Michelle, Ditch and Chestnut {Nashville Dog Photographer}

Michelle won this photo session after bidding on my auction item at a fundraiser held by Metro Animal Care and Control earlier this year. Thank you! Michelle is a big champion for dog rescue. She picks up strays and fosters regularly. In fact, these two sweet pups were strays she came across in pretty memorable ways.

Ditch was found (you guessed it!) in a ditch on July 25, 2013. A day that Michelle fondly calls Ditchmas in July. He was with his two sisters, and sadly, they were all dying from Parvo. Ditch was the only one who made it. “When he became mine, he ditched his worst days behind him” Michelle stated. He is now seven years old. He loves humans, tolerates most female dogs, and would really like to be the only male dog on the planet. Michelle refers to him as her Shepshire Chowback because his DNA test showed him as part Chow, Swiss Shepherd, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Chestnut seemingly chose Michelle when she ran in front of her car on Chestnut street in Nashville. She nearly caused a collision with another car! Both drivers stopped and got out, and Chestnut went straight to Michelle and started licking her face. Despite multiple efforts to find Chestnut’s owners, no one claimed her, and Chestnut got to keep Michelle.

At first Ditch wasn’t so sure about Chestnut, but now they are two peas in a pod. These two couldn’t be more different, though. Ditch is serious, smart and very responsible (minus his love for dumping garbage cans), while Chestnut is super silly, not terribly bright, loves all dogs, and loves to counter surf. “I would never have picked either dog out of a lineup, but they are actually the perfect dogs for me!”

We did this session at Ellington Agriculture Center this summer. Check out some of my favorites!

~Mandy

Contact a Pet Photographer in Tennessee

Mandy Whitley Photography is Nashville's premiere pet photographer. Mandy Whitley creates fun and playful photographs with pets and their people. She photographs portrait sessions, family sessions, couple portraits, and weddings - as well as just pets! To inquire about booking a photo session, contact Mandy!

Homecoming Tales {Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary}

This week on the blog, I would like to take the opportunity to spotlight the Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary (OFSDS). Their mission is to provide lifetime homes for senior dogs. Senior dogs come with their fare share of challenges, which is why older dogs do not get adopted as quickly or as often as younger pups. OFSDS is a place where senior dogs can live out the remainder of their lives with love, comfort and good medical care. Another option they provide for the senior dogs is to be placed within a loving home as a “Forever Foster”. This is truly amazing and they have so many super sweet pups there. I wanted to take so MANY of them home with me!

I was so honored to photograph a few of these sweet pups for the front and back covers of a recently published book, Homecoming Tales: 15 Inspiring Stories from Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary. The book has been published by Harper Collins Publishers and available to order now! All of the author portion of the proceeds are going directly to OFSDS.

The cover dog is Mack, “America’s Best Friend”, a blind (no-eyed) cocker spaniel. He is between 10 and 14 years old and loves to climb. He also likes to sit in his forever foster Mason's lap and 'help' him work. (Mason and Nell adopted Mack and also work at OFSDS). You have to check this guy out and read about his Presidential nomination for the 2020 election! He and The Geezer Party he represents “have values that all of America can agree with”. Outside of the Presidential Candidacy, he also took part in the Dog Bowl this year!

Junebug is the little dog on the back cover of the book. She is a chihuahua, terrier and corgi mix and is between 11 and 13 years old. She chirps instead of barks. She was rescued from a hoarding situation in 2017 and after only 3 weeks in the shelter the Williams family decided to forever foster her.

The other dog on the back cover, Maverick, arrived at the shelter after his owner passed away. He is a plott hound mix and is about 1o years old. He loves his pup sister Maisy, also from OFSDS. He was such a sweet boy to photograph!

Please consider purchasing this sweet book to support OFSDS, and check out the OFSDS website to consider becoming a forever foster for one of the sweet pups they have there!

~Mandy

Contact a Pet Photographer in Tennessee

Mandy Whitley Photography is Nashville's premiere pet photographer. Mandy Whitley creates fun and playful photographs with pets and their people. She photographs portrait sessions, family sessions, couple portraits, and weddings - as well as just pets! To inquire about booking a photo session, contact Mandy!

The Dizmon Family {Nashville Pet Photography}

On the blog this week are Katie, Charles and their two Aussie pups: Booker and Wren. We did our photo session at Marcella Vivrette Smith Park in Brentwood, TN.

Booker and Wren are Australian Shepherds. Charles got the name Booker from one of his favorite games - BioShock Infinite. Booker is one and a half, but still believes he is a small puppy the way he will forcibly flop in your lap when you are on the ground with him. He won’t do this for just anyone, though. He can still get nervous around new people even though Katie has been socializing him by taking him everywhere. (She has even taken him to work with her every week!) However, gain his trust and Katie says he will greet you with “the most excited wigglebutt.” His absolute favorite thing is tennis balls, car rides, and any and all food.

Booker’s sister, Wren, is a not quite one year old. Katie named her after Wren birds. She said she knew she wanted to be able to utilize the name of the bird in someway eventually because she remembers growing up with the Wren birds always making nests in her garage. “We would keep an eye on them constantly.” So when they got a female dog, it just seemed fit. Wren loves carting around a fuzz ball. It’s too big for her, but she doesn’t care…she absolutely loves it! She also loves under the collar scratches and will seemingly melt into your arms for them. Katie loves her soulful eyes that just begs for anyone to pay attention her. 

So why Aussies? Katie actually grew up with Aussies since she was just a little girl. She had always known she would have another one someday, as she loves how trainable and friendly they are to their owners. After getting married and getting a house with a fenced in yard with plenty of room, it was time to make that happen!

The Dizmon family were troopers because it rained TWICE during their hour session, BUT I love how much variety in lighting we had because of it - evidence that you don’t need a sunny day to get great pictures! Take a look at some of my favorites!

~Mandy

Include Your Pets in Your Family Photos!

Mandy Whitley Photography is Nashville's premiere pet photographer. Mandy Whitley creates fun and playful photographs with pets and their people. She photographs portrait sessions, family sessions, couple portraits, and weddings - as well as just pets! To inquire about booking a photo session, contact Mandy!