First of all, I just want to say a HUGE thank you for all the lovely comments I’ve had on the reveal of our newly tiled front patio. It made me feel all giddy that so many of you loved it. Reveal posts are just THE BEST, aren’t they?! I love doing them. I wish I could do them every single week but alas, time and budget are conspiring against me for that particular wish! ;)
Anyway, today is one really for the doggie lovers out there (and for those of you who requested more Quito pictures!). As you probably know, over the years I have loved sharing my kitties with you here on the blog because they are members of our family and of course, the cat lovers out there shared my passion so it was always nice connecting with others around our crazy cat lady/man tendencies! And now that we have Quito, it’s like all the dog lovers have come out of the woodwork! Ha! I really love hearing about everyone’s own puppy stories and advice, it’s so great to know you guys are such animal lovers as we are.
As I mentioned on my tile reveal post, a photographer was arranged to take pictures of the tiles for Original Style’s brochures. Sarah from Original Style expressed how much she’d love some shots with Quito and Meisha and so Martyn Hicks and I became some kind of weird double act trying to get Quito to pose.
Well, between treats, commands and leading him around, we got some amazing pictures. I so wish there had been someone to shoot us photographing Quito because I’m sure all our neighbours must have gotten a good laugh! (They do say ‘never work with animals and children’ for a reason clearly…)
Alas, Meisha was unfortunately MIA at the time so she missed her opportunity (boo!) and Martyn is hopefully going to return at some point soon to get Meisha shots too (yay!) but I couldn’t resist sharing these Quito pictures and Martyn was gracious enough to let me publish them on the blog for you guys to see.
I figured I’d give a little update on him while we’re at it and chat between the pictures as to how he’s getting on for those of you who are interested! If you don’t care and just wanna look at cute pup pictures, that’s fine too ;)
As you can see, he’s getting bigger by the day! He’s about 15 weeks when these were taken if anyone was wondering and he’s a Sheltie. He’s just starting to lose his ‘puppy fluff’ now and has got to the awkward leggy stage!
He’s really smart and very independent which is both brilliant and challenging! We’re learning things everyday and we’ve been taking him to puppy classes in Stockport which helps both us and him.
Taking him for walks is just an experience!! Ha! He’s SO EXCITED when he goes but we’re going to start learning how to control him on the lead a little better because the boy is a puller! It’s also rather sweet that I get stopped no less than 5 times every time I go out with him by people ooohing and awwwing over him – he’s a little looker, my boy!
While these pictures appear that butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth, he does still enjoy chasing Meisha even though we are working hard to curb that with lots of praise and treats on those occasions he doesn’t do it and lots of distraction techniques!
Potty training is going pretty well although he still doesn’t know he’s supposed to ‘go’ when we go for walks. He always waits until we get home and just relieves himself in the garden. Sigh. But at least it’s outside, right?
He’s super greedy for food though which makes him a little easier to train – he’ll do pretty much anything for a treat so we use that to our advantage ;)
Even though having a puppy is really challenging, we are loving having him around. The cats are becoming more comfortable around him and we only see that improving as time goes on – fingers crossed!
So that’s my little update on Quito! Aren’t the pictures fab? Who knew our little man was so photogenic?!
A huge thank you to Martyn Hicks for allowing me to share these with you as well as being so patient as we got these shots – it was a lot of fun! And my apologies for Quito running off with your shoe and trying to hump your leg! Ha! ;) I’m so glad you had a sense of humour about all of it, you were great to work with!
For you cat lovers out there, hopefully Meisha pictures are coming soon so stay tuned for that! She’s always been so ridiculously photogenic so I’m really looking forward to that shoot and as we know, leopard print goes with EVERYTHING so she’ll look really striking against the tiles!
Have you ever had your pet professionally photographed? What do you do to get your pets to pose for you? Or maybe they just like to photobomb? I’d love to hear your stories :)
All Quito images are copyright Martyn Hicks and have been published with permission.
