Roots

National Dog Day was last week so of course I had to do a little photo shoot with my crew. I'm getting back to my roots with this post, where The Ruff Life all began. We have come a long way from the wild, ill mannered puppy days and I am so proud of my dogs. Even though they've learned to listen and obey, it doesn't change those little personality quirks we know and love about them. Ares is always going to push the limits as far as he can, Chaos will forget the rules in his excitement over people on occasion and Trinity is going to find herself in trouble without even realizing it because, well, she's a bit of a ditz. Of course these are the traits that make them who they are and we wouldn't ever want to change a bit of that. We love them flaws and all, just like they do us. 

I've posted countless pictures of the pups on this blog and social media and I always find it funny when I'm asked how I get them to pose for me or what camera I use to shoot. Here's the thing guys, I have extremely limited photography knowledge. I use my iPhone and I'm completely clueless about lighting, camera angels and using a real camera. For the sake of my audience I have vaguely familiarized myself with a few editing programs but mostly I just use Instagram filters. Most shots are 100% candid. I see a kiddo doing something cute, grab my phone and snap away. If I want something specific for a post it usually involves Chris giving commands and me jumping around taking a million pictures and editing later. What I'm trying to say is, all these pictures are made possible because my dogs are so damn photogenic and usually cooperative. They've grown this blog with their adorable faces with little effort from me so they deserve all the credit. 

The Ruff Life was created to share stories of a pet parent with two crazy pups and a middle aged diva cat. We've since gained a daddy, moved into a new house and added a few furry and human siblings along the way. But I haven't forgotten where we started. This blog has become so much more than silly stories and furball antics. It has become my creative outlet, my platform for personal growth, my productive hobby, my connection with people who share my outlook on life and my memory book. None of this would have happened without my dogs. So this is me thanking them for their inspiration and unconditional love. I appreciate them more than I could ever say. Their waggly tails in the morning and their sleepy eyes as they obediently trot off to bed will never get old. Whoever said dog is man's best friend absolutely nailed it on the head. My dogs are more than just pets, they are 4 legged furry family members. We've all grown and changed and so too has this blog but I can promise you I'll never forget why it all began or stop posting about these sweet faces. 

Thank you babies!