Tailwagger Dog Photography

Grand Rapids Pet & Dog Photographer

Archives for June 2018

Tailwagger Dog Photography Moving Update

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Multi-colored Pomeranian sits under a tree.
Pooh Bear is always smilin’ – ’cause he is a happy little man!

“Dogs smile in many ways – with their eyes, their goofy facial expressions and most energetically with their tails. There is nothing quite like the comforts of your dog’s smile to make you feel like you are home.”

A male Golden Retriever chases his multi-colored ball.
Bucky running down his ball – smilin’ the whole time!

If your dog is a huge part of your life – your friend and companion, your travel and workout buddy, your napping partner and/or your confidant (hey, I tell Jasper all my secrets…there is no safer place!) – have TDP capture your pup’s smile before it is too late! We are moving soon – we just did back-to-back closings this past Friday on the house we sold and the house we bought in the Grand Rapids area in Kent County.

An English Springer Spaniel exhausted from playing, but not quite ready to call it quits.
Schatzi is exhausted, but not quite ready to give up her ball.

BUT it is not too late yet, Jackson County! We are still booking sessions through July 15th in Jackson County. Call – 517-990-5630 or send us an email at trish@tailwaggerphoto.com today. Sessions now include high-resolution digital negatives.

A cairn terrier lying in the grass with his chin on a tennis ball.
Sir Wallace Andrew, AKA Wally, is contemplating the meaning of life.

Don’t miss out on having your dog’s smile, his amusing antics or his beautiful, adorable and goofy expressions photographed – images that will last forever and always remind you of your special furry friend.

McCourtie Park – Somerset Center, MI

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Front part of McCourtie Park Hillsdale County, Michigan.
McCourtie Park looking down toward the stream.

Another favorite place to take our tailwaggers is McCourtie Park in the northeast corner of Hillsdale County – just a mile or two south of the Jackson Co./Hillsdale Co. line. It is especially a favorite spot of our English Springer Spaniel, Schatz.

Entrance to McCourtie Park Somerset, MI.
South entrance to McCourtie Park in Somerset Center, Michigan.

McCourtie Park was once the home of William H.L. McCourtie, a prominent businessman and community leader. As part of his legacy he transformed his 42-acre estate into a ‘show-place’ of sorts – with 17 unique bridges that cross the stream that runs through the estate that are made of sculpted cement to look like logs, planks of wood and ropes. McCourtie died in 1933 and ownership changed hands several times before Somerset Township bought the park in 1987. McCourtie Park is now the home of a baseball diamond, tennis and volleyball courts, an 18-hole disc golf course, a pavilion and numerous picnic areas and permanent grills.

Springer Spaniel in mid-air jumping into the water at McCourtie Park.
Schatz, photographed mid-air, doing one of her favorite things to do at McCourtie Park – jumping into the stream.

What does our little Schatzi like best about McCourtie Park? She loves the stream that snakes through the park! We put her on a 30 foot lead and let her jump in and out and go from side to side all the way down the stream. There are parts of the stream that are deep enough for her to swim, as well as parts that are shallow enough for her to wade. She also likes to walk through the wooded parts, as well as there are loads of good smells up and around the baseball field and through the disc course (if no one is playing).

Springer Spaniel wading through the stream at McCourtie Park Somerset Center, MI.
Schatz wading through the stream by one of the sculpted cement bridges.

The atmosphere at McCourtie Park is also quite amazing. We always run into interesting people to talk to and everyone is friendly – whether it be a volunteer groundskeeper, a group of women holding their monthly book club at the park or a family with kids having a picnic – everyone is friendly. The park is also incredibly well maintained and has garbage barrels here and there for the sake of convenience.

English Springer Spaniel jumping through the stream at McCourtie Park.
Schatz playing and jumping through the water at McCourtie Park in Hillsdale County.

McCourtie Park is located at 12715 E. Chicago Rd, Somerset Center (S. Jackson Rd and US-12). It is open from dawn to dusk. Both entrances are off of S. Jackson Rd. Dogs are welcome but need to be on a leash and – as always – you need to pick up after your pup.

Pupcakes for Boo!

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A female Golden Retriever young on the left and older on the right.

Our little Boo – who is not so little anymore – turns four years old today! Any and all dog birthdays in the Tailwagger Dog Photography’s doghouse are celebrated with pupcakes!!

Several Tailwagger Dog Photography pupcakes with frosting on a plate.

What is a pupcake? Well…a cupcake for dogs naturally.

Pupcake with peanut butter and honey frosting on a plate

Pupcakes

  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup peanut butter
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour

Frosting

  • 1/3 cup peanut butter
  • honey

 

Combine all the wet ingredients (egg, peanut butter, oil) and then add the carrots and flour. Spoon batter into a muffin tin or cupcake liners (we don’t use liners because Jasper, our male GR, is a master counter-surfer – he would definitely swallow the pupcake and liner whole – why take a chance?).

Bake 350F for approximately 20 minutes.

Warm up the peanut butter for the frosting in the microwave and drizzle some honey in and stir it till smooth – frost the pupcakes after they are cool.

Tailwagger Dog Photography photograph of pupcakes for dogs.

MacCready Reserve

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Woman and her dog on the boardwalk at MacCready Reserve Jackson, MI.
The boardwalk that goes over to Pine Island was added in 2013.

One of our favorite places to walk our dogs is MacCready Reserve in Liberty Township – just south of Jackson on Skiff Lake Rd. The 408-acre reserve is made up of forests, marshes, ponds and prairie terrain with 7 miles of trails rolling through it all. All of the trails are well marked and color-coded with a map, for those who want to know where they are going, at the meeting facility by the parking lot.

A smiling Golden Retriever walking on a trail at MacCready Reserve in Liberty Township in Jackson, MI.
One of the TDP Tailwaggers, Jasper Barnabas, on the blue trail at MacCready Reserve.

The absolute best thing about MacCready Reserve? You can take your best buddy with you! Dogs are allowed – they need to be on a leash and you need to pick up after your pup, but quite honestly you should be doing that no matter where you take your dog for a walk.

A woman and her Golden Retriever starting out on a trail at MacCready Reserve in Jackson, MI.
Jasper and one of his humans starting out on the blue trail.

MacCready Reserve came about when the MacCready brothers, Lynn, Doug and Willis, donated the 408-acre tract of land to MSU in September of 2001 in the memory of their parents, Lynn and Thelma MacCready. The property is a research, educational and on-going restoration project of MSU, but in the summer of 2008 was opened to the public. MSU built a meeting and storage facility at the reserve to prepare it for public use – which also includes public restrooms.

A Golden Retriever and his owner enjoying a hike at MacCready Reserve in Jackson, MI.
Jasper is always a happy tailwagger at MacCready Reserve.

Our tailwaggers enjoy nothing more than going out to MacCready for an hour or two of a nice sniffing walk. We’ve seen loads of deer, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, all sorts of birds including pileated woodpeckers – as well as wild turkeys. Our favorite trails are the yellow and blue because they are rolling up and down and twist around, but there are also more gentle trails – such as the red trail. In the fall of 2013, a 540-foot boardwalk was built to connect the 408-acre main section of the reserve to the additional 62-acre island of white pine trees – adding to the varying terrain and trails the public can use.

Meeting Facility at MacCready Reserve in Jackson, MI.
The Meeting and Storage facility At MacCready Reserve.

It is a great place to take your pup for a walk, get some fresh air or just get away for an hour or two. MacCready Reserve is located at 9243 Skiff Lake Rd and is open from dawn to dusk every day with the exception of mid-November to the beginning of December.

Tailwagger Dog Photography Just Got Better!

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“Tailwagger Dog Photography is devoted to capturing the smile of your furry best friend – to show the individuality of your pup in moments of play, curiosity and rest – dynamic, playful and unique images that will melt your heart and last forever.”

A boy and his border collie lying on the forest floor.

We have some great news for our clients – our sessions are changing! What isn’t changing is the pet photography. We will still produce the same dynamic, playful and unique photographs of your dog or pet that we are known for. So, what’s the difference? Now our sessions include a collection of high resolution, fully processed digital negatives.

We will still offer premium, archival prints and print products for those who would rather just order a final product that is ready to hang on your wall or sit on your desk – such as books, metal prints, canvas wraps and fine art prints. We will also still offer, for those interested, a complimentary design consultation in your home to help you select images, as well as decide on what prints and products would work best in your home or office. Something else that is new? When you now purchase a print or print product you will also receive the digital negative of the image the print or product was made from.

We are moving to Grand Rapids early summer – if you are interested in booking a pet photography session for your dog or pet and you live in the mid-Michigan area (Jackson, Lansing, East Lansing, Ann Arbor, Detroit and Battle Creek areas) contact us soon! You can email us info@tailwaggerphoto.com or give us a ring at 517-990-5630.

Compilation of color photographs from Tailwagger Dog Photography's photo sessions.

Tailwagger Dog Photography | tailwaggerphoto.com | trish@tailwaggerphoto.com |   517.990.5630
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