Leapin’ Lizards (er, Dogs)!

Yes, Solar IS upside down!

It may not be a dog-eat-dog world, but it’s definitely been a dogs–dogs-dogs week on this blog.

When I returned to the Paws in the Park event in Pearland last Sunday, I was in for a treat: I got to enjoy (and, of course, shoot) the Ashley Whippet Invitational’s freestyle competition, which I had never seen before.

Solar leaps over Andrew.

Freestyle involves the handlers and dogs performing judged, short routines choreographed to music. The pups jump over their human pals . . .

Psych balances on Pennie.

. . . on them . . .

Kirby is a springboard for Torch.

. . . and off them!

Top dog!

It results in lots of energy and what looks like fun for both canines and their companions. It definitely was a blast to watch!

Psych eyes the disc while on Pennie.

Naturally, there was plenty of disc tossing and catching.

Got it!

Wide receivers and tight ends ain’t got nothing on these critters!

Solar zooms past Andrew.

Of course, the performances also involved abundant high-flying action.

Torch flies through the air with the greatest of ease.

It’s easy to see that this is a sport that can grow by leaps and bounds.

Each contest usually ends with the dog in the handler’s arms. A fitting conclusion!

Especially leaps!

One-Word Wednesday

What goes up . . . .

Gravity!

. . . must come . . .

. . . down! (at last Saturday’s DockDogs competition in Pearland)

A High-Flying Good Time

Posing with Rob and his special disc last Saturday.

Last year I blogged about having a photo in the “Guinness Book of World Records,” my mini claim to fame.

Know where the pic also is?

Very cool!

On this disc! Rob McLeod, Davy Whippet’s talented thrower, had the frisbee made to commemorate the world record (check out Davy’s “pawtograph!”). Last Saturday Rob e-mailed me that he would be in nearby Pearland that day and the next competing in a Quadruped, which features long-distance throw-and-catch events (there also were timed contests and freestyle). He wanted to get together so he could give me this gift.

I was so honored!

Naturally, I toted along my Nikon D610 and Nikon 70-200mm lens in anticipation of some good action photo ops.

Open wide!

There were plenty!

Bones, Rob’s other pup, is on his way back to the ground.

As with all good sports shots, the key is timing. However, there were several unknowns to consider:

Got it!

Where are the disc and the dog going? Will the throw be good? Will the catch be made?

The disc is within reach.

All of which made it hard to keep the canine and frisbee in focus. What a challenge!

Caught!

Fortunately, I had enough keepers to make it a worthwhile, fun shooting experience.

Davy makes the catch look easy.

Plus I got to see Davy again. He’s an amazing athlete—so fast and so good at catching the disc. It helps that he and Rob are really in sync.

I’ll always remember this high-flying team whenever I look at my frisbee. Thanks again, Rob!

Mini (World Record) Fame

Skying high to catch the frisbee.

Remember this photo from this blog post?

Well, it just so happens that the dog, Davy Whippet, and his owner, Rob McLeod, set a world record for the longest flying disc throw caught by a canine later that year (2012). Apparently, Rob felt that the best photo snapped of his four-legged buddy was the one above. So he got me and the “Guinness Book of World Records 2014” peeps together via e-mail.

Jazzy cover

Guess whose photo is published in a book for the first time? Yep, little, old me!

Pretty cool!

Check out page 40, the first of the “Dazzling Dogs” section. There’s my pic halfway down (albeit flipped horizontally).

The close-up version (which looks better in the book)

Autographs anyone?

Not that you can tell which photo is mine.

Plus I got a photo credit. And $125 that was wired to my bank from London. Yep, the one in England!

I’ve had photos published before in various newspapers, magazines, and catalogs. But this is the ultimate for me, so far.

Looks like my 15 minutes of world-record fame has been sealed forever!

One-Word Wednesday

Skying high to snag the frisbee during a a QuadraPed disc dog final last Sunday.

Catch!

Got it!

Return to sender

Max to the Max!

Max doesn’t like to just sit around.

