Viewfinder: Pet Portraits

When my husband and I first scouted the area in 2005 in search of our first purchased home, we noticed the abundance of pedestrian traffic in Lake Ridge.  There were families, dogs, and children; walkers, runners, and strollers.  Two words defined our perception: we were getting a “good vibe” from the neighborhoods.  And then there was the river, wide and slow, which sealed our fate. 

We have never regretted the decision to relocate here (although the price of our home, given the real estate collapse of the past few years, still stings.)  Summer evenings in our subdivision are filled with a quiet, neighborly buzz.  Dog walkers abound, greeting one another with a knowing nod as if part of a chummy, secret club.  For the first time in my life, I find that I have dog envy.

Those who know me well recognize that I am a cat lover.  I once saw an awful purse with bright pink stitching: “No outfit is complete without cat hair.”  I actually paused to consider buying it.  My love of cats dates back to my first pet, an intelligent tabby named Timothy.  (In this case, I define feline intelligence as the ability to turn on faucets and open doors.)

Nowadays, our household is limited to one sleek gray animal rescued from a high-kill shelter.  Mr. Bingley, our decidedly vocal cat, would probably not do well with a dog companion.  Yet the children are begging daily for that hoped-for canine and I find myself softening like a stick of butter in the sun.

In an attempt to assuage this newfound puppy love and take care of my weekly Viewfinder assignment, I present a gallery of neighborhood dogs, captured on their evening walk.  Although I’ve come across many human subjects who wished to avoid any photos or videos of themselves, dog owners were quite enthusiastic at the prospect of having their pets photographed.

My family walked with me while on assignment.  Though it would at first appear that my husband is the one opposing the idea of owning a dog, his interest in pet portraits leads me to believe that it’s in the bag.  The doggy bag that is.