Both girls were awarded to Pinal County by the court and surrendered by their previous owner. Against All Odds was given custody of the family. In order to keep the babies healthy and out of a kennel environment. They are currently living with a foster family and will be available for adoption in a few weeks.

For more information on Against All Odds Foundation and on how you can adopt Harper or Maggie, click here to visit their website or visit them on Facebook by clicking here.

Story by  Sugar’s Foster Mom:

Sugar found her foster family. She walked up to my husband and licked the back of his calf. When he turned around he saw a starving little sweetheart that was just skin and bones. She had very full teats, and it was obvious that she had puppies in the recent past. The kindness in her eyes pulled at my husband’s heartstrings, and he took her into his office and fed her what he could from the refrigerator. He and his co-worker searched for the puppies to no avail. Sugar was no help as she would not leave my husband’s side.

My husband’s office is located in an industrial area of the city, and it became obvious that Sugar had been dumped. Sugar has had the tops of her ears cut off as is done with dogs used as breeders. Because Sugar is so tiny (she only comes up to your knee), she was probably used as a breeder, and once her job was done, she was left in the streets to starve. She is by no means a fighter, she gets along great with all of our other dogs (a lab, shepherd, malti-poo, and Chihuahua) our two cats, and our two year old son. She has no propensity towards aggression.

However, Sugar is a puppy and loves to play! The day after we found Sugar, we took her to the vet. He said that she is very young, and probably got pregnant on her first heat. She is definitely ready for her forever home, and she deserves the best.  Can you adopt her?

For mor information on how you can adopt Sugar or any of the many dogs in need of fur-ever homes that are under the care of Valley Dogs Rescue Group, visit their website at www.ValleyDogs.org.

Max was found at a car wash in South Phoenix.  He was dragging a long rope (he had easily chewed through with his incredible teeth – Extremely large K9’s).  He walked past lots of people waiting for their cars to be cleaned and stopped at a woman and her daughter.  He sat, smiled, waited for a petting and then moved on and left the car wash.  The woman could not get him out of her mind.  A frantic call was made to her husband to come quick and find him, get him off the street prior to being hit.  So, he drove quickly and arrived to find his wife standing in the middle of a side street but, no dog in site.  As she leaned into the passenger window and said I cannot find him Max appeared in front of the car wiggling his nub of a tail and seeking her attention once again.  He was quickly scooped up and taken to safety.

Max was in bad shape.  He had been badly bitten from dog fights.  His head had multiple punctures that were very infected with discharge.  Max was also very skinny and in need of a good bath!  The family posted him as a found dog but no one claimed him.  So, he was to be put up for adoption though Valley Dogs.  The issue was there were no fosters available.  So, the family agreed to foster him until a new home was found.  The family became foster flunkies.  Now 7 years later he is “plump”, happy and guards the back yard 12 hours a day from lizard and bird attacks.  Once in a while he brings one in to show off!

He now is the Beta in the dog pack and adopts all of the puppies brought into the home as fosters.  He chews on them (play – most completely fit in his huge mouth) and licks them until soaked.

To license Copper’s photos for your commercial needs, click here to visit our stock photography library.

Boy was I happy to join my foster family! My favorite part of the day is going on walks. I can check out what’s going on in the neighborhood and get some exercise. I also like to play with my squeaky toy and snuggle in the laps of my foster parents.

I always have to be up-to-date on what is happening in the house so I sometimes sit up on my hind legs so I can see everything that is going on since I’m pretty little.

I love to stay warm – especially during the winter time, so I like to hang out in my sweater and snuggle in warm blankets. I don’t mind my foster brother and sister dogs – sometimes we play but I like to do my own thing too. I’m pretty low maintenance but enjoy being where the people are in the house.

The nice people at Valley Dog’s Rescue are taking very good care of me but I would really like to find my fur-ever home. Please click here to find out more information about how you can become my new family.

