Category: Pets

The Joy of Discovery

Our dog Bear with his eyes wide and mouth open as he tries a new dental treat for the first time. Taken on August 28, 2022. Original: _Z725474.NEF

Bear last summer as he was trying out a new dental treat. Needless to say it was a big hit.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-70mm f/4
🗓️: August 28, 2022

Saguaro Sandwich

Our dog Bear stands in front of a saguaro while the shadow of another saguaro falls across him on the Latigo Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on October 31, 2023. Original: _ZFC8034.NEF

Bear sandwiched between two saguaros on the Latigo Trail. The other day while making the long gradual climb back to the car on a western leg of this trail, he was so tired he let me take the lead, a first I think! Yesterday on a loop I stopped after a mile and doubled back to the car since he was flagging, so today I’ll give him a rest day and we’ll go for an easy walk in the neighborhood.

📷: Nikon Z fc | Nikon 24-70mm f/4
🗓️: October 31, 2023

Once More Into the Hatch

Our dog Bear looks out from the open hatch of my 2020 Lexus UX250h hatchback in the Brown's Ranch parking lot in Scottsdale, Arizona on October 22, 2023. Original: _Z724790.NEF

A few years ago I traded my beloved Crosstrek for a Lexus hatchback as I wanted something better suited to my commute and it’s worked a treat, I’m almost embarrassed by how much I love the little UX. I didn’t know then we’d be adopting this giant goof years later, the hatch is a little small and with a high entrance but thankfully it didn’t take Bear long to figure out how to jump in and get comfy. To watch him sprint to the back of the car when we’re getting ready to go for a hike is to see joy made manifest, pure and unbridled. Here we’re getting ready to leave my favorite trailhead, Brown’s Ranch, after one of our many hikes there. A few weeks back one of the stewards called us over and gave him a couple of treats and ever since he’s on the lookout when we pass through.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-70 f/4
Date: October 22, 2023

Back on the Trails

Our dog Bear with his tongue out and saguaros and Cholla Mountain in the background at The Amphitheater on the Cholla Mountain Loop Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on October 22, 2023. Original: _Z724697

One of the best parts of my leave of absence is I get to take Bear hiking on weekdays as well as weekends. He’s had a few health issues that have kept me from taking him every day but I’ve enjoyed getting him back into hiking shape after the summer layoff. I started him on shorter trails since he was tiring quickly when it was warmer, and then choosing trails that let me easily extend the hike by half a mile or so based on how he was doing. Pretty quickly he was back to hiking our regular trails, even if he still tires a bit by the end, here he’s enjoying the view at The Amphitheater (real name, not one I made up) with saguaros and Cholla Mountain as the backdrop.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-70 f/4
Date: October 22, 2023

Charm & Challenge

Our dog Ellie lies on the hardwood floor of our dining room in our house in Portland on September 8, 2013. Original: _MG_7169.CR2

Ellie in 2013 in the dining room of our house in Portland. Old homes are equal parts charm and challenge, it was built in the 1920’s so would be almost a century old now. We were there for 16 years, a pretty special time in our lives, one of the many families it sheltered over the years.

📷: Canon M | Canon 22mm
Date: September 8, 2013

Not Angry

Our cat Trixie looks at me as she's stretched out on my legs on January 26, 2023. Original: _ZFC4684.NEF

Trixie seems a little angry in this picture but she wasn’t. It’s normal for her to be stretched down the length of my legs but usually her head is pointed towards my toes so I was thankful I had a camera at hand in January she was turned the other way round.

📷: Nikon Z fc | Nikon DX 16-50
Date: January 26, 2023