Victory | biscuit's space | The blog of photographer Katherine Carver

Sep 16

Victory: Photography Project — 32

“He speaketh not, and yet there lies a conversation in his eyes …” ~Unknown

Beginning in January of this year, I began a weekly photography project with my muse, Victory! I will continue to share this project on the blog! I have also been documenting Victory’s milestones so to speak each month — you can read these here! I think that it is fun to document all of Victory’s changes, while preserving fleeting moments and memories.

Well, since returning from vacation, Victory was in dire need of a bath! I am never really able to capture a bath in photos as it takes both Doug and I to bathe her and she is a quick escape artist! However, below are some photos of Victory post bath, a little wet, and still looking beautiful! Also, while in Quebec, we got Victory a handmade bath robe, shown below — I mean, really, what furry friend shouldn’t have a bath robe! (Victory was a bit tired after the bath shown below. We think the naths wear her out.) Victory also got some other goodies while on Vacation including a new Orvis bed; Orvis coat; a sweater; and booties for the rain and snow (she can walk in her new booties as we tried them out first!)

Happy Tuesday!

Sep 15

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Snapshot: Vacationing in Quebec!

We’re back! We had a wonderful time on vacation! This was Victory’s first vacation and it was very nice! We began our vacation in Manchester, Vermont for a few days, with a quick stop at Lake Champlain, and then to our destination, Quebec! Doug drove the entire way both ways and Victory sat on my lap! We were really fortunate that we had really nice weather and temperatures during our entire vacation!

This was the first vacation that I did little work! Thus, today’s post is a sneak peek, as I have not finished editing the images. If you follow along on Instagram, I shared some images from our vacation during our vacation! I plan to share more images of our trip, once I have edited images!

We had a great time in Manchester, Vermont. Doug wanted to stop in Vermont on our way to Quebec. We wanted to bring Victory to the Orvis Flagship Store where we took Biscuit last spring where he was the Orvis Cover Dog Winner and Centerfold and represented the Orvis Petfinder Commitment supporting and promoting dog rescue! (Plus, Manchester is extremely dog friendly with great places to shop! Victory went into all of the stores with us, including the dressing rooms!) The people at remembered us at Orvis and were sad to learn of Biscuit’s passing. We introduced our Victory and we had a great time together! Victory had fun trying out (picking out) the Orvis dog beds and trying on her new Orvis coat!

We stopped briefly at Lake Champlain on our way to Quebec and it was beautiful.

We made it to our lake house that we rented for several weeks in Quebec! It was on the Lake of Two Mountains and the views were beautiful and we witnessed many lovely sunsets each night! Victory loved the beach and boating! We also made ample time to relax, read, and take some long walks in the village where we stayed. Doug and I are now hooked on Downton Abbey — we watched the first three seasons, which were available on Netflix in Canada, but not at home, so we ordered season four, which is on its way to us!

We walked to the beach and we had a lot of fun with Victory! She loved the beach and we captured her putting her paws in the water for the first time! She actually went into the water and she loved walking on the beach!

We went into Montreal a few times and pushed Victory around in her Hound About — which turned out to be a lifesaver as the city is very crowded and it would have been too stressful for her to walk on the sidewalks with so many people! She rode around in class! Doug and I loved going to the Orange Julep! This has the world’s best orange juice! We went several times to the Orange Julep and we loved it! If I could order this orange juice online, I would! It was that good! Plus, you have to love that the orange juice is served from an orange! We also visited McGill University and walked all around a good portion of the city! We went shopping in Montreal and Victory got some new gear! Doug also showed me the bookstore where he first wrote to me just prior to our first date on Rue Sainte Catherine ten years ago (nearly to the day!) (Back then, internet cafes were big!)

One of my favorite parts of the trip was taking the route de vines! I am not a big wine person, but the views and the vineyards were really beautiful. Doug figured out the routes and drove us everywhere! We learned about fire cider, which tastes really good! We brought some home with us! This fire cider is wonderful! Victory loved the wineries and dogs were welcome and, of course, everyone called her a “plus beau chien!” (most beautiful dog!) Of course, we agree! Victory loved the vineyards so much that she often did not want to leave! Everyone was so friendly!

