May 11, 2016
I received the call one afternoon from Hugo’s mom. From the moment she spoke and her voice broke a little, I knew something was wrong. And, when you are a
pet photographer, you almost always know what
it is.
She told me about Hugo, all 165 lbs. of him. He was beautiful and, at 4 years old, in what should be his prime. But, the day before they had received devastating news. Hugo had just been diagnosed with lymphoma. A specialist appointment had been made to determine the course of treatment, so there was nothing more that could be done but wait the couple of days for that appointment. But now, what his mom wanted most of all were portraits. Portraits that should have been taken in the Summer but things had gotten busy and, well, they thought had all the time in the world. Portraits that would ensure that they had beautiful images of Hugo forever.
We quickly rearranged things and set a portrait date for a couple of days later. We were hoping for snow (there was woefully little of that this winter in Toronto!) and a nice day. And that is exactly what we got. The temperature was beautiful – maybe even a little too mild for a Bernese Mountain Dog – and we had snow on the ground! Plus our background was the lovely palette of winter. Hugo’s entire family came out for his photo session (even Grandma), so that they could get family portraits with him. He is one loved dog!
Everyone should have one gorgeous portrait of their pet
Hugo’s mom said that, if she could get nothing else, she wanted ONE gorgeous portrait of Hugo looking happy, majestic and healthy. I knew the second I took it that this was the ONE. It’s now a beautiful, framed print, hanging in the family home.
The family also selected a custom folio box for their family portraits and some smaller portraits of Hugo. (It’s so stunning that you will see that I decided to update the official Posh Pets® Folio images for the website with it.)
Why choose to photograph your pet now?
Simply put, because it is important to capture the life of your pet as they are now. In all their stages – the wiggly new-to-life stage, the goofy teenager, the athletic adult stage, and the sweet senior. And because honestly, we never know what tomorrow brings.
I’m happy to report that Hugo has begun his treatment and is tolerating the chemotherapy well! Last time I saw him, he was perky and quickly greeted me at the door. He’s ravenous too, so he eagerly searched me for treats. Believe me when I tell you, everyone here at Posh Pets® Photography are all wishing very hard (with fingers and paws crossed!) that Hugo makes a full recovery!
If you are looking to book a session for your pet, the place to start is here. (Please see the update, below.)
Update: Hugo passed away in August 2016 after bravely fighting his battle with cancer. His Mom sent me the most beautiful note regarding his session:
“I called Posh Pets® Photography in a panic the day after receiving the devastating news that my 4 year old Bernese Mountain Dog, Hugo, had been diagnosed with lymphoma. I wanted to get professional photographs done before he started chemo. Karen was so understanding, compassionate and accommodating. She made herself available within a couple of days. Hugo was already quite ill but Karen worked her magic and took amazing photos that caught his spirit! Karen was very supportive and a great help in choosing the photos (not easy when there were so many good photos to choose from). The finished products are beautiful and we treasure them everyday, now that our beloved Hugo is gone. Karen is clearly an animal lover and very talented – the perfect combination.”
Sleep well, dear Hugo.
POSH PETS® HERITAGE SESSIONS
Celebrating the life, love and legacy of your pet. ™
- High-priority sessions are reserved for pets that become ill or are simply elderly. We make every effort to schedule these on short notice and work within their restrictions.
- An opportunity to take time out of your busy schedule to spend some quality time together, celebrate the life you have shared and create images you will treasure forever.
- Please note: The Creative Fee covers time and talent to photograph a maximum of four (4) subjects, which can be any combination of people and up to two (2) pets who live within the same household. Additional subjects may be photographed for a small additional fee.
- More information can be found here.
Jul 21, 2015
The hot, sticky, humid days are upon us in Toronto! Even so, the dogs at Toronto Animal Services seems to enjoy getting out and letting their paws enjoy the grass. (The treats and belly rubs may also add to their joy.) It’s such fun to meet and photograph these gorgeous furry faces each week.
Yesterday, we had an abundance of little brown and tan doggies. It’s like they all decided to match the background! Along with a black and white coat or two, and you have one group of great-looking guys and girls. Introducing this week’s group of eager adoptables…
My last little ones were Nigel and Sophia, a sweet natured bonded pair. Sophia is an 8 year old Yorkie mix and Nigel appears to be about 5 years old. TAS would love for them to find a home together. So, if you know anyone looking for a couple of best friends, please pass this on!
