In case you missed it, I just published a MASSIVE list of dog-friendly businesses in Connecticut, and you definitely want to check it out if you love bringing your pup with you on adventures. It’s yours FREE when you enter your email address! This is an extremely comprehensive database of dog-friendly places that welcome your dog in our state.

What’s Included?

• Dog-friendly breweries

• Dog-friendly wineries

• Dog-friendly bookstores

• Doggy swimming pools

• Independent pet stores

Since I’m sharing these awesome local businesses with you, I want to also make sure I mention some important information about bringing your dog out with you to other people’s businesses.

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Planning ahead for success

Items to bring on an outing with your dog: Water jug and portable bowl (shown: Bivy Bowl by Ruffwear), cute bandana, tote bag, extra poop bags, leash, toy, frozen treat (shown: frozen Honest Kitchen in a West Paw toppl), treats (shown: Bixbi Pocket Trainers), bed or blanket (shown: Mt. Bachelor portable bed by Ruffwear), cute doggo.

1. Call ahead! Make sure you double check that the location you’re heading to is dog-friendly and that it’s okay for your dog to join you on whatever day you’re planning your visit (sometimes there’s events). Especially during this pandemic, things can change quickly, and you want to be respectable of the business you’re visiting.

2. ALWAYS have your dog leashed and under control

3. Bring extra poop bags and ALWAYS clean up thoroughly after your dog. Also make sure you properly dispose of it. If there’s no trash bin on the premises, bring it home with you - it’s your responsibility, not theirs.

4. Bring a water bowl and PLENTY of water. Especially if you’re planning to spend a few hours or more at a location like a brewery or winery, make sure to have a large jug of water in case your dog is thirsty. (I always bring my 64oz jug)

5. Bring snacks - lots of them, and a good variety. I usually have a bag full of kibble (usually a whole meal for Oats) that I can occasionally throw to her to keep her engaged. I also bring a frozen toppl, which usually lasts her about 40 minutes.

6. Bring a small/portable bed or blanket so they have a “spot.” Dogs do well when they have a clear boundary, so bring something easy to carry that you can set on the ground for them. I use a Ruffwear travel bed, but you can use a blanket or even a towel if you’re in a pinch.

7. Bring a friend because many breweries, wineries and outdoor restaurants or coffee shops that allow dogs only allow them outside, so if you need to use the restroom or order a drink, you’ll need a friend to stay outside with your dog.

(Links to my favorite items for traveling with your dog are all listed below for your convenience)

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Should my dog go to a public place?

Derby at RJ Julia Bookstore in Madison, CT.

Only bring your dog to breweries, wineries, farms, stores, etc. if they are:

• Friendly with other dogs and people (this includes children)

• Well-behaved

• Comfortable with crowds

• Quiet (they should not be barking at other people and dogs)

Other things to consider:

• NEVER leave them alone, so make sure you have another human to stay with them if you need to go inside for food/drinks/restroom

• It’s best to have 1 human per dog, so things stay under control

• If there are limited spaces for dogs, service dogs take precedence

• Be aware that some dog-friendly businesses may have their own brewery/winery/store pets and your dog needs to be respectful of them and their spaces

• If there are limited spaces that are dog-friendly, don’t stay forever if others are waiting. Often there are only limited areas that are dog-friendly, so be kind and share!

Remember that the businesses I listed are local and independently-owned, meaning that they are not only someone’s pride and joy, but also their bread and butter. Please always be respectful, clean up after yourself and your dog, and only bring well-behaved, friendly dogs to other people’s businesses and to public places. Connecticut is already extremely limited on the amount of places dog owners can bring their dogs, so let’s all do our part and keep these wonderful places dog-friendly.

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One of the big reasons I’m so proud of this database for dog owners in Connecticut is because the list contains all locally owned small businesses, and it’s vitally important that we ramp up our small business support during this extremely challenging time. Running a small business is hard enough without a pandemic, so it’s never been more important to keep your money in your communities than it is now.

I hope you’ll consider visiting some of these wonderful businesses that have found ways to reopen safely and are still willing to allow our sweet pups at their locations. Please be respectful and patient, tip well, and leave kind reviews. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. Show them love now and always! ❤️

Banks from Alvarium Brewery.

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My Favorite Items for Traveling With Your Dog

I strongly encourage you to always shop locally first for anything and everything you need and want. My Ultimate Guide to Dog Friendly Connecticut lists all the independently owned pet stores in the state, so PLEASE go there first. However, if you’re unable to purchase an item locally, I have provided links below for you to purchase online. If you do want one of these items, I am grateful if you use these links because that supports my small business!

Please note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ruffwear Bivy™ Collapsible Dog Bowl

Fuel your adventures with the ultralight, durable, and collapsable Bivy dog bowl. Welded, single-wall construction keeps the bowl simple and clean.

BUY ON RUFFWEAR

Highland Peak 64 oz Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle and Beer Growler Wide Mouth Canteen - Hot and Cold - BPA Free Metal Thermos Flask

Highland Peak

Buy on Amazon

Earth Rated Dog Poop Bag Dispenser - Patented New Waste Bag Holder For Leash - Durable Waterproof Strap & Strong Locking Mechanism Keep Doggie Bags Secure | Includes 15 Lavender Bags

Earth Rated / Eco Group

Buy on Amazon

Earth Rated Dog Waste Bags - Unscented - 270 ct

Earth Rated

Buy on Amazon

Ruffwear Mt. Bachelor Pad™ Portable Dog Bed

The Mt. Bachelor Pad is a low-profile, portable camping dog bed that gives a sense of home in different environments. Rolls up easily and neatly for portability to and from all your adventures!

BUY ON RUFFWEAR

ruffwear Front Range® Dog Harness

The Front Range Harness is a padded everyday dog harness that is easy to put on and comfortable for dogs to wear.

BUY ON RUFFWEAR

The Honest Kitchen Human Grade Dehydrated Grain Free Fruit & Veggie Base Mix for Dogs 7 lb - Preference

The Honest Kitchen

Buy on Amazon

West Paw Zogoflex Toppl Treat Dispensing Dog Toy Puzzle – Interactive Chew Toys for Dogs – Dog Toy for Moderate Chewers, Fetch, Catch – Holds Kibble, Treats, Large, Aqua

West Paw

Buy on Amazon

Bixbi Pocket Trainers Dog Treats, Peanut Butter, 6 Ounce

Boulder Organics

Buy on Amazon

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

BUY ON RUFFWEAR

Ruffwear Bivy Bowl

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Please let me know if you have any questions about bringing your dog with you on outings and to dog friendly businesses, or about the products I recommend. I look forward to hearing from you!

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Today I’m sharing another one of my favorite fall sessions from last year! Matt and Chris live in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston with their adorable corgi puppy Benny (and they have since added a baby sister corgi named Betsy to their family - ahhh!). They invited me up to meet them at their home, where we walked only minutes to an amazing park that circles Jamaica Pond. Since our original session got rained out and we had to reschedule for mid-November, we weren’t sure we would still have fall foliage. We ended up finding not only beautiful foliage, but also an awesome huge leaf pile for Benny (and his dads!) to play in, and we even got lucky enough to see a few snow flurries. I had the best time with this wonderful family.

Remember that I only book a limited number of sessions each month and autumn is my busiest time of the year, so if you’re interested in scheduling something while the leaves are beautiful, reach out today!

A corgi in a plaid coat. I mean…what on earth is cuter than this? Name something. I’ll wait.

We were so excited to find this giant pile of oak leaves when we first got to the park, so I just let Benny run and play with his dads and be his sweet self. I absolutely love how happy he looks in this images.

I always try to capture a mix of candid/silly and more posed images. Posed photos of dogs come from me being ready for the perfect moment and getting your pup’s attention, not formally posing them. In this image, Benny just simply stopped his playing for a moment and I made a crazy sound to get him to look in my direction. One second later he resumed playing in the leaves, of course.

Benny had so much fun playing tug and fetch with his dads and is such a playful and fun little pup.

Some serious Corgi faces…

And some goofy faces, because we must have both :)

I love this sweet series of candid family moments, Benny’s derp face and his dads laughing and loving on him.

Are they not just the cutest family?

This beautiful park is right near their home, so they walk Benny here all the time, making it the perfect spot for our session. I love choosing a location that’s meaningful to my clients because when they look back at their images, they’ll be able to think of all their wonderful memories in that favorite place.

Benny’s dads couldn’t wait to show me this ridiculously strange bench in the middle of this park. They were really hoping to get a photo of Benny on the bench but they were convinced he wouldn’t pose on it. Lucky for them I have lots of tricks up my sleeve and Benny did perfect! But also seriously, who designed this bench? (I actually researched it and found out, so if you’re interested in learning more about this odd piece of art, click here for its history.) Personally I think it’s perfect for dog photography.

These are inside a cute little building next to the Jamaica Pond Boathouse, where we escaped the snowflakes for a few minutes and got a bunch of adorable family portraits.

This image was a family favorite. Matt and Chris loved it so much they ordered a large print and debated turning it into a piece of wall art. It’s such a cute photo and shows how much fun they were all having together and how much they adore their little Benny.

I am in love with this series of photos all together and we made them into an album spread. I love having a variety of expressions with some silly and laughing and some more posed. And this park was just too beautiful.

Little snowflakes started to fall on Benny’s head so naturally he had to showcase his derpiest Corgi face for us, followed by his completely unimpressed-by-the-snow face. I love this doggo.

The snow continued and Matt and Chris were total troopers even though we were completely frozen at this point in our session. We headed back toward their home and I snapped some cute photos of the family walking arm in arm (and Benny pulling toward me because you know…I had the treats).

As we left the park I noticed this GORGEOUS spot with perfect fall foliage, and since our session was in mid-November we were all surprised to still have fall colors. This spot was so incredible that even though we were all freezing, Matt and Chris humored me and did a couple final family photos with Benny. I’m so grateful they did, and I know they are too, because the photo on the right is the one they choose as a stunning large metal wall print for their home.

Thank you Matt and Chris for inviting me up to your home and trusting me to capture these memories of your family and your very special boy. You were all a joy to work with and Benny is the absolute sweetest pup! I cannot wait to meet your latest addition to your family!

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Artwork

Benny’s dads chose a beautiful large family photo as a metal art piece for their home. Metal wall art is designed to appear as if its “floating” from the wall because of an inset frame. It’s such an unique piece of art.

They also ordered a stunning signature book with a beautiful blue leather cover to accompany their wall collection. An album is the perfect way to remember all the sweet memories of their family. Check out the video to see me flip through their album!

To learn more about heirloom artwork and how to turn your dog into art, click here.

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Interested in booking your own outdoor session? We can go on a hiking adventure, to a park, to your home, to the beach…the possibilities are endless! Contact me today and let’s chat about your dogs and how I can help you capture them in photographs that you can cherish forever. Don’t wait if you’re considering a fall session! I only book a limited number of sessions per month and autumn is the most popular season of the year. I can’t wait to work with you!

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Since the autumn season is almost upon us, I wanted to share some of my awesome sessions from last fall to give you some ideas and inspiration for your own fall sessions! This was one of my favorites from last year, with the sweetest model and gorgeous fall colors. I only book a limited number of sessions each month and autumn is my busiest time of the year, so if you’re interested in scheduling something while the leaves are beautiful, reach out today!

This yellow lab is sweet Max, and he was an absolute joy to spend the afternoon with! We played fetch, he went swimming (but we both got wet, of course!) and he posed like a total pro. His dad is a professional dog trainer so naturally he was an awesome model.

We did some fun action photos of Max playing fetch, and I love to do these running action series because they make amazing album spreads. The middle one also ended up becoming a part of the wall collection chosen by Max’s parents.

A perfect dichotomy of goofy and sweet :)

We had our session at YMCA Camp Sloper in Southington, CT, because that’s where Max and his dad hike often. There’s a trail that circles the whole lake and lots of cute places to stop and take interesting photos. I especially love a doggo on a slide.

We ended our session around sunset by letting Max just play and have fun in the lake.

Max swam and played around with a stick for a while, but like any lab he made sure to break for some treats (of course)! So I used that chance to capture these absolutely adorable wide angle images of his sweet and goofy face.

Another favorite action series is the shake series, which is always funniest when dogs are still in the water and we can capture some awesome water spray images.

It was such a beautiful location with the fall colors and the lake. Max had a blast playing around and I was in photographer’s heaven!

All the hiking, running and swimming tired Max out and he was done looking at the camera at this point, even though we were trying to capture one final adorable image. Here he’s looking lovingly at his dad, which is also so sweet!

Thank you Jon and Dawn for trusting me to capture these memories of your very special boy. You were all a joy to work with and Max is the absolute sweetest pup!

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Artwork

Max’s parents chose this beautiful wall collection of gallery wrapped canvases. Each gallery wrap is custom designed and hand constructed in America with a wooden frame and UV coating.

They also ordered a stunning signature book to accompany their wall collection and remember all the sweet memories and details about their special pup. Check out the video to see me flip through their album!

To learn more about heirloom artwork and how to turn your dog into art, click here.

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Interested in booking your own outdoor session? We can go on a hiking adventure, to a park, to your home, to the beach…the possibilities are endless! Contact me today and let’s chat about your dogs and how I can help you capture them in photographs that you can cherish forever. Don’t wait if you’re considering a fall session! I only book a limited number of sessions per month and autumn is the most popular season of the year. I can’t wait to work with you!

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With Love & Oats Photography has always been about more than dog photography. It has always been imperative to me to talk about equality and love for all, racial injustice, climate change, and other topics that I care deeply about. There has never been a question for me that Black Lives Matter. The very first image for the With Love & Dogs Project that has become my soul work began with that statement. It is a personal value for me, and my business will always stand for it.⁣

However, I have not done enough. Over the past year, I have worked hard to diversify my feeds and bookshelves. I began the process of looking inward and examining my own biases and white privilege, but I kept that all inside. I began working on a project that creates messages of equality, love and kindness, but I have been afraid to have the tough conversations in my real life. I have not stood up loudly enough.⁣

That time is now over. It is not acceptable to simply not be racist. I commit myself and my business to being actively anti-racist.⁣

I am personally committed to further diversifying my bookshelves, my education, my partnerships, and the places where I shop and invest my money. I will continue to learn, read, listen, march, vote and speak up. I admit that I have a long way to go, and I understand that this is lifelong work.⁣

As a business owner, I commit to diversity, inclusion and equity. Right now my business is a solopreneurship, but that will not always be the case, and I look forward to opportunities to build an inclusive company in the future. I will continue using my business to spread messages of love, hope, kindness and EQUALITY. This has always been my goal and my passion, and I’m sorry that I haven’t done enough.⁣

I believe that this is an incredible opportunity for long overdue change and I am ready to be a part of it. It’s time we work collectively toward a more equitable future. I am listening and will continue to do better.

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If you are white and looking to get involved and learn more about anti-racism, racial justice and the Black Lives Matter movement, I encourage you to start by doing your own personal work on your internal biases and internal racism. Please know that this work is deeply personal, will make you uncomfortable and heartbroken, and will force you to change your beliefs about and behaviors in the world. We all have a long way to go, but we must not wait any longer to begin. Here is a great link to a resource list from an amazing Black female educator, but there are many other resource lists available.

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Over the past couple weeks I have been working with all my current clients to reschedule sessions booked before and during the last couple months when I was unable to hold sessions due to the pandemic. I am so excited to announce that I will be starting sessions again beginning on June 1st! If you’re ready to book your session, I’m ready to work with you! Here are all the steps I am taking to ensure your safety during our session.

1. For now, I will only hold outdoor sessions (not studio) and they will be done from a 6 foot or farther distance. I will be wearing a mask during our session.

2. I have invested in a brand new telephoto lens that will produce stunning images while allowing me to be farther away from you and your dogs during our session. While I'm sad this has to be the case, I am committed to making this experience both as fun and safe as possible.

3. I am now able to conduct your Viewing & Ordering Session virtually via Zoom. This process is very simple and will still give you the same experience of seeing your images for the first time and choosing which artwork you would love for your home. I will bring artwork samples to our portrait session for you to touch and view, and then we will do our Viewing & Ordering online.

4. Your artwork deliveries can be done with a contactless delivery or I can ship smaller items.

5. As always, your Pre-Session Consultation will be done over the phone.

6. I will have new guidelines for myself and all clients for cancelling our session if you feel sick or if you (or I) have been in contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. A new addendum will be added to my standard photography contract so we’re all on the same page.

I want you to know that I’m committed to ensuring a safe and fun experience and I'm so excited to get back to capturing sweet memories of you and your pets. If you have any questions about my new protocols, please feel free to contact me here.

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Don’t forget to check out everything I’ve been sharing on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest (click the icons below), plus my awesome interview with Inspiration Canine!

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I can’t wait to work with you!

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