Oh, how can I leave out Tim Hortons? Doug loves Tim Horton’s; we do not have one near us; and they just are not the same in the U.S. So, as a result, we ate way too many donuts! (They were really good, as I usually do not eat donuts!) Also, it is very interesting going to a fast food restaurant where everyone is so nice and everyone knows French and English — this not something you see here in the U.S.!

Most of all, we enjoyed spending time together; getting away and having a break; having a change of scenery; and having days where we had no plans and were able to take each day as it came! Everyone was so nice in Quebec and the pace of everything was nice and slow! Enjoy the snapshot of photos from our vacation below!

Happy Monday!

Aug 18

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Victory: Photography Project — 31

“Dogs leave paw prints on your heart” ~W.R. Purche.

Beginning in January of this year, I began a weekly photography project with my muse, Victory! I will continue to share this project on the blog! I have also been documenting Victory’s milestones so to speak each month — you can read these here! I think that it is fun to document all of Victory’s changes, while preserving fleeting moments and memories.

Victory is sporting her Doggles. We actually got her two pairs (two different sizes) and we are not sure which ones actually feels better on her! She is wearing two different pairs in the images below! We are going to take both pairs on vacation! She sure does look cute and she did not even try to take them off with her paws!

Happy Monday!

Aug 13

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Victory: Ten Months In

“Home is where the dog is.” ~Unknown

Yesterday marked ten months since we adopted our little Victory! You can read more about the previous months’ milestones here. The time is just flying by and Victory is blossoming!

Below are some things that we learned about Victory this month:

Her fur coat is really coming in and she is looking more filled out!

She continues to enjoy riding in the car!

She loves to hop into her Daddy’s lap while in the car! (Don’t worry, Doug does not drive with her on his lap. She likes to hop over when we are stopped at intersections!)

She still loves to go on outings and since the fall is approaching next month, and it is our favorite time of year, we plan on taking Victory for some fun outings!

She has started going down the stairs in our house by herself. We previously carried her!

She now sits under my desk at my feet. This makes the day so much better with Victory by my side. This is a big feat as Victory used to run out of my office down to her ‘hut!’ She is definitely feeling more comfortable in our home, which she runs! We would not have it any other way!

She is still very much enjoying her rides in her Hound About and it is very sweet when she pokes her head through the top of the Hound About while we push her around the neighborhood!

She tolerates her Doggles!

She loves when Doug grills and she has been going outside on the deck with her sniffer in the air!

Bedtime is her favorite time of the day. She even puts herself to bed when she is ready — it is hilarious — I guess that is her way of rounding up her pack (us)! She gives us tons of kisses and likes to play before bed. This usually adds another half an hour before we actually can go to sleep!

She still has not barked as of yet! The vet said that this is ok — it is just the way our little Victory is! (She is the quietest dog that we have ever met!)

Most of all, we love her so very much!

If you have not already, be sure to check out the six month video, our second video, and our most recent video of our little Victory! (I hope to make more videos soon!)

Happy Wednesday!

Aug 11

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Victory: Photography Project — 30

“Everyone thinks they have the best dog. None of them are wrong!” ~W.R. Purche.

Beginning in January of this year, I began a weekly photography project with my muse, Victory! I will continue to share this project on the blog! I have also been documenting Victory’s milestones so to speak each month — you can read these here! I think that it is fun to document all of Victory’s changes, while preserving fleeting moments and memories.

We took Victory to Delaware again and the photos below were taken at the University of Delaware. Victory did pretty well walking along the sidewalks with us. (She often gets quite anxious in new situations.) Then, we went to one of our favorite restaurants, the Iron Hill Brewery! Victory loved going out to dinner with us! Doug, of course, shared his chicken with Victory! By the time we got home, little Victory was exhausted and she slept in until 9:30 a.m. the following morning!

