Top Reasons to Adopt a Shelter Dog

At Greg Murray Photography, every day is Adopt a Shelter Pet Day - but October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month! Creating awareness around adopting from local shelters has never been more prevalent as animal shelters throughout the United States are overwhelmed with the number of rescues coming in daily, including the shelters in our own backyard of Cleveland.  

Leo, adopted by Greg and his wife Kristen from the Cleveland APL in 2012

To help generate awareness around adopting from local shelters, here are important considerations and the benefits of rescuing a furry best friend.

Things to Consider When Adopting a Dog

1. Complete a lifestyle check: It’s important that you have enough time for your dog and find one that fits your lifestyle. Are you active? Do you live in a smaller home or apartment? Are you away from home a lot? It’s crucial to consider the pet's energy level (& your energy level), size once fully grown, noise level, and how the pet gets along with other pets and children. 

2. Preparing For Your Pet: If you’ve found your new furry friend, it’s time to set up your home and prepare for their arrival. From a collar and lease to water bowls, food, beds, and a crate - there is plenty to plan for.

3. Cost: Bringing a pet into your home can be an expensive proposition. You want to be prepared for all sorts of costs, especially since animals really do become part of the family. Costs to Consider When Adopting a Pet from US News & World Report.

4. Find a Local Veterinarian: Scheduling and taking your new pet to the veterinarian is an important step, to establishing care along with getting any shots or uncovering any other potential health issues/concerns. Ask friends, family, or coworkers in the area for their veterinarian recommendations if you’re unsure where to start! 

5. Get Ready to Take it Slow: It’s really important to take things slow with your shelter pet, from introducing them to friends/family and other household pets. In addition to taking it slow with introductions, it’s important to ease into new situations, as your pet most likely will change as they get more comfortable around you and in their home. All of these situations should be planned for and researched to ensure they’re done correctly! 

6. Plan for Training: Shelter pets can come with a handful of qualities, from resource guarding to not knowing basic commands. Planning and signing up for training will not only help your pet but will also help you manage them in certain situations. 

Benefits of Adopting A Rescue Dog

1. You’re Saving Multiple Pets Lives. In addition to giving your furry friend a second chance, you’re also allowing another pet in need the space at that shelter and a second chance at life!

2. A New Activity Partner. Your new four-legged friend is a perfect excuse to get our for a walk, hike, or run.

3. Free Therapy. Interacting with animals has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol (aka stress) and lower your blood pressure - while increasing your happiness! Plus, you’ll always have someone who listens to you without judgment.

4. Saying No to Cruel Breeders. Animals, especially puppies purchased at pet stores, are often the result of cruel breeding facilities. When you adopt, you’re helping your community instead of filling a breeder's pocket.  

5. Unconditional Love and a New BFF.  Shelter animals are ready to give love and are often so thankful for a comfy bed and consistent home with treats! In addition to unconditional love, you’ll also have a lifelong best friend and family member. 

Find a Shelter and Rescue Organization Near You

Looking for a shelter or foster based rescue organization near you? PetFinder has a great search feature here

It Won’t Be What You Expect

No matter how much you prepare for a new furry friend, you won't be able to predict all the expenses or time you will spend on your adopted dog or other pet. Most people find it's more than worth it for all the wonderful benefits of having a dog in your life.

You can never really know what it will be like, but you can prepare for adoption by being aware of the costs and various time commitments so they won't be a a negative surprise.

Stella's Studio Session!

Meet Crowler, the Peanut Butter Puppy!

By Isabel Merriman

Crowler is a one-year-old tripod pit bull mix. He was adopted by Pauline Kossakowksi as a foster fail from Cleveland APL. Crowler arrived at the shelter with four legs. However, one of his legs got infected and could not be saved through rehabilitation. The infection got to a point where he was rushed to an emergency clinic to amputate his leg. Pauline works for Cleveland APL, and she decided to foster him until he could find his forever home. However, plans changed "he enchanted not only my other dog (Tea Cup); but my family immediately fell in love," said Pauline. Pauline and her family had fostered in the past, this time was different, "I'd fostered other dogs before – but this one was different. She (Tea Cup) made it clear to me that not even she could bear the thought of losing her best friend to another family." 

Although Crowler has three legs, he is still like any other puppy his age. You can hardly tell he has three legs, "he's proven that he could compete against track athletes without growing tired." He also likes to show off how smart he is to everyone he meets. 

Pauline commented a photo of Crowler and his foster sister Roxy (formerly Maddie) on Facebook. Both Crowler and Roxy were chosen to be in 'Peanut Butter Puppies'! When Pauline arrived at Greg's studio for Crowler and Roxy's photoshoot, "You could immediately see the love in his eyes for two dogs he had just met for the first time," says Pauline. 

