Celebrating Annie's 1st birthday with 25 darling black and white vintage dog photos

This past Wednesday, the 15th, marked Annie, our darling American Bullador’s first birthday. Small enough to sleep on our chests and be cradled in our hands when we first brought her home at the age of eight weeks, she's been with us now for ten of the twelve months of her young life and has impacted ours in countless ways over that time.

Incredibly smart, unendingly energetic, extremely destructive, as kindhearted as any animal who has ever lived, an amazing watchdog, and strong willed as the day is long, Annie is both a big handful and an incredible angel. Though she is very much still a puppy in certain ways, we're starting to see her mature more in recent weeks and hope that by this time next year, she'll be much closer to reaching her adult temperament and way of behaving (guided, of course, by our ongoing training, lots of exercise and affection).

Annie was the first dog either my husband or myself, whether in our years together or before we meet, ever had as an adult and raising her has certainly been an incredibly eye-opening experience. We've learned an encyclopedic amount about dog rearing and training over that the past ten months and while we didn't always get things 100% right (off the bat at least) with Annie, few new parents (be they of pets or human babies) can say that they did the first time around. Just as Annie has grown and matured, so too have we and though there have been moments since we brought Annie home when she frazzled my nerves to the point of tears, there have been countless more where she nearly made me cry from happiness, love and pride.

She is an awesome, inspiring, sweetheart of a dog and I feel honoured and blessed that we get to share our lives with her. In celebration of her first birthday (for which she was showered with an abundance of her favourite dog treats and a Kong filled with peanut butter, one of her all time favourite foods, as well as a gorgeous new pink leash that we bought her at the Home Hardware in Osoyoss last month), Annie and I have rounded up an endearingly sweet array of 25 black and white vintage real world photos of precious puppies and darling dogs, all of which are so cute and easy to relate to that they more than speak - or would that be bark - for themselves. :)

{To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}

Gilda Radner once said, "I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive", a sentiment which Annie has brought to light in my life every day that we've had her.

Yes, she may be a handful and a half sometimes, but she is also inspiringly upbeat, happy-go-lucky, and caring (she has an uncanny ability to sense, if we're out in public around other people, and then make a beeline for anyone who has mental, emotional or physical special needs, or seems to really be in need of some companionship, and to then shower them with kisses and affection - it's humblingly beautiful to see, especially since we've never trained her to do so, it's simply something she's inherently knows to do on her own.

Annie is 60+ pounds of pure love wrapped in a silken black and white coat, always ready to bestow an unending amount of her time and affection on you. She derives joy for the littlest things, forgives and forgets in mere minutes, never sweats the small stuff, and is powerful reminder of how we should each strive to exist as often as possible. She is our baby, our dearest canine friend, and a truly phenomenal one year old dog that we love every bit as much as she adores us.

My week with Annie

Ok, technically eight, going on nine days, but I couldn't help taking the inspiration for this brief post's title from the similarly named 2011 film about Marilyn Monroe.

As I sit here in the early hours of the morning typing this (while perched on a stack of pillows in our en suite bathroom - a quiet little respite from the boundlessly curious and playful new pet in our midst), I am completely dog tired. This is only fitting given that reason for most of my exhaustion (above and beyond the usual severe fatigue I battle due to my chronic health problems) is our darling Miss Annie.

It's been a long time - perhaps more than a year - since the last time six days passed between posts here. Such was the case however, between this and my previous blog entry, in which I introduced you all to cuter-than-a-million buttons Annie. She is a joy and handful, a constant learning experience and a blessing beyond measure, and I am honestly still a touch in awe of the fact that we really do have a dog of our own at long last.

Much as we'd hoped (and planned, in a general sense) to get a dog for years, the actual act of bringing Annie into our lives happened on the spur of the moment, with no time to prepare. Though I'd always imagined getting a dog would prove challenging for me (from a health stand point), even I was caught off guard a bit by just how much these rambunctious, busy, activity filled days of early puppyhood would knock out of me.

Days - not "a day" - but multiple days are passing between when it seems I have even a brief moment to make it onto the computer, which is in rather stark contrast with the fact that, since early 2012, it's been rare for more than 48 hours to pass without me powering up the ol' laptop at least once.

