Can my dog do this?

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized / Tracy Christenson

I don't think my dog could do this.....

“I don’t think my dog would do that” This is a common concern a lot of people have when considering a pet photography session. They worry about their dog being too excitable, or distracted to sit for images. In addition, there are also fears of being embarrassed by their dog behaving badly. However. I have to tell you, dogs behaving wild and crazy during photo sessions are more the norm than the exception. If you have any reservations as to how your dog would handle a photo session, read on. Here are some things that might alleviate any fears or embarrassment you may have.

Here is a secret

The final images of a photo session are usually just a very small fraction of the images taken. In this aspect, being a photographer in the digital age is something I am very grateful for. This is because I can take lots of images and not have to worry about the price of the film. For example, below and to the right are just a few outtakes from a session at Lake Tahoe with a fellow photographer from the area. You can check out his work at www.peterspain.com.

Lake Tahoe Photo Session with Jake and Maple

The images to the right are from a session with my dogs Jake and Maple. The goal was to get some images for my portfolio as well as some images of a cool Lake Tahoe dog collar he had designed. I included both the finished product, as well as the messy outtakes. We first went to the Stateline lookout for some shots of both of them with the Lake behind them. We then went to a local beach to get some shots. It was there I got a few of my favorite shots of Maple. She has proven not to be the easiest dog to photograph due to her ability to put on the world’s best pouty face every time I point the camera at her. So, she is actually a great example of a situation where I had to improvise. This involved getting her outside and distracted enough for her to forget for a moment she was part of a photo shoot.

Having a dog wrangler is extremely helpful.

I was lucky that day to have help. However, I am usually flying solo during most sessions. I am often able to draft the owners into the job if they are present. Occasionally I can talk my husband to be a dog wrangler if he is available. If your dog can’t be off-leash that is absolutely no problem. Photoshop can do wonders with removing both leashes and humans from the image.

If your dog tends to act like an over-caffeinated toddler in the throws of a tantrum testing every boundary known to man in public settings, THAT IS COMPLETELY NORMAL LOL. I can work with all of that and we usually end up laughing and having a great time working through the challenges.

Keeping your dog safe is 100% the priority, Removing leashes in Photoshop is easily done during the editing.

Pet photography session is a combination of art and science.

The technical aspects of the camera, lighting, and location setup are easy and for the most part controllable. The dog…not so much. Sometimes I just need to let the dog dictate the other aspects of the session. Knowing this and approaching each session with a bag of tricks, and an arsenal of backup plans is crucial. Changing plans on the fly and taking frequent breaks are also often necessary. The best images come from happy and content dogs. And the best way to capture images of the things that make your dog unique and special is to let them be themselves! Patience and good energy are essential. Because the moment you become frustrated or unhappy, the dog will likely pick up on this.

If worried about your dog’s crazy coming out doing a photo session, you are in good company and have nothing to fear. Pet photography sessions are truly a no-judgment zone for dog behavior. I have gotten some of the best images in the midst of insane dog behavior and we usually end up having a blast in the meantime.

If you think getting some awesome images of your own pup is something you are interested in, check out the session information section. Or better yet, contact me to set up a session!

Can my dog do this? Read More »

Dogs and Rattlesnakes

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized / Tracy Christenson

Maple got her rattlesnake training done last weekend.

No one ever wants their dog to be scared, hurt, or uncomfortable. So , this not particularly a day I was looking forward to. But it was a day that needed to happen. As soon as possible.

We live at the base of Peavine mountain. There are miles of hiking and mountain biking trails that begin at the trailhead which is a short walk from our house. We have forest land across the street and BLM land all around us. There is a view of the Reno Skyline that is unbeatable. We have a good-sized fenced-in backyard. Behind us are empty lots and more land.

There are also Rattlesnakes all over the place. They are on trails, on the jeep roads, and in our backyard. Last summer I went out to start the grill on our patio. For a moment I thought there was something wrong with the gas(why was it hissing like that?). Nope. Right next to the grill was a large and angry rattlesnake. It was just a few feet from my bare feet at the time. It was way too close for comfort to the sliding glass door to the inside of the house which is also left open frequently when the weather is nice.

The video on the right is of this very incident. Turn up the sound for the full effect.

