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Internationally-renowned, award-winning animal photographer Illona Haus created scruffy dog photography inc. as the province's premier pet photography business in 2007 ... the first of its kind in Canada ... and, still today, continues to serve clients across Ontario, the US and the world. Based in Kitchener, Ontario and photographing exclusively animals for almost 20 years - both commercially and for private clients - Illona is considered one of the world's leading and most influential pet photographers.

 

To learn more about scruffy dog photography, its creator, history, and the scruffy dog experience, feel free to browse through the menu above, and scroll over a decade's worth of blog entries below!

 

Please drop me a line! I'd love the opportunity to capture stunning, creative, one-of-a-kind photographic memories of your 4-legged loved ones to treasure in artwork for a lifetime, and show you just what makes the scruffy dog experience second to none.

marlie girl ~ {Ontario dog photographer}

wow, this girl’s full blog entry has been a long time coming.  meet Marlie …

shortly after Marlie’s session was booked, she had a reaction to her rabies vaccine.  after my own experience with vaccines — having lost the original scruffy dog Murph at the young age of 4 to the rabies vaccine — you can imagine how ill i felt to receive that phone call over a year ago.  Steve and i spoke for a long time that afternoon when he called with the news, and i did my best to advise him on vets in his area who would be a little more cautious regarding vaccines and more in tune with their potentially hazardous side-effects.

it was a long recovery, but a year later, Marlie girl was finally up for her photo shoot.  and boy, was she up for it!

typical of the breed, this girl’s got energy to burn.  and i’m so glad mom, Jo, loves Marlie’s butt as much as i do because a pointer butt is pretty irresistible.

we had a blast at our shoot, and keeping up with Marlie and anticipating her moves wasn’t too difficult.  i have some first-hand experience with these hunting breeds.

and a pointer shoot wouldn’t be a pointer shoot without a point …

we had hoped to catch some fall colours, but as much as we drove around it seemed that all the great reds had already gone … just a few in the distance.

and like any good pointer, you can put her in a stay, but her nose and eyes are always working …

and this girl’s got some eyes.  yes, that’s the colour.  i actually found myself desaturating the colour of Marlie’s eyes in a lot of photos … they’re just unbelievably orange.

just look at this face.

and to think that Jo wrote in the booking form that when she tries to take a photo of Marlie, “her ears go back and she won’t look at the camera. You may have your work cut out with this one but I’m sure you’ve had more difficult dogs to deal with!” oh, yeah, Jo … WAY more difficult dogs than this girl.

just a little warming up and a few exercises before we headed out initially, and i had this girl working like she’d done it all her life …

thanks, Marlie, for being such a doll.  and thanks, Steve and Jo, for introducing me to your wonderful girl.  i’m so thrilled to finally have your gallery ready for you and hope to see you at a studio consult.

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  • IdilWow! I bet Marlie’s parents were thrilled with these photos! You’ve really captured the personality and the beauty of this girl. The lighting is fabulous in every single picture. Can’t even choose a favourite because they are all so good!ReplyCancel

  • LindaThose photos just make me smile.ReplyCancel

  • JeanI’m so glad that she has recovered and you got these amazing images of her!ReplyCancel

  • michelle bradshawBeautiful girl…beautiful work illona!!!ReplyCancel

  • AndaBrilliant series! I adore the last three indoor images, especially the B&W on the floor – that one belongs on a billboard!ReplyCancel

  • leesiaso gorgeous! those running shots are amazing. that first image is just stunning. glad she’s fully recovered!ReplyCancel

  • Jackiewow, what a beautiful girl. her eyes in that first shot melted meReplyCancel

  • Sandy & RykerAnother wonderful shoot.
    I am so glad to hear that she has made a recovery from her Rabies Shot reaction. Thanks to your website I will no longer be vaccinating my pets. And we are in the process of switching to a raw diet. Thank you for all the great information and links.
    SandyReplyCancel

  • jennifer metzgerThird one down is (no surprise as I love maniac dogs best) is right up my alley, but love the pointing shot as well. This was meant to be, as who knows what would have happened if they didn’t get some advice from you for the future. Love the front door shot too.ReplyCancel

  • katelove them all, but the one of her laying on the wood floor is the best, in my opinion. love all the shine.ReplyCancel

  • Susan HumphreysThank goodness this gorgeous girl recovered. These photographs were well
    worth waiting for!Love the one with her owners.

