Sienna has many strengths, but honestly, posing pretty for the camera is not one of them. She wants to be out in the world! Having experiences! Sniffing things! Chasing tennis balls! You can't do any of those things if your Doggie Mama has you in a sit and stay and is constantly clicking this thing in your face but ISN'T THROWING ANY TENNIS BALLS. You see her point?

So in a freak occurrence last summer at the dog park, Sienna was actually posing pretty for me (well, she had dirt caked all over her tongue, but she is an Adventure Dog) for this long stream of photos when she heard something behind her and I managed to get this random action shot. I'd have to say that it probably captured her character better than all those unnaturally still ones of her - even though you can't see the ever-present mud.

Nikon D50

It's odd to see anything but frenzied delight on Sienna's face when there's a tennis ball involved. For just this split second though, we see something different. Is she worried? Guilty? Fretting about whether or not my arm will fall off from throwing the ball eighty thousand times in a single session? Either way, it's damned cute.

Nikon D50

Dogs are famous (or perhaps infamous) for those huge, soulful eyes of theirs, but Sienna's are hardly ever bigger or browner than they are when there is a tennis ball involved. She's totally obsessed by those little green orbs, and occasionally she'll take a break from the manic look and try on the sweet, begging eyes of a doggie who is so neglected that her owner only throws the ball for her three thousand times a day, instead of thirty thousand.

And even though I know she's got everything a doggie could ever want, I still get suckered in by those big brown eyes. Wouldn't you be?

Nikon D50

This is my last summer in Alaska. I'm not dealing with that bit of information very well. Summer arrived oh, about a week ago, and I've been feeling the urge to spend every glorious, green, sunny, and amazing Alaska minute outside. As soon as I got off work today I took Sienna to our favorite haunt, University Lake, with my trusty camera in tow. It was a sparkling day and I snapped, oh, about three billion pictures of Sienna. So I'll be posting those for a while... The photo that I didn't get was of the moose I ran into. It scared the bujeezus outta me because it's time for the calves to be dropping, and I've already talked about how I don't like encountering moose with Sienna around, especially when baby moose may be involved. Luckily there was a lack of mooselet, so the critter I ran across today was probably still pregnant. I didn't really stick around long enough to tell. But I digress. So to mark my return to the photoblogosphere, I submit photographic evidence that Alaska really is the best place ever to have a furry four-legged friend.

Nikon D50

This is just about the only time you will ever see this hound looking graceful!

Nikon D50

Sienna is a true adventure dog: where I go, she is sure to follow.

And that most definitely includes hikes.

Now that she's full-grown, it's time for her to contribute on our adventures, which of course means a doggie backpack to help carry the load! Now she gets to carry her own leash, water, food, snacks, and (best of all) her own poop!

She didn't seem to mind the extra load, and it certainly didn't hold her back. It won't take many more trips out into Alaska for her to learn that backpack = fun, either.

I mean, just look at her! Isn't she the happiest doggie you've ever seen?

Nikon D50

Monstrously huge puppy paws are just begging to be photographed. Who am I to deny them?

Nikon D50

I've been trying to not turn this site into a dog blog, but with such a photogenic puppy it is very difficult to resist the temptation.

Here are a choice few of Sienna at seven weeks from a roll of black and white that I recently had developed. I personally think she's so cute it must have been illegal in one state or another.

Nikon FM

There comes a day in a young dog's life when she discovers the joy of wild berries -- well, that is, if your dog is lucky enough to live in the Pacific Northwest, or even better, Alaska. That day for Sienna came on Saturday. I didn't think it was possible to be any more exicted over the discovery of blueberries than Deborah and I were, but Sienna proved me wrong by hoovering up every berry off a stem in a matter of microseconds.

Earth knows no happiness like a berried doggie.

Nikon D50

Sienna has come a long way since the first time I posted pictures of her at seven weeks old. Today is her half birthday (Frosty Paws all around!) so she's lost a lot of that puppy look, but I'm still totally smitten with her. She's a great friend, companion, and perhaps most importantly, an excellent Adventure Dog. Don't think that she gets totally spoiled -- she does have the duty of accomanying my on my Alaska Adventures. Not that she's complaining -- as you'll see, she has a grand ol' time.

Nikon D50

I took the plunge -- I got myself a new yellow Labrador retreiver puppy! Her name is Sienna and she is oh-so-photogenic when she stays put long enough to get a picture of her.

Getting her is pushing me over the breaking point of dissatisfaction with my digital camera though. The shutter lag means that I miss almost every great photo I try to take of this very wriggly puppy. Perhaps a Nikon D70s is in my immediate future....

I did take the opportunity to load a real roll of black and white film into my Nikon FM today. It felt amazing to be using it again! I actually felt like I was involved in the process of taking my pictures. I didn't shoot the whole roll, but when I finish it I will get them developed and of course posted here.

Clicking the first two photos will link to larger versions.

Nikon Coolpix 3100