The Dogs of San Francisco

Dog of the Day: Bernie the Miniature Golden Retriever Puppy

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Adam Lang

Bernie is two hundred and eighty pounds of OH MY GOD wrapped in a svelte 25 to 30 pound frame. She looks just like a golden retriever, but she’s eight months old and won’t be getting much bigger and she’s so little and adorable and happy she makes you want to just pick her up and tuck her under one arm and saunter off whistling. Autumn and I delayed her parents for far longer than should probably be legal. They were good sports about it, thank goodness.

Miniature Golden Retriever Comfort Retriever

It really is hard to get a sense of scale here. Trust me… she’s tiny.

Miniature Golden Retriever Comfort Retriever Looking Delighted To See Me

Some days, I really need something or someone to give me a look like that. It says, ‘HOORAY, IT’S YOU!’ It’s not something most human beings see too often, apart from a dog.

Comfort Retriever Miniature Golden Retriever Looking Adoringly Up At Unworthy Photographer

If that doesn’t make you want to get up from your chair and go find a dog to hug, there’s something wrong with you.

My great goal in life is to be the person this dog thinks I am. Or just about any dog, really.

Posted in Dog of the Day | Tagged Comfort Retriever, Ministure Golden Retriever, Nob Hill, Polk Street | Leave a comment

Dog of the Day: Golden Retriever And Friend

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Adam Lang

I suspect this woman wouldn’t thank me for the comparison, and for that reason I would never make such a comparison to anyone’s face, but, well, if I compare anyone to a dog, you can assume it is a high compliment. So, with that said… don’t they both have the most gorgeous tails ever?

Edit: Her HAIR, people, her HAIR. God. Some of you people need to dredge your minds out of the gutter. (*sigh* And yes, for the record, I did actually miss the double entendre when I originally posted this. In my defense, I was tired. But I’m going to leave it there, because erasing my own boorishness, unintentional though it was, seems worse than leaving it there and apologizing for it. Plus, the two people who linked to this would look incomprehensible if I changed it now.)

Golden Retriever Walking With Woman With Long Blond Hair That Looks Like The Dog's Tail

The dog’s tail and the woman’s hair even swayed back and forth in rhythm.

Posted in Dog of the Day | Tagged Golden Retriever, Polk Street, Russian Hill | 2 Comments

Dog of the Autumn’s Birthday: Sad Corgi

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Adam Lang

So it’s Autumn’s birthday, but she’s out of town. This makes Adam a sad corgi.

Sad Tricolor Pembroke Welsh Corgi Tied Up Outside A Bakery

Look at that sad face.

Posted in Dog of the Day | Tagged Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Polk Street, Russian Hill | Leave a comment

Sunday Switchup: Double Duck Day

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Adam Lang

Actually, I have no idea if these are ducks or not. They look vaguely duck-like, and quite pretty, though. And also very sleepy.

I want a shirt with that pattern on it. I would wear it out in a year.

They look quite peaceful, don’t they? I’m not sure I trust them. Ducks are weird.

Posted in Sunday Switchup | Tagged Birds, San Rafael, Wildcare | Leave a comment

Caturday Supplement: Kitten Adoption

Posted on October 25, 2014 by Adam Lang

I was wandering through Oakland and ran across a little kitten adoption fair.

Kitten-cuddling sessions are important at adoption fairs. You have to keep the kittens ‘warmed up’ for the prospective adopters.

Woman Holding Tiger Tabby Kitten With White Socks

Mittens!

Posted in Caturday Supplement | Tagged Cat, Kitten, Oakland, Tiger Tabby | Leave a comment

Dog of the Day: Ryder the Border Collie/Labrador Retriever Mix

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Adam Lang

“Ryder border collie lab mix 3 yrs”, my notes say. He seems kind of small for that combination, but he does look a lot like those two breeds, so maybe he was just a little one.

Small Black Labrador Retriever Border Collie Mixed Breed

My notes also say that the reason he’s looking a little less than happy is that he had a hot spot and his mom wasn’t letting him itch.

Small Black Labrador Retriever Border Collie Mixed Breed Looking Pensively Off Into The Distance

It’s okay, guy. You’ll be able to scratch again soon!

Posted in Dog of the Day | Tagged Border Collie, Labrador Retriever, Mixed Breed, Nob Hill, Polk Street | Leave a comment

Dog of the Day: Verna the Repeat Customer

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Adam Lang

It’s Verna! We first met her when she was just a (hilariously cute) puppy close to four years ago, and then when she was all grown up (but still hilariously cute) two years ago. Her dad says he thinks she’s part Nova Scotia duck-tolling retriever, both because she kind of has that look and because she loves swimming and attracts all the ducks. (Which, after all, is what duck tollers were bred for. AKA ‘My toller brings all the ducks to the yard, and they’re like, ‘quack quack quack quack quack’.) I can totally see it… the fur looks quite similar, including the white patch on the chest. He suspects she’s mixed with chow, and/or possibly some kind of shepherd, so we’ll just say that. Because I like having two obscure chow mixes in a row, so why not?

Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever/Chow Mix Scratching Herself

Funny, I caught her doing this when she was a puppy too. She must be an itchy dog.

Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever/Chow Mix Investigating The Photographer

Verna has blossomed into a self-confident, playful, happy, and very curious dog.

Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever/Chow Mix With A Bushy Lovely Fox Tail

Look at that glorious tail.

Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever/Chow Mix Smiling At The Camera

There’s that amazing smile.

Verna runs alongside dad’s bike. No leash to get caught, she’s just incredibly well-trained and obedient.

Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever/Chow Mix Face With Giant Grin

I would totally follow Verna home.

Posted in Dog of the Day | Tagged Chow, Mixed Breed, Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever | 10 Comments

Dog of the Day: Gus the Belgian Shepherd Chow Mix

Posted on October 22, 2014 by Adam Lang

I just ran into Gus today, but I absolutely adored him, and so, when I found myself offloading the pictures from my phone for an unrelated reason, I decided that I just had to post him.

He’s 13 years old, he’s an utter sweetheart, and he loves everybody (and two other people stopped to pet him while I was standing there, so it looks like everybody loves him, too). Plus, the pictures don’t quite do him justice… what he looks like is nothing so much as a perfect photographic negative of a samoyed. (And I ran one of my samoyed pictures through a negative-creator, so I know whereof I speak.)