I’ve always known I would have a career that involved working with animals in some capacity. As a child I wanted to be a veterinarian. After earning my college degree in Psychology, I considered becoming an animal trainer. Becoming a pet photographer was a very natural transition for me as it combined artistic expression with working with animals and providing wall art that their owners treasure for a lifetime.
After finishing college in Las Vegas, I was working for a high volume photography studio that didn’t accept pets. Everyone kept asking if I knew of a photography studio that photographed animals. After doing the research, I realized in a city of over 2 million people, there wasn’t a pet photography studio so I decided to open one. I had a 2,500 sq ft luxury pet photography studio in Las Vegas for 9 years. I had 3 employees and shot 250 portrait sessions per year. In 2015 I sold my studio and became a traveling pet photographer. I now do one pet photography road trip every fall capturing pet & family portraits around the country.
My Bloodhound Gracie is the best traveler! And thank goodness because we actually live on the road full time. In 2020 I bought an empty cargo van and hired a carpenter friend to help me turn it into a home on wheels complete with a kitchen, bathroom, dining area, sunroof and rooftop deck. My annual photography road trip is 3 months long and we take the other 9 months off every year exploring, following the weather and visiting friends and family.
Favorite locations are based on the weather. Mammoth Lakes, CA is one of my favorite places in the summer for the wild hot springs, crystal clear lakes and forest camping. But it’s not a place I want to visit in the winter with a 2WD van and freezing temps overnight. Arizona is one of my favorite places to spend the winter for the sunshine and warm weather. But it’s not a place I want to be in the summer with triple digit temps. Gracie & I plan our photography road trip as well as our 9 months off around the weather.
A combination of patience, interesting noises to get their attention for the camera and I always utilize owners as assistants during portrait sessions. Many of my best portraits are a result of keeping pets on leash and removing the leashes in post-production editing.
I spend 8-10 hours per portrait session between location scouting, shooting the portraits, editing, creating an online gallery, working with clients to figure out what sizes and where to display their portraits in their home, sending the order to print, etc.
The majority of my portrait sessions consist of dogs, cats and horses. I do volunteer my time and offer complimentary adoption portraits for animal rescue groups and shelters to help homeless animals find forever homes. Some adoption portraits have included pigs, cows, goats, chickens, guinea pigs, ferrets and rats. I also did a portrait session years ago for a private zoo and they brought a variety of exotic animals to my studio including a spider monkey, a toucan, an otter and a porcupine.
Salty Paws takes the award for the largest number of animals I’ve photographed at one time! 15 dogs looking at the camera in one shot is definitely an accomplishment, but Abbie & Erin are amazing dog handlers and trainers so they made my job easy!
(This picture of Arica's work just amazes us! 5 kittens perfectly posing at one time?! This is a gift, or maybe she's a wizard. Either way, Arica's skills, patience, and ability to tune in with animals is incredible.)
I’ve heard countless times “my dog is hyper and untrained and you’ll never be able to get him/her to sit still for portraits”. You might be surprised to learn that dogs with a lot of energy are often the easiest ones to photograph because they react to all of the noises I’m making and give me great, inquisitive expressions.
(Mauzzie is crazy. Who would have thought she could look so majestic when she's not spinning around like a Tasmanian devil?)
Being a Bloodhound, I think Gracie loves the new smells everywhere we go. We rarely camp in the same spot longer than 3 days so she’s constantly getting to explore new areas.
I taught an online photography workshop years ago for an international educational company. They expected to have 10,000 photographers watching my live workshop so they organized a “crazy” photoshoot with a family of 4 people, 2 dogs, 2 bunnies, 2 ducks, 1 chicken and a miniature horse - all in a studio setting. The “crazy” session was intended to market the workshop and was a bit of a joke on their end “let’s get a bunch of different animals in here to get people to tune in, even if Arica doesn’t capture any good portraits”. Well challenge accepted! We captured a beautiful family portrait with all 12 subjects posed comfortably looking right at the camera!
I love this question. Moving from house life into the van has given me the space for an immense amount of self growth and self reflection. I’ve learned to slow down and really listen to people when they are talking as opposed to half listening and coming up with what I’m going to say next. I’ve learned to stop and ask people how they’re doing - how they’re really doing - mentally, physically and spiritually.
