Homecoming Tales {Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary}

October 21, 2020 Heather Nelms

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

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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}

October 6, 2020 Heather Nelms

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!

Danielle and Bruce Wayne {Nashville Pet Photographer}

September 17, 2020 Heather Nelms

Today’s blog is a little different. I wanted to take the opportunity to celebrate the life of this handsome golden retriever, Bruce Wayne. He passed away a few months ago, but I still wanted to honor him and his person, Danielle, by sharing some of my favorites from their last photo session.

Bruce Wayne was an 11 year old retriever who LOVED people. He would walk in to Yappy Hour like it was his own personal cocktail party and greet each guest like they came just to see him! Originally, Danielle had wanted to name her dog “Batman”. However, she thought it might sound silly if she was running around a park yelling for “Batman”. So next best choice: Bruce Wayne. The name suits him, as he lives up to the regal name 100%.

Aside from loving people, Bruce Wayne also loved the water. They lived in California most of his life, and he would swim in the ocean jumping over waves or take a dip in her parents pool. He was often found sitting in the pool on the steps. Though, one thing Bruce was not a fan of - skateboards. They were too loud for him, but luckily Nashville does not have as many as southern California.

Bruce Wayne was loved through and through by Danielle. When I asked her what was her favorite thing about him, she responded, “There isn’t a darn thing I don’t love. Even his farts are adorable. The way they always surprise him. It’s pretty charming.” Another thing: Bruce Wayne can open gifts! Danielle loved watching him unwrap his presents, and how cute he was when he pulled at the wrapping paper to get to his gifts out. He would get on a roll at Christmas and start taking gifts from the tree that might not be his! “Gosh it’s so cute.”

In fact, Danielle says Bruce Wayne got cuter every morning! “I asked him his secret for years, but really every morning I wake up and he did it again! Even cuter then the day before. It’s incredible.” She feels he was her perfect real life teddy bear.

Danielle rescued this handsome fella from the Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue. “You wouldn’t think so because he is so handsome”. The process she had to go through was quite extensive: a test/essay, an in-home inspection, and then getting approval just to get on a wait list. Finally, after two long months, they called her about a puppy. He had already belonged to another family, but after buying him at puppy store, they wanted to return him because he kept crying. He ended up at a shelter for a few hours before the rescue got him. He was only 6 weeks old when this pair met for the first time!

Danielle loves golden retrievers because they are so smart, friendly and sweet. There is never any concern when approaching a Golden, you know it’s always a sweet dog. Bruce Wayne was the epitome of all these great traits.

~ Mandy

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