Walkin in a Doggie Wonderland

Dog tags ring, are you listenin'?
In the lane, snow is glistenin'.
It's yellow, NOT white I've been there tonight,
Marking up my winter wonderland.

Smell that tree? That's my fragrance.
It's a sign for wandering vagrants;
"Avoid where I pee, it's MY pro-per-ty!
Marked up as my winter wonderland."

In the meadow dad will build a snowman,
following the classical design.
Then I'll lift my leg and let it go Man,
So all the world will know that it's mine-mine-mine!

Straight from me to the fence post,
flows my natural incense boast;
"Stay off my TURF, this small piece of earth,
I marked it as my winter wonderland."

Now that you have this yuletide jingle stuck in your head it can serve as a gentle reminder that the holidays are are just around the corner. This means that booking time for your holiday portraits is......now.

We are so sad every year when we must turn away folks because, as the season approaches, we simply run out of room on our calendar. Book now and avoid the last minute rush.

And remember....OMD Gift Certificates make a wonderful gift.

Banner Auction

As you are cruising around Encinitas you may notice some fabulous art banners hanging from the street lamps. "Pretty cool" you may say. Well, you would be right and here's why.

All of the banners are created by local artists and all of them benefit a cause as part of the Arts Alive program from the Artist Colony 101. OH MY DOG! Photography was asked to produce a banner and we chose Rancho Coastal Humane Society as the beneficiary.

We chose the this quote because we are always amazed by a dog's ability to love, even after some of the toughest circumstances. The dog in the photograph is Illy, a chocolate lab-husky mix. She is a beautiful mixed breed!

The Live Banner Auction (with professional auctioneer, Rich Houk volunteering his services) will take place May 31, 2009 in the courtyard at Cardiff Towne Center, located at the corner of San Elijo and Birmingham.

Silent bids may be placed on the banners at the Unveiling, and bids can continue to be made while the banners hang on the Coast Highway until the Live Auction in May. Contact DEMA at 760-943-1950 if you would like to place a bid, then come to the Live Auction for a great time -- and to make sure you don't get outbid for your favorite banners. These banners are incredible works of original art and your purchase helps keep Arts Alive in Encinitas and helping the wonderful animals at RCHS

3 Reasons to give an OH MY DOG! Gift Card to your Valentine.

We think an OH MY DOG Gift Certificate makes a terrific Valentines gift! Here is why.

1. One size fits all. No matter how big or smalll your pet is this is the gift that is a perfect fit for showing how giant your love is.

2. Fat AND Sugar Free. Unlike chocolate, a fun filled session at OH MY DOG! studio is a healthy treat.

3. A lasting gift. Like your love, the gift of a pet portrait has no end. Every time your Valentine sees the wonderful portraits from the memorable session, they will remember just how great you are.

4. Easy to wrap. [Yeah I know I said 3 but I thought of another] Your stylish gift Card come personalized to your sweetie, in a stylish velum wrapper, tied in a white satin bow. The card can include a special message as well. How easy is that?

A gift card for a pet session including a beautiful matted 8x10 costs only $75.00 [and it won't wilt like roses]

Call us to order your card today. 760.479.0553

A winning combo!

Two little Morkies [Maltese/Yorkie] that could not be any cuter!

Charlie with his crazy hair and broken ear. His Human Mom Jessica tells me he is naughty. He was as sweet as pie while at the studio. He has me fooled.

Then the lovely Marley. She had the most stunning butterfly ears and such a sweetheart!

You can visit this winning pair at the store they run with their owner called Tucci on Cedros in Solano Beach.

Shopping and dogs..a winning combo!

Cardiff Doggie Days

What a busy weekend! We spent Saturday in our booth at the Cardiff Dog Days of Summer. We we out there promoting Our Kickball Charity. We met so many nice people and amazing dogs!

We did a little shopping too. I skipped the Paul Mitchell Dog Wipes however.

We met Hazel the Boston. I won't lie, we are a tad partial to Boston Terriers. Hazel is a real doll!

We enjoyed the dog contests. I can't wait to meet the winners, each of whom won a portrait session from us!