Jul 6, 2015
Well, Posh Pets is baaaack! It has been such a long time since I have been to TAS – they were closed for renovations and all of the furry faces had to be housed at other locations. However, it was definitely worth it. The staff and dogs and cats all of have air conditioning now! Given how hot it was today, they are certainly happy to have a new HVAC system in place. And, so am I.
In other ways, it’s almost like I never left. Lots of fresh, smiling faces looking for a forever home and waiting to jump into your heart. I had quite a few of these boys and girls refuse my treats in favour of climbing up to shower me with kisses. It never ceases to amaze me how animals can be so forgiving of humans – even if they have been treated horribly or abandoned.
If you see someone you would like to meet, please contact Toronto Animal Services – North Shelter directly. They’ll be happy to arrange an introduction.
Oct 28, 2014
Pet photography is alive and well in Toronto these past few weeks! With all of the trees showing their best fall colours, we at Posh Pets have been busy as little beavers meeting lots of furry faces for their sessions. Even with the flurry of activity, we cannot forget about all of the lovely animals waiting for forever homes at Toronto Animal Services. It is such a pleasure each week to hand out treats and nice cuddles and belly rubs to the new dogs and cats I meet.
A lot of the animals in the following images are not quite ready for adoption. There are still some health-checks to be done and sometimes they have to be scheduled for their spay or neuter. But, if you are looking for a new family member, keep a close eye on the TAS website where their photo will be posted as soon as they become available. Rest assured, they are all lovely and would love to meet you just as soon as they can!
One other thing…if you adopted your pet from TAS – North, we would love to hear about it. Head over to the Posh Pets’ Facebook page and send us an update and/or a photo or two. Happy endings are just awesome!
Oct 17, 2014
Fall is always the busiest season at Posh Pets. I love the change of the colours, the crisp autumn air and the lovely furry faces I get to meet (and their humans, of course). But, I still make time for all of the little adoptables at Toronto Animal Services. After all, Fall is also a great time to find a forever home!
So, here is this week’s group of eager boys and girls all waiting to meet you. Contact the North Shelter to get more details and arrange a meeting. And even if you are not currently looking for a new family member, make sure to show these guys some love by sharing their lovely little faces…I am sure that there is a ‘somebody’ out there for each and every one of them!
Sep 10, 2014
Every week, I meet a new group of furry faces looking for homes. I often wonder: how did these little loves end up in a shelter? Abandoned, unwanted, with no place to go. And yet, they have such a forgiving spirit and are usually more than happy to meet me, thankful for the few moments of pets, cuddles and belly rubs. (If you want some free ‘therapy’ when you’re having a blue day, volunteer at a shelter and you could spend an hour doling about belly rubs.)
If you want to visit the following group in particular, please contact TAS – North directly. They’ll be able to give you all of the details!
This week is no exception. These first two are a bonded pair, Molly and Riley. It is always a little more challenging to photograph a pair of dogs, but I think these two did just fine!
For those of you who aren’t sure if there are any puppies in the shelter system, here’s proof that the cute and little are available. This is Bane and, by the time you read this, he is probably already adopted 🙂
And then we have our lovely feline furry faces. This trio are all in the cat pod which means they get along with other kitties and are lovely, cuddly ones. Puchi, Buck and Gerard are all waiting to meet you and purr their way into your heart.
Aug 28, 2014
It would appear that this is the week that Summer decided to make its appearance in the land of Posh Pets (Toronto). Up until now, we have had an unseasonably cool summer. But not this week – lots of temperatures in the 30s with humidex levels in the 40s. I think it took some of us by surprise. It’s also a good time to remind everyone – leaving a dog or any pet in a locked car for even ‘a few minutes’ can be deadly. Try waiting for a friend in your car without the doors open or the air-conditioning blowing and you’ll see what I mean. Keep those precious furry faces safe! We did however, have a chance to have the dogs outside at TAS (in the shade) and take some lovely portraits. And the kitties make an appearance this week too – camp is over and we have use of the Cat Pod back where the cats roam and interact with each other. So nice to see you guys again! These guys and girls are all available from Toronto Animal Services – North. If you would like to meet one of them, give TAS a call and they will set up a meet-and-greet for the both of you. Enjoy your last week of summer! 
