Also, I have to thank my adorable assistant, Derby, who did a fabulous job at his first big event. It was a really long, warm day for a 5 month old puppy, but he took his job very seriously and was more than happy to greet new friends and shower them with puppy kisses!

Here are just a few candid shots from the event, including some awesome rescue pups who have hopefully found their forever homes!

And now for the really fun announcement – I have a winner in my $200 gift certificate giveaway! I used to have Peyton draw a name out of a basket, but since there was always a risk that the paper wouldn’t be returned to me in one piece, I decided to use a random number generator this time. I’ll admit that it’s not nearly as fun, but at least it’s foolproof.

And the winner is…#29 – “J Summers”. Congratulations!

Thanks again to everyone involved (especially Pet Pages) in making this a really awesome day for Florida pet lovers . We’re already looking forward to next year’s event, which I hear is going to be even bigger and better!

It was a perfect day to spend time in the water! In fact, at one point I was *this* close to jumping in the pool to cool off. Lucky dogs – needless to say, they were having a grand time! Here are just a few of my many favorites…

Have you ever seen a dock diving Bulldog? Here’s Priscilla – she might not be the “ultimate air dog”, but she definitely was a crowd favorite! She has to wear a life jacket to keep from sinking. Go Priscilla go!

If you were a participant in the dock diving event and would like to see more images, please feel free to contact me!

Also, be sure to stop back by later this week for more pictures from the 2011 Celebration of Pets. I’ll also be announcing the winner of a $200 gift certificate from Simply Spotted Photography!

My good friends over at Pet Pages are hosting their first annual Celebration of Pets! With close to 200 local and national pet friendly vendors (including yours truly), this is going to be one heck of a party. They have tons of fun stuff planned and I think it’s going to be a fabulous event! So mark your calendars – Saturday, February  26th – and make plans to join us! To learn more, please visit  Celebration of Pets 2011 online.

Please stop by and say hi – and just in case you need one more good reason to attend, there’s a good chance Derby pup will be making an appearance at my booth. He would love to meet you!

Fortunately for my spotty dogs, my busy schedule has spared them the embarrassment of getting dressed up this year. However, I did get my Halloween pup fix earlier this week at the Halloween party and open house at Happy Dog Pet Salon in Sarasota. The event was big success and a lot of fun – I think I photographed 35 dogs (and a few families) in 2 1/2 hours…whew!

Thank you to all of the super cute pups (and kids!) who joined us – I’ve sent out  images to everyone who attended so if you haven’t received your e-mail, please feel free to contact me. And, if you’re looking for an awesome groomer in the Sarasota area, I definitely recommend checking out Happy Dog Pet Salon – they have a brand new, super cute location on Sawyer (just off of Bee Ridge Road) and now offer small dog daycare.

In other news, I am waaaay behind on sharing some of my latest sessions here, but stay tuned as I have some really fun ones coming up! Also, my November calendar is almost full, so if you’ve been thinking about a session before the holidays, please contact me soon. I always try to be as accommodating as possible, but this is a super busy (and super fun) time of year!

And finally, here’s one very tired spotty dog – Indy loves going to events like these because everyone feeds her lots of yummy treats!

Even if you weren’t able to attend this year’s walk-a-thon, you can still show your support by making a little donation to the Humane Society of Manatee County. Click here to visit them online!

I’m so excited that one of my photographs made the cover of the premiere edition! Check out this beautiful cover featuring my friend Karma, the Great Dane. I hear that Karma is going to be at the launch party signing pawtographs so be sure to stop by and say hi!

There were so many cool dogs who came out for this event – we had such a hard time judging. Congratulations to all of the winners! I’ll be posting more pictures soon, but thought I’d start with these beauties – the Lake Run Farm Clydesdales.

Best Tail Wagging – Dogs (not the handler) will be judged on the exuberance of their tail motion.
Most Original Costume – A class to judge the dog and/or handler on their entertaining attire.
Most Mysterious Heritage – A class for those lovable pets whose features cross all lines of breed characteristics. You will not find this class at Westminster.
Terrific Pet Tricks – Show off your dog’s talent to do anything. It does not have to be outrageous!
Best Vocal Performance – Move over Barbara, get out of the way Celine. This category features canine crooners with the most unforgettable talents.
Most Glamorous – Paris, Milan, New York, Dupont Circle. This category is for canines with class and a little bit of attitude. Watch out for the paparazzi!

This should be a really fun event and I’m looking forward to being one of the contest judges! For more information and directions to the Sarasota Polo Club, click here. Hope to see you and your pups there!

Mini sessions will once again be offered for only $20 and $5 from each session will be donated to Southeastern Guide Dogs. Space is limited so please contact Woof Gang Bakery at 941-723-BARK (2275) or stop by their new store to reserve your spot!