America's Next Top Dog Model?

Our dog park friends, Bill and Nat, are amazing professional dog photographers for Photo Lab Pet Photography. Recently, they issued a casting call for dogs to model in a few photo shoots for clients' products and services. There were certain requirements, like your dog needed to be a certain size/weight, needed solid sit/stay skills, should be comfortable with new situations and people. Cabana was a little big for their needs (I think they wanted dogs under 45 lbs), but I decided to submit her anyway (she's about 57 lbs). I selected a few good photos I had taken and included a description of her abilities, one of which is that she is VERY used to posing for pictures, thanks to my perpetual camera in hand. I honestly didn't think Cabana would be chosen, but to my surprise, Cabana was selected! Skeptic that I am, though, maybe ALL the dogs got selected. I really don't know.

So last week, Cabana and I were asked to meet the photographers at Crissy Field in San Francisco. I have lived in the Bay area for over 20 years, but I had NEVER been to Crissy Field! (If you are surmising that I don't get out much, your assessment would be accurate.) I have driven by Crissy Field many times, but I had never actually walked around and enjoyed it. It was gorgeous and sunny on the day of the photo shoot, and it was a Lab's paradise. We will definitely go back.

Cabana and I arrived early, and because I wasn't sure what the photo shoot would entail, I hesitated to let Cabana off-leash, even though there were dozens of dogs, wandering around off-leash and playing in the waves. Cabana gave me many disgruntled grunts about not being allowed to join them. But I didn't want Cabana to get wet and dirty, because what if the photographers didn't want a wet, dirty dog for the photo shoot?

But I hated to miss the photo opportunity! I thought, maybe I could take Cabana's leash off for a few quick photos. I asked Cabana to sit and stay, which she dutifully did for me. Such a good girl. I was able to shoot a few frames.

Here's my sweet obedient dog, looking off into the distance, allowing me to perfectly frame the Bay with the Golden Gate Bridge and hills of Marin rising in the background. Ten seconds later, Miss Sweet Obedient was doing this:

And this:

While I thought Cabana was serenely gazing at the horizon, in actuality, she was wistfully watching these dogs play. Who can blame her for running over to them? I laughed and had only myself to chide. I let her play for a few minutes, then took her back to the car where, thankfully, I had some old towels to dry her off.

Our photographer friends arrived, along with their clients, owners of the K9 Scrub Club in San Francisco. Cabana was fabulous about doing everything she was asked to do, except she wouldn't walk while holding toys in her mouth. But she jumped up on picnic tables when prompted, let us put silly clothes on her, modeled various collars and leashes, drank out of a bright pink collapsible water bowl, put her paws up on a rock and held the position. Cabana WORKED it, and Tyra Banks would have been proud.

After the photo shoot, I let Cabana run around all she wanted. She had earned it!


I won't get to see the photos from the product shoot until they are actually published on the K9 Scrub Club website. But Bill and Nat gave me a Polaroid shot that day, as a keepsake of the experience. Their work is SO fantastic, I can't wait to see them. If you'd like photos of your pets, be sure to check out Photo Lab Pet Photography--they love animals and their job, and it shows.