Grooming

I have been grooming since June 1995.

I groom little dogs

I groom big dogs

I groom cats

I even groom birds

Grooming is an art form. I am blessed to have a talent to do so!

Cows

While my primary work has been with dogs, I enjoy working with other animals, livestock included.

Back in May we took a job caring for 5 cows. The owner is in another state working on her way to move to Kentucky. She has some great cows and we love visiting with them. Its a fun little job.

This is Maggie. She was put down on May 23rd. She was 20 years old! She was a very sweet cow.

This is Domino. Domino is a clown. He reminds me of a giant puppy. He is very playful and loves the children.

This is Moses. He is a handsome fella who stands his ground. He is a gentle giant.

                                                                                                                                                     This is BlackBerry. He is a very sweet boy. He knows we always bring treats and is usually the first one to greet us. He and my husband are quite fond of each other. 

                                                                                               This big fella is Baby Messiah. He is usually to himself once he gets his treats. I think he is the leader of the bulls here. He just kind of stands watch over the other ones. 

 

More Photos 

* cell phone photos are poor quality. I apologize, I take these to text to the owner

Life with Cats

Every homestead should have a cat or two to control the mice and other pests. I am not a cat person per se, but I have trained all of my cats, which is a must. I prefer, hands down, male cats. I have trained all my cats to come when called, to be affectionate, and obedient.. and to be child proof. They must also serve their purpose. They mostly survive off of table scraps and the food they catch. Preferably, mice.

Our cat Sweetie is a year old. He is an excellent hunter. He has taken our new kitten Thor, who is about 4 mos old under his wing and has trained him to be an excellent hunter. This morning however, I am not pleased, but cant help admire their skill and teamwork. Sweetie caught a robin. The robins family is making a huge fuss outside in the yard. The robin is squaking. The other birds are swooping in chasing the cat. I tell Sweetie to drop it, and he does. I can see the robin is injured so I let him have the bird. Thor comes running to see the commotion. He watches Sweetie for a few moments then walks over for a closer look. Sweetie gives Thor the bird. He is too young to catch a bird that size, but he is parading it around like a champion. Sweetie finds a spot to relax on the porch while Thor enjoys his treat.

I have always been fascinated with animal behavior. Watching this scene unfold this morning was no exception. The robins teaming up to save one in danger, chasing and attacking this cat who has captured their friend. My older cat catching this bird for his meal, and then giving it to the kitten. The kitten could not have overpowered him and taken it, he somehow felt the need to care for his fellow friend (family).

We can learn alot from a cat. Remember, our children watch our every move. Our younger generations learn everything from us. We are their teachers. Make sure your lesson is a good one.

Callie

Every groomer has a dog or two that has left a big spot on their heart. This is one such story.

Callie was a sweet fun loving Australian Shepherd. She loved coming to the grooming shop. Callie's owner was a very successful business woman. She was also very busy. Callie would come in for a bath and stay 2-3 days at a time. Callie really didn't seem to mind, as she was spoiled by everyone who worked at the Grooming Shop. When her owner would come to get her, we would all offer to adopt Callie, if she ever decided to give her up. We would all joke about who would get to keep her.. Any one of us would have taken her home

In early 2001, I had been having a rough week. My husband was out of town, I was getting prepared to move into a new home and my Shih Tzu was having kidney failure and had to be put down. Three days later, my Lhasa went out into the road and was hit. I say she was missing her friend and went looking for him as she never ventured to the road before. I was heartbroken. I remember thinking how empty my new house was without a dog around. 

Two days after I moved in, Callie's owner called up to the shop. Our manager, called out to everyone, "Callie's owner said she is bringing Callie in for us to adopt her out". I called dibs before anyone even had a chance to respond. 

I took Callie home in February 2001. She was a blessing to me. She loved the boys and having a family who would spend time with her. Callie loved to play fetch. Callie was loyal and loving. She was a chubby little Aussie, as her previous owner gave her treats  in lieu of attention. She was working it off now tho! 

In March, Callie started to pee on our wood floors. Callie was such an obedient dog, I knew there was another issue. I suspected a urinary tract infection. I treated with natural remedies and when that didn't work I took her in to the vet. I was stateside to find out that Callie was not plagued with a UTI, she was in the later stages of Type -1 diabetes. Her doctor said that with insulin she could live a few more years, without, less than a year. I began giving Callie injections twice a day. 

Callie lost weight over the summer, more than we had planned. When I took her to her first vet appt she was 65lbs.  I put her on a premium holistic puppy food and a seaweed supplement to help boost her immune system. She started to lose her eyesight as well. By fall, Callie was 40lbs and 90% blind, but she was happy. Callie woke up wagging her tail, and went to bed with a smile every day. 

Callie was a strong dog. She loved being a dog, more than any other dog I have met in my 16 years of working with pets. Callie went downhill fast that fall. It was hard to see her begin to suffer. But I waited for her to make that call. One day in November, she told me it was time. I took her in and said good-bye. We buried her in our back yard. I had never loved a dog as much as I loved Callie. I still cry every time I tell this story, even 11 years later.. She was a very special dog. 

For more information on Pet Diabetes, click here

A Little Bit About Me

As a teen I struggled with the decision to work with animals or go into the field of photography. I had dreams of working in wildlife rehabilitation and being a freelance photographer for National Geographic or a similar venue.

Life went forward and I found my way into a little pet grooming shop in Austin Tx. I worked there for about 8 years and moved out on my own. It wasn't till after I got out on my own that I began dabbling into pet photography taking before and after photos of my clients. 

I started taking portrait style photos about 4 years ago, although I prefer natural lifestyle photos. Animals are far easier to photograph in their natural environment.

Here are a few of my photos I am particularly fond of. Sadly, I lost many of my photos to a hard drive crash. Just all the more reason to create more photos.