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A day in the life...

Friday, March 30, 2018 | By: Tracy Allard

Oh to be Ginger. My heart dog (more on that below). The dog that inspired me to become a dog trainer and my best little model when I want to try out a new location or lighting technique. This week's prompt for my personal project, the Pet Photography 52 Weeks Project, was "day in the life".  There are so many things that only Ginger does, that when I think of her, I can't help but think of all these sweet little behaviors. I knew I had to capture that and one day I'll be able to look back on these images and it will be like she's right there with me again, laying on my stomach, making it hard for me to breathe :). Welcome to the world of Ginger. 

Good Morning!

Every morning, and I mean EVERY SINGLE MORNING, this is how I wake up. Ginger typically sleeps on the bed with us, but despite this close proximity all night, at the opening of an eyelid she's up and laying on my chest to say good morning to me and will "Army crawl" across my chest to get as close as she can to give me a big kiss.  This was shot with a fisheye lens and I still had to push her back a couple of times to try to get this image. 

Moral Support

After I let the dogs out into the backyard, the next order of business first thing in the morning is to tend to Jiffy, our cat. Every day Ginger takes up this same position in the hallway outside of the laundry room and provides moral support while I clean his littler box and feed him (either that or she is completely fascinated that I am also collecting the cat's poop in little plastic bags thinking, "strange humans").  

Put the Camera Down and Feed Me!

After the walk, mealtime is the second most exciting time of the day. The rules are that each dog take up their assigned position and wait patiently (sometimes not so much) for their meal to be prepared and delivered and then when the bowl is put down, they must wait until released before diving in. Ginger is all eyes on my husband as he's preparing her breakfast (you'll have to trust me that dinner time looks pretty much the same). 

The Walk!

The walk! The walk, the walk, the walk. THE WALK! Our dogs LIVE for their twice daily walks. It's a complete three-ring circus during the leashing process. Ginger and I usually walk by ourselves in the morning so we can pep-step it for a couple of miles while my husband strolls with our two other (slower) dogs.  Then in the afternoon we go out for a shorter walk as a whole family.  

Napping

Our dogs (and my husband) firmly believe in the importance of naps. I'm often in the office editing, sometimes in the middle of the night when I have insomnia, and Ginger is always with me.  She'll get out of bed and follow me into the office and resume her sleep. This is an afternoon nap with her snuggle buddy sister Gracie (center) and our foster dog, Pippa the beagle (right). 

Sisterhood

This is nearly an everyday occurrence in our house; Gracie grooms Ginger by licking her head and cleaning her ears.  Sometimes I'll reach to pet Ginger without looking and her head will be damp - eew; Gracie's been at it again. They are sisters from another mister and love one another to pieces. 

Good Night

Most nights I'll slide into bed early and watch a few minutes of some guilty pleasure that I've recorded on the DVR and my husband can't stand to watch, like The Voice (who's with me on that?). Ginger joins me in the same position each night, curled up under my right arm so that it's easy for me to stroke her while I watch TV (she's so thoughtful).  If I stop, I get this look over her shoulder as if to say..."Hello, what's going on back there? Why did you stop?".  This is our nightly ritual and I can't image life without it. 

Heart Dog

The term “heart dog” has become increasingly widespread over the last decade or so and refers to a special canine-human bond. A heart dog is that pup in your life who you’ve created a one-of-a-kind relationship with and likely against which all future dogs will be measured. One might even say that a heart dog offers companionship and love like no other creature can. Ginger is that for me. I know future dogs will probably be easier, but I can't image one that I would connect and bond with as deeply as I have with Ginger. She understands me. I don't understand her sometimes, but she gets me. 

Photo credit: Syliva Elzafon

I can't wait to see the other participating photographer's posts this week, join me in discovering them starting with Blue Amrich of Beyond the Fence in Boston, MA and then continuing to click on the link at the bottom of the post to enjoy an around-the-world tour of a day in the life. 

Tracy Allard of Penny Whistle Photography is a Certified Professional Photographer with the organization Professional Photographers of America; a designation held by fewer than 2,500 photographers nationwide and a hallmark of consistency, technical skill, artistry and professionalism.  Penny Whistle specializes in both natural light and studio photography providing family and pet portraits as well as corporate headshots and commercial photography in her studio located in old town Carrollton as well as out on location in Coppell and surrounding communities in Dallas – Fort Worth, Texas. 

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