if you would help me again this year by voting in the Philly Hot List contest. I have been nominated once again for Philadelphia’s Best Pet Photographer. Thanks to all of your voting, I have been honored to be in the top 5 for the passed two years.

If you’re not familiar, the Philly HOT List is a great little contest featuring some of the areas finest businesses. The HOT list is a wealth of information and I for one have referred to it many times when looking for different types of businesses in the area. Check it out….and while you’re there I’d love for you to take a second and vote for me!!

Click anywhere on the photo below, and go on and vote!

Got plans for this Saturday? No? Well, how about coming out to the PottMUTTster Dog Show! I’ll be there!

It promises to be a great time for both you and your canine friends! There will be vendors and there will be prizes!

Here are the deets!

If necessary, weather information will be posted on the PottsMUTTster Facebook Fan Page.

Hope to see you there!

Part one:
I have been using Facebook for quite some time now. Just a personal page with lots of friends and family to keep in touch with. The Facebook network is growing and growing, with lots of groups and fan pages to join. I didn’t really see the need to have a fan page…I mean, how many web presences (is that a word?) does one need? Websites, blogs, twitters, facebook fan pages….it’s never ending. However, just for fun, I created a fan page…the Susan Dodd Photography Fan Page. And, then I forgot about it. Until one day, a fan appeared. I was shocked! I didn’t know the page was even public. It had no content, how could this be? So, I quickly added some content. And then, more fans joined, and more! Wow! So, I invited some friends to join…and they did! This was so exciting for me! Fans! Fans are cool.

So, now, I’m inviting you to join. You don’t have to, of course, like I said, it’s just for fun. But if you feel inspired to become a fan, go ahead over here…Susan Dodd Photography Facebook Fan Page…and join!

I’m not sure where I will be taking this fan page. But, it might be exciting to see! So, thank you, for being fans!

Part two:
This year I was a little late sending out our holiday card. I wasn’t going to send one at all actually. I had absolutely no ideas and virtually no time. But, at the last minute…well, after the last minute…an idea came to me. So, I took some photos, and made the card. I didn’t send out a ton, so I wanted to share it here on the blog for everyone to see!

Thank you to everyone who voted for me last year in the My Fox Philly Hot List contest. It was because of your support that I was voted 3rd best in the pet services category and the best pet photographer for 2008!! Thank you so very much. I was honored and humbled by all of your support.

Well, it’s time again to vote! It’s easy, just click below and vote, vote, vote. Brandy and Hershey will show you the way!!

While you’re there, be sure to vote for all of your favorite Philadelphia area vendors.

THANK YOU!!

This is Meena.  She is a 10 week old adorable little girl, who just happens to need a home!  Her foster mom, Julie, is a wonderful long time client and friend of mine.  

Meena was “dumped” in a shelter in Virginia when she was 5 weeks old. A friend of Julie’s, Rosemary Distefano – founder of Faith’s Hope Rescue, found her there and brought her to PA where Julie has taken her in. Meena is a Rottie Pitt mix and seems to have the best of both breeds. She is sweet, calm, playful and very social. Her name means “strong willed warrior” and Meena is just that.

Meena starts her obedience classes this week, but is already learning many valuable good dog lessons just by living in Julie’s home along with 4 adult cats, 2 foster kittens, 4 large dogs (60-95 lbs), 1 fish and a very busy little 2 3/4 year old boy!

Meena gets along wonderfully with all the members of her foster family; human, feline and canine, but Julie does see a bit of a dominant female personality developing. Meena likes to be top dog so she would do best as a single family dog, or with a more submissive male canine companion. Cats and kids are just fine…fish are cool too!

My observations. Meena is a very sweet, smart, girl who is eager to please and learn. She is not too mouthy at all. Did I mention that she is gorgeous?!! She really looks like a little Rottie with a bit of a designer splash of color on her legs and paws!!

But, really, the best part is that she is being fostered in a wonderful, loving home with someone who knows dogs inside and out. She will have an amazing foundation and will be a definite soul mate for someone. She seems like the kind of dog that will be right by your side, loving and protecting her family and sharing each and every wonderful moment.

Meena will make an incredible family dog, and is looking for her forever home. If you have any interest in learning more about her, please send me an email (susan@coolpets.us) and I’ll put you in contact with Julie!