Crowler has a big soft heart and has been through a lot at a young age. He is the missing piece his family did not know they needed. Make sure to check out Crowler and his foster sister Roxy in 'Peanut Butter Puppies'!

Peanut Butter Puppies is available for pre-order on Amazon now

Signed/Personalized pre-orders are available on our website.

Titan the Rescue Dog!

The very excited and happy Titan stopped by to say hi recently. He did not disappoint! We love that smile!

Bean and Rosie's Studio Session!

We had a mother & daughter photo session! Rosie (left below) had 7 puppies while being fostered a few years back. The humans fostering Rosie decided to adopt her and one of the puppies, Bean!

Finn the Therapy Dog!

Finn stopped by the studio recently and asked if he could show off the fact that he’s a Browns fan!

Meet Bullet the Peanut Butter Puppy!

By Isabel Merriman

Bullet is a nine-month-old German Shepherd rescue adopted from Impawsible Mutts Dog Rescue. Bullet has come a long way since Tristin, the President of Impawsible Mutts Dog Rescue, brought him home. When Bullet was adopted, he had behavior issues and weighed 13 pounds when he should have been 25 pounds. Bullet was not Tristin's first rescue, "I have a large pack of 12 dogs. Everyone is a rescue." Tristin was not actively searching for another dog when she came across Bullet. He was a foster dog Tristin could not let go of.

Bullet is currently training to complete the Barnhunt. The "Barnhunt is a dog sport where dogs use their noses to search a ring for a rat in a tube that is hidden in bails of hay," explained Tristin. Bullet has a long nose because he has a two-inch overbite causing eating and drinking to look silly. He is a silly, goofy, clumsy, and vocal baby. Tristin said, "A puppy I previously fostered was photographed for the book as well, and she (the owner) suggested I reach out and gave me his information!" She said working with Greg was a great experience. "He was extremely patient, and you could really tell his direct care for dogs!"

Peanut Butter Puppies is available for pre-order on Amazon now

Signed/Personalized pre-orders are available on our website.

Meet Bugg, the Peanut Butter Puppy!

By Isabel Merriman

Bugg is a ten-month-old shepherd/retriever mix. He was delivered by Friendship APL in Elyria to Scott Smith, Kate Riley, and their dogs Bam Bam a shepherd/retriever mix rescue, and Lady, a border collie mix. 

During the pandemic, the couple decided they wanted to rescue another dog. "We had submitted an application to Friendship APL and joined the puppy deliver adoption page," says Kate. The couple did not have a specific breed in mind when searching for a new addition to their family. However, when they came across Bugg's litter on Facebook, they were on board since they already had a great experience with the breed. Scott was the one who picked out Bugg from his litter. "Scott was supposedly taking a nap and then yelled downstairs that he got us a black puppy named Tucker (now Bugg), and he was very excited," says Kate. Since the couple adopted through a delivery page, Bugg was delivered to their home. 

Bugg is energetic and loving. He loves playing. Bugg rarely stops playing except for the occasional power nap. Bugg is not one to play fetch. Instead, he prefers to chase Lady "while she plays fetch and jumps over her when she's running back with the ball," says Kate. Bugg loves to pounce and snuggle on the couch. Additionally, he has started to enjoy laying and rolling around in the leaves outside. Bugg has helped Bam Bam, their three-year-old shepherd/retriever mix, break out of his shell. 

Greg contacted Kate after she posted a picture of Bugg on Facebook. Kate was shocked when Greg reached out to her about the book. "Greg asked me to fill out a survey. When I got home, I immediately called my husband and told him I made a huge mistake." She was worried about how Bugg would behave during the shoot. "When we showed up, I was convinced we were going to waste Greg's time, and Bugg wasn't going to be cooperative." She soon realized that was not the case! It took a little bit for Bugg to warm up to Greg. However, he loved peanut butter. Kate says, "Greg was super nice and calm and didn't rush trying to get Bugg to warm up to the whole situation. He calmed me down by saying Bugg was doing great, and by the end of the shoot, Bugg was sitting between Greg's feet and didn't want to leave!" Although Kate had her concerns before the shoot, Bugg was one of four dogs who made the book's cover!

Peanut Butter Puppies is available for pre-order on Amazon now

Signed/Personalized pre-orders are available on our website.

Meet Echo, the Peanut Butter Puppy!

By Isabel Merriman

Echo is an eight-month-old Boxer mix. He was adopted from Pinealope Animal Rescue in Ravenna, Ohio, by the Navratil family—Megan, Ron, and their two daughters Ella (14) and Leah (11). The Navratil family decided to adopt during the pandemic, which has become popular. The increase in puppy adoptions has made it difficult for families to find the right pup. "I had been searching since early April...Petfinder, breeders, you name it. Application after application, near and far...and no luck," says Megan. The family knew they wanted to get a Boxer mix, and after three months of searching, they came across Echo's litter on the Pinealope Petfinder Facebook page. They fell in love with the white markings on his body.  

