If you want to make a friend in Seattle, get a dog.
If you’re not from around here, then you might not know about this thing called “The Seattle Freeze.” It’s the name for the struggle newcomers have in making friends after first moving here. For some reason, Seattleites take a really long time to warm up to new people. If you have a dog, however, you’re in. Your dog is your golden ticket to becoming a local, but it’s also the key to living a wildly joyful life here in the Pacific Northwest.
The rain in Seattle isn’t so bad if you love dogs.
People who don’t live here think that it’s always raining in Seattle, but what they don’t realize is that it’s actually just raining dogs. For real. We have so many dogs in this city, and it’s amazing. We don’t even care when it rains because our dogs make everything better, even when they drag us through puddles. Or roll in what we thought was mud until we’re trapped in the car for the drive home. Nope, definitely not mud.
Youppi the Golden Retriever shakes off water at Marymoor Off Leash Dog Park.
Raptor the Samoyed howls in excitement at Marymoor Off Leash Dog Park.Dog photography in Seattle is all about celebrating the joy of dogs.
I love photographing dogs living their best lives. It doesn’t really take much for a dog to express their joy. They just need to be doing their favorite things with the people (and maybe other dogs) they love the most, and they’ll give you endless opportunities for beautiful photos.
I’ve photographed dogs rolling around in their own backyards, eager to share all their best toys with me. We’ve headed out to some of my favorite parks in the Greater Seattle Area to play in the leaves, smell the spring flowers and swim during the heat of summer. We’ve driven out west to witness the awe-inspiring sunsets at the beach and journeyed east to the mountains to adventure on the trails. Every session holds new meanings of the idea of living a happy life.
Winston the Golden Retriever takes a moment to rest at Discovery Park in Seattle, Washington.
Lucky the rescue dog plays fetch in Madrona, Seattle, Washington.
Jack the rescue dog takes an evening stroll at the beach on the Olympic Peninsula.We’re not called “Dirtie Dog” just to be cute.
To be a “Dirtie Dog” means to be a “Happy Dog.” That is the intention with every one of my dog photography sessions here in Seattle; to hold space for dogs to fully express their joy through the things they love. And to capture it all in photos. Their happiness inspires all of us to spend a little more time celebrating the things that matter most.
Fenrir the White Swiss Shepherd sits in the forest at Boeing Creek Park in Shoreline, Washington.
Otus the Mini Schnauzer plays his favorite game of frisbee at home in Ballard, Seattle, Washington.
Nell the rescue dog enjoys a morning at Golden Gardens in Ballard, Seattle, Washington.
Bayou the Pit Bull sits in the grass at home north of Seattle, Washington.
Happiness doesn’t always mean we’re smiling.
Happiness means we are living. Here, in this moment where we can be free, together. This is where our dogs live, and it is where we must go to fully understand what a beautiful thing we have in living life with joy.
To see more beautiful photos of happy dogs, check out this feature of Dirtie Dog Photography by Seattle Refined!
Make sure to check out this next post about Happiness by Linda Perdue with VP Shoots Photography specializing in photographing pets and their families in the Tampa Bay area of Florida.
14 Responses
Great “happy” dog photos.
Thank you, Terri!
I love the philosophy behind Dirtie Dog. It brought a tear to my eye and a smile to my face. All we can do for our dogs is to make every day the BEST DAY EVER. And that can be as simple as a walk in the park or a trip to the beach. Seattle dogs are so blessed to have you there for them.
Thank you, Angela. So much love to you and Bella!
I love your shake photo and the one of the dog walking away. I thought I was the only dog photographer who took the “walking away” shots. I’m not sure why, but I LOVE them!
Thank you, Kim! I pretty much love every angle of every dog I photograph! I’m always excited when I can get a walking away shot because most of the time, the dogs want to be right up in my face for kisses/treats!
I didn’t know this about Seattle folks being slow to warm up. Nobody is from Vegas, so we’re used to people coming and going.
Beautiful images, I especially love that shaking dog photo!
Thank you, Nicole!
Your blog wins this week for me! Great post and info about Seattle dog’s as well.
Awww, thank you, Elaine!
Marika love this post! Dogs have so much fun no matter where they are. Thank you for sharing about Dirtie Dog.
Thank you, Tammy!
All the images are gorgeous but LOVE the backlit shaking dog image the most, so gorgeous!
Thank you, Tracy!