Meet Meeeeeena!!!!

All images ©Susan Dodd

Please….join me this Saturday for a funky little event at the Funky Lil’ Kitchen.

The Funky Lil’ Kitchen is a wonderful restaurant tucked away on King Street in Pottstown. This Saturday they are hosting a “courtyard cocktail hour” complete with hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and music! 100% of the proceeds from the cocktail hour will be donated to the Chester County SPCA. You can read all about it below!

It promises to be a lovely evening. I’ll be there from 3:30 to 5 enjoying the festivities. And, I am donating a Cool Pets portrait session which will be auctioned off in a silent auction.

Please RSVP to the Funky Lil’ Kitchen and say you’ll come!! Hope to see you there!

I’m happy to say that it seems as though my blog is almost 100% back to normal. I did however lose the last post describing that, on Monday, hackers got into my blog, apparently through a weakness in my navigation menu. According to my wonderful and extremely helpful hosting company – Bluehost – it was a “bad” attempt at hacking because the redirect really didn’t go anywhere except to an error page. The technicians at Bluehost are pretty amazing and very willing to help, and thanks to them, my blog is back.

I wanted to repost my blog guards just to be safe though!

So, again, I say to you mean, nasty hacker person…

take that…

and that!

All images ©Susan Dodd

Thank you to everyone who came out to the expo this weekend and visited me in my booth! What a fabulous crowd! I met so many wonderful people and really had a blast chatting with everyone! A very huge thank you to all who put in their donation and entered the contest to win a FREE Cool Pets portrait session and print credit! With all of your help, I will donating over $100 to the winner’s choice of pet saving organizations. It is such a great feeling to know that the money we raised will be given to a very deserving organization. As soon as the winner selects the recipient, I’ll let you know where your money is going!

My home away from home this weekend. I loved the new curtain colors they used this year! My compliments to Dennis and Karen for another rockin’ pet expo!!

Without further ado..

the winner is Jennifer – owner of Smores and Grover! Congratulations, Jennifer! Please give me a call so that we can pick the recipient of the donations, and get your session booked!!

And, since I’m feeling generous…I have a special runner up prize. This winner gets a Free session! Congratulations to Kristi – owner of Stewie!

And, one more thing. I have a little casting call for someone I met during the weekend. From time to time I will be posting casting calls for something creative I’d like to try; whether it involves pets, babies, couples…could be anything. This weekend, I met Brianna. She knows that she fits in to one of my casting call ideas, so Brianna (or your mom) give me a call and let’s do some photos of you and Cookie…the session’s on me!

So, that’s it! Thank you again to everyone. Hope to see you in Oaks in November, where I’ll be doing another great contest!!

All images ©Susan Dodd

this weekend?  I’ll be at the Pet Expo in Reading!  I’ll be there ALL weekend…Friday to Sunday.  So, if you’re looking for something to do, come out and have some fun.  It is a great event, chock full of vendors for shopping, cool exhibits for looking, and food for eating.  Kids are free on Friday night, and there are even some times on Saturday and Sunday when you can bring your pooch!  It’s so cool to see everyone waiting in line to get in with their dogs right by their sides!
 
If you’re coming out, be sure to stop by and chat. It’s a very long weekend, and I love to meet everyone. You can’t miss me, I’m pretty much the first thing you see when you walk in the door!

This year, as in the past, I will be holding a raffle for a Cool Pets portrait session, but I’m changing it up a bit. You’ll have to contribute a couple bucks to enter. The winner not only gets the completely FREE session, but a nice credit to use on photographs as well. Proceeds of the raffle will be donated to the organization of the winner’s choice. There will be 5 organizations to choose from, and you’ll get to pick who gets the donation!

The winner will be announced right here on this blog.

It’s sure to be a crazy good time! Hope to see you there!

I have been toying around with change.  Yep, but only a little change and, hopefully, a good change.  I needed a new logo that would fit all of the things I do…pets, people, families, babies – everything.  It really was a tough challenge.  There were a few moments when I just felt like giving up! My wonderful friend, Nancy, has been helping me. She is so great at taking my ideas and making them real.

So, with the help of Kingston and Crystal, I present to you a fresh new logo.

Please…tell me what you think. Should I keep it? I welcome your opinions!