First Picture of Me in a Long While

[rpcrowe]

I am not adverse to having my picture shot. It is just that I am usually on the other side of the camera. However, I picked up this ragged and dirty less than a year old Maltese/Poodle cross from the Morena Valley, Califonia Animal Shelter. She was scared out of her wits at the shelter and would growl at the volunteer groomer so she stayed dirty. It was a Catch-22 because she couldn't find anyone to adopt her because she was ragged and filthy and she was going to be ragged and filthy as long as she was in the shelter until she was euthanized...



She wasn't a bit vicious towards me when I met her. But, she was shaking like a pair of Spanish Castenets! On the 50 or so mile drive home, I had her in a travel kennel on the passenger seat with the door facing me. I talked to her and placed my finger through the mesh on the door during the trip. No growling or biting. When I removed her from the kennel at home, she wasn't even shaking. So much for her being a vicious dog!

Judy wanted a shot with me holding "Valley Girl" (which is what we named her) to show that she wasn't a bit vicious!

BTW: This image was shot using a Canon 50mm f/1.8 Mk-i lens. I am not terribly keen on the bokeh from that lens. Notice the ragged bokeh of the OOF leaves over the dog. I think that I will do a comparison between the 50mm f/1.8 Mk-i and my 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens at the same focal length and f/stop to see a comparison between the bokeh quality. The 50mm is nice for carrying around to shoot shots like this because it is small and light. However, the 40mm f/2.8 canon is even smaller and lighter and may have a better quality bokeh.

The one casualty of the trip was my red hoodie. It needed a serious trip through the washing machine because Valley Girl stank so bad!

[Mike Buckley]

This makes for a very nice portrait, Richard, especially for those of us who know about your dedication to rescuing the dogs.

[HMW12]

Looking forward to hearing and seeing the details of her transformation.

[rpcrowe]

Unfortunately, my wife gave up on grooming this girl because her coat was matted to the skin. We have a great professional groomer who does miracles with our hard case rescue dogs. She gives us a really great rate bacause she considers that her donation to our rescue program.

We always shoot a baseline picture of the dogs when they arrive. I never worry much about the quality of the image because it is just a record of what the dog looked like before we started working with her. I shot this picture quite quickly. Our primary interest was getting her bathed. Luckily this computer doesn't have "smell-o-vision" because you would shut down immediately. PHEW!



However, although not perfectly groomed; the little girl is clean and her hair is quite a bit shorter. She spent last evening on my lap and right now is sleeping at my feet while I am on the computer.

Instead of being vicious, this little girl is an absolute darling...

[Trina]

Richard,
What a nice picture of you and Valley girl:> I'm sure she will be looking stellar before long.. and whats more important it sounds as if she is at peace, rather than being scared to death.

[tjwaggoner]

Great portrait and great advocate for animals. There is bound to be a special place wherever go after this world for those who choose to dedicate so much to helping the helpless. Here's our boy, he's a shi-tzu poodle.

[Loose Canon]

Well hello there Richard!

What a handsome, dashing, swashbuckling young lad holding that pup!

Its great to finally put a face to the name!

Glad Miss Valley Girl made it through the washing machine! Hope the hoodie did the same!

[just me]

Richard........thank you for your BIG hearth, so very glad the little Valley girl found you,to take her home with you !

Bless you........

Griddi........

[wlou]

Hello Richard and Valley Girl! I am sure the world is better with people like you in it. Valley Girl deserves a good family and you are the perfect ambassador for her.

[rpcrowe]

Here's our girl after some TLC by my wife and our groomer...

[rpcrowe]

Great portrait and great advocate for animals. There is bound to be a special place wherever go after this world for those who choose to dedicate so much to helping the helpless. Here's our boy, he's a shi-tzu poodle.

Great shot of of lovely dog...

[Dr Bob]

What a transition with the TLC from your wife and the grooming! And Valley girl looks great too!!

