Meet the Paws Project Dogs: August
The Paws Project Calendar is about more than photographs. It’s about dogs, their stories, and using creativity to give back. Each month, I’ll be sharing the dogs featured in the calendar and a small insight into their lives.
A heartfelt thank you to every dog who took part and helped raise over $1800 for Ellie’s Canine Rescue through their involvement in the project.
Read on to meet August’s dogs and learn a little more about each of them…
Ellie
Breed: Bearded Collie X
Age: 11
Where did you get her from and how old was she when you got her?
Ellie came to her family at five months old. They live next door to the founder of Huha in Kaitoke and had been holding dogs temporarily while fosters were arranged. When Huha took seven dogs from the pound in one day to save them from euthanasia, three came to stay. Ellie, who had been surrendered for being described as aggressive and hyperactive, lasted just one day as a foster before becoming a permanent member of the family. She has never shown a single sign of those traits.
How would you describe her personality in a few words?
Her owners call her their best dog ever, and say they have had plenty of dogs but never one quite like her. Life on a lifestyle block suits her beautifully.
Does she have any funny quirks or habits?
Ellie is currently mothering a pet lamb with great dedication. The cat has been told it cannot go near it.
Tauntaun
Breed: Brussels Griffon
Age: 3
Where did you get him from and how old was he when you got him?
Tauntaun came from Ashburton at ten weeks old.
How would you describe his personality in a few words?
Tauntaun has small dog energy that very much believes he is a big dog.
Does he have any funny quirks or habits?
He is best known for his tongue, which hangs out a great deal of the time. When he is particularly relaxed or making his best food face, he gets his little saber tooth caught on it. The food face specifically features two teeth and a little bit of tongue, and is extremely effective. Tauntaun is also a dedicated nature documentary fan. He watches David Attenborough with genuine attention and will bark and interact with the screen. The seals get him every time!
Meeka
Breed: Foxy x Jack Russell & Chihuahua
Age: 8
Where did you get your dogs from?
Meeka was seven months old when she joined the family. A few people had reached out after seeing her on Facebook, where it had become known that a child had been throwing her. She is missing her incisors and has webbed paw pads. When they met her at a park in Palmerston North, she jumped straight into her owner's arms. That settled it and she came home!
What's their personality like in a few words?
Meeka is the boss. A drama queen who knows exactly what she wants and exactly how to get it, including the art of manipulating people into giving her treats.
Do they have any funny quirks or habits?
Meeka hates dog toys but carries a sock around the house, earning herself the nickname Dobby. She likes to sit on the windowsill and wait for the neighbourhood cats to walk past, then bark to wind them up. The local kids know not to call her a cat. They get three strikes!
Norman & Murray
Breed: Boxers
Age: 5 and 2
Where did you get your dogs from?
Norman came home as a puppy from Kadence Boxers in Auckland.
Murray also came home as a puppy from Kadence Boxers in Auckland.
What's their personality like in a few words?
Norman is thoughtful, loyal, and just a little bit cheeky.
Murray is absolutely wild, intense, and driven, but also the most devoted cuddlebug when the moment calls for it. He is really driven, which his owner loves, and when he is not running at full speed, he just wants to be close to his person.
Do they have any funny quirks or habits?
Norman is obsessed with bras. Not balls, not squeaky toys. Bras. He will seek them out with quiet determination.
The moment someone stands at the kitchen sink to do the dishes, Murray appears with a toy pressed firmly against his owner. He has decided this is the ideal time for a game, and he is not taking no for an answer.
Meeting and documenting these dogs has been such a privilege!
If you’re dreaming about documenting your own dog in a way that feels true to them, you can find more information about about my photography sessions here.
Thanks again to August’s dogs (and their humans) for being part of the Paws Project and helping support local rescue dogs.
