http://rachaelrodgersphotoworks.ca/

Rachael Rodgers Photo Works, PO Box 99, Exshaw, AB (2026)

10/02/2026

JOVI & JONI (7 and 4 months old)

This odd pair met yesterday at a trailhead for their joint adoption adventure.

Jovi was dog-napped from her shelter by volunteer Sue and Joni was stolen for the day from her shelter by do-gooder Christy.

Jovi and Joni are very similar in that they are both young canines. They are different in most other ways.

Jovi arrived confident, pushy, pully, bouncy, and eager to get moving. Little Joni arrived quiet and unsure with her tail secured between her legs.

The two met quickly and we got moving. The meeting seemed to have a great impact on Joni as she sprung to life and followed Jovi’s lead up the trail. The impact of their introduction looked to be one-sided as Jovi had a lot on her to-do list this morning. Jovi sniffed and pulled and ran without much regard to the little pup looking up to her (or the human on the other end of her leash).

To say Jovi is energetic hardly seems a sufficient descriptor. And to say she is strong (mentally and physically) would be an understatement.

After Jovi hauled Sue up the mountain, she paused not long for a couple portraits and accepted snacks, all the while distracted by her long and very important to-do list.

Joni seemed happy to have her picnic and photos taken after her crash course: Seize the Day from Jovi.

Jovi led the descent while making sure our whole pack was accounted for (keeping her pack together seemed like the annoying administrative task that was necessary in order for her to move onto real business such as looking for critters, chomping sticks, and going very fast.

It was reported that both homeless pups slept for the drive back to their respective shelters.

Jovi is adoptable now from Pawsitive Match Rescue and Joni is adoptable from ARF Alberta - Animal Rescue, both in Calgary.

09/26/2026

WINDY: 1.5 years old

Windy caught a lift from her shelter (and temporary foster stay) with Volunteer Kelly.

We met at the meeting spot and headed on into the mountains. Windy was a nervous road-tripper until we landed at the trailhead. At that point she got into hiking gear and carried on as a nervous hiker.

There was lots to worry about on her designated trail: first, being tethered to a strange lady and an even stranger baby. Then, a wooden bridge over a ditch. Then, strange people (and dogs) appearing from the forest in all directions; it was a particularly busy day on this popular hike. Then, creeks she was asked to cross. And just countless other burdens.

Windy is thin and loves food, but she was so worried that it was tough to focus on all the snacks provided. Her recall for snacks was there but poor; almost too worried to hear the dinner bells.

At picnic time, Windy relaxed only slightly and refueled/rehydrated and right then someone asked to take some very important photos for her future. She modeled best she could under the worrisome circumstances.

She was rewarded with a smelly beef trachea which seemed to soften the day. We packed up and worried all the way back to the car.

Windy got comfortable in the very back and napped en route back to the meeting spot. She’s in a temporary foster home break from the shelter but would love a foster home for some decompression/domestic comforts assimilation. She’s also adoptable now.

If you would love to be the enabler to help this beauty’s confidence glow, apply now at Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society. To foster her, email [email protected]

09/23/2026

BARRY: 6 months old

Barry caught a lift to the mountains from his foster home in Red Deer yesterday. We met at the meeting spot and he hopped into my car.

He laid down and took a little nap en route to our alpine pass trailhead. Once there, he gladly accepted a hiking harness and a collar with my phone number on it. He solicited pets from a few other wilderness visitors in the parking lot before hitting the trail.

We passed the time in the trees getting to know the important things about each other: namely that I had a pack full of liver and that he responds immediately to someone with a pack full of liver. He demonstrated a few fancy tricks and the focus and motivation to learn new ones in no time.

Barry hiked through the alpine like any well-adjusted six month old pup would on their first hike in the alpine: he explored with eager confidence, offered to greet any human and dog who would let him, and snacked in his spare moments.

When the camera came out, Barry channeled his focus right where it was requested and offered all three of his modeling looks.

At picnic time, Barry didn’t waste time waiting for rations, he went for the container of cheddar and left the apple for me.

On the way back to the car, Barry finally knew where we were going and led the way in a more direct manner than on the way into the wild.

He met more friendly folks in the parking lot before loading himself back into the car and cruising happily back to his Red Deer shuttle.

If you would love a jovial and eager learned like Barry, he is adoptable now from Next Chapter Animal Rescue in Red Deer, Alberta.

08/23/2026

SORREL, BRACKEN, INDIGO, CALYPSO: 6 weeks old

These four surviving members of this litter needed to be bottle fed around the clock when they secured care at their rescue at approximately one week old.

They are doing very well and yesterday, their foster brought them to the beach to acquire some documentation.

Bracken, the only brother, is brown with the blue harness on. He was the calmest of the bunch, sitting and waiting for love and direction.