Lest it seems like I'm bemoaning these past few days, let me assure you that I'm not. Though I do regret that I've missed keeping abreast with all of your blogs and the others I follow via my feedreader (as well as connecting with you through social media sites), I wouldn’t trade this wondrous time with Annie for all the doughnuts in Canada!

This period has been a jumble of emotions, energy levels, new beginnings, and - snuggled together on the couch with the puppy – the late night watching of several fascinating (and wildly diverse) documentaries on Netflix, as a way to unwind after days that felt as though they possessed far more than 24 hours


{Plenty of affection - much like that given by this lovely 1950s stewardess towards the puppy she's holding - and vital bonding time has been the order of the day of late, both directed towards, and received from, our wonderful new dog. Image source.}


I know that for the next few weeks in particular, as Annie continues to grow (and especially prior to her next round of shots after which she can safely start going outside and coming in contact with other dogs, which means we - lacking a yard of our own - can safely begin exercising and potty training her outdoors), my usual computer time will likely be slashed.

That said, this morning, after close to nine days of almost no time spent online, I'm hitting the proverbial reset button, marking all unread feeds read, and (temporarily) streamlining my usual online activities in the hopes that I'll be better able to keep up with blog post writing here, feed reading/blog visiting, and to a much lesser extent, social media.

I suspect some days will be easier than others on that front, but I'll give it my best shot for sure - adorable puppy very much in tow every step of the way. And speaking of Annie, I truly want to thank each and every one of you who commented on my introduction post about her last week, as well as to all those who sent congrats and happy (and insightful) words my way via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and email.

As the week barrels on, you'll be seeing other posts from me here (some of which were written earlier this month, prior to Annie's arrival) and I'll aim to visit each of you on a more regular basis again. I know I've not been out of the loop for very long, but I derive such joy from visiting and commenting on your blogs, that I miss it dearly when such is not possible even for a short amount of time.

As the night's gorgeous full moon is knocked from the horizon by a pale late March sunrise, and I try to blink away my exhaustion (I haven't slept yet tonight) just long enough to type these last few words, I can hear Annie going at it with one of her plush dog toys downstairs.

Her sweet little tail is thumping the floor, a youthful bark of enthusiasm directed at her plaything breaks the still morning air every now and then, and I cannot help be filled with such an immense sense of happiness that it feels like I could fit the whole world in the span of my smile - or at least just as big a puppy toy as Annie can get in her mouth. :)

The Dog Days of Vintage Summer Fashion

Right this very moment it’s early August, and for the vast majority of us in the northern hemisphere that means means the temperature outside is currently trying to give the surface of the moon a run for its money.
While I do thoroughly love many aspects of the most sizzling season of the year (a topic that I delved into last month in this post) and am grateful for every moment of summer we get in Canada, there can be times when these stifling days with their glaring sun and 100+ degree temperatures leaves one, well, a little frazzled and beat.

This problem is anything but new - much like the dog days of summer themselves (the name of which has been in use since at least the time of the ancient Romans, who associated them with Sirius, also known as the Dog Star), who called them diēs caniculārēs. Though, even to this day, debate continues as to which days of the season officially fall under that heading, it's generally excepted that much of July and August make the cut for sure.

Even though I've experienced the toastiest Canadian heat waves of my life in July (while living in Toronto), if you were to stop me on the icy street in January and ask what I thought that hottest month of the year was, I'd always answer August. Though, technically, July can sometimes be the hotter of the two months (depending on where you live and what your weather is up to in a given year), there's just something about August that makes it feel skin tinglingly hot and, at times, a bit hard to slog through.

During these wildly warm days, it's important - one might argue vital even - to have plenty on hand to help take our mind off the the heat, the staggering, mind-blowing heat. To that end, in the spirit of celebrating the name of these scorching August days, I thought it would tons of fun to gather up fifteen of my favourite vintage images and ads that just happen to include fabulous fashions and darling dogs in them.