Clients interested in a portrait session can sign up for my email newsletter on the homepage of my website www.aricadorff.com. You’ll receive updates when I start booking portrait sessions in the summer for my fall photography road trip. You can also follow me on social media to see my road trip map, sneak peek images from portrait sessions and behind-the-scene shots of Gracie & I hiking and paddleboarding:
Personal Facebook: www.facebook.com/aricadorff
Business Facebook: www.facebook.com/aricadorffphotography
Personal Instagram: @aricadorff
Business Instagram: @aricadorffphotography
For those parents that weren't able to get their pup signed up for the Scallywag shoot, make sure to book a session with Arica ASAP for next year. Having these portraits of your furry friend is something that you'll treasure for a lifetime.
]]>To be fair ticks have their place in our world. Yes, I said it. They serve as a source of nutrition for many other animals which we have greater fondness for like, chickens, opossums, and turkeys. Because they carry diseases they also help to keep wild animal populations in check.
With the positives out of the way, we can now look at why, when you see one of these tiny insects crawling around an internal alarm should sound. The biggest reason ticks suck, is the fact that they carry and transmit diseases to dogs and humans. In short, they want to suck your blood and then give you a nasty life altering and potentially fatal disease such as Lyme, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Babesiosis among many others. Diseases can be transfer from tick to host anywhere between 10-48 hours after the bite has occurred and the tick has attached to its host. Because many ticks are initially very small, they can go undetected for days, putting your dog and you in the danger zone for contracting a disease.
It’s important to remember if you find a tick crawling on your dog that’s flat and not engorged, they most likely haven’t bitten your dog. They may just be hitching a ride on the back of your furry friend and decide to hop off on your bed, couch, clothes, etc where they have access to you, your children, and other animals in your home. This is why it's imperative to be vigilant and consistent in checking your dog for ticks.
What Kind of Ticks Are Found Near Me?
On the Seacoast we have a few common species of ticks. The first one we’ll talk about, and one of the most well known is the Deer Tick.
Illustration by Kirsten Beard
Deer Ticks are small, 0.078 to 0.137" in size, they are only a tiny fraction of a paperclip. Their bodies are brown and their legs are jet black. This is why they are also informally known as the Black Legged Tick. Females will have a black oval stemming from their head that takes up about half their body and the males, which are much smaller, will have a large black oval encompassing the vast majority of their body. Deer Ticks get a lot of attention in the media as they are the most well known carrier of Lyme disease. Lyme disease affects both dogs and humans. Once the tick has bitten and attached it only takes between 36-48 hours for bacterium causing Lyme disease to infect the host. Lyme is a serious disease that presents like the flu, but can be fatal if left untreated. When bitten by a tick you'll most likely find a small red bump due to the bite and irritation of the skin. This is normal. However if bitten by a Lyme disease infected tick one of the most tell tale signs is the presence of a Bull's Eye pattern left on the skin.
The Dog Tick
Unlike the name suggests, Dog Ticks are not cute floppy eared little bugs who are happy go lucky and looking for a belly rubs & cuddles. They’re still parasites looking for a free meal that can leave you feeling lousy and on medication. One not so terrible thing about Dog Ticks is their size. They're larger than Deer Ticks, which makes them easier to find. These ticks are brown with notable geometrical features on both the males and females. Imagine looking into a kaleidoscope as a kid and seeing all those symmetrical geometric figures. That’s what it’s like looking at the back of a male dog tick. These ticks are known for carrying Tularemia, a rare but serious bacterial disease also known as Rabbit Fever. This disease can be life threatening for humans if not treated appropriately with antibiotics. In dogs, Tularemia is usually less severe. Symptoms include lethargy, poor appetite, inflammation of the eyes, enlarged lymph nodes, mild fever, and draining abscess.
These ticks are also known to carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Something to be especially careful of in both humans and dogs. This disease is contracted from an infected tick bite. Symptoms include: lethargy, blood in urine, irregular heart beat, inflammation of eyes (conjunctivitis, swollen, bleeding), edema in extremities, and loss of coordination. If these symptoms are observed after pulling a Dog Tick from your animal or yourself please seek medical attention immediately.
The Lone Star Tick
The Lone star females are credited for giving the species its name. This is due to the one lone white spot located on their back. These ticks are known to be aggressive human bitters. That doesn’t mean they will ignore Fido though. They will still gladly chomp on your dog if given the opportunity. These ticks are known for carrying Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Human Monocytic Ehrlichiosis (bacterial illness), and STARI (Southern tick associated rash illness, bacterial illness). The symptoms of these diseases are similar to others in that you should pay attention to any unusual feelings of lethargy, muscle aches/pains, loss of appetite, rash, etc.
