Since we got Gus, I’ve asked myself what I can do as a photographer to capture the meaning and impact of the small dog. I take my photos seriously, as some of you know, and I am always looking for ways to use them to capture real life, and real people and animals.

To me, the issue with small dogs and photographs is one of dignity. People’s love for them is great, and their hearts are great, and they are, at heart, dogs like any other. But almost every picture I have ever seen of a small dog focuses on their cuteness, their adorability, their smallness. I have done this myself, I love to take cute photos of Gus, and so does Maria, and people love to see them.

So there is a stereotype about small dogs, they are so often emotionalized and infanticized, that that is the image of them that stick’s in people’s minds – small dogs wearing sweaters, booties, sitting in bows, picked up and carried, cuddling machines.

So what, I wondered, can I do to be more creative about taking photos about Gus, to capture his rather large spirit and personality. Gus, to me, is certainly cute, but he is also quite brave and determined, it is no small feat for  him to wander freely though a pasture filled with large animals, this is something the border collies are built to do and are bred to do, but for Gus, it is quite strange and new, and even dangerous.

So I actually think of him as a rather large dog, at least in terms of his presence. I rarely pick Gus up, our cuddling time is brief and warm and my idea of Red is for them to be nearby, but not that close. Red is the perfect dog for me, he is always nearby, but never in my face. He respects my space, and I respect his.

So I’m trying to focus my photography on the idea of Gus and his dignity (okay, sitting on the back of a donkey?). I would be foolish not to take cute photos of Gus, a lot more people want to see photos of him that read my books. But I am liking photos like this one that show a small dog with some dignity, and suggest the bigness of their hearts and egos.

Red was like a wolf sitting out there in the middle of the pasture, looking out over his kingdom, as comfortable as if he were sitting on a couch in the living room. I think he has his dignity in the photo. Just after I took it, the sheep headed for the bar, and Gus turned around and didn’t move an inch, even as they ran right up to him.

To my amazement, they stopped and Gus came forward and barked and licked Zelda on the nose, and took a nip at Liam, who was coming forward. The sheep, astonished froze.

I had my new lens on, and it is too narrow to capture the scene. I’ll get it next time.

I threw a withering glance at Fate, suggesting she pay attention to how Gus stopped the sheep, and she did seem startled.

I hope I can capture the dignity of the small dog. That would be creative.