Shelter Dogs Looking For A Home

When you are out there trying to find the perfect gift for a loved one, please don't forget the shelter animals that are looking for a home.  I am not suggesting that these dogs and cats should be adopted for a holiday since making the decision to adopt a pet is a life long one and shouldn't be taken lightly.  You can donate money, toys, blankets, beds or treats to your nearest shelter.  In the Long Beach area, you can help donate to Santa Paws fundraiser this Saturday.  The Humane Society and Best Friends Animal Sanctuary will also take donations to help homeless pets this holiday season.

It was hard to go to the shelter to see all of the animals looking for a home.  At times I had to fight back the tears but I kept on with the hopes that this may get to someone who is looking for a life long companion.  When I returned home, I told Max about it and he offered up one of his beds and some treats so we will be back to deliver these items to help keep them warm during the winter.  All of these dogs are available for adoption at the SPCALA Long Beach animal shelter.

Photographing Dogs

I love dogs.  I dream of having a large piece of land where I can adopt all of the homeless dogs and we would all live together happily ever after.  I am lucky that Max likes dogs too.  I am able to go to the dog park with him where I wasn't able to with Maggie.  He just wanders and does his own thing and checks back with me every so often only to run off again.

Dogs are fun to photograph since it captures their personality in an instant.  There is a lot of character in their face when you take an unexpected snapshot without going through the routine of "sit""stay""no..siiitt""staaaayy""waiiiiit", etc.  They are challenging to photograph since they're always moving around which makes it interesting.  Most of my favorite shots are ones where I got lucky when I look back at the pictures I took.  Here are a few of my favorite from the past month.

I adopted Max from the Hearts for Hounds rescue organization here in Long Beach.  They have several dogs that need a good home.  Please click HERE to learn more.

I have more of my favorite dog photographs from traveling around the country HERE.

There is a good chance that your dog may be in one of them.

If your dog isn't in the album and you would like me to photograph your dog, please email me at alisontravels@gmail.com

Max and I are off to do something different and I look forward to sharing it with you soon...

Best Friends With Four Legs

As you may have noticed, I love my dog Max. I love taking pictures of him and one never seems to be enough. In fact, I love taking pictures of all dogs. They all have such different personalities and it shows in photographs. Before Max, I loved all of the dogs, cats, turtles and fish in my life. I will always remember Taz, Barkley, Sunshine, Colors, Pokey, Speedy, Squeekie, Ruffles, Sushi and Maggie.

Max seems to come alive when he's at the beach or at a dog park with other dogs. I love watching him play with the other dogs and I am so glad that he loves it too. It's something I couldn't do with the 10 years I had Maggie. She loved people but didn't really enjoy the company of other dogs.

I went to the park here in Long Beach the other day to let Max run around. It was a beautiful sunny day so I decided to take pictures of the other dogs there at play. Usually, the owners don't mind me snapping away and I found one Jack Russell to be extra cute playing with a deflated football. This pup was there playing while the owners were working. What a lucky dog! I met the pet sitter and once I introduced myself and Max, she put the names together and knew us from our travels. What a small world!

I would love to see pictures of your best friend with four legs! Show other animal lovers the special furry friend in your life by posting a picture on my facebook fan page by clicking here if you'd like. There are some great pictures!

If you live in the Long Beach area and need a pet sitter, click here to see MaryEllen's "Pet Waggin'" service. I had a great time at the park and from these pictures, it looks like the dogs did too.