This cutie is Max.

But not really.

That’s more like it!

This is the real Max!

Hello there!

My neighbor Cheryl’s adorable beagle prefers to be in your face as much as possible. Max loves people, and he enjoys lavishing everyone with slobbery kisses. Which do not mix well with camera lenses!

Too close for my Nikon’s focus!

Hence the final, blurry, stay-away-from-Max photo! I love seeing Max . . . at a distance.

Dancing With the Dogs

No music was necessary for these two dogs.

Sometimes when I’m out and about with my digital SLR, the strangest photo ops will present themselves. Like the other day when I seemed to have stumbled upon a new reality show, “Dancing With the Dogs.”

What's that next dance move?

These two awkwardly paired pooches seemed eager to trip the light fantastic despite the lack of music. Or much of an audience. Or a snazzily dressed host and/or hostess. Or even other competitors!

Perhaps more practice would help?

Maybe the two pals need to rehearse a bit more before they’re ready to be in the limelight at the Fur Ball!

Final Glimpses of My Chicago Trip

My brother's dog Root Beer

I still have some photos from my long Thanksgiving weekend back home to Chicago that I’d like to share. Here are a few favorites.

The mansion's “security system” keeps an eye on the place.

Someone is building a mansion down the street from my brother’s place. They have carvings of different male and female heads attached to the front of the building. Doesn’t this one look like the ghost of Christmas present?

Stained glass classes up a restaurant

My mom and I went to a breakfast place that had stained glass pieces over most of the windows. They really spiced up the decor!

First the sign . . .

. . . and then the “guard dog!”

This one was just plain funny!

’Tis the season for lit decorations

My low-light photography skills came in handy as the decorations started to light up my brother’s neighborhood. I especially like the bokeh’d lights dotting the background!

The view from high above

Of course, my absolutely fave pix were taken from the airplane, as I flew home to Houston.

The Houston area starts to come into view.

As my visit to Oz Park reminded me, there’s no place like home!

Water, Water Everywhere . . . and Plenty to Drink!

Kyle rehydrates on the sidelines.

Here in south Texas, we’ve gotten buckets and buckets of rain lately. Even as I type it’s drizzling outside. It’s great for the new front yard landscaping (goodness, not again!), but I’m getting tired of the dreariness.

Evan cools off as he quenches his thirst.

All of this water from the sky makes me think about some photos I’ve taken recently. At one of the high school freshmen football games at our school’s practice field, I was intrigued by a water station that was able to give the pause that refreshes to several players at a time.

Otis grabs a drink.

I especially like the way the water droplets stand out as they escape into the air.

The water streams out for Ermias.

I almost forgot that there was a football game going on! But that’s pretty typical for me; I tend to get very distracted when I’m taking photos.

Only bottled water is good enough for this pooch!

Wonder what this dog would think of that football water station? He might have visions of paradise . . . as long as his master holds the nozzle for him!

Photo Friday: Just a Doggone Cute Photo

Hank

While the #2 son was running his garage sale last Saturday, my neighbor Melissa walked past with her dog Hank. Isn’t he cute? Some might say “doggone” cute, but not me. I’m so above puns. Well, except in my blog post titles.

Sidebar: “Melissa” is pronounced “Me-lee-sa,” with the accent on the second syllable. Is that a Texas thing? Years ago I met a woman named Nina whose name was pronounced “Nine-a.” Made me extra-cautious when I said the name of someone new. Of course, you would think that it would be hard to screw up an easy name like “Susan,” but you’d be wrong. “Suzanne” anyone?

The minute Melissa told me the name of her dog, I immediately thought of “Hank the Cowdog.” Anyone else think of that? Got to know your children’s literature!

the literary Hank the cowdog

Of course, the literary Hank, who is the top dog at his master’s ranch in west Texas, doesn’t look anything like my neighborhood Hank, the top dog at Melissa’s house here in south Texas.

the neighborhood Hank

But both sure are cute! Doggone cute!

Sorry!!