Aug 22, 2014
This week, it was just Posh Pets at the shelter. The TAS campers have gone home this week – it is the end of summer after all – but the shelter seems full of dogs of all shapes and sizes. And such sweet, sweet faces. If you are looking to add a furry someone to your home, you can definitely do well at a shelter! Contrary to some opinions, shelter pets these are not all ‘damaged’ dogs with behaviour problems, health issues or restrictions with who they can live. For the most part, they are happy, bouncy, full-of-love furry faces just looking for a special person or family to spend their years with. (Of course, if those types of issues do exist, the staff will be the first to let you know.)
So, here is this week’s group. Contact TAS – North Shelter directly for more info!
Aug 16, 2014
The Posh Pets‘ week always starts right by a visit to Toronto Animal Services to photograph the adoptable furry faces available for adoption. But, let’s start your weekend right and have a look at some the lovelies we met!
Monday was probably the nicest day we had this past week (in terms of weather). The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the dogs were enjoying their time outside playing and learning from a whole new group of campers who are currently learning to care for dogs at TAS. I love meeting the kids who are eager to show me how they can get a dog to ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ on command…although we do sometimes have some laughs when things don’t go exactly as planned. But, not to fear – there is always a camp counsellor or TAS staff member nearby to lend a hand!
So, there you have it! Enjoy this week’s of adorable, adoptable faces! (And feel free to share them around too!)
Aug 4, 2014
I love my weekly visits to Toronto Animal Services! The kid’s camp is still in full swing so it is nice to see all the adorable furry faces get their fill of walks, play, love and cuddles from eager campers. They also seem to get a good amount of treats and rewards as they learn new tricks and commands. And I have some very willing assistants to help me with handling the dogs as we get gorgeous adoption images of their charges.
All of these furry faces are available for adoption. You can find out their current status by contacting TAS – North directly. I will, of course, feature their little faces on the Posh Pets Facebook page and you can help by sharing their images around…it is amazing how many proud pet parents found their fur-baby via an image that was shared on social media! If that is you, feel free to contact Posh Pets Photography and let us know – it is sooo nice to hear the details of the happy endings!
Thanks to all the fans of this blog for following along! We’ll see you all next week!
Jul 20, 2014
This week Posh Pets got some new ‘assistants’! Toronto Animal Services is now hosting a kids camp for the next few weeks which mean the dogs get lots of socialization, interactive play, exercise and oodles of cuddles. And the kids are more than happy to help me get awesome adoption images of the dogs. The different campers have spent time with their canine friends, so they know all about them and more importantly, know how to handle them and help me get their attention to the camera. Plus seeing as there are lots of treats involved, the dogs are more than happy to play along. So, it truly is win-win-win!
So, here you have the fruits of our labour. Lots of cute furry faces, all looking for forever homes. They are currently at Toronto Animal Services – North, so contact them directly if you want to meet any of these guys and girls personally.
Jul 4, 2014
So, this weekend (July 4-6, 2014) is the first Mega Pet Adoption Event in Toronto. It is being held at the Exhibition Grounds on the waterfront and is a joint effort between Toronto Animal Services, Toronto Humane Society, Toronto Cat Rescue and Pet Smart Charities…all in an effort to get lots and lots of furry faces forever homes! Adoption fees are only $25 for either cats or dogs, plus the license fee if you live in the City of Toronto. By all accounts the event is going very well and we are only at the end of Day 1!
Last week, I spent a few hours at Toronto Animal Services – North photographing as many animals as we could. It is so nice if they can have a beautiful adoption photo that showcases their beautiful little mugs and charming personalities. If you or anyone you know ends up welcoming one of these guys or girls into your home, please drop me a line at Posh Pets and say “hi”. I absolutely love to hear happy endings.
If you are thinking of adding a pet into your family, this would be the weekend to come down to the CNE. Don’t believe me? Well, I have news – my husband and I just adopted a new little furry girl into our family! I’ll definitely be sharing more about her shortly 🙂 In the meantime, enjoy these lovely faces…
