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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.

judd & charlie ~ {Woodstock, Ontario pet photographer}

what can i say about these next two froo-froos?  meet Judd – a Bichon Frise – and Charlie – a Bichon Shihtzu cross – who came from Woodstock for their scruffy Starter session.i had fun with these two in the great variety of vegetation and backdrops that we typically use even for our Starter sessions.  like many clients, mom Erica requested the tunnel of trees location, and – like many – had the tunnel in mind for her canvas.  in fact, this image is the one Erica chose for her museum-framed Signature canvas, and i just wrapped it up!11-year-old Judd has the sweetest energy … and for having a little pain-in-the-butt brother pushing his buttons most of the time, he actually proved to be an extremely patient old man.whereas 1-year-old Charlie … well … don’t let this moment of repose fool you!… or this saccharine sweet, calm expression and innocent tilt of the head.… he’s really a wild man!Judd’s sweet expression, on the other hand, can be trusted.this man was all calmness and mr. posey posey.with Charlie, well, it was easier to just bury him in a little crown vetch…mom Erica was running a marathon the day after our session and, since Charlie joins her when she trains, she wanted a shot of Charlie with her crazy neon runners.you could tell this boy had certainly done his own share of training … he was non-stop energy.of course, Judd was no slouch himself and we managed to incite a few runs out of him as well.thanks for a fun session, Erica, and for introducing me to your lovely boys.  i’m looking forward to seeing you when you pick up your prints and canvas!

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  • Holly Garner-JacksonOMD, illona, you have ouydone yourself!!! These shots are amazing! I’m sure Erica was happy she made the trip!!!!!
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  • Susan BeardAmazing pictures. Wish I could take pictures like that. ReplyCancel

  • Erica MayfieldLove this blog Illona! Loved how you captured my boys 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Cathy MacTavish HillGreat pics. I love the idea of the pink sofa outside and the white dogs.ReplyCancel

  • Roben Harris AndersonWow…amazing…..Looks like a fun day!
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  • Lori Scholten Klopperawesome pictures!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks for sharing!
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  • Caroline TwohillSuch a happy, colorful, FUN post! Love it!ReplyCancel

  • Jackie Creary-HurleyWhat wonderful pictures. Just lovely.
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  • Joni A SolisLovely, lovely, lovely. How do you manage to have such delightful light for all your photos? And such cute dogs. ReplyCancel

  • BonnieYour photos just blow me away ,
    Amazing to me how you take such beautiful pictures and the dogs personalities just shine thru in the photos .
    I always look forward to seeing your new works !ReplyCancel

tea & chance ~ {Pickering pet photographer}

when Sandra booked Tea and Chance for a Starter session — like many scruffy dog clients — she had a big canvas for her livingroom in mind.  but even with the shorter Starter session, i never shoot for just one stellar image, especially with these two beauties!  no, every Starter session delivers a modest, but strong gallery, offering good variety for the scruffy client … with a large piece in mind, but also a good variety for other prints and products.

so with these two — traveling all the way down from Pickering for their session — we started deep in the crown vetch.and how handsome is this big lug?  Chance is a relatively new addition … adopted through Lab Rescue, he was a stray picked up in Kingston.and then there’s sweet Tea.   look at that face!and this is the ultimate image chosen by Sandra as the 31×54″ museum-framed Signature canvas.and here’s a testimonial Sandra so kindly wrote (and still has to be added to the kind words page):

Our starter session with Illona was amazing! Illona is so talented and it’s truly awesome how she captures the persona of the dogs she photographs.

She did just that with Tea & Chance taken in the tunnel of trees with the sunlight streaming through –  it’s breathtaking! The large canvas of this shot is now hanging over the sofa and is constantly receiving OOHS and AAHS!

 Thanks Illona

we had such heavenly light the afternoon of Tea and Chance’s session.  just look at it!and of course, a little letting loose is always called for …thanks, Sandra, for entrusting me with capturing these photographic memories of your gorgeous pups!

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  • illonaJANA – i’m not sure what you’re referring to, but SDP is definitely still up on facebook.