Happy Monday!

Aug 7

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Vacation: What to Pack for Your Furry Family Member

Doug and I have begun to make our packing list and a list of items we need to buy prior to leaving for vacation. While making our list, we realized that we have an entire list dedicated to Victory!

While this list, shown below, is not exhaustive, it should be a good starting point to help you get your furry family member ready and packed for vacation!

1. International Health Certificate — If you are traveling internationally, you need to make sure you have the appropriate paper work completed by your vet in the proper amount of time prior to your vacation. You can learn more about what each country requires in order for your furry family member to enter particular countries by visiting here.

2. Car Bed — Victory loves to sit on our laps, but we use the Eco Nap Mat in the car for Victory to sit on. We want her to be extra comfortable!

3. Seat Belt — We use a travel seat belt when only one of us is in the car with Victory to prevent her from wandering all over while we are driving. (She likes to hop in her Daddy’s lap while he is driving!) We use this travel seat belt and it works well and seems to fit Victory well.

4. Baby Shade for Car — The sun can be so bright in the car, especially if you are traveling a long distance. Therefore, we got this baby shade (one for each side of the car) in order to keep Victory in the shade!

5. Doggles — Of course, we had to get Victory some Doggles! Biscuit had a pair of Doggles as well! Victory is pictured below sporting her new Doggles! She is such a good girl! She cooperated and let me take some photographs of her wearing her Doggles! She is just adorable!

6. Leash — You should keep a leash handy when traveling with your furry family member! Even if your furry family member is good off-leash, it is a good idea to have a leash available to use especially in situations where your dog could be a flight risk, etc. Victory is always on a leash when we are outside, excluding the dog park! We use this leash from Orvis!

7. Tags — Especially when traveling, it is a good idea to have all of your furry family member’s tags in case an issue arises.

8. Rain Coat — Since the weather is unpredictable, it is always a good idea to bring a rain coat for your furry family member! We use this rain coat, which works really well!

9. Life Jacket — During our vacation we are staying on the water, and we decided to get Victory this life jacket! We shall see if she likes the water! (Biscuit was not a fan of going into the water, but he loved the beach!

10. Food (and measuring cups) — Victory eats a combination of dry food and wet food, which we will pack. We are going to pack white rice with us in case we need to put her on a bland diet with rice and chicken.

11. Travel Food/Water Dishes — You need food/water dishes to feed your furry family member while you are gone! We continue to use the travel bowls that Biscuit used on vacation/traveling.

12. Treats — Victory loves treats! One of her favorite treats is Cheese Please! I am sure that she will get very spoiled while we are away on vacation!

13. Medicine/Supplements — Right now, thank goodness, Victory is not on any medicine or supplements other than her monthly heart worm medicine and Frontline. We still need to pack these items as these will be due for Victory while we are away.

14. Toothbrush/Toothpaste/Dental Spray — Fortunately,Victory permits me to brush her teeth daily and it is really helping to minimize her tartar on a few of her bath teeth! We use this toothpaste from the vet in poultry flavor and this dental spray. So, we will try to keep this up on vacation as well!

15. Poop Bags — While traveling you, of course, need poop bags! We get our poop bags in bulk from here.

16. Brush/Comb/Baby Powder — Since Victory has long hair, I brush her just about every day. She is very good and she tolerates it, which prevents a build up of tangles/mats, making her brushing much more difficult (and painful). The baby powder minimizes the grease behind her ears keeping her looking fresh and smelling good! We is a pin brush and a comb along with baby powder to keep Victory looking her best!

17. Shampoo/Conditioner — Since Victory might get dirty or go in the water during vacation, it is a good idea that we bring her shampoo and conditioner since this brand does not give her any skin reactions! We use Espree oatmeal shampoo and luxury conditioner.

18. Bed/’Hut’ — Since Victory loves her ‘hut’ we are packing it for her so that she can feel more comfortable in her new surroundings during vacation! If you are interested in a ‘hut’ for your furry family member, you can get one here! Additionally, Victory has Orvis beds that she now takes a nap on!

