Everybody loves puppies! Their sweet faces and the smell of puppy breath melts even the most hardened of hearts.  In my office, I occasionally have someone there who has a grumpy disposition, but the times when I've had a dog or puppy visiting .... well, it is sour-puss kryptonite. I love to see that happen!

When it comes to taking photos of animals, eye level is best.

Getting eye level with animals comes with its own set of risks. The unpredictability factor. They run, they hide, they smell and if you are really close, they may try to taste you.

This is all well and good with puppies...mostly.....not so much with bears.

Recently, a docile, very cooperative harbor seal surprised me by poking its little nose right onto my lens while "tasting" my lens hood. He, or she, left a nice shimmering goo with tiny fish scales in it on the hood. No one was hurt. It was funny, and a little stinky. My slow reflexes are to blame there.

Back to puppies....also safe, but those teeth are sharp.

While doing this "Lab puppy photo shoot", I was laying on my stomach in the grass on who knows what. The owner of the dogs was wrangling them for me, but with 10 to keep track of, some just did whatever they wanted.

Thankfully, I don't have a picture of this, but I'll paint the picture for you:

I'm splatted down in a not so graceful way, wishing I'd taken Pilates more seriously, while arching my head and camera up to achieve puppy eye level of the 2 subjects in front of me. All the while, 4 of the others are running across my back, licking my left earring, chewing and pulling on my camera strap. No "vibration control" on any lens is designed for that little tug-o-war. Sooooo much fun though!

While in Alaska, I had the opportunity to meet some dogs (and owner) that have run the Iditarod. She was also caring for some 11 week old future participants.

So much energy! I usually don't photograph people, but the pure joy in the faces of everyone with them, just begged to be recorded.

These dogs are athletes who love to run, and clearly love people too.

These last 2 photos aren't in focus, but it does illustrate their natural curiosity...and what the heck, they are cute!