Dog of the Day: Elsa the Bernese Mountain Dog

Posted on September 16, 2012 by Adam Lang

In one 24-hour period last week, I ran into: two adult Bernese mountain dogs (common enough in SF), one Bernese mountain dog puppy (ee!), one Greater Swiss mountain dog (rare in SF), and one Entlebucher (VERY rare in SF). If I could only have found an Appenzeller (which I’ve never even seen before) I would have gotten the entire set.

In celebration, I hereby declare this ‘Swiss Dog Week!’ Let the awesomeness begin!

Edit: Ohgod, I totally forgot to mention that Elsa was being walked by a gentleman from ‘Ultimate Dog Walking‘, a competitor of Autumn’s San Francisco Pup Scouts. But hey, that’s no reason we can’t be friendly, right? Even if they are the enemy.

Grinning Bernese Mountain Dog

So why is it that Swiss dogs all have such awesome eyebrows?

Bernese Mountain Service Dog With Backpack Doing a High Five

This was by no means Elsa’s only trick (‘high five!’) but it was definitely a good one.

Bernese Mountain Service Dog With Backpack Doing a High Five

Elsa is about 100 pounds of pure love. (Plus about a half pound of drool. Yay!)

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Caturday Supplement: Cat-in-the-Box

Posted on September 15, 2012 by Adam Lang

We haven’t had a cat for a few weeks, and Lucca’s owner just sent me a cute picture, so here you go:

Lucca the Marmalade Tabby

Thinking outside the box isn’t ALWAYS a bad thing for cats. (Thinking outside the cat-box is, though.)

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Double Dog Day: Mulan and Alexis Redux!

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Adam Lang

I freely admit, I don’t deserve the kind of luck that I got today, when I ran into Mulan and Alexis for the second time in two days! It wasn’t even at the same time, although it was near the same spot. Fortunately, this time it was still daylight outside, and so I got some better pictures… although really, any picture with Mulan and Alexis in it is awesome.

White Siberian Husky Puppy

Mulan likes gazing intently at people. She totally looks like a little snow-dog, with those (nearly-) coal-black eyes.

Heterochromic Silver Siberian Husky Puppy

Heterochromia! Also… is that a little… mustache? Because that totally looks like one.

Two Siberian Husky Puppies

Kind of a defensive-looking posture on the part of Mulan. Probably due to the gaggle of people who were approaching…

Two Siberian Husky Puppies

…and converging… and, a few moments later, petting.

Two Siberian Husky Puppies, One With A Goofy Expression

Okay, now that’s just silly.

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Double Dog Day: Mulan and Alexa the Husky Puppies

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Adam Lang

I just ran into these two brain-meltingly-cute pups earlier today, at dusk, and was unable to get many decent pictures. But I am totally wiped out and sore (I walked more than ten miles yesterday) and needed something short to post, so here are these two husky pups. I don’t think they’re actually sisters… I seem to recall that one was 10 weeks old and the other nine, but I forget which was which.

Silver Husky Puppy

While I was standing there, these two had about six different admirers. I sure hope the guys who adopted them were prepared for their walk to take ten times as long as usual. (This, by the way, is Alexis.)

White Siberian Husky Puppy

Softest. Fur. Ever. (And this is, of course, Mulan.)

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Dog of the Day: Cooper the Labradoodle

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Adam Lang

I subbed in for Autumn today, walking one of her clients. And I am in love. Cooper is a super-adorable giant labradoodle that I would totally adopt in a heartbeat if I could.

Large Black Labradoodle

Picked up Cooper at his place. He was happy to see me, it appeared.

Large Black Labradoodle

Cooper on top of Nob Hill. The typical ‘black dog in sunlight’ problem.

Large Black Labradoodle

Cooper on top of Russian Hill. He’s such a happy dog silhouette.

Large Black Labradoodle

These puppydog eyes were when Cooper realized that, now that I’d brought him back home, I was just going to leave him there. Sorry Cooper… see you again soon, I hope!

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Dog of the Day: Feliz the Shetland Sheepdog Puppy

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Adam Lang

A 5-month-old Sheltie. Looks very different than most of the Shelties I’ve run across, though. Almost like a smooth-coated collie, sorta!

