It’s the last week of the dog show year and all of the top dogs around the country are trying to squeeze in a few more shows and, hopefully, a few more wins!  The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship is being held this weekend in Orlando and there are also a few other shows scattered around the country.  Right about now there is a lot of grooming going on as the dogs are getting ready for their season finale!  I always get nervous when I see a groomer trimming with a scizzors like in the blog image.  One unexpected move by the dog and I hate to think what could happen.  I would be using one of those round-edged kindergarten scizzors just to be safe!  🙂  Heaven knows what the dog would look like though!

A few weekends ago I photographed Ozzy and his family for their holiday cards.  Ozzy is an adorable Cockapoo who is as smart as the dickins.  When it came to these birch trees, however, he just wasn’t quite catching onto the idea of where I wanted him to pose.  When I saw this little group of birches I envisioned the shot that you see above.  I wanted Ozzy to go behind the trees and sit so that he was visible between the two right-most trunks.   Well around and around and around he went, circling the trees and completely entangling himself in his long leash.  Mom was off to the right trying to coach him, but he wasn’t conceptualizing the same image as I had in my mind!  🙂   I have images of him in front of the trees, looking to the right, left, etc., and then FINALLY this shot came along.  Ta da….Ozzy, good boy!  That’s EXACTLY what I wanted!  I decided to leave the leash in the image to remind me of the fun we had trying to get him into position for this shot!

He’s a Norwegian Forest cat [or “Wegie”] and his name is “Harry Potter”.   His owners affectionately call him “Hairy Bear”.  Yep, he’s definitely “hairy”.  He’s a gorgeous brown tabby with white and he’s exquisitely groomed.  Below is an image of his owner making sure that he looks “purr-fect” before heading to the show ring.   Norwegian Forest cats evolved over hundreds of years in Scandinavia and traveled with the Vikings to keep ships and villages free of vermin.  Interestingly, they require little grooming.  This breed loves to be an active part of the family and they love to play! 

Santa has lots of helpers all over the world that give him advice on the purr-fect gifts for boys, girls, dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, parakeets, moms & dads.  Here is one of his feline elves getting ready to report on what all of the good little cats are asking for this holiday season.  My little guy Sebastian wants catnip toys and lots of scratches under his chin!