Sunday Switchup: Superb Owl 50

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Adam Lang

These Superbowl 50 (excuse me, Superb Owl 50!) logos that were placed around the city were amusingly defaced almost before they were finished being put up. I’m no sports fan, so it was no great loss to me. In fact, at the risk of being labelled hopelessly unAmerican, when I saw the phrase ‘NFL Superbowl 50 Week’, I mistook the ‘5’ for an ‘S’ and thought that a local graffiti artist had misspelled ‘weak’, and was rather taken by the effort. Mind you, there were some things about that week that I liked…

In any case, I do like owls, so I approved of these alterations even more than I otherwise would have. (With thanks to Autumn Rhodes for the picture.)

Big Defaced Superbowl 50 Sign That Says Superb Owl 50 Now

I feel like there’s a joke in here about not giving a hoot, but I don’t care enough to hunt for it.

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Dog of the Day: Charlie the Unknown Mixed Breed

Posted on February 19, 2016 by Adam Lang

So, I have a breed mix written down for Charlie, but I can’t quite bring myself to believe it. Nevertheless, I will reveal it to you, because I figure you should have the chance to judge on your own.

My note says: Charlie, female, 1 year old, Bernese mountain dog/poodle/Labrador retriever mix. Just got fixed.

Now, I’m not going to say it’s not possible. She definitely has a lot of coloration that could be blamed on the Berner, and her fur is pretty poodle-y, and so on. But she’s little! She’d almost have to be, like, Berner and Lab and at least miniature poodle, if not toy, and… the mind just boggles.

Only two things are certain: one, the little shaved bit on her right front leg is from the IV from when she was being spayed, and two, she wants to give you all the kisses.

Unknown Mixed Breed Dog Staring At The Camera

Okay, there is a third thing: she has magnificent eyebrows.

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Dog of the Day: Thor the Siberian Husky Puppy

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Adam Lang

I have been holding onto Thor (4 months old when I took these) for almost two months because there were so many good pictures that I couldn’t narrow it down. Every husky puppy is photogenic, it just goes with the breed, but Thor has this gorgeous little fleur-de-lis on his head that just adds to the adorability. I got dozens of pictures, and it was just so hard picking just a few.

There was also the problem that in a lot of the ones with the most ridiculous expressions, he was blurry as heck. I only used one of those, but I couldn’t resist that one. Just too funny.

Thor, an Adorable 4 Month Old Siberian Husky Puppy Looking Over His Shoulder

Look at those giant radar dishes.

Thor, an Adorable 4 Month Old Siberian Husky Puppy

Thor’s dad was holding up a treat to get him to hold still for me. It worked… kind of.

Thor, an Adorable 4 Month Old Siberian Husky Puppy Trying To Shake

He knew a few tricks, actually. He did them without asking.

Thor, an Adorable 4 Month Old Siberian Husky Puppy, Jumping Up On Someone's Leg

That is a very husky expression. Also, ‘down’ does not quite seem to be in his repertoire yet.

Thor, an Adorable 4 Month Old Siberian Husky Puppy With Perfect Fleur-De-Lis Markings On His Forehead

There, those are the markings. See what I mean?

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Dog of the Day: Our Old Friend Wilhelmina the Italian Greyhound

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Adam Lang

Mina the Italian greyhound! I see her regularly about town, and she’s just as cute now as she was when she was 13 weeks old and all shy, or when she was six months old and disgruntled.

Italian greyhounds are always so delicate-looking that I expect them to fly apart at any moment. Then when you watch them running around they just smack into things — humans, other dogs, the ground — and then just get up and keep going like nothing happened. Except when they tumble a dozen times, bounce off of something else, and THEN get up and keep going like nothing happened.

Man Holding Italian Greyhound

I wonder how well that halter stays on. It looks a little loose for such a skinny and wiggly dog.

Man Holding Italian Greyhound

Not sure why Mina’s off the ground. Maybe she’s ‘mina’ to other dogs?

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Dog of the Day: Doug the Standard Dachshund

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Adam Lang

Doug the standard dachshund is 8, and therefore predates the golden retriever in Up, but he’s very used to being asked whether that was the inspiration for his name.

No matter how many other dachshunds I see, standard dachshunds (which are surprisingly big when you’re used to the miniature ones) that are this chocolate brown in color will always be the ones I think of as ‘real dachshunds.’ These (not-so-) little guys were bred to go down into badger holes, and come back with the badgers. And badgers are mean little suckers. That makes the dachshund, goofy-looking as it is, a mighty little warrior.

Chocolate Brown Standard Dachshund

The color reminds me of chocolate. Maybe that’s why I like them so much.

Chocolate Brown Standard Dachshund

Ever seen one of these guys dig? It’s pretty amazing.

Chocolate Brown Standard Dachshund Sniffing A Red Dog Jacket

I don’t know if that’s a dog jacket or what. It doesn’t seem nearly long enough for a dachshund.

