed-about fashion brands right now. The loyal guard dog can be intimidating when necessary, and is known for being relatively fearless and confident—and really, isn’t that what style is all about?

(Via: Complex)

When we first introduced our girl she was very timid, and we’re hoping that with her new friend she’ll come out of her shell a bit, and get used to being around other dogs. We could tell that she really wanted to play, but she’d run up and get nervous and not really know what to do. Today they were playing tug-0-war and chasing a couple balls around together, and it was really cute. I think they’ll get along just fine after this adjustment period.

At any rate, we have one more addition to our family and I couldn’t be more pleased.

This is the painting she did of my Princess Fiona, she has captured her sweetness and her beauty and I cannot wait to receive the painting.

I can’t forget about Murray, and his mom Molly, who introduced me to Sheila’s work.  Murray is a Golden Doodle, who has his own blog, Murray’s Mouth.

A little bit about Sheila…

Born in Boston, Sheila Wedegis has spent most of her life in the New England area. Sheila relocated to Palm Bay, FL from Portsmouth, NH with her husband, Roger, three cats and her black lab, Sophie and chocolate lab, Fergus. Art has been her passion and expression since she was a child. Her formal training was at Butera School of Art in Boston, however  her greatest growth has been in the actual “doing” …painting what she knows and loves

Through on going studies and workshops, observations and experimentation, there has been a constant rebirth with herself and her work.   While grounding themselves in the realities of her life, Ms. Wedegis’ pieces contain an unmistakable spiritual essence.

“To touch the soul of one other person, to know they are not alone on this journey” is the dedication of her work and the reflection of her life’s journey.

Stop by and look at Sheila’s piece’s, I guarantee you will love her work.

Thank you Sheila!

Progress has definitely been made and whilst it’s not as much as I would like, I need to remember that progress is progress. I came up with this mantra to remind myself:

“What I do, no matter how small, is better than what I don’t do, no matter how great.”

So I’m becoming better at accepting my levels of progress but on the whole I’m doing well and have come a lot further than I thought I would have done a couple of years ago.

We got a puppy towards the end of last year (she’s now 6 months old) and this forced me to work on my sleeping pattern, to get up earlier, to not skip breakfast because I’m sleeping and to do some walking about the house to let her out etc. It was hard and extremely tiring at first and I felt pretty rotten for the first month or so but it’s getting better now. My sleep pattern still isn’t ideal but now that she’s older she doesn’t require as much ‘looking after’ and spends most of the day asleep, mainly on my lap (she is, as I type this).

The idea of education had been running around in my head for a while and I had spent some time looking at the Open University for courses which interested me and I would be able to do from home. Primarily I was looking down the sciences route as I find them fascinating, but they all required some sort of residential school and, at the moment, that’s out of the question. I forgot about it for a while and concentrated on my health more. It wasn’t until I was working through my OHC Psychology course and reading books on Psychology that I realised it was staring me in the face. Psychology. I’m fascinated by the brain and people and I love helping people.

So I thought about it for a while, did some research and decided to embark on the path towards a BSc (Hons) in Psychology with the OU. I passed my first introductory course and I’m now currently working on my second course. Three years ago I never would have thought I would be in this position so this, in itself, is huge progress.

Not only that but for a few months now I’ve been trying to get used to being a passenger in the car again, to try and broaden my horizons without the concentration-induced exhaustion from actually driving. I found out that even being a passenger has its own impact on me, disorientation etc, but I think I’m getting used to it now. The latest development in this is that we decided to invest in a wheelchair so that I can try bouncing my boundaries where comfort and safety zones are concerned and so that I can get out more in the fresh air without the walking-induced exhaustion.

At a local park. It’s cold when you’re just sitting, hence the layers.

Considering I can only walk about 50m before I’ve had enough, the combination of being able to passenger in the car to somewhere and then ‘go for a walk’ without actually walking is fantastic. So far we’ve managed to get me to the local park and I can manage about 20mins before I’m starting to get tired. We even tried going to the local garden centre, but the combination of the lighting, sound, people etc was quite overwhelming and I felt considerably drained by the experience after a few minutes.

All in all I’m doing really well. Obviously, I’m still far from where I want to be in my life but right now, this is good. Progress is slow, but it’s progress. I’m still working on my understanding, my acceptance, my fears, anxieties and suchlike. It’s a big learning curve but the things I’m learning for my own life I think can benefit others in their lives, something I hope to be able to bring to my Psychology, if I decide to take that path as a career.

