Picture of Sam

[Mike]

Here is a picture of Sam, Sue's service dog and constant companion. Many of you that have met Sue have probably met Sam.

http://www.sitnprettyphoto.com/display/sam2855w.jpg

Mike

[TandMe]

Just joined the list and wanted to see what was going on.

Spotted the picture of Sam, Sue's constant companion and SD. What a handsome feller he is! Very serious expression!

[Mike]

Hi Sue, and welcome. :D

Yes, he can look very serious at times, mostly when he's in harness... but he can act like a total nut as well. :lol: I've got a lot of pictures of him as he's so good at posing when I'm trying out different lighting and posing combinations.

Thanks again for taking a look at the forum.

Mike

[TandMe]

Hello Mike and thanks for the welcome.

I bet you find Bouvs are very good at posing. Tracy is a natural! I enjoy using my digital camera on her. I need to get a few updated shots of her now I've got a bit more time on my hands these days.

I like the set up of your new forum here. This is a bit different than posting the messages. I am on another forum (hehe..to talk about dishes, nevertheless...retired Pfaltzgraff pattern, America) and have been using theirs for about 8 months now. I like the fact that one can read a lot of threads and people can focus and share their thoughts/comments.

This is a better setup, though, than the Pfaltzgraff one. I think its easier and more to the point. Your explanations in getting to, signing up and getting started is very clear. Very well organized and well worded for the folks like me, who know very little in using these.

I look forward to becoming an active participant. I'm going to start a new thread...

Sue

[Mike]

Thanks, Sue. I need to add a few more instructional messages for people that are not used to forums like this. So many people are use to web browsing and just clicking on where they want to go, so this is a little different.

I hope we get a bunch more sign up and give it a try. It's much more fun when a large number are posting and sharing.

Mike

[Sandra]

Hello forum members,

I just love the photos. I'd like to take some of Tara & Jake, but everytime they're in great poses, by the time I get the camera, they get all excited & that great pose is gone. Any tips?

[Mike]

Hi Sandra,

I think it's one of those rules of the universe or something that you will never have your camera when your dogs are in a "Kodak Moment". I don't know how many times our dogs have been doing something, (or doing nothing), and it would make a great picture but I don't have my camera. And of course as soon as I go get my camera they move or stop or something to ruin the shot. :lol: It never fails. I know of one person that leaves a bunch of those disposable cameras laying around the house for the times when her kids are doing something that would make a great picture. Some of these cheap disposables take pretty decent pictures. And even if you don't get a studio quality picture, just getting a picture makes it worth while.

I have some great "mental" pictures that I wish I could get printed. Maybe one of these days they will come out with a printer where we can print selective memories. :D

For more planned shots, our dogs have learned that when I start setting up the living room and the camera comes out, it's treat time. We have several of them that will actually push each other off the platform that I use so they are in front of the camera. Sometimes we have to block the living room off so that only the dog or dogs I am taking pictures of is in there.

Mike

[Sandra]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the advice. I'll either have to get some disposible cameras or have the digy one hanging around my neck constantly. :lol:

[Sue]

Sandra, the nice thing about many of the digitals these days is that they'll fit in a pocket, so there's really no excuse NOT to carry one around, eh?

The other fun thing to do is just park in a chair with a bowl full of goodies and see that your dogs will do with a little encouragement. Ours generally try to "one up" each other and so we can get some pretty interesting pictures. Having dogs who are clicker wise helps a lot because they know that creativity is rewarded. HAving multiple dogs is also a benefit because competition for treats also drives the dogs to be more creative.

The dogs figure out pretty quickly that the shutter noise or flash is what signals the treat is coming, so the camera becomes their friend. We've found this to be true even when we've shot dogs who were not clicker wise, as long as we took a minute to set off the shutter a few times and "charge" that sound with high quality treats.

You can never have enough pictures of your dogs.

Cheers,
Sue

[Sandra]

Thanks for the advice Sue. I'd like to get some photos of what is becoming a morning routine - "wake the humans up so we can rumble" - an early morning free-for all that they both really enjoy. Also want to get Tara swimming in the lake which will not need any treats at all. She does have the cutest cross-her-legs pose though that I'd just love to get.

[Sandra]

Hi there,

I was finally able to get her "I'm the queen and so sophisticated" pose. How can I post it on this list?

[Mike]

Hi Sandra, if you have the image on your web site, all you have to do is copy the URL link address that has the image file in it into a message, putting the img commands around it. If you are entering a message, look at the list of buttons above the area that you are typing in. You will see the buttons:

B i u Quote Code List List= Img* URL

If you put your cursor on the Img* Button you will see the command come up underneath the Default and Normal area just above the text area.

You put the open bracket img closed bracket url address/filename.jpg open bracket /img closed bracket on the line. Do not Preview your message after posting, just hit the submit button. Preview seems to eat images for some reason and they don't display.

I can't use the actual braket symbols because it will think I have posted an image. So I have to spell them out. :D Hopefully this makes sense but if not, let me know.

Mike

[Sandra]

Thanks for the info. I'll give that a try after I get back from yoga today.

[Sandra]

Well, wasn't that a long yoga session :lol: I've finally got pics of Tara & Jake on my website http://www.sandiescritters.com/. Take the about us link and the pics are at the bottom of the page.

[Mike]

Hi again Sandra. Yes, that was a long yoga session. You must really be in good shape now. :D

Nice pictures and really cute items you have made there. We have a Bouvier head that is made from blocks of wood that almost looks like one of your samples. I'm not sure where Sue got it, so she might even have gotten it from you. We have it hanging in our upstairs hall.

Glad to hear back from you. The place kind of died after I posted about it and I've been busy. It would be fun if this forum did get used more, but there are a lot of places on the internet competing for everyone's time. It's not like the good ole DOS and modem days. :D

Mike

[Sandra]

Hi Mike,
Glad you liked my critters. They are a new venture for me. Last summer, I began by making a frog as a joke and went from there. Business is still pretty slow, so I'm glad I have a regular income. I'm hoping this forum gets more lively, but like you say, one gets busy and before you know it months have flown by.