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Sunday Switchup: Gorgeous Graffiti

Posted on February 14, 2016 by Adam Lang

We really do have some gorgeous graffiti in San Francisco. This one’s right near where I work, but I rarely walk by it so every time I do it’s a little pleasant surprise.

Black And White Gorgeous Graffiti Wall

The picture doesn’t do it justice. I’ve stood and stared at it for minutes at a time. In person, in scale, it’s amazing.

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Double Dog Day: Two Belgian Shepherds, a Malinois and a Tervuren

Posted on February 12, 2016 by Adam Lang

I first saw these two in a hurry on the way by, and snapped a couple pictures without really thinking about them. Now, looking at them more closely, I realize that they’re a matched set, together constituting half of the four-member Belgian shepherd clan: in this case, a Malinois and a Tervuren. Someone is obviously a very big fan of Belgia!*

(* Yes that is a joke. I have been known to be that dense, but not about Belgium, or indeed any country with such amazingly awesome dogs.)

Edit: Dammit, for some reason only one of the two pictures posted! Oh well, it’s fixed now.

Belgian Malinois Grinning

They didn’t react terribly well to me getting close to them, so I didn’t pet them. Alas.

Two Belgian Shepherds, A Malinois And A Tervuren, Posting

Man, they make a picturesque couple.

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Dog of the Day: Maremma Sheepdog

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Adam Lang

I was heading down to meet Autumn a few weeks ago — she was dogsitting for a gorgeous dog, and I wanted to meet her — and my mood wasn’t terribly pleasant, as it was raining periodically, the busses were not being cooperative, and I had forgotten my umbrella. As I was walking down Chestnut Street on the last leg of my journey I spotted a gorgeous if rather bored-looking Maremma sheepdog lying on the sidewalk, and of course had to stop and pet him.

I hung out at the home of the people Autumn was sitting for, while Autumn took care of various doggie business, and then she and I went out to get lunch. And, a full hour later, the dog was still there. Don’t feel too sorry for him, though: Maremmas were bred to be able to comfortably hang out in the rain and snow for days, and this one didn’t seem unhappy or uncomfortable… just bored. (The dog’s owner came out of the cafe at that point, and that’s why I’m certain that this was a Maremma and not a Great Pyrenees or a Kuvasz.)

Maremma Sheepdog Lying On The Sidewalk Looking Woeful

This was on my way by the first time. Seems a little overly melodramatic, don’t you think?

Maremma Sheepdog Staring Hopefully At The Camera

Clearly a vicious guard dog. You can tell by the puppydog eyes.

Woman Petting A Maremma Sheepdog

See? Just vicious. He did this to everyone who went by. Clearly a menace to society!

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Dog of the Day: Wrigley the Fluffy Goldendoodle

Posted on February 10, 2016 by Adam Lang

Wrigley (a male, 1 year old super fluffy goldendoodle) is not the shy and retiring sort. Definitely not the sort of dog who has any trouble making his needs known. Autumn and I ran into him outside a store, and we spent so long petting him that his owner had enough time to come outside and watch in amusement for a while before we noticed. Well, it’s pretty clear where our priorities are, since we wear them on our sleeves. Along with all the dog hair.

And yes, Wrigley is. Very.

Woman Petting Fluffy Goldendoodle Who Is Lying On His Side On The Sidewalk

I got eight good pictures of Autumn and Wrigley. Autumn’s eyes were closed in every single one.

Woman Petting Fluffy Goldendoodle Who Is Lying On His Back On The Sidewalk

You have to find just the right spot to get the leg going.

Fluffy Goldendoodle Being Petted By Photographer

I love the little glint of a fang.

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Dog of the Day: Sir Otis Wellington the (Almost) English Bulldog Puppy

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Adam Lang

Sir Otis Wellington (a 4-month-old almost English bulldog puppy) is called ‘Otie’ to his friends, of which I absolutely guarantee you are one. You needn’t call beforehand… just drop by, he will be delighted to see you at any time of the day or night. If you ask nicely, he will show you his leaf collection, which is quite extensive and well worth viewing. He also has an extremely nice vintage of San Francisco Hetch-Hetchy water (15 minutes ago, perhaps a trifle young, but delicate and playful with just the tiniest hint of a chlorine bite) set out in an extra dog bowl, just for visitors.

Just don’t make any derogatory comments about beagles. Despite his very proper English appearance, one of his great-grandparents was actually an all-American beagle, and he’s therefore a bit sensitive about such things.

English Bulldog Puppy Looking Plaintive

Squooshy bulldog-face!

English Bulldog Puppy With Ears Lifted Halfway Up

His ears periodically did this. Flip! Half up. Floop! All the way down. It was aww-inspiring.

English Bulldog Puppy Going After A Treat

The problem with using treats in pictures is that you often have to get them really close to the dog to get their attention… and then they tend to disappear suddenly.

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