Gus spent most of the day acting like a stubborn toddler refusing to sleep because there was too much fun going on. He finally fell asleep on the fuzzy table cloth on the table in our booth.



Long day for a little guy.

Stay tuned for tomorrow. We will be announcing the winner of the portrait drawing.

Good luck everyone!

3 "dog days of summer" vacation ideas

As the dog days of summer drag on and the heat increases, we started looking for some cool getaways. There are many dog friendly locations and accommodations available, here are some ideas.

1. Peace and Natural Beauty - Sea Ranch

Summer is the perfect time to visit the north coast of California. Most of the year this beautiful landscape and rugged coastline can be a bit chilly. Summer days, however drift between the high 60s and low 70s, perfect! Sea Ranch is 30 miles north of Jenner on the Sonoma Coast.

They offer dog beds, homemade dog treats, filtered water and miles of dog friendly beaches and trails. I must admit that the lawn and Adirondack chairs look about perfect for Mike, Gus, Myself and a glass of wine.




2. Luxury Resort - Loews Resort Coronado

Located on beautiful Coronado Island just across the bay from San Diego is the wonderful resort that brings us the Loews Coronado Bay Surf Dog Competition each June. The resort is lovely. It is surrounded by water with sweeping views. They offer loads of pet extras, including pet room service.

My favorite feature is the onsite Coronado Surf Academy that offers Doggie Surfing Lessons. How cool is that?!

3. Casual Adventure - The Russian River

The russian river has long been a summer get away destination. Towns like Monte Rio, Guerneville and Rio Nido offer vacation cabins, many of which are dog friendly.

Canoeing on the river in late summer is a mellow, wonderful way to spend a day. The river is reasonably shallow and slow moving in most spots. Perfect for Fido. Much of the year you will find wild blackberries growing along the shore. A great exuse to make stop on the river edge and have a picnic.

Wine Tasting. Online lists of dog friendly wineries in the Sonoma, Napa, Russian River and Alexander Valleys abound. I recommend calling ahead to see exactly what "pet friendly" means at each winery. Some wineries offer cool, green lawn areas for enjoying cheese platters and sipping wines in the shade. Yes please! [golly, we sound like winos]

Hiking. A leisurely nature walk is more my speed than a real "hike" [Gus agrees with me]. Either way bring a backpack so you can pack some local wine and lunch then head down to the river or up into the redwoods. You can't go wrong. Don't miss the Armstrong Redwoods State Park.

Be sure to let us know if you take any of these trips or have good doggie trippin' ideas of your own.

We love to hear reader reviews!

Disco Disguise

Gus is wearing a fabulous fuzzy sweater. It is a color I can only describe as brindle. This makes him look a little like our big Maggie dog only with more flair. Gus does everything with flair!


Important Note: Photos by Julia Taylor-Brown [my beautiful Daughter]

How much are memories worth?

At least $75 dollars...right?

Memories are priceless, of course. You want to capture all of the precious people and pets in your life. We have just made your memories more affordable than ever.

Our new studio session fee of $75 includes a matted 8x10 and a private viewing session for your convenience.

You still have your choice of collection and can purchase additional prints at our new, lower enlargement prices.

Contact us to book your session today.

PhotoAqua or Oh My Dog Photography

WINNERS!

WINNERS!, originally uploaded by tee taylor.

We won! I never win anything so imaging my surprise when the nice folks at Chipotle called to say we won TEN Burritos! Delish.

Good things

JettMod-015, originally uploaded by tee taylor.

I just love the vintage poodles. I had a poodle avon perfume bottle whan I was small and I wish I still had it. These were spotted at Jett Modern.

Designer Dogs or Designer Chairs

BOTH!
I love itty bitty Pomeranians. My mother was a Pom breeder when I was small so these little ones hold a special place in my heart.


And well, chairs. If you have ever been to the studio you know I have a small addiction to chairs. This Kartell has to be my bet for a all time classic.

A few years back I photographed a dining room done by Arbogast Design for a coffee table book called Designer Showcase: Interior Design at Its Best. The room was stunning and included this chair in black. They reflected the zebra carpet and the effect was amazing.

I think we can expect to see a few of these show up at the studio in the near future.