Gus

Melanie has always shown the utmost devotion to her baby Gus. Since Gus is a therapy dog, I knew that he must be something special. In all the scrapbooking I've ever done with her, somehow I'm pretty sure I missed seeing any photos of Gus. So, to finally meet him on the day of our session, I was beyond delighted.

I have a soft spot for a fluffy dog. Our family dog as a kid was lovely and fluffy and his temperament was very similar to Gus. It was so relaxing to be with this canine bundle of love, and to see that the devotion that Melanie has for Gus is nothing compared to how he looked at her, and that their relationship was nothing compared to how Mel's PARENTS feel about their 'grandson'. Gus is one smart dog, and he knows where the easiest treats come from, let me tell you!

It's possible that Gus was easy to photograph that day because he was days before his surgery for his 2nd bum hip which made it hard for him to be energetic, but I think that calm, serene temperament is what makes him such a fabulous therapy dog, and excellent photography subject. Since we also had to reschedule because of Mel's own knee replacement surgery, you can see how this dog and owner belong together, and since they care for each other throughout their surgeries it also explains their devotion. In light of all of that, this song by one of my favorite artists seemed to fit just right.

I am happy to report that they have both fully recovered from their joint replacements. I just hope Mel's knees let her keep up with a younger, more rambunctious Gus these days!

Make it last by Tim McMorris