Echo was the perfect fit for the family. He has a playful personality, and his favorite trick is to give high-fives. Echo loves car rides and will often hang his head out the window and enjoy the wind in his face. He enjoys walks in the Cleveland Metroparks and loves to greet other dogs during his walks. 

Echo was asked to be in Peanut Butter Puppies following a Model Call posted by Greg. Megan received an application for the shoot, and Echo was accepted. Before the photoshoot, Echo only had peanut butter once. Since then, it has become one of his favorite treats. During the shoot, "Echo was a bit afraid of the camera and flash, but Greg was so calm and patient...and as a result, captured such adorable images of Echo!" says Megan. She was happy that Greg could capture Echo's expressive ears. "Our favorite is the one (ear) up, one out to the side look, which Greg captured perfectly in a photo!"

Echo has brought much happiness to the Navratil family since he was adopted at the beginning of July 2020. He has also been a lot easier than the family anticipated, and they would not change a thing!

Peanut Butter Puppies is available for pre-order on Amazon now

Signed/Personalized pre-orders are available on our website.

Meet Bullet the Peanut Butter Puppy!

By Isabel Merriman

Bullet is a nine-month-old German Shepherd rescue adopted from Impawsible Mutts Dog Rescue. Bullet has come a long way since he was brought home by Tristin, the President of Impawsible Mutts Dog Rescue. When Bullet was adopted, he had behavior issues and weighed 13 pounds when he should have been 25 pounds. Bullet was not Tristin's first rescue, "I have a large pack of 12 dogs. Everyone is a rescue." Tristin was not actively searching for another dog when she came across Bullet. He was a foster dog Tristin could not let go of.

Bullet is currently training to complete the Barnhunt. The "Barnhunt is a dog sport where dogs use their noses to search a ring for a rat in a tube that is hidden in bails of hay," explained Tristin. Bullet has a long nose because he has a two-inch overbite causing eating and drinking to look silly. He is known for being a silly, goofy, clumsy, and vocal baby. Tristin said, "A puppy I previously fostered was photographed for the book as well, and she (the owner suggested) suggested I reach out and gave me his information!" She said working with Greg was a great experience. "He was extremely patient, and you could really tell his direct care for dogs!"

Finn the Puppy in Studio!

We were on a recent trip to Lakewood Truck Park and saw this handsome little guy! I couldn’t resist inviting him to the studio.

Each time I see a “pit bull” type dog in Lakewood I get a happy feeling inside. From 2008 to 2018, dogs that looked like Finn were banned from the city I call home. Now they are welcome and treated like the individuals they are. It’s been almost 3 years and I still smile when I spot a pittie I haven’t seen before.

Tank's Studio Session!

Tank visited Cleveland with his humans recently for a studio session and he did not disappoint with his facial expressions!

Enjoy some of our favorites from the session.

Meet Rufus the Peanut Butter Puppy!

By Isabel Merriman

Rufus is a rescue from Portage County APL when Rufus was adopted into his forever home with the Crandall family. The Crandall family has two daughters, Maia, age eight, and Paige, age five, and two older dogs than Rufus. He is known for being hyper. He is very active and described as a "bull in a China shop." Maia and Paige said, "Something funny is he got his big head stuck in a baby gate." At times "Rufus thinks he is a human and will lay in beds, head on a pillow and cover himself up with a sheet," says Michelle Crandall.

One of the family's central values is rescuing animals and impacting Maia and Paige despite their age. "My oldest daughter took part in her first puppy mill protest earlier this year," says Michelle. When Maia and Paige were asked why rescuing is important, they said, "Because it's the right thing and nice thing to do. It's better for our world." Rufus is not the Crandall's first rescue, "Every pet we have ever owned has been a rescue. Currently two older dogs and Rufus. We recently lost two rescued cats (ages 20 and 17), and we have lost two other rescued dogs due to age and illness" said Michelle.

Rufus is believed to be part pit bull, which is one of the reasons the family decided to adopt him. The family knows the breed is misunderstood due to a negative association developed by society. The Maia and Paige said, "His big nugget head is why we picked him, and he was cute." The family was picked to have Rufus in the book through Facebook. Maia and Paige came along to the photoshoot and were included in some photos. Michelle says, "Greg's love for animals was so evident during the shoot." The family believes Rufus was a perfect addition to their family.

Peanut Butter Puppies is available for pre-order on Amazon now

Signed/Personalized pre-orders are available on our website.

Meet Fiona Wigglesworth the Peanut Butter Puppy!

