Meet the Muses - Willow and Clarke

Willow

If you know me or have crossed paths with me, you’ve likely met Willow. We welcomed her into our family when she was seven years old, as her previous owner had to move and couldn't take her along during Covid. At that time, we still had our senior dog, Jake, and Willow embodies everything one would expect from a Border Collie. She has always been the boss with an abundance of sass! Although she may seem a bit aloof at first, she is actually a gentle, patient, and loving dog in her own special way. After Jake crossed the rainbow bridge, Willow felt his absence deeply. Being very social, she was visibly distressed for several months, prompting me to explore doggie daycare as a solution. This experience helped bridge the gap until we found her now-adopted brother, Clarke, a year and a half later.

While Willow tends to be selective about people, she shows an incredible level of patience with all dogs. In contrast, Clarke loves people but is quite fearful of dogs, which can make him appear aggressive.

Clarke

We decided to take a short trip out of town one night and set up a camera to keep an eye on Willow. Throughout the night, she searched for companionship and cried out for someone. On our way home, we realized that Willow needed a companion. It was time to find her a dog. We connected with A Little Bit of Country Dog Rescue, which had some mixed breeds from an Amish farm. One dog had been in a kennel for eight months, waiting for a chance to be "useful." Originally named Shady, my son quickly renamed him Clarke because he simply felt like a Clarke. We conducted a DNA test to uncover his breed, and it revealed a wonderful lineage—he’s an American Eskimo and Australian Cattledog mix. His Eskimo parents were registered, along with his grandparents and great-grandparents. Unfortunately, he possesses the intelligence of a peanut and the instincts of a cattle dog. Due to his lack of socialization, he is fearful of most dogs and can be reactive, so he doesn’t go out much unless I take him to obedience training. While Willow enjoys sitting comfortably beside me, Clarke prefers to be in your personal space.

Together, these two have unintentionally become the faces of my brand. They don’t have a say in how many photos I take, so they frequently find themselves as the stars of my promotional and advertising pictures. They inspire me to be a better dog photographer and make me work for it! If you ever spot me in public with these two, keep in mind that they are both herding breeds, and I am the sheep—please send a prayer my way!