We love to take pictures of our rescued hound, Ginger, but we're not very good at it. Any tips? She's really a cutie pie.
Two secrets to getting great photos of pets are to take lots of photographs and use natural light whenever possible. The folks at digital-photography-school.com offer a few other simple tips.
Instead of photographing from a standing position, get down on their level. Pets are so happy when their people are at eye level that the photos immediately become more engaging. Their personalities really shine through.
Don't be afraid of close-ups. Zoom in and capture the sparkle in their eyes or that incredibly cute curl of one ear.
Talk to the pet or make funny noises to get their attention. When I wanted my Pomeranian to tilt her head, I would make chirping or meowing sounds. I have darling photos of her.
Don't try to pose them. Let them be themselves.
Use a tripod if possible. If you don't have a tripod, steady your camera on any flat, immobile surface.
Use props. While you can try to be creative -- maybe dressing your dog or cat in a hat or setting him in a flower pot or something strange -- it's easier and less stressful for the pet if you use a favorite toy or something else that your pet feels comfortable with. Above all, have fun. Keep the photo sessions short and lighthearted.
Hot stuff
Hot enough for you? How about for your pet? Just a reminder that dogs can quickly overheat in extremely high temperatures, especially when combined with the high humidity levels in Arkansas.
I'm reminded of this when I take my elderly Chihuahua out for a bathroom break at this time of year. While she can handle brief periods outside, she's acclimated to the air-conditioned cool of the indoors and simply more comfortable inside. That, coupled with her age, means she doesn't have much tolerance for severe heat and humidity. But any dog would suffer outdoors in an Arkansas summer.
In a column in the August/September issue of Dogster magazine, veterinarian Marty Becker reminds pet owners of the dangers of the summer heat. Signs a dog is suffering heat exhaustion or heatstroke are excessive panting, fatigue, dizziness, nausea and loss of consciousness. If a dog loses consciousness, he needs to be rushed to a veterinary clinic, Becker says.
When a dog appears to have gotten too hot, Becker recommends cooling him by pouring water (tepid or cool, not cold) on his coat and working it into the fur. I had to do something similar with my dog a couple of weeks ago. While we were in the yard in midafternoon, I noticed she was panting heavily and that she appeared wobbly. I immediately took her indoors and cooled her by applying wet compresses before giving her some water. She rallied and has been fine since, but it was worrisome for a few minutes. Please take care.
Rescue days
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is marking its 150th year promoting humane treatment for animals. To celebrate, the ASPCA is running the 150 Days of Rescue campaign, which continues through Sept. 7. Pet lovers can participate by visiting aspca.org/150days and pledging good deeds such as volunteering at a local shelter.
While on the website, you also can help your local shelter by nominating it for a $150,000 grant. The ASPCA is offering the grant to one shelter, but there are also $15,000 grants available for five more shelters.
Last word on litter
In the July 13 column about kitty litter, I mentioned that the type of litter that my six cats prefer was made of ground corn. I would like to clarify that the litter material consists of ground corncobs, not the kernels.
As for whether litter made from corncobs or any other material (wheat, clay, paper, silicon, etc.) is flushable, the answer is that flushing isn't recommended. Because they are "clumping" products, cat litter can clog plumbing.
Family on 07/20/2016