I hope you are all having a good 2013, I apologise for the radio silence, I’ll do my best to keep this updated a little more regularly.

G x

Breeders and pet shops have been under media fire for heinous cruelty cases and legislation is slowly changing, but animal welfare organisations say the results are simply not enough. How can you avoid fuelling an industry fraught with cruelty and shadowed by literally hundreds of thousands of victims? Ask questions, that’s how.

Sights like this are common to puppy farms. The power to end this sickening disregard for basic animal rights is in the hands of the consumer. Where there is demand, there is supply, so spread the word and put these private purgatories out of business.

These are some suggestions for those who have already decided on a pure-bred or designer dog, for whatever reason. You have researched the suitability of the dog to your lifestyle and you understand that pedigrees often have protracted medical expenses, and you are ready for a long term commitment. But you’ve heard the horror stories about puppy mills, and you want to ensure your hard earned money isn’t supporting an inhumane industry. Before you hand over your wad of cash and bring home your bundle of joy, there are some important questions to ask. Your puppy might be smiling now, but where did he come from? Did you actually sight the place where he was raised? How did his mother live, and is she condemned to be destroyed as a ‘spent’ breeding dog? Is your puppy victim to a long list of health problems common to puppy mill dogs?

The dark side of the companion animal breeding industry is very dark indeed, and you may find that the ethical impact of your purchase is questionable at best. So what questions can you ask to ensure you are not supporting a cruel business?

1. Have you considered a shelter dog?

This year in Australia, more than half a million puppies will be bred and sold. Half will be destroyed.

Those who have adopted a shelter dog often describe the outstanding loyalty of their pet, a phrase I have heard many times is ‘it’s as if he knows how lucky he is’, and there is nothing more rewarding than watching your shelter pet gain condition and confidence, blossoming into a happy, healthy individual. You may not think of shelters as a first stop for purebreds, but many pedigrees end up in the shelter network, most often as ‘spent’ breeding dogs (usually at the tender of age of two or three years), or surrendered because owners did not understand the demands of the breed, purchased them as an impulse buy, or did not understand the costs involved (top reasons for abandonment according to the RSPCA). Almost every breed has a rescue and adoption network specific to them.  Examples include Winter Paws (Huskies, Malamutes and Samoyeds), Golden Retreiver Rescue, Italian Greyhound Rescue, Jack Russell Rescue, Cavalier Spaniel and Small Breed Rescue and the list goes on to include gun dogs, Labradors, German Shepherds, Maremma Sheepdogs and many more. View a directory here (but don’t limit your search to it by any means).

An estimated 130,000 dogs will be euthanised this year in Australian shelters. A total figure of 500,000 animals being taken into care per annum can be estimated taking into account all shelters and municipal pounds, and according to the RSPCA records 46.9% of these were dogs (in 2006-2007). For a population of only 22 million this is a shameful number of unwanted animals per annum, not to mention the unrecorded cases that die from disease or accident before being impounded. The adoption rate is so low that around 40% of dogs and 75% of cats that enter shelters are killed because homes can’t be found for them.

It can be argued from an ethical standpoint that until the number of abandoned animals become proportionate to our population and legislation has been amended to ensure all breeders and pet stores must comply to humane standards, adopting a dog is the only truly responsible choice. It’s also easier on your pocket, as the adoption fee for rescue dogs is low and includes desexing, vaccinations and microchipping. Non-profit organisation Pet Rescue runs an excellent online directory unifying shelters and foster care homes in a mission to make adoption the number one option in Australia.

2. Are the pet shop conditions humane? Could the pet shop be a front for an inhumane puppy mill?

“I don’t want our pet stores to sell live animals – cats and dogs. At the moment we’ve got cute little animals in pet stores being bought on the impulse and then we have this really quite shocking dumping as a result. And I think it is an appalling situation and a real indictment on government and us as a community if we allow it to continue.”