    Susan HumphreysReplyCancel

  • KymberleeBeautiful photos! You’ve done an incredible job of capturing Marlie’s unique personality and zest for life 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Vicky (tv writer)She has such a wonderful intelligent look in her eyes… gorgeous series here (as always). You really captured her personality in such nice, and varied ways.
    It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I especially love the one with “her people” in the background!ReplyCancel

  • SlavicaI just love the last 3 ! Gorgeous Girl !ReplyCancel

  • SimonGreat set, even by your standards! Nice flash work, too, is that just from a bounced SB900?ReplyCancel

  • MarcWow. Just stunning, illona.ReplyCancel

  • karenYou perfectly captured the beautiful, energy filled Marlie Girl we love!ReplyCancel

Winter/Summer special ~ {Ontario pet-exclusive photographer}

pull out the Kodiaks and the parkas, the goose-down mittens and the toque, eh?  the snow’s here!  and as we do every year, scruffy dog photography is offering our Winter/Summer special!

what is the Winter/Summer special?  well, it’s a dual-season, double-shoot opportunity for all those who simply can’t decide whether Rover would look better in snow or grass … a package designed for those all-season dogs for whom one season simply isn’t enough.

it’s also an awesome way to achieve a final portfolio busting with huge variety.  of course, with any SDP shoot, variety is key, and the finished gallery is always big on variety … but the Winter/Summer also gives diversity of season.

the Winter/Summer is intended for those aiming for an SDP coffeetable photobook, not just a few images on the walls … to fill up the pages of your photobook with the stark white snow and frosty beards of winter and the bright greens and blue skies of summer.

but to get you in the mood for a brisk winter shoot and everything that the season has to offer, i’m going to share only snow photos in this blog entry!

sure, it’s a little cold — but check out who in your house is wearing a fur coat already.  they’re ready!  and yeah, on very rare occasion a sudden squall sweeps in.  but you know what?  that can be pretty cool too!

what a lot of people fail to recognize is that — although a little cold — winter is a fabulous time of the year to shoot!  with a snowy backdrop, the season can offer up some fabulous minimalist shots …

so, what does this special session entail?  well, it includes both a Standard Session (a 3-hour shoot  incorporating multiple locations of your choice, including the home) and then a Starter Session (a 1-hour session shot in Waterloo region at an outdoor location).  to learn more about these individual sessions, please visit the scruffy dog photography main website and check out the prices page, or email us.

the cost of this dual-season, double session is only $375, and — like the Standard — includes travel to Toronto and most other areas for your main shoot (and remember, for local shoots, a print credit applies).  this dual-season session gives you a savings of $70.

but there’s more!  with the Winter/Summer you also receive 10% off of your SDP collection — that’s an additional savings of $145-590 or more.

this is your opportunity to capture Rover frolicking in the snow, lounging around the house, and THEN catching some rays … or a stick or frisbee … in the summer time.

book now by contacting us through the main website as there are only a limited number of openings available.  this package requires the first shoot to be shot in January, February or March, with the “summer” session to be shot between April and July (inclusive).  (sorry, no fall shoots available with this package.)

so what are you waiting for?  you know Rover loves the snow.  don’t miss the wonderful opportunities winter has to offer for photos …

… and yes, i’m willing to freeze my fingers a little for Fi-Fi too.

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  • leesialove love LOVE all these images. you almost make me wish we had more of a winter here! 😉ReplyCancel

  • KimberlyOh how I wish we had your amazing talent in Winnipeg. Our Elza LOVES the snow!!ReplyCancel

  • SonjaWE SOOOO would … only …. Montecristo will NOT go out in the cold – total complete refusal. *sigh*ReplyCancel

  • kim kailaall of these photos are wonderful…funny too! love the black lab eye shot! the 2 chocolate labs running in the snow with the stick and of course the beagle with snow up to his belly! LOL! too cute and adorable!ReplyCancel

saffurious! ~ {Ontario pet photographer}

you met this little razor-toothed sweetheart earlier in her sneak peek on the blog, and now i can share a few more photos from her super-fun shoot during one of our last sunny, late fall days in November.

this little girl is amazing.  i’ll admit, when Saffy’s mom first contacted me for a squeeze-in fall session and told me about her 12-week-old little bundle of joy i thought for sure i’d have a typical hyper, keyed-up, out-of-control, liver-coloured lunatic on my hands … after all, my girl Matea’s BFF for the past 8+ years is a girl just like this, so i figure i know a thing or two about these crazy GSP girls.  but although Sapphire — a.k.a. Saffy — has all the energy, wildness and  loony-toons one would expect from any respectable GSP puppy …

