A basket full of cuteness by Honolulu puppy photographer Deb McGuire
National Puppy Day, recognized on March 23rd annually, celebrates magical, unconditional love our puppies share with us. Moreover, Puppy Day is a day to focus on all the orphaned puppies who need homes. It’s a time to educate the public about the importance of spaying and neutering and about the horrors of puppy mills. We can imagine a nation of puppy-free pet stores.
Pomeranian puppies posing on the sea wall in Honolulu by Deb McGuire Pet Photographer
Colleen Paige founded National Puppy Day in 2006. Colleen previously founded National Dog Day and National Cat Day.
Labradoodle puppy running at full speed by Deb McGuire Pet Photography
National Puppy Day is part of the Animal Miracle Foundation (AMF), a non-profit organization offering financial assistance and educational programs ranging from pet cancer to fire safety and travel safety for kids and pets alike. AMF also hosts holiday festivals and trade shows and brings local shelter pets to these events to help them a forever home.
To see more adorable lab pups visit Hawaii Pet Photos
Blarney Lokahi McGuire wishes everyone a Happy St. Patrick’s Day
Deb: “This is Blarney’s first St. Patrick’s Day.”
Tim: “No, he was around last year, just not here.”
Deb: “Was he ‘Blarney’?”
Tim: “No, but…”
Deb: “Then, this is Blarney’s first St. Patrick’s day.”
Somehow that’s logical… Deb logical.
Deb: “I know that Blarney is a stone. We kissed it. Remember, we heard that the locals pee on the stone, but that day it was raining. So, the stone was washed by the rain… so, we kissed the stone.”
Tim: “They pee on the stone?”
Deb: “That’s what they say, but that’s not important.”
Tim: “We kissed a stone that people pee on?!”
Deb: “It had been raining, so the stone was clean, but that isn’t what we’re talking about. What does Blarney mean?”
Tim: “You’re full of…”
Deb: “No, I’m not.”
Tim: “No, that’s what it means…. one is full of…”
Deb:“We named a dog after being full of poop?!”
Tim: “Seems appropriate.”
Could the name Blarney mean full of poop?
Dogs of Hawaii Calendar model by Honolulu Pet Photographer Deb McGuire
Bugsy surfs. “Not Extraordinary,” you say? I say, “Extraordinary! Bugsy is a dog!”
Bugsy rides the nose of the board as his pet parent David Yew tandem surfs behind him. Dr. Yew and Bugsy are fairly well known among the local surfers in Waikiki. Bugsy wears blue “doggles,” which help him keep clear eyes to better ID the next set in the break. Yew takes the doggles off when a wave approaches. “Bugsy knows to stay still on the board with his doggles on.” When a wave comes, Yew removes Bugsy’s glasses and Bugsy knows that he can move around, hang loose.
Surfing dog in Hawaii
For the shoot, we had Bugsy on different colored boards with matching doggles and board shorts. We obviously drew quite a crowd of spectators. Dog on board… wearing doggles and board shorts… being followed into the surf by a crazy lady with a very large, expensive camera… yeah, no one on Waikiki was recording that to share with their friends!
Not too long after the shoot, Bugsy seemed to be taking a turn. He was acting like an old man. We were worried about him. Recently, David sent an e-mail that Bugsy had made a remarkable recovery. A patient had recommended that Bugsy try a “raw diet.” “He went from acting like an old man to having energy again.”
GOOD FOR YOU, BUGSY. GOOD FOR YOU, MR. MARCH.
Dogs of Hawaii Calendar model by Honolulu Pet Photographer Deb McGuire
As Mango and I came round the bend of Lanikai Beach, a group gathered ocean side. I could tell by the Hawaiian shirts and dresses that this was a memorial. Mango and I would hustle by, I thought.
A lady in the center of the group pulled out a beautiful silver urn and placed it upright in the sand. Almost simultaneously, a small white dog spied this new addition to the beach and pranced toward it. No one noticed him as he sniffed the urn. Then, he took a step away and he raised his leg. The lady who had put the urn on the ground cried out, “Oh no, not on Mike!”
Too, late. His business done, the little dog pranced away.
For a brief moment, the group stood, mouths agape, looking toward the lady. Then, a teenage boy in the group, burst into laughter, saying “That was awesome!”
It was… and funny, too.
COVER!!! Calendar cover shot on Lanikai Beach, Hawaii. (Click here for website)
Deb McGuire Pet Photography, Inc. and HawaiiPetPhotos.com announces the publication of our first calendar, “2013 Pets in Paradise.” For the calendar, we photographed local, Hawaiian dogs in island settings wearing typical Hawaiian attire.
Some examples include Bugsy surfing in Waikiki, Kai hanging out on a Kailua Beach, and Hokulani looking pretty in a classic Woodie.