As long as I have lived here, getting my dogs’ rattlesnake trained was always a priority for me. Get Rattled is a company that does just that. They also do a great job at it. They use live snakes and focus on allowing the dogs to hear, smell and see the rattlesnake. There is more information on exactly how they do it on their website.

The Rattlesnake training

Maple is learning that rattlesnakes are bad

They started the training by introducing the Maple to a large and very alive snake. When the Maple approached the snake and showed interest in it, she received a negative(and painful) correction through an E collar. After the introduction, she went through a couple of different scenarios. One was an area where they had some snake skin hidden in some kind of rock runnel. As they had asked that we keep a certain distance so as to not distract the dogs, I didn’t have a very good view of this part of the course. Because of that, I didn’t get any photos of that part. The final test was to have maple come back to the big live snake on the blanket that she was first introduced to. The Maple was positioned on one side of the blanket and we were asked to stand on the other side. We were instructed to call Maple to us. We knew she has passed the test when she made sure to take a long arch around the snake to reach us, and then immediately hid behind us(essentially sacrificing us to the snake). Good Girl Maple!

Jake also went through the course as a refresher, as he had done it before. Jake knew right away that this snake was bad news.

Dogs and Rattlesnakes Read More »

Dog Agility Fun and Competition

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized / Tracy Christenson

Classes In Northern Nevada/Reno

Roxanne and Cinch have been taking classes with Katrina for about 8 months and participated in the trials last weekend. This photo was taken at one of the weekly classes.

Northern Nevadans love their dogs. That is obvious from the amount of dog centered activities and classes available to participate in.

I got the chance to attend an agility training class that was hosted by Katrina Anderson. Katrina is a dog trainer and handler. She offers several types of group classes focusing on dog agility. Some of her clients even participate in competitions! Katrina was kind enough to allow me to attend one of her classes with a camera instead of a dog. She also took the time to sit down with me and answer some questions that I had about her classes. I thought others might have the same questions. To get more information on what she does and the awesome dogs she works with you can visit her website.

agility Competitions

In addition catching a class, I got the chance to check out the Agility Trials last weekend. It was an absolute blast to be able to watch and photograph. It was also an absolute nightmare from a lighting perspective for photography. A low light environment with artificial overhead light was spewing out even amounts of boring and drab lighting over everything. On top of that there were some windows on the side of the arena that let in patches of outside light. This light mixed with the artificially indoor overhead lights. When artificial indoor light mixes with outdoor light it tends to create an an ugly and weird tinting in photographs. In addition, these dogs were moved really fast. They also zig zagged, jumped and disappeared and reappeared through tunnels. I knew that the low amount of light available would create problems focusing on them and staying with them.

After talking with my mentor about the situation I thought about postponing the event all together. I could wait for a better scenario . It was my fist time photographing a competitive dog event aside from the classes and I wanted to make a good impression on those who would see, and be in the photos. However, I knew it would also be a good learning experience so I decided to go for it and do the best I could. After getting back home that day, I uploaded the photos into my editing software. I removed good amount a noise(which occurs when you shoot in low light, and some of the weird tinting that came from the mixed lighting. I posted a gallery about about 140 photos. Below are a handful of photos from that day. You can view the full gallery here. The best part of the day was watching how intense and how happy the dogs looked as they ran the obstacles. They all had an absolute blast. I tried to capture those expressions and emotions in the photos the best I could.

Below is the answers to the questions I had for Katrina about her classes and dog training. She was super nice and friendly and very eager to help me learn more about the whole scene. If you have any more questions I didn’t cover, or are interested in trying out a class, I would suggest to contact her directly.

Where are your classes located?

My Training facility is located in Spanish Springs just outside of Sparks, Nevada.

Who are these classes for?

For any active fit young dog that a person wants to do something with their dog that satisfies both physical and mental needs. It builds a wonderful training relationship and bond with your dog that is hard to beat. I say young and fit because it is a physically demanding sport that takes about a year to get competition ready. Overweight dogs or dogs that have orthopedic issues and poor structural build are not suited to the sport.

Can my dog do this if they are not an Australian shepherd(or similar breed)?

Definitely! I have King Charles spaniels, poodles, vislas, labs that all do pretty well in the sport. It may take a bit more work to figure out how to properly motivate and maintain connection with some more independent breeds but I have seen just about every breed do agility.

