Costello - Top dogs: portraits and stories

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Diane Costello, owner of Fog Dog Studios, is an award-winning pet portrait photographer based in Half Moon Bay, CA. She holds her Master of Photography degree and is a Professional Photographers of America Certified Professional Photographer. Diane has been involved in photography for over 20 years and is always working toward perfecting her artistic vision and sharing her knowledge with others.

Copyright 2018 by Diane Costello.

All rights reserved.

All photographs by the author unless otherwise noted.

Published by:

Amherst Media, Inc.

PO BOX 538

Buffalo, NY 14213

www.AmherstMedia.com

Publisher: Craig Alesse

Senior Editor/Production Manager: Michelle Perkins

Editors: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt, Beth Alesse

Acquisitions Editor: Harvey Goldstein

Associate Publisher: Katie Kiss

Editorial Assistance from: Carey A. Miller, Roy Bakos, Jen Sexton-Riley, Rebecca Rudell

Business Manager: Sarah Loder

Marketing Associate: Tonya Flickinger

ISBN-13: 978-1-68203-321-0

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017948040

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No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without prior written consent from the publisher.

Notice of Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the authors experience and opinions. The author and publisher will not be held liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book.

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CONTENTS

Table of Contents

E very dog has a story and every dog lucky enough to find their forever home has a human who has a story. Some of our stories will be similar and some drastically different, but that is what makes them all so amazing. I am a firm believer that your dog finds youeven when you have no idea they are supposed to be a part of your life.

For years, I had a day job that didnt make me happy; it simply was not fulfilling. One day, I guess Id had enough. I could not handle the commute any longer. I no longer felt I could handle a job that I was not emotionally invested in. Perhaps it was the loss of my familys dog, a 14-year-old Rottie named Bear, followed a few months later by the loss of my dad, that helped to push me to my limit. It was all too much, and I just couldnt do it anymoreso I quit.

I had to ask myself what was next. I took on a contract job in the pet care industry. It was something completely different and out of the ordinary for me. It was exhilarating, and I felt free. I was besieged by dog kisses and wiggles and snuggles and full of slobberand I got more exercise than I knew what to do with. I loved hanging out with the dogs and getting to know every single one. I had always loved photography but had concentrated on landscapes and portraits. I started carrying my camera to work and photographing the dogs playing, sitting, lying, jumping, running, and sleeping. About halfway through my first year caring for other peoples pets, my husband decided our house had been too quiet and it was time for us to get a dog. He informed me that he had found a Boxer pup who would be ready to come home right after Christmas. I was great with it. This puppy, whom we named Gromit, turned my world upside-down, from the minute we brought him home to the day we had to say goodbye. In his short 7 years, he taught me patience. He showed me how to not be a pushover and when to use my big voice. He taught me how to read dogs body language and see the subtle changeseven though his 100 different looks, at first, seemed the same. He also taught me how to train him.

Gromit came into my life when I didnt know I needed him. He left my life when I needed him even more. Gromit passed from lung cancer just 10 days after he was diagnosed. He had just turned 7 years old. My life was shattered. My heart was broken into millions of pieces, and I had no idea how to pick them up and keep going. Gromit helped me build my pet portrait business and to make it what it is today. He was my heart.

Youll read more about Gromitand the pup named Dot whom my husband and I later adoptedin the following section of the book. Youll also read stories about other dog adoptions, fun stories about dog antics, and the many ways dogs touch our hearts and fill our lives with love.

HEART DOG

T his is Gromit, the Boxer puppy who really started the ball rolling toward my business in fine art pet portraiture. He was the love of my life. In this image, he is just 3 months of ageand absolutely adorable!

Gromit was my husbands idea/pick/project, which soon became mine. He did all the looking and searching and eventually found Gromit through an ad. He was listed as AKC registered, with papers and all. We didnt think anything of it nor did we know any better. Knowing he was AKC registered meant the breeder knew what she was doing, right? We didnt know that, although the breeder meant well, she was a backyard breeder who didnt really test or breed for health. She was not a puppy mill owner; she only had the one litter from Gromits momma, and she adored and cared for those pups. She loved that we kept in touch with her and that we absolutely loved our Gromit. He was the cutest little thing with a little black teddy bear silhouette on his nose (which eventually became a black blob). Gromit was bouncy and happy and silly and goofy and zoomie. He was not what most people think of when they think of a Boxer. He was not a jumpy overzealous Boxer; he was a watcherand a smart little guy, too.

We brought Gromit home just a few days after Christmas. We still had our holiday decorations up, which included bells hanging around our front door. Gromit learned that if he rang those bells, the front door would openmagically. He only had two accidents in the house because of that. He also would just go over and start ringing those bells just because he wanted to go outside and play.

Gromit came with a number of health problems that started to rear their ugly heads as he grew up. He had many bouts of tummy troubles and pancreatitis. He was diagnosed with Boxer cardiomyopathy (ARVC) when he was 3. He had a mass cell tumor removed from his side around the age of 4. He was allergic to chicken. Gromit inhaled a foxtail and was rushed to the vet to have it removed. Two weeks later, he inhaled another foxtailthis time, it was in the other nostril. Again, we rushed him to the vet to have it removed. Gromit scratched one eye and then, a couple of months later, scratched the other. It was never a dull moment, and our vet knew us very well.