Calypso, brown with white face accents, and Sorrel, the lightest pup, were both energetic and eager to do whatever needed done.

Indigo, mostly black, was the liveliest of the botanical bunch. These pups haven’t been eating solid foods yet, but when she got wind of (a phrase which here means “got wind of“) the dried liver pocket, her agreeableness regarding sitting still in a basket ceased. She climbed up, leapt out, and pounced onto me with her nose landing precisely in the liver pocket faster than I could calculate. This was the main theme repeated throughout this shoot.

These fast and sweet little fuzzheads will be adoptable soon from Heart Mountain Rescue in Exshaw, Alberta.

08/20/2026

HARNETTE: 6 years old

Harnette found refuge in a shelter in Calgary after being rescued from her previous life. Meant to be a temporary stepping stone, she’s been calling the shelter home for over a year.

Some of her best buddies shuttled her to the mountains yesterday for a field trip. We met in a gas station parking lot where she got in my car after a brief inspection.

She wasn’t to meet other dogs on this outing, so all the “best” trails were not options. Wanting to make sure she still got VID experience she deserves with all the cool things like creeks and critters and alpine views (those more-so to catch the eye of her potential adopters), we drove south to the highest paved road in Canada and then kept driving a little farther until we found what I thought was the perfect spot.

Harnette got geared up easily with liver payment. To make up for some of the dilly dallying by me, she got right out the drivers door to get the show on the road.

First stop was the creek where Harnette seemed right at home hydrating and frolicking. Then we started up the trail. This one is steep and I was warned that Harnette gets pretty excited for critters and otherwise likes to pull. So with the right amount of mental preparedness and worry, we started climbing up the path.

After not very far (but significant elevation), Harnette put the brakes on. She apparently had enough reason not to hike something very steep attached to an absolute stranger - even without anyone warning her about my leash etiquette when an interesting critter comes by.

I lured her *just a little farther* with liver every few steps, but her discomfort was clear and it would only be getting steeper. So we took some photos at Harnette’s turn-back point and turned back. Harnette seemed pleased with the retreat and practiced walking behind on the descent. Her comfort level was back to normal and she was all smiles and [snacks, please].

We went up the creek in the valley to enjoy our mountaintop picnic of sardines and apple. Harnette didn’t want any apple and she didn’t offer any sardines. She seemed to know her way around a sardine can and was impressively dexterous holding it and rinsing it to get every last vertebrae and fin.

After lunch we loaded up and explored a few other places near enough to the car for comfort on the way back to civilization. After standing for much of the drive out, partway back she laid down to watch and smell the mountains pass through the partly open windows.

She was most excited to see her volunteer buddy Melinda who was waiting at the gas station to chauffeur her back to her shelter.

If you would love to be Harnette’s most special person who she would follow anywhere, even somewhere steep, she’s available now to foster or adopt from Pawsitive Match Rescue in Calgary, Alberta.

08/19/2026

NEMO: 5 months old

Nemo found himself signed up for a poorly rated day camp in the mountains yesterday. He’s a homeless puppy, so of course he knew nothing of the camp’s reviews.

He arrived with an optimistic outlook just before lunchtime and did a quick, self-guided tour. Despite his timing, he found no buffet in the dining hall (he checked all the counters twice to be sure).

Not the type to dwell on first impressions, Nemo explored day camp further and stumbled upon some great toys to sink his teeth into - which were immediately confiscated “not dog toys”.?

While he was looking around, he couldn’t help but notice a dog with resting cranky face watching him. He thought little of it - it was already time to load into the guest shuttle for a beach excursion.

The beach was rocky and the water was cold and choppy. Not much to see or do. The snacks provided were a brief highlight until he severely injured his hind paw. No one saw how, some bystanders alleged that he faked it, but he persisted that his beach day (and his ability to ever walk again) had come to an end. After being thoroughly checked over by the excursion medic, he was carried to the guest shuttle and taken back to day camp.

Moments later, back at camp, his hind paw was all better and he went directly to stand and check the dining hall counters again.

He went over to meet that dog he saw earlier. She acted as cranky as she looked and he though had a few things to say to her, probably some sort of camp review, but his attention was just then called elsewhere before he could have his say.

If you would love this respectful young fella who is open to learning and cuddles, he’s available now from Fostering Hope Animal Rescue in Red Deer, Alberta.

07/09/2026

DELILAH: 6 months old

Delilah was unknowingly booked for an outing at a rusty adventure day camp in the Rockies. She showed up in fine spirits and asked no questions.

She seemed to enjoy the drive that got us to a canyon trailhead. She watched closely as supplies were packed then she accepted a harness and collar with her day camp emergency contact info.

She led the way up the trail, her nose working at max capacity. If not for her anchor, she would likely have been dining on a fresh, locally sourced critter and fowl breakfast just a few minutes into the hunt I mean adventure.