The calendars are available at Don Quijote in Honolulu or through hawaiipetphotos.com. The calendar was produced by The Islander Group.
Also available are copies of “Hawai’i's Pets: Photos of Our Animal ‘Ohana.”
Both make great gifts!!
Blarney looking serious by Honolulu Pet Photographer Deb McGuire
It started as a photo session for the Hawaii Animal Rescue Foundation. I have been photographing rescued dogs which need to find forever homes. On this Sunday, though, the puppy that came to our house seemed to be one that would find a home quickly. HMMM!
We met “Loki” for the first time at the Hawaii Pet Expo. His name was short for Lokahi which means coming together. He is probably four or five months old. He is a Chocolate Labrador mix. And, well, as of late last week, “Loki” is “Blarney”. “Blarney McGuire.”
Blarney McGuire looking goofy
This past weekend, we discovered that the ladies of K9 Kokua had actually rescued the little guy. In April, the State conducted a Homeless “sweep” on Leeward Oahu. Because many of those people have animals living with them, organizations like K9 Kokua were there to provide support. They discovered Blarney in a bush. He was crying. There was a hole in the side of his face and his face was swollen. They took him to a vet who suspected the hole was the result of a centipede bite.
Now, he is healthy and goofy and loving. Blarney is all puppy. Blarney is all ours.
Blarney's first professional photo by his mom Deb McGuire
Tiffi- 19 year old dachshund
Because of the running of the 4th Annual Hawaii Wiener Derby (NO, I DID NOT PERSONALLY RUN IT… BUT APPARENTLY THE ANNOUNCER DID!!) and because I was missing a particular doxie, I had dachshunds on my mind as I surfed the worldwide web this morning. I happened upon the blog of a 31 year-old Dachshund. THIRTY-ONE! That is a life well lived.
My husband, the keeper of relatively useless knowledge, has always said that little animals live longer. And while I have seen charts in various veterinary magazines that support his Cliff Claven style pontifications, I decided to call him. (Cliff Claven … Cheers reference… lost on most of the under thirty readers)
“So, there may be some truth to your “smaller dogs” live longer hypothesis.”
“Hypothesis… No this is fact. It has to do with energy expenditure over the lifetime of the breed. Smaller dogs tend to expend more energy at rest per kilogram of lean body mass than large dogs, and therefore, that is shown to be a contributing factor.”
“Energy expenditure?”
“Yes.”
That brain is a really scary place which explains some other things about him.
This short blog is dedicated to the memory of Tiffi, a miniature dachshund, who shared 19 wonderful years with her family, and who I was fortunate to photograph.
Tasha sharing a moment with her much older sister Tiffi
To see more beautiful cats click here
Are you a cat fancier? I am, but I would more likely call myself a cat lover. There is, however, no cat lover’s association.
The Cat Fanciers’ Association (or CFA) was founded in 1906. In that year, they licensed their first two cat shows in Detroit and Buffalo. Today, there are over 600 member clubs, including one here on Oahu.
Until January of 2012, I had very little idea of the CFA. I have two cats… two rescues, but they hardly qualify us for the Cat Fanciers’ Association. Then, a Cat Fancier, Ken Cribbs, contacted me. His Mr. Peabody, a Siamese, had been chosen as a Iams Ambassador Cat. Mr. Peabody needed photos.
Mr. Peabody-Iams Ambassador Cat
The CFA called Ken in November to inform him that Mr. Peabody had been selected to be one of 15 Iams Ambassador Cats. Mr. Peabody is two years old, a seal point Siamese. He had won best kitten in Hawaii and best kitten in region. More recently, Mr. Peabody had won the Best Premier (fixed cat). Mostly though, Mr. Peabody is a friendly cat. That seems to be a prized characteristic among Ambassador Cats.
The CFA-Iams Ambassador Cat Program was launched in October, 2010. The CFA Ambassador Program is completely funded by the Iams Corporation and has been funded by Iams for the past three years.
Photo by Deb McGuire Pet Photographer
The mission of the CFA-Iams Ambassador Cats is to attend shows during the the show season. For example, Mr. Peabody has attended not only cat events and most recently the 2012 Pet Expo. This is a huge commitment for these cats and their pet parents to CFA and the Ambassador Committee. The Ambassador cats have a show shelter for the CFA-Iams Ambassador Cat and a display area so the public will have the opportunity to sit and visit and pet the Ambassador Cat. Ken Cribbs and Mr. Peabody will no doubt represent the CFA and Hawaii very well.
Iams Ambassador Cat Display featuring Mr. Peabody, as photographed by Deb McGuire... ME!
Little Lolly was 3 months old in this photo
LOL… I had no idea what LOL meant. I had just started Deb McGuire Pet Photographer, Inc. My website was brand new. Social Networking… what the heck? I had no idea what LOL meant. Then, I met Lolly.
Lolly was my first contest winner. Lolly was my first puppy, and not only did she make me laugh out loud, she made me smile. Lolly left a piece of herself in my heart… a big piece. I put Lolly on my business cards. I put Lolly on book marks. I enlarged Lolly’s photo and put her on display in my booth. I truly fell in love with Lolly.
I am frowning when I should be smiling; I am crying when I should be laughing. That big piece in my heart is broken. Lolly is gone. She was just three years old.
Gone Too Soon
Songwriters: Larry Grossman and Alan Kohan
Like a comet
Blazing ‘cross the evening sky
Gone too soonLike a rainbow
Fading in the twinkling of an eye
Gone too soonShiny and sparkly
And splendidly bright
Here one day
Gone one nightLike the loss of sunlight
On a cloudy afternoon
Gone too soonLike a castle
Built upon a sandy beach
Gone too soonLike a perfect flower
That is just beyond your reach
Gone too soonBorn to amuse, to inspire, to delight
Here one day
Gone one nightLike a sunset
Dying with the rising of the moon
Gone too soon
Gone too soon
Posing with Lolly at the Hawaii Pet Expo
Emotional wreckage… That piece of my heart that Lolly owned… that huge piece of my heart.. hurts so much.
In honor of my little three year-old’s mother who signed off with a slightly modified version, I sign this BOL… Bark Out Loud.
Marbach Horses Running to Breakfast. To see more beautiful photos, click here!
Start with the premise that Hawaii is paradise. Given that, the natural question is, “Where do Hawaiians go for vacation?” For readers not in Hawaii, the question is more interesting than if you ask Hawaiians. The most likely answer, in fact, for those who live in Hawaii is probably Las Vegas. Since we have been to Vegas… and see no reason to spend enough time to justify a time share in Sin City, we put much thought into our vacations.
Of course, we occasionally travel to places that are as far removed from the tropical warmth of our aina, Oahu. This year, we outdid ourselves.
Arabian horses of Marbach, photo by Oahu Pet Photographer Deb McGuire
“Do you want to know where you are going?” I asked my husband.
“Do I?” he asked with a mix of apprehension and sarcasm
“We are going to Germany.”
“We are going to Germany in February. It will be cold in Germany in February. Where in Germany will we be going?”
“Frankfurt, Berlin, Stuttgart, photographing horses in the German countryside…”
“In the snow?!”
“It’ll be beautiful, and the photos will be beautiful.”
Yearlings running in the German snow, photo by Deb McGuire
We flew to Germany. We spent time in Berlin, but our main reason for the travel: HORSES. We flew from Berlin to Stuttgart. We drove from Stuttgart to Marbach… in the snow. And really, Marbach and the horses were amazing.
The Marbach Stud or Weil-Marbach is Germany’s oldest state horse stud farm. Marbach dates back over 500 years and is located in southwest Germany near Gomadingen in the Reutlingen district of Baden-Württemberg.
Marbach's German Work Hoses Pule a Sleigh, Wagon Combo. To see more beautiful horse portraits click here
Marbach, originally significant for its development of ancestral bloodstock of several warmblood horse breeds, continues to produce the Württemberger. However, Marbach is probably best known as the home stud of the Weil-Marbach Arabians.
The majority of Arabian horses bred at Marbach are sold to private owners as personal riding horses. Some are used for endurance riding.
In addition to breeding Arabian and Württembergers, Marbach also stands stallions of the Black Forest cold blood breed as well as a few Thoroughbreds, Haflingers and other heavy wamblood stallions.
Marbach is known for producing athletic horses with good temperaments, and has careful management practices, including that of allowing young, untrained horses the opportunity to grow in a natural setting conducive to their mental as well as their physical development.
Marbach Horses at Play, photo by Pet Photographer Deb McGuire
Photographing the horses of Marbach was a new challenge for this Hawaii Pet Photographer. Cold means cold fingers. Cold finger tips are a challenge when focusing the camera and pressing the shutter release. Trying to do both simultaneously while balancing a camera… and standing in a foot of snow…. NOT SOMETHING THAT ONE HAS TO DO IN HAWAII. Generally, my subjects are not taller than me. Although I have photographed horses before, these horses were curious, very curious. There is nothing like having a horse’s warm, wet breath on the back of your neck while balancing a camera and yourself on a slippery slope. Of course, there was no blowing sand, ocean spray, and photographer sweat.
I put a few images of the horses in this blog. To see more, please check out my horses gallery on my website hawaiipetphotos.com.
BTW… The photos are a bit bleached out, because the video is bleached out…