By Isabel Merriman

Fiona Wigglesworth is a one-year-old Boston Terrier from the Rescue Inn in North Olmsted, Ohio. She was adopted by Crissy and Neal Stelmaschuk and their two kids, Tyler and Brady. Along with their two other rescues Yogi a six-year-old lab mix from One at a Time K9 Rescue, and Karma, a four-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback mix from Friendship APL.

Crissy and Neal were not actively looking for a third dog, but they always had the mentality, "Three dogs is too many…Unless the third is a Boston," said Crissy. Crissy and Neal love Boston Terriers, and their first rescue was a Boston Terrier, "we've missed her tremendously since she passed. We always wanted another, but they are extremely hard to come by as a rescue. Then a friend messaged me one day to me show me a foster dog she just picked up, and it was Fiona! It was love at first sight, and we knew immediately that we wanted to make her a part of our family," said Crissy. Fiona was the Stelmaschuk's fourth rescue. "There are many, so many wonderful dogs out there sitting in shelters or bouncing around different foster homes; it doesn't make sense to buy from a breeder. While I know there are lots of reputable breeds out there, there are just as many, if not more, that treat their dogs horribly, and I just can't support that," says Crissy.

Fiona had some health issues that almost took her life. "She came from a puppy mill, and they were going to kill her because they thought she was sick and would infect all the other dogs. The rescue convinced them to surrender Fiona to them, and it turned out she just had Demodex! A couple of months of flea prevention medication, and she was perfect," said Crissy. Fiona is known to be a diva and loves to be the center of attention, and if she is not the center of attention, she will make it known. "When we go for walks in the neighborhood, she will stop and stare at people, waiting for them to come and pet her. She is highly offended when they don't," says Crissy. Fiona tends to gravitate towards Yogi and loves to play with him.

Crissy saw a "model call" on Facebook for 'Peanut Butter Puppies,' and she thought Fiona would be perfect for the book. She had never met Greg in person before, and she said they "felt like old pals." Fiona quickly warmed up to Greg and "was a total ham for the entire photoshoot"! Fiona loves meeting every human and animal she encounters. She makes the family laugh daily.

Peanut Butter Puppies is available for pre-order on Amazon now

Signed/Personalized pre-orders are available on our website.

Meet Cali the Peanut Butter Puppy!

Peanut Butter Puppies is available for pre-order on Amazon now

By Isabel Merriman

Cali is a nine-month-old pit bull rescue from Muttley Crue in Cleveland, Ohio. She was rescued by Jill and Adam Anrikanich and their two sons, Mason and Cameron. The Anrikanich family began looking to adopt a puppy for their sons to play with since their fourteen-year-old lab passed. Jill said, "My mom, cousin, and aunt all have rescued, and I felt like it was time to do the right thing." The family heard wonderful things about pit bulls from coworkers, family, and friends.

When the family began searching online for their rescue puppy, they decided to start with Muttley Crue. Adam's former coworker used to volunteer there, and the family wanted to give it a shot. When they came across Cali, they fell in love with her instantly. Jill said, "I loved her eyes and her white stripe down her face." Cali has brought joy to the family from the moment they adopted her, and there is never a dull moment. "She is extremely loving, loves to cuddle, has the zoomies at least twice a day, loves visitors, other dogs, and has the softest fur," said Jill. Cali has a very energetic personality, "When she jumps, she appears to float. She jumps straight up and always lands where she intends. It's amazing!" said Jill.

Cali does not like to sit still, "she loves running at the dog park, playing with our boys (Mason and Cameron), chewing toys/blankets/couch cushions, loves eating ice cubes, and playing on the trampoline." Cali is known to be very vocal, "If she's chewing her toy and drops it, she whines to have you pick it up."

The Anrikanich family heard about Greg through Jill's high school friend, a volunteer at City Dogs Cleveland. He follows Greg on social media. Her friend told her about his photoshoot, Jill decided to post a picture of Cali on Greg's Facebook page. Greg saw Cali's photo and reached out to Jill about photographing Cali for "Peanut Butter Puppies." The family had a blast during the photo shoot. "Greg was amazing! Very easy going, and Cali loved him and his peanut butter! We brought along our youngest son (Cameron), and Greg was great to him, too," said Jill.

The family is thankful to have rescued Cali. She has brought much joy and energy into their life. "She saved us so many times since we had to put our first dog to sleep." Cali shows how wonderful pit bulls can be.

Brody, Tucker, Ozzy and Their Humans!

We had so much fun exploring the flats with Brody, Tucker and Ozzy the puppy! Oh yeah, their humans came along too! Enjoy some of our favorites from the session.

Chip and His Humans!

Enjoy a few favorites from a beautiful Fall day in the Cleveland Metroparks with Chip and his humans!

Topher and His Family

Bailey's Studio Session!