Dog of the Day: Hurley the Golden Retriever Puppy In A Hat

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Adam Lang

So I was playing photo scavenger hunt last weekend friend-of-the-blog and frequent bird-clarifier Tommaso’s birthday last weekend, and got several useful dog pictures out of the bargain. For this one, I walked up to a woman with an adorable golden retriever puppy and asked, “Excuse me, do you mind if I take some pictures of your dog wearing my hat?”

It transpired that she did not. Nor, after a very brief investigative nibble, did Hurley.

Young English Cream Golden Retriever Having A Flat Cap Put On His Head

He did nab it out of mom’s hand once, but fortunately goldens have soft mouths, and he didn’t choose to try to play tug-of-war.

Woman Putting Leather Flat Cap On Young English Cream Golden Retriever

That face. Let’s have a close-up…

Young English Cream Golden Retriever Wearing A Leather Flat Cap

Man. He looks better in it than I do.

Woman And Young English Cream Golden Retriever Wearing A Brown Leather Flat Cap

By the way, I did no photo manipulation, aside from cropping. Her top seems to have somehow defeated my iPhone camera’s sensor all by itself.

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Dog of the Day: Greyson the Border Collie Australian Shepherd

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Adam Lang

The building where I work, ‘Hipmunk HQ’, is also home to another travel-related business: Olivia, which is a company that organizes cruises, package tours, and similar things for lesbians. Hipmunk has the bottom two floors, and a no-dogs-at-work policy. Olivia has the top floor — as well as owning the building — and has a all-the-dogs-at-work policy. And every once in a while one of their dogs (most often this pug but occasionally a lab that I have not yet managed to get a good picture of) wanders down the stairs and into our work area.

The pug (whose name may be Henry, though I may be misremembering) is generally less than thrilled about being petted by all and sundry. But Greyson, this first time that he wandered down to say hello, was absolutely thrilled with all the attention, and thus attracted a small circle of admirers. We petted him for a while, and then I jumped around and made goofy noises and got him to chase me, and then ran upstairs and he ran after me and was immediately overjoyed to see mom, who he had been parted from for almost ten whole minutes! Much enthusiastic licking ensued.

Grey Border Collie Australian Shepherd Mix With White Markings And Grey Eyes

Greyson has gorgeous eyes, and some of the softest fur ever.

Grey Border Collie Australian Shepherd Mix With White Markings And Grey Eyes Looking Goofy

I can definitely see the border collie, and not just physically. He seems very… intense. Even if that is mostly ‘intensely goofy’.

Woman Hugging Grey Border Collie Australian Shepherd Mix With White Markings And Grey Eyes Who Is Looking Goofy

This is a first for me: the human was moving too fast for the picture, but the dog was standing still.

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Dog of the Day: Friday the Aussie Puppy

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Adam Lang

This is Friday, the 4-month-old Aussie puppy. And guess which day I met Friday? That’s right, it was last… Wednesday!

Oh well. Anyway, he was totally adorable, and is a complete blur in over 60 pictures I took. I’m keeping them instead of deleting the blurry ones as I usually do, because if I drop myself into full-screen mode and click the first one, and then hold down the right arrow, I get to watch a flicker-animation of him zooming around the floor of the San Francisco Center mall, which actually looks quite good even if the individual frames are blurry. Maybe someday I’ll figure out how to make a gif or something. In the mean time, you’ll have to settle for a few paltry pictures of him at rest.

(With special guest, about 1/3 of a shih tzu.)

Tricolor Australian Shepherd Puppy With A Tail

Oh god the nose freckles. Reminds me of Max, who I just ran into again this morning. (Yay!)

Tricolor Australian Shepherd Puppy With A Tail Licking His Nose

He spotted another dog just about his size, and just went nuts.

Tricolor Australian Shepherd Puppy With A Tail Lying On The Floor And Looking At A Shih Tzu

This is the ‘after’ pic, for him running around in circles. I bet he lay like that, exhausted, for nearly a full twenty seconds before he was ready to go again.

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Sunday Switchup: The Growler

Posted on August 30, 2015 by Adam Lang

Sorry for the break in posting. I had a very busy day on Friday, followed by a sleep study Friday night, followed by a ‘photo scavenger hunt’ (wherein I walked almost 12 miles) on Saturday, followed by a party Saturday night. I left home Friday morning at 7:45 AM and didn’t get back until Sunday night at 11:30, and I promptly collapsed and slept for eleven hours.

Anyway! This fine fellow is The Growler. How do I know? Because I ran into him in The Growler’s Arms in Oakland, a few weeks ago. If you’re in the area, you should try them out… I came for the cute dog mascot but I stayed for the food. Mmm, the food was amazing.

Black And White French Bulldog Carved From Wood

There has to be a story behind this sculpture, but I have no idea what it was.

Black And White French Bulldog Carved From Wood With Huge Fluffy Rope Collar Thing

Not sure what the deal with the collar is, either. It’s almost Hawaiian-esque.

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Dog of the Day: ‘Puppy’ the American Pit Bull Terrier/Vizsla Puppy

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Adam Lang

This is the puppy (or, rather, ‘Puppy’ — that’s his name!) that I was considering posting for National Dog Day. Alas, this adorable 4-month-old pit bull terrier/vizsla puppy will have to settle for having just a regular Thursday to call his own. (He almost had to share it with his friend Theo the ridgeback/rottweiler, but unfortunately none of the Theo pictures came out. Too bad, too, Theo has a great smile.)

Woman Holding Large Brindled Pit Bull Vizsla Mix Puppy In Her Arms

Puppy had just come from rather a long frolic at a local dog park (Lafayette, I think?).