… there was also a real sense of calm about her as she took in her surroundings — me and the cameras included — with wonder.

given that this was Saffy’s first introduction to water, but we didn’t want her going in this particular time (since i’m not 100% confident of the reservoir’s water quality in regards to a young pup’s immune system), i was careful to keep Saffy’s experience positive, her interest in the water piqued, and using high-level distractions like the Cuz ball to call her away from the water’s edge instead of a ‘no’.

typical of the breed, and with the right motivation — my high-pitched ‘puppy! puppy! puppy!’, along with the Cuz ball and treat rewards — this little girl was easy for recalls.

but one thing is for sure, she’s pretty enamored with her boy Marty …

and i think, with the right guidance, these two will make a fantastic team …

i think one of the things that makes this little girl such a fabulously well-rounded little pup … so easy-going and calm, yet healthy and energized … is good, responsible breeding.  this girl comes from Big Country Kennels, breeding both German Shorthaired Pointers and Bernese Mountain Dogs — extremely responsible breeders who not only health-check their dogs, but have also seen first-hand the benefits of raw-feeding.  kudos to Big Country!  and by the way, if you’re looking for raw-food supplies, check out their raw food supply website: Big Country Raw.

although, for those who know this breed, it might seem a little crazy that this girl is the family’s first dog — GSPs can be more than a handful even for a seasoned dog-owner — i think mom Cindy has made a great choice for their active family and son Marty.  and with a breeder’s expertise and guidance to help them along the way, they should be in good stead to offer this girl a wonderful, fulfilled GSP life.

thanks, Cindy, Marty and Saffy, for a fabulous afternoon.  i hope you enjoy your fun-filled gallery.

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  • marty and saffyThanks for all these great comments, I am Marty the boy in the picture and saffy is now 3 turning 4ReplyCancel

  • TAMMY SPENCERHELLO…I really loved the pics of Saffy. We own Willow her sister.Willow is also a beautiful dog.She is tiny being the runt of the liter. I would love for Willow to meet her sissy Sassy soon if that would be possible for a pic together. Thank-you. TammyReplyCancel

  • AlisonI too have a GSP from Big Country, and seeing these pics of Saffy make me want another!!

    Great pics!ReplyCancel

  • BonitaBeautiful!!!ReplyCancel

  • TrinaHi, I stumbled across your blog and just wanted to tell you how fabulous every image is! I can read it for hours!ReplyCancel

  • ScottVery fun shoot!ReplyCancel

  • kellilook at the focus she has on marty already! i loved seeing this bond. my first dog was a small lab mix named sapphire, and i was about the same age as marty, so this brings back a lot of memories. boy i wish i had photos like this to help me remember those days!! i am actually sitting here with a tear in my eye, thinking back.

    the 6th from the top, with those ears and her far-reaching stride… priceless!! this is one of my favorite scruffy dog posts of all time.ReplyCancel

  • marlesghillieAbsolutely gorgeous dog – a wee beauty!ReplyCancel

  • Tatyanalove this set! When I was that boy’s age I’d have given *anything* for a pup friend like this 🙂 They look like they are already the best of friends.ReplyCancel

  • SlavicaLove the ones of Saffy & Marty ! What a special bond they will create together .
    Beautiful pictures !!!!ReplyCancel

  • SandraThese two are are just too darn cute together. Pure Love.ReplyCancel

  • sarahgorgeous! and ohmygod those EARS!ReplyCancel

  • JackieIve been dying to see this blog post ever since i saw the sneak peak, you did an amazing job capturing the personality of this puppy!ReplyCancel

  • michelle bradshawSaffy is beautiful!!! Illona, again nothing short of fantastic!! I’m sure; as all your clients experience, Saffy’s family will have a hard time picking from her gallery!!!!! Oh, how fun!
    MichelleReplyCancel

  • Lori E.Beautiful set! I’m smitten with the photos of Sapphire and her boy. Those photos will truly be cherished for generations.ReplyCancel

  • MarlaThese shots are just fantastic, Illona, and Saffy is adorable. The shots with her and Marty are heart-warming and just gorgeous. These are definitely some of my favourites from your entire ‘catalogue’!ReplyCancel

  • LoriBeautiful shots as always! I love that first boy-and-his-dog photo, very sweet 🙂ReplyCancel

  • SydneyJust the thing I needed before work, a puppy fix! Saffy is absolutley adorable and defintly seems very happy. My favorite shot of her has the be the one of her running straight on at you with those big ears flapping (I love long ears!). Great as always Illona.ReplyCancel

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