Just kidding. You and your wife are very special people in your dedication to rescuing dogs. Valley girl is an excellent example of the positive impact you are having. Thank you for the pictures and your dedication.

Dr Bob Fellow dog lover.

[mknittle]

Very nice imaces guys. and like Terry said, Its great to finally put a face to the name!

We have two rescues, an 8year old chiweenie and a four year old deer chihuahua Dot and Dash.The chihuahua came to us when she was just 11 days old.her mother had six puppies and died within ten days. three are still alive and doing well.

I learned a lot careing for such a young puppy like chihuahuas growl before their eyes are opened

[tbob]

Because dogs are non verbal they cue off body language and voice tone to determine the level of threat from a person; so you must be giving off some pretty positive and reassuring vibes to have the dog respond this readily. Now I know from prior postings that you are not a small guy, and as naval vet you are not some shy retiring little flower, so you must be very good at breaking down the fear and anxiety this poor dog was suffering. She was never vicious no one, until you, gave her the time and space to overcome her fear. A shelter is very terrifying place for a shy fearful dog. Not that they don't try; the noise smell and number of people just overwhelm these dogs.. Anyway kudos to you; again.

By the way, you have my admiration for enduring the stench of a urine/feces/anal sac/staphylococcal dermatitis dog for the drive home in a car. Even in a 2000 square foot vet hospital some of these critters are breathtaking.

[rpcrowe]

Because dogs are non verbal they cue off body language and voice tone to determine the level of threat from a person; so you must be giving off some pretty positive and reassuring vibes to have the dog respond this readily.

Dogs and I have a thing for each other. I love them and they usually realize this. My wife and I fostered 57 dogs last year and 30 dogs each in 2011 and 2010. We are well on our way to marching last year's numbers for 2013.

Of all those dogs, there was just one that did not warm up to me. She obviously had been abused by a man. She was adopted by a gay female couple. Funny thing, although she likes both of her new parents, she prefers the feminine gal over the masculine partner...

However we has one dog who had spent eight and a half years in a puppy mill cage with absolutely no warm human contact. She was afraid of her own shadow and I had to sit on the floor and toss food for her to even approach me - just like you would do with a wild squirrel.

It took me over a year to get this little girl to accept me. The first time she came and jumped into my lap on her own was a wonderful thrill.

She is now one of our permanent dogs because my wife and I are the only humans she will accept.

[jeeperman]

Richard, keep up the good works. We could use a few more like you, although clonning is not quite leagal. I love dogs but it takes a special individual to do what you and your wife do. Know that it is not just the dogs that appreciate it.

[terrib]

Richard, I love reading your stories and seeing the photos of your dogs. It is nice to put a face to the name too. It's great there are people like you to work with the harder cases that many would give up on. Glad this one is on her way to her furever home!

[rpcrowe]

Oh Terri,

We also have some hard cases... We have three right now...

A little boy who was hit by a car and dragged. He had a dislocated hip and fractured pelvis. His side was ripped from being dragged along the street and his tail needed amputation because gangrene had set in. He is doing well now and we are beginning to let him exercise...

Another boy who we thought had some neurological problems beause he didn't have complete control of his fromt legs. It looks like he is recovering and he's a pretty little guy.

We have an older puppy mill girl who had an infected eye but, antibiotics have brought that around. She has no social skills and needs house training - but that will come.

We are getting a mother and five little puppies from an overcrowed shelter in Kern County, California. These don't appear to have any physical problems. We enjoy having a litter of puppies around occasionally...

This keeps us busy and we certanly get a lot of payback from helping these dogs...

[Letrow]

Good to read your story Richard. It is great work that you do. You must have plenty of space around the house I guess to be able to take that many dogs in. Keep up the work and keep us posted please. Lovely photos of your valley girl before and after.

[MaggieR]

Richard, what a beautiful success story. It's amazing how these precious animals blossom when shown some tlc.