Alas, Delilah and her rusty anchor pushed on into the canyon to check out the impact from the recent heavy rains. (This would only later become a clear poor choice of adventure for which the camp extends an apology to Delilah.)

We were the first to arrive at the beautiful waterfall in the slot canyon this day and the (thriving) mosquito population greeted us with enthusiasm. Any type of concentration (photos for the photographer, hunting for the hunter) became impossible.

We hustled on through the canyon and out into the open, sunny creek. The mosquitoes tagged along. The creek bed had been excavated heavily by high water levels taking the worn path with it, so we picked our way through the remaining rocky landscape.

Despite packing a delicious picnic of PB&J and sardines, neither of us wanted to stop to eat due to the thirsty posse we had gathered.

Eventually, we turned back the way we came and made our uncoordinated escape. We ran into several smiling hikers in shorts on their way into the canyon to feed the wildlife. Delilah froze to assess every oncoming human and gave them a suspicious sniff on the way by if they allowed.

Delilah seemed as elated as me to get in the car. We hydrated and snacked in peace and silently agreed not to find ourselves in that situation again.

If you know someone who would love to have a sweet, eager, and smart girl like Delilah as a forever best bud, she’s adoptable now from Heart Mountain Rescue.

06/12/2026

MARCUS: 1.5 years old

After a few months healing up from cellulitis and mange in his foster family, Marcus is ready to start the rest of his life.

He out for a short-and-steep hike with a ridgeline portrait picnic yesterday to document his good looks and his hiking skills.

When we met at the trailhead, Marcus was jovial and gentle with both the camera lady and the baby she brought with her.

We all started up an immediate rocky climb in search of the perfect ledge for snacks and portraits. Marcus and the baby both snacked on the way to the snack spot, one on liver and one on apple.

Marcus can be rambunctious on leash and reactive to dogs, allegedly. We didn’t encounter the rambunctiousness or the reactiveness on this hike as there were no other dogs on this silly choice of a hike and Marcus was too busy carefully choosing his steps to pull on his leash.

When we found the snacks and portraits ledge, Marcus had a drink of water and got to work snacking and posing. He was great at both and seemed to enjoy the job.

When it was time to descend, Marcus did so behind his foster human, making it easier than expected.

Back at the cars, Marcus hopped into his foster car as if it was his own.

If you know someone who would love this sweet smiler, he’s adoptable now from Piña Perros Dog Rescue

05/22/2026

FLUFFERS: 4 years

Fluffers is an even keel adventurer. Not displeased, not anxious, and not bursting with glee at the opportunity to go on an “adventure” with two strangers.

She rode calmly from the shelter with volunteer Bre and met me at the meeting spot. Recently spayed, she accepted a lift into my car and rode the rest of the way to the trailhead with a smile.

At the trailhead, she maintained her level-headed demeanor as we hit the trail. We ascended her way: slowly, happily, and without undue excitement.

At the picnic spot, she found a few edible items amongst the array of offerings. She then allowed the humans to take her photo more times than seemed necessary.

She turned to leave when it was time and led us back to the cars.

This pensive smiler is currently residing at the shelter and is available to foster at Alberta Animal Rescue Crew. She recently gave birth to, fed, and clothed six pups, is recovering from a spay, and will be available for adoption in June after a touch of dental work.

04/22/2026

PEARL: 4 months

Pearl and her sister Carmella broke out of the shelter for the day yesterday to join foster pup Freya for an adventure.

Our volunteer friends Christy and Sue picked them up and met me at the trailhead. Each homeless pup was assigned a support human and Pearl got me (plus a bonus tiny support human).

Everyone got geared up and dipped in the pond first for a preemptive cooling. The hike is immediately steep and thoroughly warming. Our progress was slow and tangled as the support humans figured out to distance beyond leash reach. Maybe we never did figure that out.

Freya (6months), who has had adventures and daily domestic experience in a foster home, confidently led the way. Pearl and her sister Carmella, living in the shelter, found themselves in a quite unusual situation: an expedited adventure dog course? Flatlanders navigating a three dimensional world.

Freya kept both puppies on their toes with her strict discipline, but they also seemed to look to her for context when they weren’t sure what to think of it all.

Pearl, the most reluctant of this peculiar gaggle, accepted a carry over the especially steep or the especially odd or the especially unfamiliar terrain.

Despite the bombardment of new stuff to assess for danger, all puppies remained enthusiastic and rowdy.

If you know someone who would love a sweet and beautiful young pup, Pearl and Carmella are adoptable now. If you know someone who would love a thinker and a doer, bright and feisty Freya just may be their huckleberry.

All adoptable now from ARF Alberta in Calgary.

Rachael Rodgers Photo Works

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