Oh my gosh!! Too much cute! Look at the fluff! Look at the little smile he has! Look at him peeking over the wall! Just gorgeous.
I have cats and dogs, and they all have their moments where I think they are the cutest pet, but then another one comes along and does something cute too. Equally, I have moments when I think one of them is the most annoying little bugger (yesterday when Tarquin brought in not one, but three baby mice, then left them for the dogs to play with – takes me forever to catch them and put them back outside!), but then another one surpasses it! I love them all though, and wouldn’t change any of them for the world. I might have to also get a Sheltie though, ha ha!
I’m the same Anna! I will look at Meisha and think she is just the sweetest, most gorgeous thing and then Quito will do something and I’ll be like, ‘nope, that’s better’ and then Pablo will be all cuddly and it’s like, ‘Pablo just rocks’ and yeah. Basically I love them all and they all annoy me in equal measure! LOL! The 3 baby mice story made me laugh but WHAT A NIGHTMARE! Oh dear! Hahaha! Shelties are just so fun, such smart little dogs ;) xxx
Oh, he is adorable! Such a sweet face! How are you dealing with the undercoat? We had a beloved Corgi for 14 years, and though Albert was the best dog ever, the undercoat was a challenge! So much fur! We have a sweet mini schnauzer now. No shedding, yeah!
Hey Sheran! So far, his undercoat hasn’t been a problem but he’s starting to shed his soft fluffy baby fur now so we’ll see how it goes! :-/ I will need to brush him about once a week or so but once adults, the males only shed once a year so that’s not too bad. The cats are way worse so I’m kind of used to it! Ha! xxx
Oh, he’s a little nugget! He’s too cute and perfectly paired with your porch ;) Thanks for sharing your update on him and good luck on the potty training… Maybe give him a treat right after he goes so it reinforces the fact that going outside is good :)
Aww thanks Jessica, yep he’s a little sweetie! I’ve actually been doing that with the treats – it’s catching him doing it that’s a problem, this dog has NO schedule for pottying! We call him the ‘poop ninja’ – hahaha! But when we do see him do it, he gets a treat ;) xxx
I’m not a dog person, but that is one cute puppy! He’s got such a wise expression :)
I’ve never been a dog person either Linda! This little guy is starting to make me understand why people are though ;) xx
I can’t believe this sweetness! He is such a good model, very charming:)
Aww I know! He’s a little cutie! :) xxx
He is too cute for words. I just wanna pick him up and (run away with him) hug him for hours!
The tiles look amazing, but he makes them look even better! x
Hahaha! He’s very cuddly!! Thank you hun! xxx
Hi Kimberly, he’s gorgeous, i love how he poses for the camera. My old dog used to do that, every time you got the camera out, and know matter what pictures you were going to take he was already there waiting lol xxx
I know, he’s a little poser, Pauline! Ha! And Meisha is just like that too – you get the camera out and she’s gotta be RIGHT in front of it! LOL! xx
I can see how he won your heart.
I know – that FACE, right?! He’s a little cutie – drives me around the bend, mind you, but very loveable ;) xxx
Your Quito is adorable! Thanks for sharing the pictures. Hard to say no to such an irresistible face like that! And photographed on your beautiful new front tile…..stunning!
Awww thank you Lynne! Yep, he’s a little poser! Ha! xxx
Speaking of neighbours, ours must think we’re deranged as both Robert and I made *thee* dumbest sounds oogling over little Quito’s photos. I stand by my statement each and every time – HE’S SO FLUFFY I’M GONNA DIE!
Srsly. That little face. I just want to grab it and make grandmother sounds at it.
Hahaha!! Awww but how could you NOT when you look at a little face like that!? (Apologies to Robert & Alex’s neighbours of course!) ;) “make grandmother sounds” made me LOL :D xxx
He is so so cute and you know it’s coming but you just HAVE TO participate in my pet series now. That’s it
I know!! Hahaha! I will arrange a little photoshoot – it’s already rude of me not to by now ;) Mwah! xxx