                                           – Sydney Lord Mayor and state MP Clover Moore

The entire notion of a pet shop is fraught with ethical problems. They are often the site of gross negligence and unsanitary conditions. A friend of mine who worked in a pet shop described to me the store policy on illness: if the vet bill for the animal outweighed the profit, the animal would be allowed to dwindle and die. Pet shops also enable impulse buying (a leading cause of animal abandonment), in fact the mere idea of selling a living thing in a shop front is deeply conflicted. Recently an employee with a hidden camera revealed sickening practices and unchecked neglect, read the report here.
Outside of these issues, a huge danger with buying from pet shops is the probability that the shopfront pups are in fact sourced from a puppy mill. Many puppy farms will have consignments sent to pet shops, which means it can be hard to determine the sources of the animals, and whether or not they came from humane conditions.
Inspect the pet shop for signs of uncleanliness and neglect, ask the employees – and if you can, the manager – where the animals are kept at night. Do the puppies get their legally required 20 minutes of exercise (yes, a mere 20 minutes)? Are the puppies healthy? Some of the daily ailments reported in pet store animals include giardia, distemper, parvo-virus, upper respiratory infections, kennel cough, vomiting, bloody stools, diarrhoea, mange, intestinal parasites and lice. Any sign of these illnesses is unacceptable. How often does the pet shop bring in new puppies? If the answer is two to three times a week or more, they are likely sourcing from the equivalent of canine factory farms. Ask which breeder the dogs are sourced from, whether you can get the contact details, and ideally, whether you can actually view the establishment. If they won’t even give the details of the breeder, don’t buy a dog from them.
This brings me to my third question, finding an ethical breeder.

3. What are the living conditions of the breeder’s dogs? Does the breeder plan for each litter to be responsibly homed?
Many breeders will ask you to meet them somewhere to finalise the transaction, and if this is the case, alarm bells should be ringing. Always, always sight the location from which you are buying your puppy. If the breeder is uncomfortable with you viewing their facility, chances are they have something to hide. When viewing the kennels, ask yourself, are these runs large enough? Do the dogs have access to clean water and sufficient shelter, and are they given appropriate socialisation? Ask the breeder how they deal with their ‘spent’ breeding dogs. Do they rehome them or simply surrender them to a shelter? How many litters is each breeding female made to produce and are they given sufficient recovery time between litters? In a perfect world a litter a year is healthiest for the mother, use that as a measure for the degree of over-breeding that is going on. Does the breeder plan for each litter, ensuring they can be homed responsibly? Check for signs of neglect like embedded collars, skin problems, malnutrition and behavioural quirks. Are any dogs being kept in crates? Are the dogs kept in cages with wire flooring that could damage their paws and legs? Take nothing less from your breeder than you would expect of any pet owner. Legislative changes are being made to try and prevent inhumane breeders, but where there is demand there will always be supply. Dog sales are booming, and with the introduction of designer breeds like the Pugalier and Schnoodle the demand is higher each year. Make sure you aren’t funding a sick operation taking advantage of lucrative designer breeds.

Because puppy mill operators often fail to apply appropriate husbandry practices that remove sick or unsuitable dogs from their breeding pools, puppies from puppy mills are prone to congenital and hereditary conditions that can include epilepsy, heart disease. kidney disease, musculoskeletal disorders (hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, etc.), endocrine disorders (diabetes, hyperthyroidism), blood disorders (anemia, Von Willebrand disease), deafness, eye problems (cataracts, glaucoma, progressive retinal atrophy, etc. and respiratory disorders. They are also vulnerable to behavioral issues including anxiety, fear and aggression due to lack of socialisation in their critical early months. (Source: ASPCA)

Animal law might not have advanced far enough to classify animals as entity rather than property, but if you are reading this chances are you are a firm supporter of dogs as entities deserving of basic rights and happiness. The most effective way to stop this industry and save canine lives is to stop buying from inhumane sources. I probably don’t need to say it at this point, but never buy a puppy online.
Follow one simple rule: always sight the place where your puppy was bred and raised.

Read the RSPCA’s Smart Puppy Buyer’s Guide for more tips on an ethical purchase.