19. Toys — Victory hoards her toys and chews them — she keeps a myriad of toys in her ‘hut’! So, we are packing some of her toys. Doug and I pick up toys for her when we are out and about. Victory does like to go to the pet store, and we end up getting her a few more stuffies (toys) for her to chew on!

20. Hound About — Since Victory has a bit of anxiety in new spaces, and she loves the Hound About, we are packing the Hound About in order to take Victory into the city in style! Victory is perfectly capable of walking; however, this way, she can see the sights without being anxious in a new situation!

I am sure that there are other things we will need to pack, but hopefully, this list will get you started with you vacation packing for your furry family member! As you can see, Victory will have more gear for vacation than both Doug and I will have combined!

Aug 4

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Victory: Photography Project — 29

“Friendship isn’t about whom you have known the longest…It’s about who came and never left your side.” ~Unknown.

Beginning in January of this year, I began a weekly photography project with my muse, Victory! I will continue to share this project on the blog! I have also been documenting Victory’s milestones so to speak each month — you can read these here! I think that it is fun to document all of Victory’s changes, while preserving fleeting moments and memories.

Last week, we had some evenings that were really nice outside. I decided to take Victory out in her Hound About! Victory loves her Hound About as much as Biscuit loved his Hound About! We walked all over the neighborhood. Victory stood up the entire time and smiled ear to ear, while poking her head out of the front opening of the Hound About! Needless to say, she slept really well that night! We are happy that the Hound About has brought so much joy!

You can see some of Victory’s faces that she made as she sat in her Hound About just prior to going on our walk together!

Happy Monday!

Aug 1

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Photo of the Day!

Today is a fun post with little Victory! I recently joined Instagram, and I have been having fun coming up with new photo ideas with our precious Victory! She is so patient with me and she sits so still for me. I could not ask for a better muse! She is such a good girl and we are so lucky! Below is an image of Victory with her sheltie stuffies, Dixie and Whispy, made by Douglas! (Doug surprised me and brought Dixie and Whispy home from his travels.) Can you tell which one is Victory? You can view daily images of Victory (and Biscuit) on Instagram! Enjoy!

Happy Friday!

Jul 28

Victory: Photography Project — 28

“A dog is like a person — he needs a job and a family to be what he’s meant to be.” ~Andrew Vachss

Beginning in January of this year, I began a weekly photography project with my muse, Victory! I will continue to share this project on the blog! I have also been documenting Victory’s milestones so to speak each month — you can read these here! I think that it is fun to document all of Victory’s changes, while preserving fleeting moments and memories.

On a recent day, Victory was sitting in her ‘hut’ playing with her toys and chewing on them and I was able to photograph her while she remained in her ‘hut!’ This girl loves to chew — thankfully, these days, she is mostly chewing on her own toys and not other items, i.e., our belongings! She has already dismembered and pulled out the stuffing of many of her furry friends — chew toys! She is currently going to town on this cigar toy! I really love capturing our little fur girl! Enjoy some photos of Victory below showcasing her licking and chewing away on a new toy, a teddy bear!

Happy Monday!

Jul 25

Victory: Photography Project — 27

“Every once in a while a dog enters your life and changes everything.” ~Unknown

Beginning in January of this year, I began a weekly photography project with my muse, Victory! I will continue to share this project on the blog! I have also been documenting Victory’s milestones so to speak each month — you can read these here! I think that it is fun to document all of Victory’s changes, while preserving fleeting moments and memories.

Over the weekend, we decided to drive to Delaware for dinner! Since the weather was so nice, we could take Victory along with us and eat on the patio. She loves to ride in the car and she loves adventures. She even hopped in Doug’s lap while we were driving! Victory was a hit at the restaurant! Everyone came up to her and admired our little beauty! Victory had a great time with us! Some photos from dinner are shown below! We look forward to many more outings with our Victory!

Happy Friday!