Dog of the Day: Axl the Bulldog/Beagle Mix?

Found this guy standing around outside of our favorite cheese shop. And I have to say, if golden retrievers are the ‘happy stoners’ of the dog world, this guy could definitely give them a run for their money.

Well, maybe he’s just high on cheese.

Beagle/Bulldog Mix

I have to admit, I wear an expression like his every time I walk into the cheese shop. Cheese and chocolate... my two biggest weaknesses.

Bulldog/Beagle Mix

Those are Autumn's hands, trying to get at his nametag while petting him.

Bulldog/Beagle Mix

I'm not sure I've ever had that expression. If I did, it wasn't in a cheese shop.

Bulldog/Beagle Mix

Doesn't he look like he ought to be standing on a surfboard?

Bulldog/Beagle Mix

Some dogs are food-motivated. I think Axl is just people-motivated.

Posted in Dog of the Day | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Dog of the Day: Mickey the West Highland White Terrier

I ran into Mickey one morning on the way to work, and immediately knew I had to take some pictures. After all, how often do you run into a dog wearing galoshes?

Turns out Mickey moved to San Francisco (with his mom) recently, and started licking his feet excessively after going out on walks. After trying a few other things, mom got him some boots, which seems to have pretty much taken care of the problem. This has caused the realization on my part that my aversion to dog clothes does not extend to boots: they looked ridiculously adorable, and red was absolutely perfect for such a white dog.

(The last picture was taken by Mickey’s mom, from atop twin peaks. Gorgeous!)

By the way, I have a vague recollection that Mickey’s last name might be Featherstone, in which case he is named after the rather ruthless gangster Mickey Featherstone, member of the Hell’s Kitchen gang ‘The Westies’. If this is indeed the case, I think it’s awesome, although perhaps a bit unfair to what seemed like a perfectly nice and very unlikely-to-shiv-you dog.

West Highland White Terrier

It was bright out. On the one hand, it washes out his fur a little, but on the other, he was moving around so fast that I would never have gotten anything but a blur in darker conditions.

West Highland White Terrier

The ever-popular 'giant head with tiny legs' pose, only this time with boots.

West Highland White Terrier

I'm sure there's something witty to be said about this picture. Feel free to fill it in yourself.

West Highland White Terrier

Looks like we have a bow-wow grazer in our browsers! (Okay, okay, but it's better than nothing, right?)

West Highland White Terrier

Mickey definitely had his own agenda. They're the dogs that are the most fun to photograph, because you don't have to keep shooing them away from the camera.

West Highland White Terrier

Photo courtesy of Mickey's mom. Lovely view, and happy face.

Posted in Dog of the Day | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Dog of the Day: Maddy-Pup the Akita/Siberian Husky Mix

Husky/akita is what mom says. She’s huge, though, so might be part malamute instead. Anyway, she is certainly the embodiment of all that is fluffy. She’s 8 years old, but it doesn’t seem to have slowed her down much.

Akita/Siberian Husky Mix

Happy smile, pretty fur, good size. A++++ Excellent Dog, Would Hug Again.

Akita/Siberian Husky Mix

Those spots on the nose really do something for me.

Akita/Siberian Husky Mix

*sigh* Yes, that is the shadow of my camera on her chest.

Posted in Dog of the Day | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dog of the Day: Hash the Staffordshire Bull Terrier/Labrador Retriever Mix Puppy

I’m actually not sure… mom said Hash was a pit bull/lab mix, but I’m going to have to go with Staffordshire/Lab. Looking at the face, he looks a lot like one, plus he’s sort of squat to be a pit bull/Lab mix. However, he’s just a puppy (4.5 months) so who knows what he’ll grow up to look like.

Staffordshire Bull Terrier/Labrador Retriever Mix

Those ears. So ridiculous. They flop up and down as he walks, too.

Staffordshire Bull Terrier/Labrador Retriever Mix

I predict a lot of dog treats in Hash's future. Who could say no to that face?

Posted in Dog of the Day | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Dog of the Day: Brussels Griffon

I don’t think this dog really needs much commentary from me. (The building behind the pup is one of the more expensive apartment buildings in the city, situated atop Nob Hill, kitty-corner from the Fairmont Hotel. Some TV show was filmed in it last year, but damned if I can remember which.)

Brussels Griffon

That expression is priceless. If perhaps a little frightening.

Brussels Griffon

I'm not even sure what emotion that face conveys, but I'm pretty sure I don't want to feel it myself to find out.

Posted in Dog of the Day | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Dog of the Day: Boss the North American Black Bear Cub… (uh, I mean Schipperke)

Oh my god everybody run it’s a bear!

Schipperke

Yes, the North American Black Bear is often seen grazing on the green expanses of lawn in San Francisco.

Schipperke

Wait... that's no bear! That's our site's first-ever schipperke.