Tan and White Shetland Sheepdog Puppy

Apparently this coloration is ‘tri-‘, even though there’s next to no black anywhere.

Tan and White Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie) Puppy

Wish I’d gotten a good shot of that tail, it’s totally a fox’s brush.

Tan and White Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie) Puppy

Someone was totally play-posing.

Tan and White Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie) Puppy

Not shown: the next photo in this series, which is entirely black. Not because there’s anything wrong with the camera, but because it is an EXTREME closeup of a dog nose.

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Dog of the Day: Lacey the Yorkshire Terrier Puppy

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Adam Lang

Aw man, cute little teenypup with one ridiculous feature.

Four-Month-Old Yorkshire Terrier With Puppy Coat

She spends most of her time with her ears back. I guess that’s a submissive pose, but it’s a shame, because most people don’t see the full glory of the ears.

Four-Month-Old Yorkshire Terrier With Puppy Coat

This was a learning experience: I had no idea that Yorkies had a different coloration when they were puppies than when they were adults. Weird.

Four-Month-Old Yorkshire Terrier With Puppy Coat

I wonder if dubious dog expressions were the source of the term ‘the hairy eyeball’?

Four-Month-Old Yorkshire Terrier (Yorkie) With Puppy Coloration

She was pretty jumpy. Hope they were working on the ‘down’ command word.

Four-Month-Old Yorkshire Terrier (Yorkie) With Puppy Coat

One ear. Which is goofy, but nowhere near as goofy as…

Four-Month-Old Yorkshire Terrier (Yorkie) With Puppy Coloration

…oh my god those ears.

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Dog of the Day: Willow the Standard Poodle Service Dog

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Adam Lang

I propose a toast: to all the service dogs, waiting patiently for the opportunity to help. If I could summon a tenth as much dedication, I’d be a better person for it.

White Standard Poodle Service Dog

Caught a few pictures of Willow at the Hyde Street Pier’s Sea Music Festival. She was service dog to one of the performers.

White Standard Poodle Service Dog

Well-trained and very attentive.

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Caturday Supplement: Cat Can’t Catch Me!

Posted on September 8, 2012 by Adam Lang

As I never tire of mentioning, Caturday Supplements are for non-dogs, not just cats. Which is a good thing because I’m fresh out of cats. So have a bird.

Gotta say, these came out better than I would have expected. The downfall of my camera when it comes to rapid movement is that it has no viewfinder and the LCD on the back is around a third of a second behind the action when I’m taking rapid-fire pictures, which means that it’s murder keeping something centered. Especially something small and prone to sudden darting. Also, this is on full telephoto, and yet at least some of the pictures weren’t too blurry to use.

Edit: As Theressa points out below, this is probably an Anna’s hummingbird. Whups!

Black-Chinned Hummingbird

I think she’s a black-chinned hummingbird, but she could also be a ruby-throated. Apparently the females are famously hard to distinguish between.

Black-Chinned Hummingbird

I checked later, and there are a lot of mites up in there. Tasty ones, apparently.

Black-Chinned Hummingbird

A little possible black on the chin. Plus a pretty long, straight beak.

Black-Chinned Hummingbird

A better angle for the chin. Also, I apologize fir the hideousness of that wall.

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Dog of the Day: Tucker the Champion Cardigan Welsh Corgi

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Adam Lang

It’s another Blue Dog from the City!  Tucker is Tammy Fae’s dad, and a champion in his own right. He’s also 9 years old, and super-friendly. Oh, and his official name is ‘Blue Mop of Kentuck’.

Blue Merle Cardigan Welsh Corgi

The blue merle coloration sure is gorgeous.

Blue Merle Cardigan Welsh Corgi

I think I spent more time petting Tucker than I did taking the pictures. After I was done, his dad said, ‘There’s the difference between Tucker and Tammy Fae: he would totally follow you home right now.’

Blue Merle Cardigan Welsh Corgi

A gorgeous Cardigan Welsh corgi following me home? Where do I sign up?

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