A Community through its Dogs Part 1

In the First World, dogs as pets are everywhere, inextricably inter-woven into our lives as constant companions and, sometimes, be-jeweled and peeking out of a purse, complementing our personalities and fashion.

In 2000, I experienced the community of Central Havana through its dogs. For 2 weeks, I photographed every dog I came across, both housed and homeless. As I followed the dogs around Havana, I learned many things and heard many stories about the community. As a tourist, would I have made these cultural discoveries otherwise? I think not.

My Dogs of Havana photographs resulted in 2 exhibits (one in Vancouver and one is Toronto) and also a book simply named DOG with poems about the century long relationships between human and canine by poets Joe Rosenblatt and Catherine Owen. However, unlike the dogs in the First World, the Dogs of Havana are rarely attached to people. These are dogs as dogs. Raw. And represent a society much more on the edge than our cushy First World one where dogs usually have their own special beds and gourmet kibble. Like dogs in other societies outside of the First world, the dogs of Havana are mainly neglected (by our standards) and many are dying in the streets. But this, of course, is not surprising when humans don't have enough. Pets are a luxury and, as such, require a certain level of economic prosperity. Dogs can show us and lead us to stories and characteristics of communities and give us insights into the societies these communities are a part.

After my experience representing a community through its dogs in Cuba, it is fitting that I will find myself doing it again in Canada. In May and September 2012, I photographed 19 dogs in the Qualicum Beach/ Parksville/ Nanoose Bay area (collectively know as Oceanside). The project had its finale as a calendar. Through this calendar, I will tell you some of the stories of the Dogs of Oceanside and its people.

Meet Dexter's derriere! This shot of him looking longingly out to sea made the cover. And guess who he was looking so yearningly at? Why his human companion, Emmy, of course, to whom he is so attached ... and vice versa. Dexter is one of the luckiest dogs in the world as he is taken to the pristine Qualicum Beach every day for a walk ... well not really a walk for him, more like a wild and crazy run. QB has many retired residents. Often moving to BC from more severe climates like Edmonton or Winnipeg, you often hear "We are in paradise" exclaimed by these enchanted new-comers.

I first met Dexter when I was walking along the beach when the tide was out. In the summer months, the tide is very low in Oceanside, exposing the curving topography of wave shaped sand, giving us sun-warmed tide pools, swaths of reclining crab grass, dozing sand dollars.

As soon as I saw Dexter race towards me, blissed out maniacal lips pulled back in an oh-my-god-life-is-so-fun grin, I knew he was perfect for the project. He is a new-fangled mix of Miniature Pinscher and Shit-zu (what's that? A Shit-Pin) and Emmy says, "Other than the odd body part, he's all Pinscher in attitude and energy!"

As soon as I talked to Emmy and Joel about the Dogs of Oceanside project, they were in. To me, Dexter represents the new lives people make for themselves after they retire and move to paradise. Emmy and Joel got Dexter when they moved to Oceanside. As Emmy tells it:


Sign on the window

"Puppies for sale"
Back the truck up .. run in ... Show me the puppies for sale
Over the counter came this grizzled, black and tan, 12 week old, cutest baby dog ever ...Love at first sight .. found our New dog

Dexter is young and over-flowing with joy and play. Like so many others who find themselves in one of the dreamy hamlets of Oceanside, after years of hard work, they have embarked upon the freedom and fun of retirement. And who better to take off with than a guy like Dexter!

Dexter is such an ideal representation of Dogs of Oceanside and the community, that he is the back cover boy too! This is what he looked like when I first met him.

I organized the calendar as best I could so that each dog had their picture for their Birthday month. Here is the first, born in January, Windy:

Windy was the wildest dog I photographed during the project. She also lives in the most remote home that I visited during the shoots. Windy, George and Carol-Anne live on a farm in Nanoose Bay.

When I met George, he was standing in the yard stick still. I literally thought he was a scare-crow. And told him so. We hit it off immediately.

Windy is George's pride and joy. She is a Collie/ Alaskan Eskimo Dog cross. Both dog and man are very reclusive and of the land. It was a hot day in mid-September when I photographed Windy and George led me with pride around his delightfully over-grown farm. We waded through waist high grasses and wild-flowers and George showed me where he had buried his horses. Windy could care less about the camera as I leapt after her while she hunted. I think she only looked at me and into my lens three times during the whole 2 hour shoot. She was intent and completely focused upon the sounds of snakes and rats in the tall grass, outside of the clicks and containments of civilization.

Windy and the Field

"Who cares about you and your camera, my world is much more interesting."

Yup, completely outside of the lens. Jumping through it, actually.

There are many people on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands who live there to be at least somewhat outside of the of civilization. Some people refuse to shop at Walmart or box stores that persistently encroach upon the wilds; others go completely off of the grid on islands like Lasquiti with such audacious drop out behaviour as a no car ferry and no electricity. OMG.

After the shoot, I asked Carol-Anne and George if they plan to stay in their house forever. George stated emphatically that he was going to be buried next to his horses! Like George's spirit, Windy's gaze persistently and irreverantly eluded my camera. Windy will not be contained or ever fully obedient to society's strictures. And neither will her human side-kick.

George & Windy: a couple of Nanoose Bay renegades.

Stay tuned for "A Community through it's Dogs" Part 2! :)