To license Copper’s photos for your commercial needs, click here to visit our stock photography library.

By Susan Schmitz, owner of A Dog’s Life Photography

Co-authored by Arizona Basset Hound Rescue

Is now available for purchase

Proceeds benefit the Arizona Basset Hound Rescue

Dogs are not just simple household pets. They play many different roles in our lives. They sail through life with us like a yacht captain, cooking up experiences like a chef, while driving us to tears or laughter like a chauffeur. Bassets In Hats portrays how dogs wear many different roles in our lives… They wear a lot of hats.

~ Susan Schmitz

Preview the book below:

Available in three different price points. Click on your desired version to be directed to Blurb to complete your purchase:

Premium Version (Hardcover with premium paper) – $46.95
Standard Version (Hardcover with lighter paper) – $41.95
Economy Version (Smaller book with softcover and lighter paper) – $19.95

Dog owners and rescue groups are provided with incentives for allowing A Dog’s Life Photography to sell photos that we take of their dogs as stock photography. As a private client of A Dog’s Life, you are entitled to $50.00 off of the standard photo session fee if you sign a waiver which gives your permission for us to use the photos for resale purposes.

A Dog’s Life Photography doesn’t just photograph dogs! We are currently offering FREE PHOTO SESSIONS for exotic and rare pets. The catch is that you will need to sign a waiver and you will most likely need to bring the pet into the studio in Phoenix. Exceptions to shoot on-location will be made on a case by case basis.

Some of the Microstock companies that we work with are Shutterstock,  Big Stock Photo, Fotolia, Dreamstime and PhotoStockPlus.

• I have completely revamped the Dogs Life Photography website. It’s slick and clean! Now, I am sure that some of you may like the old site better because it was a little more “fun”. I needed to make this change because I am moving into the commercial stock photography business and needed a more professional look. Check it out at www.ADogsLifePhoto.com.

New Website Design

• I’ve finished adding all breeds from the Tails of Rescue book to the I’ve Got It Ruff section of the gift store. The store itself is still under construction and will be taking on a total facelift real soon. It’s real ugly right now. So, pardon the dust while you complete your shopping.

• I’ve added some cool new Basset Hound designs to the gift store. Click Here to check them out. There are many more to come as I work with the Arizona Basset Hound Rescue on a new Basset Hound photo book. Stay tuned for details.

• The Tails of Rescue book is now being sold at the Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe and at Choice Pet Market in Glendale

• I have launched a new stock photography website that allows companies and graphic designers to purchase high resolution digital files of photos of rescue dogs for commercial purposes, such as advertisements, product labels, website design, etc. This site also offers high quality photo and canvas prints of your favorite A Dogs Life Photography photos. Click Here if you are in need of some classy dog art to hang on your walls.
• I have a new assistant/intern that is helping me out with some photo sessions and photo editing. She is a fellow dog lover, budding photographer and she is active in the rescue community. Hopefully she will let me snap a few photos of her to post here to introduce her to you all!
• Last but certainly not least… I am starting a brand new photo program that is FREE to local Phoenix area dog rescue groups. Details will follow in an email to the rescue groups after I nail down all of the little details, but here’s the skinny:

1. Rescue groups are allowed one free in-studio photo session per month of one dog that is currently up for adoption.
2. The rescue group will receive high resolution digital photos to be used for adoption ads, website design, flyers or any other marketing purpose.
3. I will set up a dedicated photo product store on A Dog’s Life Photography’s Gift Shop for each participating rescue group and a portion of the proceeds of all sales of photo products sold will be donated directly to the respective rescue groups.
4. Photos from each session will be sold as stock photography and a portion of proceeds of sales will be donated to the rescue groups.

Rescue groups – I will get with you on the details in the next week or so. In the meantime, if you would like to get on the schedule for photos before the slots fill up, visit the calendar page on this site and send an email to susan@adogslifephoto.com with the days/times that you would like to book.