The F Litter Pups featured in our Blog earlier this week were treated like VIPs today as the stars of our show! As a volunteer student in the Communications Department, I got the chance to participate in a photoshoot for our 2011 Calendar.  It was so exciting! 

The 9 pups being photographed are in the care of our Volunteer Breeding Stock Holders, Claire and Darragh Kennedy in Dunmanway.  They were featured with their mum, brood bitch Keely and are only two weeks old.  They're very small and sleepy, and were totally unaware that they were about to be made the stars of our 2011 Calendar.

The rain faded away and the sun broke through the clouds as we made our way through the beautiful windy roads of West Cork. The Kennedy's met us with a warm welcome and very generously let us hijack their kitchen for the all important photoshoot. Claire even gave all 9 puppys a "pedicure" for their moment of fame! John set up his equipment, while Keely and her pups got in a quick snooze, and then we were ready to go.

It’s sometimes tricky to photograph dogs, especially puppies, but once we helped them into the right position, they settled and gave the camera a cute yawn or wink every now and again! Keely was wonderful, enjoying the few treats she was given to reward her for accommodating us.  Soon she was enjoying the attention and managed to look regal while her pups suckled in the spotlight.

After an hour or two of "clicking" under the careful eye of John, our models all took a well deserved snooze.  A great day was had by all and we're so excited to see the final photographs. We’d like to say a huge thank you to the Kennedy family as well as John and his wife Caroline. We’ve got a feeling that for these gorgeous pups, this photo shoot will be the first of many on the their journey to becoming guide or assistance dogs!