Schipperke

A playful pup, too. I knew a couple schipperkes back in Pennsylvania... they climb counters/furniture/bookcases almost as well as cats, and they can jump like nobody's business.

Schipperke

Shadows. Grr. I thought San Francisco was supposed to be moist and dark all the time! (No, I'm joking, God, please don't turn off the sunshine.)

Schipperke

Here's how the conversation went. "You're kind of in his light." "Oh, am I? Sorry!" She takes two steps to the side. Immediately he takes two steps to the side and plants himself in her shadow again. Bah.

Schipperke

Ah well. Life hands me a lot of shadows, but some of them contain dog grins.

Posted in Dog of the Day | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Double Dog Day: Lab/Basenji Mix (?) and Pug Mix

Today’s post is a good illustration of one of the difficulties of dog park photography. I was just settling down to take some pictures of this lovely pooch, when I was so rudely interrupted. (The breed mix is just a guess, but the more I look at him… Lab coloration, Lab-like tail with a basenji curl, half-up-ears, kind of a similar face… now that I’ve thought of it, I can’t ‘un-see’ it.)

Labrador Retriever/Basenji Mix

The brow furrows always make a dog look serious and worried. Every time I see a basenji I have to fight the urge to tell him everything is going to be all right.

Labrador Retriever/Basenji Mix and Pug Mix

Never fails... when I find a calm dog who is willing to pose for me, someone else always comes by and sticks his head in the picture. (In this case, what a GOOFY head!)

Labrador Retriever/Basenji Mix and Pug Mix

Funny thing: about half the time a dog does this, it's a pug or pug mix.

Pug Mix

I have a surprising number of pictures of pug noses.

Pug Mix

Offered without comment.

Posted in Dog of the Day | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Caturday Supplement: Adoptable Dog-Friendly Kittens!

At Bay to Barkers, there was one surprise vendor there: a kitten rescue. They apparently rescue kittens from shelters, and then raise them with dogs so that they learn to get along with your canine friends early. I think it’s a great idea. Unfortunately, their web site is currently broken (the person organizing who was running the place, and who was the only one who knew how to maintain the web site, just had a baby). But if you’re interested in a kitten or two who was raised around dogs and loves them, you can drop an email to Lori Soucie at lsoucie1 followed by an ‘at sign’ followed by yahoo dot com.

(This was supposed to have posted yesterday, but for some reason doesn’t appear to have done so. I had to go in and retry it manually for it to show up. Weird! I think I’m going to skip today’s dog post, because I’d like this to be at the top of the front page for at least one day.)

Kittens

Funny, I didn't get ear-hair that long until I was at least 35.

Kittens

Unfortunate litterbox placement.

Kittens

I can't believe black kittens have so much trouble being adopted. Look at that ADORABLE little black NOSE!

Kittens

Can't tell if it's just position or if he really does have as twisty a tail as it looks like there.

Kittens

Black noses are cute, but little pink noses on greyscale kitties are awesome too. Maybe I just like cat noses. Also: pretty eyes.

Posted in Caturday Supplement | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Dog of the Day: Dodge the Shiba Inu/Chow Mix

Meet Dodge. Dodge is a Shiba/Chow mix who goes around busting down all the stereotypes of standoffish Asian dogs.

And grinning. A lot.

Chow/Shiba Inu Mix

Not hard to see the chow in there, is it?

Chow/Shiba Inu Mix

Interesting mask markings. Sort of a combination of the black markings chows get with the white cheeks shibas get.

Shiba Inu/Chow Mix

If there was ever a use for the Japanese word 'kawaii'...

Chow/Shiba Inu Mix

Dodge wasn't afraid to let people know exactly what he wanted. Which is to say, 'skritches'.

Posted in Dog of the Day | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

Dog of the Day: Musubi (aka Moose) the Corgi Puppy!

A corgi puppy for Autumn’s departure day!

Moose is an adorable little ball of fluff. He is also quite popular in the IntarTubez already, having been featured twice on Obsessive Corgi Disorder (here and here), once on Project Dog, and having practically a channel all to himself on YouTube (my own personal favorite Moose video is this one). Plus he has his own Facebook page!

(Autumn is headed back to the Midwest for gigs, including recording the sound track for a TV show (or, well, a show that hopes to be on TV), an appearance at the enormous Milwaukee Irish Festival, and some random appearances elsewhere, plus possible minor surgery. Nothing really dramatic, but please send good thoughts her way anyway.)

Pembroke Welsh Corgi Puppy

I took over 30 pictures of Moose. There were exactly two that weren't too blurry to post. And this one is still a bit blurry. He's a FAST-MOVING puppy!

Pembroke Welsh Corgi Puppy

No one who knows anything about corgis would be surprised that the clearest picture I got involved a treat.

Posted in Dog of the Day | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments