My husband and I have been looking for dog #2 for the last 4-6 months. We’re trying to adopt this time since we got Sophie from a breeder. As I’ve looked through adoption websites, it’s basically the same thing over and over. The same breeds with the same general characteristics. It’s really gotten on my nerves because it usually comes down to irresponsible owners getting dogs they shouldn’t have gotten. So I’m here to get on my soapbox and let you know some realities of dog ownership before you start on the journey yourself. Is a dog for you? Before you even consider what dog to get, you need to determine if a dog is for you. I obviously lie on the side of pro-dogs but everyone is suited for dog ownership. Having a dog is more than having a cute puppy to take photos of and having a friend that will cuddle next to you on the couch when you want it to.
Now I want to go to the more positive side of dog ownership. I LOVE Sophie so much. She’s was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. She brightens our lives so much. We bring her with us whenever possible because we want to spend all the time we can with her. She’s a loving companion, hilarious entertainment, and a stress relief after a long day. If you’re looking for a new member of your family, a dog is a great addition. But they truly are a member of your family. We make sure Sophie’s needs are cared for and that she’s happy. She repays us with her love and adorable personality. Make sure you’re truly going to give them a good life before you commit to a dog. What kind of dog should you get? So you’ve done the work and you know you’re ready for a dog. Now you have to pick the right breed. For the love of all things good, don’t just pick a dog because they’re cute. Ya know my whining about shelters all having the same dog? It’s a bunch of people that picked a dog for cuteness not to fit their lifestyle. There’s exceptions to every breed but usually the breed characteristics are mostly accurate. Here’s the thoughts we went through when we picked Sophie:
I hope this information helps you pick a dog that’s right for you! Put in your work and do some research and you’ll have an amazing dog. There’s a dog with the right personality for everyone. If you take the time to find it, you won’t regret. You also need to make sure you’re truly ready for a dog. There’s many dogs that are at shelters because people didn’t do research on the breed, didn’t put in the money to fix their dog, or they didn’t plan ahead well enough. Let’s try to give dogs forever homes from the beginning.
0 Comments
Just about everyone with a DSLR camera has heard the horror stories of what cold, snow, or rain can do to a camera. If you haven’t heard them yet, let me be the first to tell you that bad weather can kill your camera. I’ve taken photos in poor weather conditions for years and I’ve created a very elaborate system to protect my camera. I’ve never actually ruined a lens or camera so my system may be overkill. For me, I don’t have to do very much math on the cost of my camera gear before I decide overkill is better than trying to replace my gear.
1. INSURE YOUR GEAR. If you’re consistently using your camera in inclement weather or even just adventuring with your camera, insure it. One of my lenses alone would cost $1500 to replace. And that’s if somehow I only broke the one lens and nothing else. It really doesn’t cost that much to insure it. I have a policy that specifically lists every piece of my gear with its value. Any gear less than $300, I decided not to list. I especially recommend you insure your gear if photography is some part of your career or livelihood. Like I said, it’s really not that expensive but your camera gear is SUPER expensive. 2. Don’t take it in bad weather unless you have to. For example, I brought my camera on most days during our New York trip. One day, I checked the weather and it was supposed to rain all day. I decided to leave my camera at home since I didn’t know how much we’d be outside or how well my camera bag (my purse) would protect it. Obviously if you’re taking pro photos of a wedding, you can’t just saw no when you see the weekly forecast. In this situation, the photos were for fun and they weren’t worth ruining my camera for. It ended up being a great choice because it poured rain and the weather was too bad for any good photos anyways. If the weather is bad, keep your camera safely tucked away unless it’s really important for you. 3. Get a good camera bag. Not all camera bags are created equal. Some will mostly protect your camera in normal bad weather but will fall short when it’s in really bad weather all day. I have a couple different levels of camera bags I use for bad weather. My first one is a normal camera bag with a tarp you can stretch over the bag. It tucks away when you don’t need it and bungees around the bag when it’s rainy. As a weird side note, I’ve also used this as an anti-theft method for those times where you’re waiting to drop off your big bags at an AirBNB or hotel. My second bag is mainly for kayaking. It’s 100% waterproof. I could dunk it in the lake and there wouldn’t be a drop of water in it. Usually waterproof bags have a top that has to be rolled down. It can be a pain if you’re getting your camera out a lot so I only use it when the weather is really bad. It also holds moisture in. You don’t want to put your wet camera in it because it will get anything else in the bag wet. I also never put a water bottle in the bag. Then I’m just opening up the opportunity to make camera soup. 4. Use a turkey oven bag. I’ve used this method lots and I usually have a turkey bag folded up in my camera bag just in case. I use one of the corners and cut a circle the size of the lens. Then my entire camera is covered except for the end of the lens. This is definitely not convenient but if you absolutely have to take photos with no cover, it’s a good alternative. 5. Protect it from the cold. This is my inclement weather area of expertise. I’ve been snowmobiling for years and I’ve created an elaborate method to protect it. Cold can cause condensation to form in your camera that may not dry out. Here’s my steps:
|
Miki & BobWe're an adventurous couple that travel internationally and travel nationally in our RV. We have a corgi named Sophie that comes along on our adventures. Our goal is to encourage others to travel and show genuine travel over Instagrammable travel. CategoriesArchives
April 2020
|