All of these ticks are found on the Seacoast. They’ll hang out on tall blades of grass, in thick brush, in piles of leaves, it’s not uncommon to even pick up a tick or two at the beach from the grass on the dunes. Ticks are opportunistic. They’ll jump on their host, attach, feed, fall off, and then find a way to do it all a again.
Key Places to Check Your Dog For Ticks
Ticks feed on the blood of the host. When checking your dog pay close attention to areas where there is a good blood supply. These areas include:
You'll also want to inspect areas that smart ticks can burry themselves into knowing they’re unlikely to be spotted by happenstance. Examples of these places are:
If you come across a tick that has bitten your dog, it's time to do what Abbie and I refer to as "surgery." There’s many different methods and techniques to removing ticks. We suggest you do some research and find a method that works for you and your dog the best. For those who are newer to living the anti-tick life I’ll explain how Abbie and I remove ticks from our dog, Charlie. Firstly, gather your supplies and have them ready and near you.
We use tweezers, and keep a few pairs in the house and in both of our vehicles just in case. You can also use tools like a tick key or tick twister. Typically one of us is holding, comforting, and giving Charlie treats while the other is focusing on the removal. Having two sets of eyes and hands when removing a tick is great but it’s not necessary. I’ve flown solar and removed many ticks by myself as well.
We start by dipping the tweezers in alcohol, making sure they are clean should we accidentally break the skin. Then we gain as much visibility as possible moving all the fur out of the way. I'll take hold of the tick as close to the head as possible and pull straight out. This usually takes a little bit of elbow grease and you want to be as steady as possible as to not break pieces of the tick off. Any remnants left in the skin can cause infection. If the head is left in the skin and intact it can continue to transmit disease despite being detached from the body. Lastly, we put alcohol/hydrogen peroxide on a cotton ball and dab the area. If the skin was broken after cleaning we put a small amount of Neosporin on it.
The best thing you can do for your dog is be proactive and avoid tick bites all together. Consult with your veterinarian to find the best tick preventative for your dog. Some of the preventatives we personally use Nexgard, which is an oral chewable that works from the inside out. We've found that the ticks that attach to Charlie when he’s taking Nexgard die before they can feed and become engorged. They may remain in the spot where they attached, but are dead, brittle, and easily taken off once spotted.
We also really like products that utilize No Fly Zone technology. These are dog vests and harnesses that contain a non-toxic insect repellant inside the fabric. If you have any questions or are looking for advice feel free to reach out to the Salty Paws team.
A special thanks to Salty Paws Pack Captain Kirsten Beard who spent over six hours creating the tick illustrations featured in this blog. Check out Kirsten’s other work on her Instagram page at @kshepart.
]]>Hopefully, most of you have seen Tiger King by now and understand that reference (friggin’ Carol Baskin). As if March wasn’t enough of a force to be reckoned with, we are officially back in tick season. When is tick season, one might ask? Ticks typically like the warmth, like us humans, and with the warm weather we have been given, it seems like it has started a little earlier this year. We wanted to make you aware of just how awful these little critters are, not only are they gross to look at and touch, but they are really bad for our pups. As most of you know we love walking the dogs at local beaches but with COVID-19 still in full force and the state beaches being closed, we will be spending a lot more time walking the dogs on trails and near the woods.
Ticks live in all sorts of places, although the dog park and your backyard are uncommon, they can, and will, unfortunately, post up there. The more obvious places for residence are tall grass areas and heavily wooded trails that we have here in New Hampshire. This is where most commonly they find a furry friend to latch. They generally like to hang out around your dog's ears, at the crease or inside. On their bellies, near the groin and under their armpits. Ticks can also find a nice cozy spot in between their toes to latch onto our poor pooches’ skin. Lastly, don’t forget to check their faces. Often times, ticks around the eyelids can be missed because of how small they can be. Be sure to also check the inside of your dog's mouth, those little buggers like warm, moist places and find it extra cozy around their teeth. If you happen to find a tick that has taken a liking to your dog, it is very important to remain at ease and keep him/her calm, treats always help! They don’t need to be spooked right before you are trying to take something off their skin with a sharp object.
