Butterflyday Supplement

Unless something else exciting goes wrong, voting in the first category of my photography contest starts tomorrow. I’m trying to figure out how to work the voting, and I think I’ve got that. Next I need to figure out how to keep the poll at the top for a week, and a couple of other fun things.

In other news, I’m nearly out of cat pictures… well, out of my own cat pictures, I have plenty of submissions for the contest. So here is a picture of a pair (yes, there are two of them there) of San Francisco residents I found on my way to work a couple of weeks ago.

Western Swallowtail Butterfly

Always nice to see a few of these wandering through the city.

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Dog of the Day: Zoey the 11-Month-Old Possible Shiba Inu Mix

Well, mom had no idea what Zoey was, but I think she’s a Shiba mix. She’s so foxy and cute! She’s also super-friendly, and very curious. And has a somewhat alarming tendency to run around and around and around anything she happens to be tied up to. No, puppy, no strangling yourself!

Shiba Inu Mix

I was totally rude, I have to admit. I walked up and started taking pictures of this pup with her mom right there and I didn’t even ask. In my defense, I didn’t know that they belonged to each other.

Shiba Inu Mix

Can’t tell if that’s a smile or a smirk.

Shiba Inu Mix

Now that’s a grin!

Shiba Inu Mix

I love the black tailtip.

Shiba Inu Mix

Hey, are you laughing at me?

Shiba Inu Mix

Zoey can darken my door anytime she likes.

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Dog of the Day: Cokie the Chow Mix

What do you think? Chow/Pomeranian? Maybe Chow/Shiba Inu? Mom says she’s ten years old, and was rescued from Tijuana.

Chow Mix

What a teddy bear!

Chow Mix

A cuddly teddy bear!

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Dog of the Day: Only The Shadow Knows (Well, Okay, Actually He’s MacGregor the Scottish Terrier)

I ran into MacGregor a couple of weeks ago and I just HAD to stop and snag a couple of pictures although I knew that such a black dog on such a bright day, at noon, was going to be murder. And indeed, I got THE SHADOW.

Fortunately, MacGregor’s mom found the blog and sent me a few (rather small) pictures of him, to augment mine. Unfortunately, hers are mostly kind of silhouettes too. Oh well. MacGregor, it turns out, is hard to photograph at any time.

Oh, MacGregor’s story is worth a mention as well. Apparently he was taken away from his original owner by the Northern Cal Scottie Rescue when he was four, because he was being abused. (As in, they actually came in and took him away, against the owner’s will.) At that point he was terrified of everything: kids, cars, adults, other dogs, you name it.

And today he’s nine years old, and is the mayor of AT&T park: he knows all the regulars and drops by to say hello, he personally greets all the strangers he sees, and he chases the sea lions and seals up and down along the edge of the pier when they show up there. He’s a perfect gentleman, and I was quite honored to meet him. Guess that goes to show how much good a happy home can do!

Scottie (AKA Scottish Terrier/Aberdeen Terrier)

Why did I go with this picture? Because of the thirty or so I took, this is one of only two that had a visible eye. He really is a little bitty cheerful black hole.

Scottie (AKA Scottish Terrier/Aberdeen Terrier)

And why did I pick this one? One word: EYEBROWS.

Scottie (AKA Scottish Terrier/Aberdeen Terrier)

Mom provided me with a few very low-res pics, so I made up a little montage. Top: MacGregor keeping a watchful eye out for seals. Bottom left: MacGregor exploring for treats. Bottom right: MacGregor, on vacation from his mayoral duties, at Chrissie Field.

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Double Dog Day: More Vicious Puppy Fight!

As noted yesterday, these are Calvin Hobbes (large) and Riley (small).

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy

A quick time-out from the fight to do a hilarious patter song!

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy

Someone stuck his head in the lion’s mouth.

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy

Coming up with captions for this level of cute is hard work.

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy

Quick break in the action for hugs?

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy

I gotta admit, sometimes the expressions can be a little… off-putting.