{The combo of a red wiggle dress and darling white pup is bound to ensure you take home best in (fashion) show!}






{Model Anne St. Marie and her sweet little Yorkies shine in this elegant image from 1957 featuring a Jaguar.}

{One of my favourite dog breeds, the Boston Terrier, stars in this lovely photograph from 1952 that first appeared in Glamour Magazine.}






{It's safe to say that no other dog calls to mind the fabulous fifties quite like the iconic poodle, especially when you see ones as adorable as the pink bow adorned duo in this beautifully illustrated Pepsi ad.}






{There no need to beat around the bush (or fern), this chic, lightweight spring suit is thoroughly beautiful - as is the wee little corgi pup.}






{Spots of both the fabric and fur kind abound in this immensely pretty Harper's Bazaar image from 1952.}

 





{A teenage Shirley Temple and a beautiful black spaniel give RC Cola their vote of approval in a 1944 colour photo and illustration filled ad.}







{Hailing from 1937, this image of a blonde model and shepherd type dog is the oldest featured in today's post. I adore the casual elegance of her look and am especially fond of the stack of blue bangles on her wrist.}





{Calm poise and riled up excitement stand side-by-side in this fashion shot of a woman sporting a wool day suit as she walks her Boxer through town.}






{Another image featuring a completely cute Yorkshire Terrier, this time partnered with a lady decked out in a stylish autumn look from 1961.}






{Though it took a little searching, I was delighted to find an illustrated 1940s ad featuring my all-time favourite breed: the British bulldog.}







{Whether you spot the poodle or the woman's shocking hair colour first, there's no denying this pinky-mauve filled paint ad  is definitely an eye-catching!}






{The ravishingly sophistication and mid-1950s beauty of this wonderful autumn ensemble is only heighted by the presence of a preciously sweet little furry friend.}






{For just about as long as there has been cars, there have dogs who loved riding around beside their owners in them, whether they were pint sized pups or colossal canines like this fellow!}






{Completely cute chihuahuas, stylish pleated skirts, and pointy toed shoes all ad up to oodles of late 1950s glamour.}


{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective Flickr stream or page.}







These photos and illustrations are not all summer themed by any means, but it's my sincere hope that the cuteness overload - and distracting enjoyment of the sublime mid-century fashions - they offer up will help to distract you enough that you're able to forget about the searing heat, if only for a few delightful minutes.

Vintage 365: Darling vintage Dogette ad for dog nail polish!

 

✯ Day 55 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

There are certain vintage finds that can't help but put a wide grin on your face. They're those images or items that someone how seem so off-beat, so quaint, so entirely irreverent compared to the ways things are generally supposed to be that they instantly become likeable. "Give me a 'for instance', Jess", I hear you say. Delighted to! :)

Ladies and gents, I present a vintage ad for Dogette Nail Enamel: nail polish for your favourite canine companion. Matching was big in the 1950s (not of course, that there's anything wrong with that - I can think of few things more lovely than matching one's lipstick and nail polish, and do so myself quite frequently), from home decor (think kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms in primarily one colour) to identically hued hats and shoes, it was seen as classy and classic at the time to colour coordinate.

{Wonderfully interesting Vintage Dogette Nail Enamel poster, measuring 18 x 12.5 inches, $19.99 from All Posters.}

 

Evidently, thanks to the fine folks at Dogette, you could match your dog's claws (nails) to many popular fashion and automobile shades of the day. As we can see in this delightful vintage ad, Dogette came in a range of au currant mid-twentieth century colours, from whisper pale lilac to bold sky blue, these hues were definitely going to get your pretty (and pampered) pooch noticed. (Can't you just imagine regal, highly groomed 1950s poodles sporting perfectly manicured nails?)

While Dogette may seem like a rather strange product (after all, it is a cosmetic product for dogs!), the brand (for whom I honestly could not find much information at all; if anyone knows more about this company, please don't hesitate to share your knowledge in the comments) was decades ahead of their time. In recent years a handful (pawful) of companies have hit the market with their own lines of dog nail polish. It would seem though Dogette has gone the way of the Molossus of ancient Greece (which is a shame, their logo and packaging was downright adorable).

Color Paw (which comes in a wide array of colours) and OPI's Pawlish are two of the best known brands of dog nail (both companies produce formulas that differ from human nail polish and which are safe for use on dogs) on the market today, proving that sometimes even the quirkiest of yesteryear beauty products - be it for people or pets - has staying power.