Removal of ticks is very easy to do but you must be careful and at ease when trying to detach them from your dog. It is suggested to wear latex gloves when removing ticks, but with the pandemic we are currently facing, those might be hard to find (silly hoarders). Using clean tweezers, place the tip as close to the skin as possible and simply pull the tick out of their skin. Clean the area with alcohol to prevent irritation. Once you have removed the tick, be sure to look that the head came with the rest of its body. Dispose of the tick by flushing that sucker down the toilet for it to never be seen again. Continue to monitor the spot over the next few days for any redness, inflammation or if your dog seems to be in any discomfort, please contact your veterinarian.
In order to prevent the above from happening it is important for you, as a dog owner, to remain educated on tick preventatives throughout the year. Some have suggested that keeping a pet on tick preventatives throughout the year is unnecessary for residents who live in states with four seasons. Please note that not all methods (oral medications, collar, sprays and topical treatments) work in the same fashion as another. Like anything, some treatments may require trial and error. Your dog is unique, and you may want to consult with your veterinarian for the best one for your furry friend.
Happy Hunting!
Hannah Beringer was born and raised in Hampton, NH. She earned a BA in Business Management from Chatham University in Pittsburg, PA. Spending a little over 6 years being landlocked the call of the sea became too much and Hannah found her way back to NH. Hannah now enjoys spending time with her dog Wrigley, working out and working at Hampton's best watering hole Wally's Pub. Hannah is a Salty Paws Ambassador who helps the crew from time to time on dog walking adventures, writing blogs, and the occasional pet sit.
]]>One thing we're thankful for is that luckily, dogs can not contract the virus. (Thank you Jesus, Buddha, Jewish God, Zeus etc.) Our Scallywags have been a ray of bright light for us at Salty Paws as we're sure they have been to many of you who are spending more time at home. Below are some of our favorite dog walking photos we snapped while exploring the Seacoast this March. We hope seeing your crazy pups in action will brighten up your day. For our clients who are on the front lines, nurses, doctors, and first responders we THANK YOU so much for your contributions and the sacrifices you're making during this time. We love and appreciate you guys!
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By Chef Charlie
Time: 1 hour
Serving Size: 1 biscuit
Nutritional Info:
Pumpkin contains an excellent source of fiber and beta-carotene. Pumpkin is known to help aid digestion in dogs and can help soothe an upset stomach.
What you’ll need
Ingredients
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Add pumpkin, eggs, salt, dry milk, flour and coconut oil to bowl.
3. Mix with your hands until dough is combined.
4. Fill each mold with dough.
5. Bake for 40 minutes.
6. Remove biscuits from molds.
7. Enjoy!
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5 Reasons Why Your Dog Needs a Walker
1. Exercise - Your dog needs regular exercise in order to avoid major health issues such as obesity and behavioral issues. Most dogs need at least one hour of exercise a day and some need much more in order to live a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life. A few potty breaks a day is not enough for our furry friends. As the saying goes, “a well exercised dog is a good dog”.
2. Mental Stimulation - From pick up to drop off, riding in the van, hiking/adventuring in new environments, training commands, and meeting new dogs all require lots of mental stimulation. Not only will they be tired from the exercise but also the mental work involved in being a Scallywag.
3. Attention/Affection - Pack Captains make sure that all of the dogs are getting the attention and affection they desire. Lots of pets, kisses, and time is put into building a relationship with each and every dog in the pack.
4. Socialization - Your dog will meet new dogs as they join the Scallywags, hike as a pack, encounter unfamiliar people/dogs, and experience many different environments along the way.
Next time you are thinking about hiring a dog walking service keep Salty Paws in mind. We are here to help improve you and your dogs life, one adventure at a time! Please visit our website at saltypawspet.com to learn more about our dog walking memberships.
5 Reasons Why You Need A Dog Walker:
Next time you are thinking about hiring a dog walking service keep Salty Paws in mind. We are here to help improve you and your dogs life, one adventure at a time! Please visit our website at Saltypawspet.com to learn more about our dog walking memberships.
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Prepared today by Chef Charlie
Time: 15 mins (plus freeze time)
Serving Size: 1 Pupscicle
Makes: 2 Ice trays
Nutritional Info:
Bone broth contains an excellent source of proteins that can help with joint pain and helps to ease a dog's upset stomach. Apples and carrots are a good source of vitamins A and C. They are both well-known foods that aid in dog dental health. As your dog chews the apples and carrots they will help scrape debri and food off your dog's teeth.
Ingredients
What You'll Need
Instructions
1. Wash and dice the apple, leaving any seeds and core out.