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy

Those ears.

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy

And THAT expression is just totally goofy.

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy

Dogs have silly ridgy mouth-roofs. Ridgy roof, ridgy roof. Okay, that’s enough from me, I’m getting a little too goofy today.

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Double Dog Day: The GREAT PUPPY FIGHT of 2012!

It’s been ages since we had a great puppy fight. And this one is pretty great!

The small one, who is supposedly some kind of spaniel mix (although he looks a lot like a papillon mix to me!), is named Riley, all of three and a half months old. The bigger one, a six-month-old German shepherd mix, is named (god I love this) ‘Calvin Hobbes’. They met, and it was vicious snarling snapping puppy love at first sight.

I’m splitting this post in two. Too many pictures to post in one day (twenty-ish!), and well worth two days for two such adorable dogs.

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy Playing

I always stop for dogs, but most other people don’t. However, there was a little audience surrounding these two on the sidewalk, as people stopped and squealed inadvertently.

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy Playing

It’s always fun watching grown men squealing.

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy Playing

Calvin kept getting momentarily distracted. I think he had a little less invested in the fighting than ‘bold Riley’ did.

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy Playing

It’s rare that a dog who is play-fighting gets distracted enough to even look at me when I’m taking pictures. Calvin was a total sweetheart, though, and gave me smooches on the way by when he left too.

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy Playing

This is apparently Riley’s favorite move: lock his teeth in the other dog’s flews, or whatever that skin flap is called. Calvin hardly even seemed to notice, even though I can tell you those teeth were damn sharp.

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy Playing

Calvin, on the other hand, liked to glomp his jaws around Riley’s leg. But he’d just sort of let them rest there, so Riley could just pull his leg right back out again.

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy Playing

Look at those little sharp pointy teeth.

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy Playing

Okay, I love that expression.

German Shepherd Mix Puppy and Spaniel Mix Puppy Playing

I could have stood there and watched this for hours.

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Double Dog Preview: PUPPY FIGHT!

Been working on editing these pictures a bit. I’m not done, so I’m just going to post a preview and finish up tomorrow. I promise, they’re worth it.

So, stay tuned for… THE GREAT PUPPY FIGHT OF 2012!

German Shepherd Mix and Cocker Spaniel Mix Playing

The little one sure does have the ‘vicious puppy snarl’ down pat.

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Caturday Supplement: Boatcat

Here’s an oldie-but-goodie: I took this picture in 2006 (wow, is that really six damn years ago now?) when I was visiting the Hyde Street Pier. There was a rowboat sitting on the beach, next to the pier, covered with canvas. And this fine fellow was sunning himself on top of it.

Marmalade Kitty

Big and foofly, as befits a San Francisco cat.

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Dog of the Day: Whisky the 4-Month-Old German Shepherd/Labrador Retriever Mix Puppy

Been seeing a lot of puppies this year. Maybe I’m just noticing them more or something. Whatever it is, though, I welcome it.

Edit: Misread my notes, this guy is actually a German shepherd/Labrador retriever mix. Cute!

German Shepherd/Labrador Retriever Mix Puppy With Floppy Ears and Black And Tan Coloration

I never realized German shepherd ears were floppy at this age. THEY’RE SO DAMN CUTE!

German Shepherd/Labrador Retriever Mix Puppy With Floppy Ears and Black And Tan Coloration

Definitely no shy pups here.

German Shepherd/Labrador Retriever Mix Puppy With Floppy Ears and Black And Tan Coloration

Aw, man, that look.

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Dog of the Day: St. Bernard

No question what this guy is. And such a gorgeous specimen too. (Light post today… feeling under the weather.)

St. Bernard

I think if I got a St. Bernard I would have to get a king-sized bed. I mean, what’s the good of having a dog like this if you can’t cuddle up at night when it gets chilly?

Saint Bernard

This guy was all class. If you rubbed his belly, he would paw gently at you in an attempt to return the favor.

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