    SOLTERA, have you checked out my friend and colleague, Sarah McGraw? http://www.mcgrawphotographyblog.com/ she can help you out!ReplyCancel

  • JanaHello Illona, are you still using your Facebook profile? I can not get on it anyhow. It seems to me like you were banished. What´s wrong?ReplyCancel

  • JenniferGorgeous, as usual! But I have a thing for retrievers, too. 😉ReplyCancel

  • SolteraIllona, I open and enjoy ALL your posts on my email, and rarely comment. But I have to say, this is some of your best work. Perfect capturing of personalities! I have a Schoodle I’d love you to shoot…..but I’m way down here in NC. Well, I can dream!ReplyCancel

  • Judy Gadsby BellevilleAll I can say is “WOW”ReplyCancel

  • Sandra FrostYou are very welcome Illona – we had a blast and look at the amazing outcome!ReplyCancel

  • Rebeca Perezoh my goodness! I don’t know which one is my favorite! SWOON! Love these photos!ReplyCancel

  • Geneviève LacombeSo beautiful Illona… As usual!ReplyCancel

bosco & murfy ~ {Toronto pet photographer}

what can i say about these two scruffnuggets?  Bosco and little Ms Murfy are Brussels Griffons, and although i’ve shot the breed before, it’s only been in shorter sessions, never a full, proper session.  and what’s more, these two booked for a Starter, but loved their session so much, that they bumped up their booking to make it a Seasons … which thrills me to no end, since these two were an absolute blast to work with!i can’t wait for their fall session … and to see what what they’re like zooming around in the snow too!  although i’m wondering if i might have to invest in another settee just for their winter session.  they might be rough and tumble …… but even Bosco needs his beauty naps in between!on Bosco and Murfy’s booking form, mom Evelyn wrote: “You seem to capture the pups’ personalities, or at least you make them all look like such characters!”  but Bosco is definitely a case where i think no matter who is pointing the camera at him, he would look like a character.  just look at this boy!of course, Ms. Murfy was no slouch in the character department, working on giving me a few pointed looks when asked.and i did mention Bosco’s need for frequent beauty rests, right?  or perhaps that Mohawk he styles is just a wee bit too heavy?of course, no scruffy session would be complete without a little bit of time to let loose … and given the opportunity, Bosco and Murfy certainly didn’t disappoint.thanks for bringing  your two amazing scruffnuts to me, Evelyn.  i’m looking forward to working on your storyboards and your acrylics … and most of all, i’m dying to spend more time with your two again!

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  • Joni SolisOMG! These two make such wonderful faces. I bet they keep their mom smiling everyday just looking at them.ReplyCancel

  • Robert BrodstonIsn’t it great to have such great kids to work with! I take my Flat Coater Retriever and Rat Terrier to leash free dog parks and get free spirits almost every day!ReplyCancel

  • KarinWow! Very very nice photographs and dogs! I’m a big fan and I look every day on this website! Big compliment! Lot of greetings from Switzerland, KarinReplyCancel

  • Nanci HarveyThey are great pictures. I have two pugs and a Brussel Griffon. I would love to come and have you do my crazy bunch.ReplyCancel

  • Laura CockfieldStellar work as usual. You make it look easy — but it’s sooo not! Love this post.ReplyCancel

  • JenniferIllona, I hardly ever see this breed and small dogs aren’t my favorite (maybe if I met Merrick), but this is one of my favorite sessions of yours that I have seen for a while (I have a lot of favs, but it is usually a breed I like or just certain shots in particular). These guys are fantastic, what charisma you captured!!! Their owners will be hard pressed to pick canvases, and an album is a given. LOVE.ReplyCancel

    • illonaJennifer, if you HAD to have a little dog, this is definitely the breed!! i’ve told this to a few people since meeting Bosco and Murfy. of course, Merrick is no “small dog”. at 22 lbs of solid muscle, he’s more a “little” than a “small”, but he’s a hound and a big dog spirit. you’d definitely dig him for sure, but once you met him – trust me – you would not view him as a small dog.ReplyCancel

  • Melody HenkelWhat a couple of dolls!ReplyCancel

  • michelle bradshawOK, so this is the first time since I’ve been a SDP fan and family member that I have scrolled ahead and looked at every shot (squealing the whole time here at work to the point the girls I work with came over to see what I was doing) without reading the text while I viewed.
    OMD illona, your images of these two are nothing short of spectacular. These little BG’s are about the cutest little scruffnuts ever. Kissey faces galore!!! Love them.ReplyCancel

    • illonathanks, Michelle. if that’s the case, maybe i should just post photos and forget writing any text. 😉 …sure would save me some time!ReplyCancel

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