National Dog Day

When I went into work that morning, I knew that I would drive a little faster to get back home. Brian and I had only been married a few months, but adopting a dog was top on our list in our new lives together. On that day, I would meet our new addition for the first time. Brian found him at a local shelter and said this particular dog spoke to him. Without hesitation, I agreed that he should adopt this dog even without my meeting him. We were both more than anxious to add a dog to our family, so why wait any longer? Little did we know, that September 5, 2006 would mark the day of the greatest gift entering our lives.

If you have spent much time on my site, you know this gift’s name is Benny. In the first moments of meeting Benny, he came running to me sliding all over our garage floor and was ready to play. He was just shy of 5 months old and I can only imagine how excited he was to be out of the shelter he had been abandoned at. Even though I grew up with pets my entire life, I had no idea what awaited me in this hyper ball of fur. Benny was full of nervous energy those first few days, but he and I quickly bonded that weekend. At the time, Brian traveled every weekend so it gave me plenty of time to break the silly rules he had set (benny not allowed to sleep in our bed, on the sofa, etc.) 😉 Benny was not only welcomed to sleep in the bed with me, but he found his way to my heart as well. It was just a few short months later, that I stepped down from my job at the time in order to figure out how to have Benny at work with me. In all honestly, it was too dreadful to leave him behind everyday. After another few months, I started my photography business. That decision has led to countless fulfillment and happiness in my life. Benny has inspired much greatness, given unyielding loyalty and has been the best companion a girl could hope for. He is always there to wag his tail (which makes me smile), no matter how horrible of a day I’ve had or mood I’m in. Today is National Dog Day and I dedicate this day to my running partner, carpool buddy, co-worker, snuggle pup, muse, best friend and entertainer – Benny Hitt.

Chillin’ in our office.

In honor of such a great day, we’re holding a contest. We would love to hear all about your life with your pooch. If your entry is chosen, you will win complementary dog photography by me. I know how much photos of Benny mean to Brian and me (we have a Benny Hall of Fame in our home) so I could think of no better prize to extend to a fellow dog lover on such a terrific day.

Details

• Send us your story of why your dog(s) means so much to you (limit to 400 words please)

• This is open to the entire country – you just need to be willing to travel to a major city if you live in a rural area

• Email your short story with a photo to studio [at] adrianhitt [dot] com by Friday, September 3, 2010 4:00p Central.

Feel free to let interested friends know about our contest as well and good luck!

Adrian Hitt is a nationally recognized, award-winning dog photographer who creates modern, playful works of art. Her interest in dog photography is founded in her desire to celebrate and encourage the deep bond that develops between human and animal, parent and dog. In her free time, she photographs dogs awaiting adoption at local rescues and shelters. Her proudest moment? Spending everyday with the inspiration behind her career – Benny a charming -and perfect- lab mix rescue. Adrian lives in Nashville, Tennessee and travels nationwide to photograph America’s beloved pets.