My dog doesn’t even know how to sit and stay….will these classes be too advanced?

I now offer a 4 week agility foundations class which is a 4 week class that focuses on how dogs learn, how to mark a behavior you want and how to get the dog to connects and focus on working with you. I will be giving you tools to work on that sit and stay as well as others to make sure you are ready to work on the harder stuff. It does require some time and commitment on the handler to work on the skills I teach you at home in between classes.

This looks serious. Is it ok to just drop to class occasionally for something fun my dog and I can do together?

I do focus more on the competition side of things and my classes are limited to how many I can have and how many dogs per class. Unfortunately for me I cant really do drop in classes. The classes are often separated by where dogs and handlers are at in their skill levels and each class particularly in the beginning builds upon the previous class. It is a fun activity to do with your dog but when you cants get your dog to do what other people are doing because they put in more hours and time to master the skills it can be frustrating. I may do a more fun based class in the future but not right now.

If I do decide I want to compete, What is the best way to get involved/find out more about competitions of you have never done them before?

Lots of local competitions from several different venues are available. Joining local agility clubs such as Ready 2 Run Agility Club, Ha=Ha agility club and Norther Nevada Australian Shepherd club helps to get you involved in the sport. I do help to support my students helping to keep them informed of local trials, teaching them how to fill out an entry, supporting them at the trial with where to set up how trials work how you can help and walking courses strategizing how to get the course done right and have fun. Going and watching a trial and helping out really immerses you in what it is all about.

Will you show me things I can work on at home with my dog between classes?

You will by far get the most out of class if you do some homework at home. Even without much equipment you will get a lot more done if you do some training at home. I send home weekly stuff to do in the foundations class and intro class. The training Facebook group page has a lot of training videos on it demonstrating more advanced skills that you can work on. You will rarely get weave poles without training at home a once a week class wont cut it.

What do you have in the plans for this upcoming year?

I’m working on a sport puppy class and foundation class curriculum and will be updated the Webpage. The new training center will be called Canine Connection Center. I will be going in with another positive based trainer. I will do sport and puppy foundation classes there while she does puppy obedience and therapy dog training.
The agility classes will remain in the Spanish Springs location and we will be adding a location this summer in Lemmon Valley. The sport puppy and foundations class will be at an indoor facility in Spanish Springs.

What type of classes do you offer?

I have several group classes
Sport puppy class will do some work on the basics such as sit, down, stay, come, but will primarily work on relationship and confidence building through target training, stations, impulse control, body awareness, and reading your body cues. We also do some agility flat work using barrels, tunnels hoops, cones, platforms, ect.
Introduction to agility is a 6 week course in which most of the equipment is introduced to both you and the dog. Safe performance of each obstacle is the primary concern. Very short 1-2 obstacle sequences will be worked on.
Competition level classes is suitable to teams that know most of the equipment and can perform it safely and independently. Longer sequences up to full courses are worked and the primary focus for the classes will be handling skills and harder more complex sequences.

Dog Agility Fun and Competition Read More »

An Experience at the Pet Network Humane Society

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized / Tracy Christenson

Shelter Pet Photography and an Adoption

Bringing Maple Home

“Aww….I wonder what was wrong with her”? A very well-meaning friend and coworker of mine asked the question. A dog lover. I was proudly showing photographs of Maple, my new pup around the break room. Although we had had been checking out the Shelters around Reno, we found her at the Pet Network Humane Society near the shores of Lake Tahoe. I was a proud new dog mom.

I didn’t know how to answer the question at the time and brushed it off. “Yeah I donno, she is just great” and didn’t think much about it the rest of the day. But later thought about the misconception some people may have about shelter pets.

The strong answer was….there was nothing wrong with her. As I believe is the case with most dogs in shelters. She is the sweetest, friendliest, cuddliest pup I know. A dog who loves everyone. She is extremely well adjusted and well-behaved. She doesn’t chew things up. I can’t think of anything I would change about her. Yet she spent almost 2 months in the shelter looking for a family to love with all her heart. However, Maple lucked out in that The Pet Network Humane Society is much more than just an animal shelter. I quickly realized this after I offered to photograph adoption photos and learning more about all they do. I will tell you exactly why below.