Woman Holding Large Brindled Pit Bull Vizsla Mix Puppy In Her Arms

Poor pup can barely keep his eyes open.

Woman Holding Large Brindled Pit Bull Vizsla Mix Puppy In Her Arms

I don’t think he’s going to fit in mom’s arms for much longer…

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Dog of National Dog Day: Smokey the Australian Cattle Dog

Posted on August 26, 2015 by Adam Lang

Happy National Dog Day! I was going to post a puppy today, until I realized that National Puppy Day is an entirely separate holiday, and that taking over National Dog Day for a puppy would be most ill-mannered of me.

So meet Smokey. Smokey is a gorgeous, deaf, 1-and-a-bit-year-old blue merle Australian cattle dog (aka blue heeler). Smokey is also a bit of a ham. Who likes ham.

Blue Merle Australian Cattle Dog Looking Disgruntled

I am not really sure what this look was all about, but I find it hilarious.

Woman Offering Treat To Smiling Blue Heeler

A much more typical expression for him. And mom, too: both of them seemed like they were always smiling.

Happy Blue Heeler Lying On The Sidewalk

As I was standing there, an ambulance went by. Yup, definitely deaf… he didn’t even notice.

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Dog of the Day: Kira the White Doberman Pinscher

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Adam Lang

This was a new one on me: a white Doberman pinscher. I’ve read up on it a bit, and apparently nobody’s quite sure how albinism works in dogs, and whether white Dobermans are actually ‘albino’ in the normal sense of the word or not, but the most recent research seems to indicate, ‘eeeh, close enough’. If you have any interest in such things, this is kind of a neat read (if a bit disturbing in parts.)

I, of course, am quite interested in the science, but ultimately more interested in the dog. Kira is a sweetheart and is quite gorgeous, although I hope her dad doesn’t keep her out in the sun too long because I bet she’s prone to sunburn. She sure did seem to be a little unhappy with the bright light, although she can see and hear just fine.

White Doberman Pinscher Sitting On A Sidewalk

HDR photography for the win. All the non-HDR shots I got were basically a white blob in the sun…

White Doberman Pinscher Sitting On A Sidewalk

…and not all that much better in the shade. Well, my fault for going out at noon.

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Dog of the Day: Princess the Goldendoodle Puppy

Posted on August 24, 2015 by Adam Lang

Just one of the many wonderful things about having a ‘morning commute’ that is also a ‘jog through the middle of San Francisco’ is seeing all the dogs on the way to work. (The most important of the many wonderful things, of course!) I was a little bummed out about the end of the weekend, and it was a bit of effort to drag myself out of bed this morning.

But that all changed when I saw Princess, a lovely 11-week-old goldendoodle puppy, gazing sadly at the rest of the dogs in Huntingdon park. The poor pup hadn’t had her final shots yet, so she wasn’t allowed to go play with them all. But she was happy enough to pose for me.

Man Holding Adorable Eleven-Week-Old Goldendoodle Puppy

She SO wanted to get out and go meet all the people and the dogs and the fountain and the grass and and and.

Man Holding Adorable Eleven-Week-Old Goldendoodle Puppy Who Is Trying To Lick The Camera

In particular, she tried really hard to smooch me. But I’d just been playing with some other dogs, so I had to beg off. THIS TIME.

Man Holding Adorable Eleven-Week-Old Golden Retriever Poodle Mix Puppy Who Is Licking His Face

She had to turn elsewhere for affection. The poor man, being showered in puppy kisses. How could he stand it?

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Caturday Supplement: Wolf and Lion Store Tortie

Posted on August 22, 2015 by Adam Lang

Wolf and Lion, a relatively recent addition to the pet store scene in San Francisco, is down on the Marina, on Lombard Street. (Yes, that’s the crooked one, but the store’s about a mile away from the crooked bit.) And unlike most other pet stores in SF, it has a store cat. Who does not seem to mind the dogs that wander in one bit. Or the people. And who does not seem the slightest bit tempted by the open door. She even helps clean up a bit around the place, it seems. Plus, she’s a tortie, and therefore gorgeous.

Quite a kitty!

Tortoiseshell Cat Lying On A Tile Floor

She’s also quite tolerant of human visitors. If you give her the slightest hint that you want to pet her she flumps down for you.

Tortoiseshell Cat Stares Fixedly At The Floor

Well, okay, maybe she’s not so much helping with the cleaning…

Tortoiseshell Cat Picks Up Crinkly Bit Of Plastic Wrapping

…as viciously attacking neat plastic crinkly-noisy things. Hush. Let me have my cherished misconceptions.

Tortoiseshell Cat Stares Fixedly To The Side

Something very compelling (which I was unable to see or hear) distracted her from her crinkly bit of plastic.

Tortoiseshell Cat Stares Intently Into The Distance

She seemed happy, so maybe those pupils are just ‘it’s really bright outside’. After all, it was.

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Dog of the Day: Bleu the Bluenose Pit Bull Puppy

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Adam Lang

I sprinted across a crowded street to get some pictures of the ridiculous 11-week-old Bleu — our first bluenose pit bull puppy! — only to find, when I went to post them later that day, that they were blurry. I was heartbroken. Although I did collect a minute or two worth of licks from her that I will always treasure, so there was that comfort, at least.

Well, I was going through some old pictures this evening and deleting the ones that were too bad to be useful, and I found that not ALL of them were that blurry. So here you go, have a little Bleu cheesiness as a start to your weekend.

American Blue-Nose Pit Bull Terrier Puppy Looking Sideways On Concrete Steps

You need to look at that eyebrow. Here, let’s get a front view…

American Blue-Nose Pit Bull Terrier Puppy Sitting And Looking At Camera With Head Tilted To One Side

So perfect! How does that even happen?

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