Tony's Takes Photography

Wildlife, landscape and weather photography

Happy National Dog Day from Scout!

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Scout, a border collie, leaps for a Frisbee. (© Tony's Takes)
Scout, a border collie, leaps for a Frisbee. (© Tony’s Takes)

Taking a break from my usual wildlife and landscape photos to some pics of my best friend to celebrate National Dog Day.

Scout “rescued” me when I was in a pretty low place in 2011 after losing my dad and my former four-legged best friend. One event would have been bad enough but having both occur in the same year put me in quite a mental funk.

In an attempt to get myself out of it, we got Scout in pretty short order and he was just what the doctor ordered.

Being a border collie he is very, very high energy, even at nine years old but we love it and all of his idiosyncrasies. One of the highlights of my day is when I come home and he insists we go play Frisbee. It is good exercise for him and a good way to wind down after work.

This particular photo shoot with him was done a couple of weeks ago when I was testing out my new Canon R5. He is always a ready and willing photo subject.

Scout returns with a Frisbee. (© Tony's Takes)
Scout returns with a Frisbee. (© Tony’s Takes)
Scout anxiously awaits another throw of the Frisbee. (© Tony's Takes)
Scout anxiously awaits another throw of the Frisbee. (© Tony’s Takes)

Scout and Ellie photo session

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Scout, an 8-year-old border collie poses for pictures. (© Tony’s Takes)
Scout, an 8-year-old border collie poses for pictures. (© Tony’s Takes)

As usual, I came home from work and almost immediately went out and played with my dogs. Seeing as it is National Dog Day, I snapped a few quick pictures.

Scout is an 8 year old Border Collie and every bit as smart and athletic as his breed would indicate. Ellie is also eight and a mix (the vet thinks a beagle / boxer believe it or not) that we adopted off the street in a very cruddy part of Denver.

They are a big part of our lives and members of the family in every way. 

Ellie keeps watch on a warm summer day. (© Tony’s Takes)
Ellie keeps watch on a warm summer day. (© Tony’s Takes)

Snow day for the Frisbee dog

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Scout runs with a flying disc through the snow. (© Tony’s Takes)
Scout runs with a flying disc through the snow. (© Tony’s Takes)

My boy, Scout, loves to play and being a border collie, that has to happen no matter the weather. Today we had a nice, little snowstorm and after I got done shoveling the walks, he was ready and waiting. Unfortunately I didn’t get any good shots today of him catching the disc – it’s hard to throw and then put the camera up in time. Nevertheless, got some nice shots of my buddy.

Scout takes a break from playing Frisbee by laying in the snow. (© Tony’s Takes)
Scout takes a break from playing Frisbee by laying in the snow. (© Tony’s Takes)

High-flying dog makes a good subject for a lens test

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I rented a lens for an event this weekend and couldn’t find any worthwhile subjects to test it on while driving home. Lucky for me I have Scout, my Border Collie who is always willing to play. The light was a bit harsh and I was shooting towards it but it was still fun and he gave me some nice captures.

Oh, and for the lens, it is a Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS L. We’ll see how it does this weekend but I think it is going to do great.

Scroll down to view the complete series.

A Border Collie leaps to catch a flying disc. (© Tony’s Takes)
A Border Collie leaps to catch a flying disc. (© Tony’s Takes)

Scout works the weave poles on National Dog Day

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A gorgeous evening here and I figured given that it is National Dog Day I would get out and take some pictures of my dogs. Scout is a Border Collie and just as athletic – and psychotic in some ways – as the breed is known for. He is so amazing smart. They say this is the hardest agility course event for dogs to learn. Scout learned it after about three time of trying. He is coming up on four years old.

Scout, a border collie, works his way through weave poles on an agility course. (© Tony’s Takes)
Scout, a border collie, works his way through weave poles on an agility course. (© Tony’s Takes)

Snow bounding hound

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My wife and daughter feel our other dog, Ellie, deserves equal time since I posted a picture of Scout yesterday. So here she is, bounding through the fresh snow yesterday.

As a boxer / beagle mix, she doesn’t have much fur and is far less than enthused about the cold. Her smaller stature as well requires that she bound up and down through the heavier snows like yesterday.

For those interested, Ellie is named after Denver Broncos great, John Elway. Scout is named after a character in my wife’s favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird.

This hound seems to be enjoying bounding through the recent snow in Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)
This hound seems to be enjoying bounding through the recent snow in Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)

There’s no stopping this snow dog

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Six plus inches of snow and a temperature of 12° is nothing to Scout. My buddy simply loves Frisbee no matter the weather conditions so I had to get out there for a bit and play with him this afternoon. I do wish he understood that I don’t have as much fur to keep me warm as he does! 😉

Scout, a red Border Collie, runs through the snow while carrying a Frisbee. (© Tony’s Takes)
Scout, a red Border Collie, runs through the snow while carrying a Frisbee. (© Tony’s Takes)

 

National Dog Day: Scout plays Frisbee

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It’s National Dog Day and as we do every day, Scout and I spent some quality time playing Frisbee this afternoon. Here he is launching himself after a disc. His ability to leap and catch in mid-air is amazing. A Border Collie, Scout is coming up on three years old in November and is my best bud.

Scout, a Border Collie, launches himself after a Frisbee. (© Tony’s Takes)
Scout, a Border Collie, launches himself after a Frisbee. (© Tony’s Takes)

Frisbee catching dog takes advantage of the mild weather

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Spring fever has begun to settle in with warming temperatures as we get closer to the change of seasons.  An unseasonably warm day meant Scout, my border collie, was more than ready to play outside (not that the cold and snow stop him anyway).

I love taking pictures of him playing because he is so full of energy and provides a great subject.  It also makes for good practice in capturing such a fast moving target.

With this image I was able to freeze him mid-jump just as he latched down on the Frisbee.

Mild weather meant it was Frisbee time for Scout. (© Tony’s Takes)
Mild weather meant it was Frisbee time for Scout. (© Tony’s Takes)

I can fly!

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We created a backyard agility course for our dogs as a way to exercise them and play with them.  Our other dog, a border collie, is the type of dog most people associated with the activity but really, as we see here, any dog can do it.  Ellie is what we call our ‘junkyard dog’ as she was rescued from the streets of an industrial area in Denver.  She may be a bit small but she can handle the obstacles just like any other.

October 25, 2013 - I can fly! © Tony’s Takes
October 25, 2013 – I can fly! © Tony’s Takes