Shelter Life at Pet Network

*Photo borrowed from the Pet Network Website

The Pet Network Humane Society is a stone’s throw from Lake Tahoe, in Incline Village, Nevada. It is nestled in the trees of the Sierra Forest in a magical place. While waiting for their new families, the dogs rest in spacious kennels that have large windows and individual access to their own outdoor wooded play yards. The adult cats lounge in their indoor/outdoor ‘catio’, complete with a flat screen TV that imitates a fish tank, while the smaller kittens tussle around safely in their indoor ‘kitten playground.

Although I am not from The Tahoe area, it didn’t take long to see how much the community cares about the lake, the land, and the animals that are a part of it. I had the privilege of getting to tour the South Lake Tahoe Wildlife Refuge to visit Russel, an injured crow my bother and his dog found and delivered into their welcoming and caring hands. It was obvious they cared. Russel now helps educate school kids about wildlife. The inspiring energy and passion I experienced at the Pet Network was the same type of energy. For example, community events encourage people to include their pets in their fun, are often announced on the Pet Network Facebook page. In addition, they offer free pet food to members of the community in need at any time, which helps those going through tough times keep their pets in their life when they are needed most.

A good Vibe

Staff bustle around the immaculate facility, tending to a new litter of kittens and consulting on the best video angles for a dog who will be featured on their Instagram page. All the while a rather rotund lobby cat oversees the activity from her perch. The Pet Network team makes a concerted effort to ensure that the shelter is a place of love and laughter and new beginnings. From the afternoon ‘scent of the day’ that wafts through the dog halls via diffuser, In addition, there are specially made pupsicles and Kongs chock-full of peanut butter and treats. The Pet Network family lovingly cares for the animals while they wait for their forever homes. Every staff person participated in a week-long training intensive. This included the receptionist to the Executive Director. Th to become ‘Fear Free’ certified to work with animals in a safe, loving, and compassionate manner.

Pet Network’s warm inviting vibe extends beyond the care of their animals. It also includes an increase in community outreach events and collaborations, their lifesaving work is touching communities in the Tahoe basin and beyond every day. Cats and dogs are brought to Pet Network where they receive the care necessary to adopt them out into loving and grateful homes*

The dogs and cats

The Pet Network has a page for adoptable dogs and cats, that links to a page for each animal. From there you can find more information, and usually more photos of them. The info available varies, but there is usually breed, intake date, age, and a paragraph about their personality. There is an adoption fee that varies as well. Due to generous sponsorship from the Gately foundation, we were pleasantly surprised to find out that the adoption fee for Maple was covered along with a year of pet health insurance for our sweet little Maple. She was spayed, microchipped, in excellent health, and smelled like she has just had just had a nice bath, even though their was no way they could have known we were coming for her.

The adoptions are first come first served. However, there is an adoption application you can fill out prior to visiting that speeds up the process if it does end up being a successful adoption We already completed this when we arrived to meet Miss Maple, as the plan was to visit the previous weekend. However, the winter storms had other plans for us that weekend that did not involve driving over Mount Rose Pass from Reno.

Jake’s Approval

Before we committed to Maple we made sure to get approval from all members of the household. This included our senior Pit Mix Jake. The staff at Pet Network was very excited for our visit and encouraged to bring Jake to the meet and greet. When it was time for the introduction we brought them both to the large enclosed yard behind the building for a playdate. Within minutes they were playing and chasing each other around through mounts of snow. We know it was a match. We checked Maple out with a full record of health history for her, a large bag of treats, and a nice collar donated from Tahoe Pets. When we walked out the door, Maple lead the way like a champ, with her head high and prance in her step. She knew she was going home.

Photography at the shelter

Photographing Shelter Pets is something I have always wanted to do. It involves photographing a variety of animals, often quickly, in sometimes less then ideal conditions. All while trying to bring out the best side of them in what might be an already stressful environment for them. Getting them to feel as comfortable as possible is a priority. I have improved as a pet photographer by leaps and bounds due to the challenges and the lessons the dogs have taught me. I am grateful to be able to help create images show the world these awesome animals.

Here are some photos of some of of the awesome dogs!

*Words of this paragraph taken from material from the Pet Network Society.

An Experience at the Pet Network Humane Society Read More »