This is the first of a couple posts I’m going to make for Kengali’s Ridgebacks. As you have probably already inferred, I am crazy about these dogs….thanks in large part to Ginny and all her great dogs! Don’t know if I mentioned this before, but one of Kengali’s girls had just had pups the Monday before our shoot. Eleven of them!! Of course I kept wandering over towards the room where they were nursing throughout the day with my camera and Ginny and Tori were incredibly accommodating. They actually let me into the nursing pen and I did my best not to be a bull in a china shop.
The timing of the litter, Tori’s temperament, and Ginny’s willingness to give me access and educate me along the way were all so fortuitous for my photography – I had to pinch myself! Onto some of the images:
The next few pics are part of the ‘Early Neurological Stimulation’ program Kengali’s dogs go through. This science based program was pioneered by Carmen Battaglia PhD and involves a series of exercise the dogs are put through beginning at about three days. The program includes holding the pup a couple times a day in a variety of positions, pressing lightly between the toes and so on in order to give them a jump start on socialization and physical movement/ability.
Alright, so this next one is a bit of National Geographic moment…..mothers induce their pups to pee and poop as seen in the picture below and consume all the waste…..as far as I know this is the process for all breeds. So thanks Tori, but no kisses for a couple weeks;)
Finally, thank you Ginny for providing this opportunity, being so flexible with your schedule, generous with your knowledge, providing such access to your dogs, and just for being such a pleasure to be around!
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