This dog’s got a lot of character.
That's Autumn petting him. He was quite pleased to meet her, as most dogs are.
This is pretty much how things went, until I asked Autumn if I could get a couple shots of just the dog.
I think someone figured out exactly why she stopped petting him.
Aww, c’mon… time off for good behavior? Or at least for cat behavior?
Skritches only every half hour or so! Durance vile indeed.
How can people resist a face like that? I mostly don't go to the SPCA, since I know I'd come back with a half dozen pets and be kicked out of my apartment.
I’ve been a bad boy… didn’t post at all yesterday, and I’m late today. Bad me! In reparation, here are two awfully good dogs. (Jemma is the one with the shorter fur.)
I don’t know if the kids were complete strangers to the dogs’ owner. I suspect so, and that everyone just flumped down in the sidewalk and greeted. Awesome.
As far as I know, Berners have exactly two expressions: soulful and goof-a-riffic. Hint: this one’s ‘soulful’.
Okay, now we’re heading in the ‘goofy’ direction.
After a great deal of petting, the two pups got treats and I headed off to the store. The end?
…and then fifteen minutes later, on my way back from the store, who should I run into… (Looks like there may be some disagreement on where they’re going, and on who is walking whom!)
Goofy again! Yay.
I think we might be mid-bark here.
Basically just a giant happy grinning head on four stumpy legs.
Whenever I see an English Bulldog I have the obscure urge to give him a little noogie. Not sure why.
My inner chiropractor cringes, but the rest of me giggles.
Autumn and I were down in SOMA last weekend for brunch. There we were, walking along minding our own business, when suddenly, across the street, we spied… this guy. And we were immediately forced to postpone our brunch plans, because how often do you get to see a Tibetan mastiff? There weren’t any at Bay to Barkers or any of the other dog fairs, that we saw, nor were there any at the Golden Gate kennel club dog show. I met one once before, but it was a couple years before I started the blog.
Now, I managed to forget to take down any notes, so I’m just going on recollection here. The couple who was walking him got him from a breeder, because they love large breeds but didn’t want to have their souls crushed by a 7-year lifespan. Apparently Tibetan mastiffs average well over 10 years, and some sources have them averaging as long as 12 to 16 years, which is astonishing for a dog of that size. They had heard that the breed isn’t as social and friendly as (say) Berners or St. Bernards, and said, ‘oh, that’ll be no problem, we’ll just socialize him well and…’ They implied that it hadn’t quite gone according to plan. And indeed, he was a perfect gentleman, and let Autumn and me pet him with a sort of grave dignity, but if he actually enjoyed it he wasn’t letting on.
Edit: And Lambeau’s dad just submitted a couple of pictures for my photo contest, which gave me his name. Woohoo! So far there’s one in the city category… I’ll add a link to the other, in the dogs category, if and when it makes the cut for the finals.
The other Tibetan Mastiff Autumn and I have seen was even bigger and much floofier. He had a mane like a Leonberger.
How can you help but fall in love with that face?
Look at the shape of the ‘eyebrows’. Tan points expressed a little differently than I’ve seen them before.
Always with the watchful eye on mom and dad.
If you look at the paws, you can see a dewclaw.
He certainly has the plaintive expression down pat.
Someone is looking faaaaabulous!
She's so proud of her pretty boots. (Think it was a 'her', anyway.)
The poop-bag holder makes fetching matching neckwear.
We’ve had these two on before, here, but they are well worth a revisit.
Last time I took four pictures of them with my old iPhone and edited and posted the best two. This time I took around 200 pictures of them with a much better camera in a variety of lighting conditions. I think I did better this time, but not as much better as I was hoping for. From this we could deduce one of two things: either Adam sticks, or photography is hard. Luckily for me, since this is my blog, I get to pick!
I think the one in the background is Bud.
I think they're gorgeous in the mixed light and shadow, but the unfortunate side effects include 'shadow of one dog's nose on the other one' which just looks goofy.
I very rarely got both of their attention at the same time, but the Yorkie back there managed it just fine.
Caly is standing in my shadow. I love Bud's facial expression.
I asked mom to lead them into the shadow so I could get some more consistent pics, and immediately thereafter they became entirely unwilling to face me. No matter where I went, they turned around and showed me their butts. Figures.
Turns out I have some more Macy’s Window Kitties stocked away for a rainy day. Still, I’m getting close to running out of kitties. If any of you have Kitties of San Francisco (or environs), and want to send ’em in to me, by all means do so. (I am reachable via email at alang followed by an at sign followed by dogsofsf.com. And yes, that’s an attempt to prevent spam scrapers from getting my address.)
Pensive look.
I love the way cats wrap their tails around them like that.
Sorry, got busy today and didn’t get a chance to post. So here’s a quickie, a lovely German Shepherd outside a bagel bakery.
German Shepherds are so awesomely wolfy.
Caught these two at a dog park not too far from work. Autumn thinks the brown one looks bloodhoundy, and I think there may be some ridgeback in there too. The other one, at a guess, looks German shepherdish to me.
Sadly, Baker & Hamilton (an old tool company that was founded to sell tools to gold-rush miners) is no more.
One reason I think he's a ridgeback mix is his energy level.
Goofy grin.
A little blurry, but still, I think, worth it.
Is it just me, or is that expression a bit sarcastic?