Bark for Life - Charlotte

Saturday marked a beautiful day for Bark for Life - Charlotte! The sun was shining and it beckoned hundreds of dogs and their people to come out and walk to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society's fight against cancer. 39 teams and over 300 participants joined together to raise over $43,300! Congratulations to everyone involved! Check out the huge crowd that gathered at the WFNZ Dog House...

The Carolina Panthers stadium went to the dogs as walkers enjoyed a 1.5-mile loop around the landmark.And what is a doggy event without pictures of dogs?I've said this before and I will say it again...I absolutely love participating in any American Cancer Society event. Not only is the organization wonderful to work with, everyone that participates is equally warm, loving, and open-hearted. Many, many thanks go out to all of the people and their canine companions that came out to this wonderful event.

If you would like more information about the event or would like to make a donation, please check out the event website HERE.

For more photos from the event, click HERE. Enjoy! All of the images will be up by Tuesday, April 12th at 8pm.

Bark for Life - Lake Norman

Saturday morning marked a first for the American Cancer Society. It was their first Bark for Life event held at Birkdale Village in Huntersville, NC. The morning was cold and gloomy but spirits were high as a large group of dogs and their people came out to walk in support of the battle against human and animal cancers. The one mile walk began in Birkdale, circled through the adjoining neighborhood and finished along the wetlands behind the Village. The rain held off long enough to finish the walk and even include some Just for Fun contests. Many thanks to all of the participants that braved the cool weather and came out to support a good cause. I always enjoy events put on by the American Cancer Society and this was certainly no exception. I enjoyed everyone's laughs, smiling faces, and most importantly, their pups.

I'll start off the parade of dogs with the 2011 Canine Ambassador. This is Peyton, a playful 10-year-young Lab who was diagnosed with a Grade II myxofibrosarcoma that was removed from his ribs in late 2010 and is now cancer free. Isn't he handsome...This little fellow wrapped up the end of the pack. He wasn't too keen on walking very far... This was a shoe-in for best kisser!

For more photos from the event, click HERE. Enjoy! All of the images will be up by Tuesday, March 29th at 5pm.

If you missed Bark for Life - Lake Norman, don't fear! ACS is hosting another Bark for Life event in uptown Charlotte on Saturday, April 9th at the WFNZ Dog House. I invite you to come out and walk for a cause!

Thanks again to all of the great participants!!!

Barktoberfest 2010

The third annual Barktoberfest was held yesterday at the WFNZ Dog House - a great little venue right by Bank of America Stadium. This appropriately named location hosted hundreds of dogs donning their snazzy Halloween costumes all in the name of charity. Each year, the American Cancer Society organizes Barktoberfest to raise money to aid in the fight against human and animal cancers. With the gorgeous weather and large number of attendants, I really hope they met their goal. I had so much fun at the event and enjoyed meeting all of the sweet dogs and people. I must say, this was one of my favorite events of the year.There were plenty of refreshments for the dressed-up dogs including Bowser Beer, water, and treats from Canine Cafe.And of course there were refreshments for us humans! Proceeds from the sale of these awesome pint glasses went to Murray's Fund - a fund which provides financial assistance to people caring for a pet with cancer.There were so many dogs at Barktoberfest! They were all so adorable, yet probably not too happy they were dressed up! :) Here are just a few of the pups that came out to support a good cause...Puppies? Yes, please.The day was filled with contests including Best Kisser, Best Trick, Biggest Dog, Smallest Dog, Cutest Costume, Scariest Costume, Best Doggy/Owner Costume Duo, and Best in Show.And the winner of Best in Show! Doesn't he really look like a lion?!? His mom hand-made this...without a pattern...over a period of a couple days...and has won two years in a row! Dedication!And some more doggies with their people... Thank you to everyone that came out to Barktoberfest. If you are looking for more pictures, you can find them here: www.mcgrawphotography.com. Click on the Client Area tab and enter the password "events". Then, select Barktoberfest 2010 from the category list. I will be adding more over the next few days! :)

Helping Paws Dog Show

I was so happy and so honored to be able to attend the Helping Paws Dog Show this past Saturday in Davidson. All proceeds went to Project Halo - a non-profit, no-kill rescue and the same rescue I adopted my Eva from. This annual fundraiser is the brainchild of 13-year-old Brooke Phillips, whose family adopted her dog, Roxie, from Project Halo on Brooke's 10th Birthday. Ever since, she has been eager to help other dogs find their forever homes. How freakin' cool is that!?! The event was a huge success with almost $1000 raised! Tons of pooches and families attended to browse vendor booths, participate in competitions, and check out the dogs available from Project Halo. Many thanks to Brooke and her family for hosting such a great event. Brooke, you are an inspiration and I'm sure all of the dogs your have helped send slobbery kisses to you! XOXO!

This is Roxie, the event Grand Marshall. She is the inspiration behind the start of the Helping Paws Dog Show.Great gifts, trophies, and raffle items were given away throughout the dog show. Contests included Best Groomed, Best Trick, Best Personality, and Best in Show.Many of the dogs showed off their skills in effort to win Best Trick... and the winner of Best in Show...

The young volunteers all chipped in to give dog washes. It was very touching to see such a young group of kids help out for a good cause.An what's a dog show without cute doggy faces?

I love how this little boy's mom changes her expression once she realizes why her dog is jumping away from her. He was just hamming it up for the camera! :)

This doggy makes me giggle! I have a whole series of funny faces from her...

Love this...

UPDATE: The rest of the images from the event are now up in my Client Area. Click here: http://www.mcgrawphotography.com/?sproofing_id=5 and enter the password: events. Select the Helping Paws Dog Show from the Category list on the bottom, left.

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!

An Evening of Hope

For those of you that attended An Evening of Hope, pictures from the event can be found here: http://smcgraw1.photobiz.com/cart/. Just click on "Events" and then select the "An Evening of Hope" gallery. Thank you and enjoy!

Cover Dog Contest

I had the honor of attending the first annual Lake Norman Currents Magazine Cover Dog Contest this past Saturday and it was an astounding success! Over 50 pups competed for the title and the winner will land on the cover of the October Pet Issue of Currents magazine. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Cornelius Animal Shelter Alliance (CASA). CASA is a non-profit group of volunteers who support various shelter functions. Costs associated with the shelter include website management, adoption publicity, special purchases, payment of the intake exam for each animal, veterinary expenses, fostering expenses, and targeted adoptions (pregnant females and special needs). I love dog events that benefit a good cause and I thank each and every person that came out for supporting such a heart-warming event.

I don't want to share too many pictures of the event yet...just a sneak peak to tide you over 'til the October issue hits stands. You HAVE to pick up a copy to see the winner. I will say the winner is a "he" and he is as cute as a button. I LOVE him!!! I wanna show you a pick but I have to control myself. Arrrggghhh! I'm so not good at that!

In the meantime, here is a sneak peak of the event...

There were several great vendors at the event and I love that each and every one is passionate about dogs.Guests were entertained with some relaxing music, a silent auction, a Zumba demonstration, and a "parade" of dogs!Judges narrowed the contestants down to the top 10. The dogs had one last chance to show their stuff as they circled in front of the crowd... Please pick up the October issue of Currents Magazine or look for it online. Many thanks go out to the publication for letting me shoot the cover of my very first magazine! I'm truly honored and will have butterflies in my stomach until the issue comes out. Also, thank you to all the awesome dog lovers that supported the event!!!

Is it October yet?!?

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.