Further Reading:

wheredopuppiescomefrom.com.au

Today Tonight: Puppy Farms Under Fire

7:30 Report Transcript: Designer dog demand fuels cruel trade

RSPCA Pedigree FAQ (Pedigree Dogs Exposed)

ASPCA Top Reasons for Adopting a Shelter Dog

RSPCA Puppy Mill FAQ

ASPCA Puppy Mill FAQ

RSPCA’s Smart Puppy Buyer’s Guide

Additional Sources:

DAFF Report: Abandoned animals in Australia – Not just dumped doggies and cast away kittens

Department of Primary Industries

Related articles

• Dog lovers warned over puppy-farm scam (confused.com)
• What a former puppy mill dog does when she is finally free (nodogaboutit.wordpress.com)
• The power is in your hands: We want Oscar’s Law (thatdogdancingguy.com.au)

Description:

This is a small dog and the smallest of the Spaniels. Both males and females reach 12 to 13 inches in height and weight 5 to 8 kgs (10 to 18 pounds).  The head is slightly rounded and the teeth meet in a scissor bite. They have expressive eyes, usually dark in colour and round in shape. They are set well apart and quite large, though not prominent. The nose is black with wide nostrils. Like other spaniel breeds, they have long ears which are covered in hair and feathering. Occasionally the tail can be docked but is more commonly left natural. It has a silky, medium length coat with lots of feathering and come in a variety of colours.

Health problems:

Can be prone to syringomyelia, hereditary eye disease, dislocating kneecaps (patella), back troubles, ear infections, early onset of deafness or hearing trouble. Sometime’s hip dysplasia. Don’t over feed. This breed tends to gain weight easily. When selecting one of these dogs, it is extremely important to check the medical history of several previous generations.

Origin:

In the late 1600s the King Charles Spaniels were interbred with pugs, which resulted in a smaller dog with flatter noses, upturned faces, rounded heads and protruding eyes. This breed was once  known as a ‘comforte dog’ and doctors even wrote prescriptions with this little dog as the remedy for various sicknesses. The royal name, ‘King Charles Spaniel’ was bestowed during the reign of King Charles II, who was so fond of his spaniels he could not be parted from them. He made a decree that King Charles Spaniels must be allowed in any public place, including the House of Parliament. This decree is still in the law books today.

Temperament:

Like the other spaniel breeds, this little dog seems to always have a wagging tail, he is affectionate and eager to please. Despite their small size, these dogs are very outgoing and fearless in most situations. They are fairly intelligent and so are relatively easy to train, often doing well at obedience. This is a dog that will usually get on with other animals, whether it be another dog or other family pets. They also do well with children, but must be socialized young like any other breed. They do have strong instincts to chase due to their hunting background and so it is important that they are trained well for recall if they are going to be let off leash. Like many small dog breeds (and all dogs in general) these dogs need to know who is boss. They need consistency and rules to follow.

Living conditions:

As a small dog, they do well in apartment life, but are fairly active indoors and do well with a small yard. You should note that they do not do well in very warm conditions. All dogs need a daily walk to fulfil their walking instincts, and this small dog is no exception. Play will take care of most of their exercise needs and they love nothing more than a good play off leash in a big yard or park.

Life expectancy:

9 to 15 years.

http://www.baywood-pets.co.uk/cavalier-info.html

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/cavalierkingcharlesspaniel.htm

It was literally the first sunny day we had seen for weeks, and honestly a walk in the muddy redundant potato field was bliss! So much so that I managed to lose poor Mr Bingley’s lead which meant a dilemma regarding getting the little boy back home! Thankfully my camera strap came in handy as a makeshift lead

Once we were back home safely we then set about to giving Bingley his morning shower and upon finishing, Bingley hurt himself getting out the bath. It turns out after a visit to the vet, he has hurt his back and needed some time (and medicine) to recover! Hence the last picture which he was all tucked up and sleeping lots until has back was a little better!

Thankfully I am happy to say he is now back to his normal happy self, and is feeling much better

❤

Pointers are not Cavaliers.  Though Elsa’s breed has nothing to do with her other-worldliness to me, it does have to do with how biddable she was as a puppy.  I needed to earn Bardia’s respect.  It didn’t come hardwired in him to see me as leader.  I think at first, I tried so hard to just love his puppyness and enjoy it that I really did not enjoy it.   Once I (finally, like really after eons of trying) solidified my dominance, he became a dog that was very easy for me to love and live with.  I think I’ll keep him…

All Smiles

Can I just say in advance that I LOVE my 50mm lens?!  I shot these photos at F1.6…risky, I know!

My sweet baby girl

Hace una semana, visitamos a unos amigos que han ampliado la familia con un perrito llamado Windows, de raza cavalier king charles spaniel. Nos enamoramos al instante de él, ya que a parte de precioso, tiene un carácter muy afable y cariñoso.
De momento aún no pensamos en un canis lupus familiaris, pero tenemos muy claro que en un futuro, la raza sin duda será…. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel!