Ansel, Izzy, and Zeke

This post is quite bittersweet. This trio's eldest brother, Ansel, was diagnosed with cancer and was only given a few months to live. At 10 years old, for a Dane, Ansel had already had a long and fulfilling life. Rescued and adopted from Great Dane Friends of Ruff Love, Ansel spent the better years of his life in a loving family and even had the opportunity to see his 2-legged human brother born. Unfortunately, Ansel gained his angel wings on Sunday - just days after our session. I don't want this post to be all sad and bring you down (even though it's making me tear up). Instead I want to honor Ansel and his sweet family.

Ansel's family loves Uptown Charlotte so, even though we had our hands full, we went for it! Three people, three dogs, and a baby - haha! We were struggling! Luckily, some friends showed up to lend a helping hand and we were able to capture some fabulous images of Ansel and his sister, Izzy, and brother, Zeke.

This is by far my favorite image of Ansel...

And Izzy (on the left) and Zeke (on the right)...Zeke is an Italian Greyhound who was very interested in the other dogs walking by. However, I quickly discovered that a, "You wanna go on a walk?" or " You wanna go on a car ride?" made him focus right on me!Izzy, on the other hand, was only interested in the tennis ball. Yep, she wasn't going anywhere without that thing!And my boy, Ansel... Ansel's dad was especially close to his boy. Because Ansel's tumor was putting pressure on his rectum, he was having to potty quite frequently. Dad was very patient with Ansel and did everything he could to clean up his accidents and to make him comfortable. I just had to sneak this picture in...Lastly, we wanted an image to remember Ansel with his baby brother. And they look off into the landscape together... run free sweet boy... xx...

Mo

Great Dane's are known to have a fairly short lifespan compared to other pups. Luckily, Mo has graced this Earth for 12 whole years and his family feels very lucky. Although he's showing his age with some arthritis, shaky legs, and weight loss, Mo's still enjoying hanging out in the backyard with his human and other doggy family members. We spent a lovely afternoon together doing just that. :) This is the goofy side of Mo... And the more serious side...wanting my treats...There's nothing quite as regal as the Great Dane profile...Those eyes. Seriously. I couldn't say no to those for 12 years.The light in this image makes Mo look heavenly. :)Mo and his human brother have grown up together. They showed me a picture of the two of them cuddling when Mo was a puppy and Xavier was a toddler. There's nothing like brotherly love...Mo was shaved a while ago for scans to check for health issues. Everything came back normal but the hair never quite grew all the way back. I say it gives him character. :)Haha! This outtake just HAD to be shared. Mo does NOT look happy that his humans are laughing at the fact that he got drool everywhere. Oh Mo...

I hope Mo's family enjoys their sneak peek! I hope to see him again soon!

Trinity and Tater - Opposites Attract

Trinity is a gorgeous, shiny, blue Great Dane full of grace and style. Tater, on the other hand, is a short, scruffy, little Terrier-mix shaped, well, like a potato. As opposite as they are, they are equally as cute and are best buds! These two love hanging out together in the backyard as well as the boat launch area in their neighborhood. We were lucky enough to dodge the rain and spent an evening together doing what they love most! Don't these two make quite the pair? I'd say they were related. Lol!

I love Tater's scruffy fur and happy little face! :)Trinity is so beautiful and regal. Great Dane's just pull at my heart strings!"So...that black box gives out treats?"Trinity's ears just scream her personality. Love them!Tater ventures onto the rocks while channeling his inner chameleon...Trinity is able to perfect her gallop in the open field.BFFs...

Looking For Homes

Time for some cute new faces looking for a forever home! This past Sunday, I spent some time at the Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas and was able to grab a few quick shots of some of the dogs in waiting. Baccus is very new to the rescue and is a large Dane that LOVES to lean and get scratchin's. He will be available for adoption in the coming weeks. Quinn is also fairly new to the rescue and would love to find a place to run and play. She would do best in a home without small children.

Licorice is a cute, middle-sized scruffy dog that really needs a good home. She is a little shy around the camera but, if given the opportunity, would be a great companion.I love how this little guy has a built-in accessory. He can make 2 different looks just by moving his ears...This last group is a set of Poodle/Maltese? mixes that are to die for! I could give them kisses all day! These three look *identical* and I had a hard time telling which ones I already took pictures of. These little guys are super sweet and would make great lap dogs...

If you are interested in any of these pups, please contact the Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas!

The Dog Days of Summer - Part 5

Fall is approaching quickly and The Dogs Days series will soon be coming to an end. However, these pups still need to find good homes in preparation for the cold, bitter winter that lies ahead. If you or someone you know is looking for a warm doggy to snuggle with, please consider one of the sweet faces below. Please contact The Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas for more information.

The Dog Days of Summer - Part 4

The title of this post may be a little misleading in that this particular day at the Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas wasn't sweltering like this summer has been infamous for. In fact, it was quite "cool" with a steady mist in the air. This short and sweet break from the record-breaking temps was a nice relief for the dogs and their energy levels proved it. The pups were so energetic and wanted to take full advantage of the temporary drop in temperature. All of the dogs were out of hiding and ready for their snapshots! They each posed in hopes of finding their forever homes and a cool place to nap once the temperatures climb back up. If you are interested in any of the sweet dogs you see here, please contact the Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas. I love Abbey's eyes. I don't know how to describe them other than they look like molten lava. Gorgeous...Chase was out in one of the horse fields having some play time in the pretty yellow flowers. I couldn't resist getting several shots of this happy fellow...

The Dog Days of Summer - Part 1

As most of you know, it has been a hot few weeks here in the south. Luckily enough, most of us are blessed to have a comfortable home with a thermostat and chilly air conditioning. However, not everyone is so lucky...especially the animals that get left behind. This past Sunday, I spent some time volunteering at the Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas. This time it seemed different - it seemed strangely quiet and I didn't see all of the dogs as I glanced around. Well, with temperatures closing in on 100 degrees and the humidity hovering at 50-60 percent, most of the dogs were hiding in their houses in what little shade the high noon sun could provide.

Please don't forget these helpless animals this time of year. They would give anything to be able to sprawl out on your living room floor and chill under the ceiling fan and A/C vent. Here are just a few of the pups that need a comfortable home...

This sweet boy is Waylon. Despite the heat, he was ready to play with me and then settle down for a good chest scratching. He was definitely my favorite of the day!

Next is Christian (on the left) and WillowBear. Christian is a new arrival and WillowBear has been at the rescue for quite some time. WillowBear will be a gorgeous dog with some grooming and care. She is a sweet girl with great manners!

Next we have some Great Dane puppies!!! They are super cute and will melt your heart!

Please take us home!

Time for some new pics from the Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas! I'm a little nervous posting these because these are the first images I have edited with my new computer. I'm still not sure if it is calibrated correctly and I think I have to do some more tweaking. Anyway, I'm thrilled to have this new computer and, so far, it has really cut my editing time. Definitely worth going into debt for. :) So here is the first doggy of the day... This handsome man is Ziggy. He is a new arrival to the rescue and was an owner-surrender. He already knows how to "sit" and is a sweet and curious guy. Oh, and aren't his eyes gorgeous?!?

Next we have Bart. Don't let the snaggle tooth fool you...this little guy is a cuddle machine!!! This chi-mix will make an awesome companion for a lucky person! He could just drift right to sleep in your arms...

Kobe is this next big guy. He is a Dane/Shepherd mix and will need lots of room to play. He is a smart fellow and another one of these dogs that has beautiful eyes!

Ok, how cute is this next guy? This boy is Jax (yes, with an x) and is ALL Bloodhound. He is still a pup around 8 months old and has the classic Bloodhound wrinkles and droopy ears. What a handsome young man. (Please note: he is available through the Michigan Bloodhound Rescue)

This next little (er, big) lady is Queena. I almost didn't want to post her pictures because I really want her to come home with ME! She is a beautiful Great Dane with a heart of gold. She loves to cuddle and could spend hours getting her rump scratched! I think her name is fitting...doesn't she look like royalty?

Next in line is Homer. Homer has the biggest personality and a huge smile and expressive ears to match!

Jhett is the next pup I got to spend some time with. He is another Shepherd mix with the brains to match. I swear he learned to sit as we were in the pen with him!

Is this the sweetest face ever? I think so! This is Jackson - another new arrival to the Rescue. This sweetheart was an owner-surrender on death row at a high-kill shelter. He is soooo happy to be safe now and wants to find someone to cuddle with...

This next gang was rescued from a puppy mill where their lives were miserable and doomed. Fortunately, these Rat Terriers are safe now! I don't know their names but there are 4 pups total (one was a little shy of the camera so he is not pictured). Their personalities range from outgoing and energetic (like the first guy below) to shy and sweet. [UPDATE: The black and white one is named Kicie, the bottom two are Beau and Luke, and the one not pictured is Piper.] One of them could be perfect for you...

Lastly, I want to give a special thank you to Ronnie and Corn for their help at the rescue this day. I couldn't do it alone!