Modeling, Take 2

Maisy had another modeling job a few weeks ago, this time for Halloween costumes! It’s a little weird to think about Halloween when we still have snow on the ground (even Maisy, the snow-bunny, is getting tired of this), but there you go. Anyway, I’ve never been one to dress my dog up, but HOLY COW you guys. She was so freaking cute that I might have to reconsider.

So here’s what happened: When Maisy and I arrived for her photo shoot, Barbara (Maisy’s agent), the art director, and the animal wrangler person (dang it, I can’t remember their names) all exclaimed, “It’s Maisy!” I guess she’s memorable! Barbara told me that when they were casting, the art director saw Maisy’s picture and requested her again because she was so awesome. Yay!



The set was largely the same: white backdrop, lights on three sides, huge camera attached to a computer that automatically pulled up the pictures. The only that that was different from our first shoot was the addition of a table that the dogs were to stand on. Then the costumes were brought out. Maisy shot three different costumes. For each one, she needed to sit at an angle with her butt facing the camera. They shot the body first and then had her look back over her shoulder to shoot the face. 



She can wear a T-Rex on her head, but heaven forbid
she have to wear a coat! This, by the way, is a
Made by MeadowCat coat. They do custom coats and
collars. Super, super, super cute stuff and great quality!

The first costume was the time-honored long-dog costume of a hot dog. It was pretty cute. Next up was an adorable seal, which included a head piece. But my absolute favorite was the T-Rex. The head piece was a bit big for her actual head, making it absolutely hilarious!

Throughout the shoot, Maisy was amazing. She gave tons of personality- at one point the art director came over, looked at the computer screen, and said, “That’s the money shot!” She also had to deal with some pretty difficult stuff for a recovering reactive dog: the intimidating set; me and the wrangler person moving how she was sitting; wearing costumes (not her favorite thing!); having the costume person adjust the way it was laying, smoothing out wrinkles, using a lint roller to remove loose hairs, etc. She was awesome!

After her nearly hour-long shoot, she was tired, hot, and uncooperative. She kept laying down. Thankfully, everyone was fine wrapping up her shoot at that point. They all understood that if you push a dog too hard, she might not want to do it in the future. I was grateful for that.

It was a very fun experience, and I am now excited for Halloween. We don’t get to see the photos or even find out if our dogs will be used until the products are out in the store. It’s a total bummer, but it does make going shopping more fun!

Coming Soon to a Target Near You!

One December afternoon, after having left work early because I felt sick, my phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, but answered it out of curiosity.

“Crystal? Barbara O'Brien calling. Would Maisy be available for a modeling job for Target next week?”

Let's just all admire my self control for a moment. Instead of screaming in her ear, I simply requested the details. (I screamed and jumped around after I hung up. Then I called everyone I knew. Then I screamed a little more. Maisy was confused.)

The next week at the appointed time, I drove across town to the studio where the photo shoot was happening. The receptionist directed us to a small waiting room. Maisy and I checked in, she had her measurements taken (“In case we want you for Halloween costumes,” I was told), and then we sat around for about 20 minutes. There were four other dogs in the room with us. One barked almost non-stop, and the other was pretty wild and excited. Maisy handled it like a freaking pro. She sat there sweetly with a huge smile on her face, occasionally sitting up or offering a paw (and eating lots of cookies).

Then it was our turn! We were led out to a set by a woman who would be our helper for the day. (She actually had a fancy model-talk title, but I can't remember what it was. I also can't remember her name, which is too bad, because she was really nice.) The set was pretty intimidating. It was an area about the size of the waiting room, with a white backdrop and white floor. One one side, there was a huge bank of lights and those reflective things that they bounce light off. On the other, there were props. Across from the backdrop, there was a large camera on a tripod hooked up to a computer (just like on America's Next Top Model, not that I'll admit to having watched that!). One person ran the camera, and one person watched the computer and gave the photographer feedback.

I had the choice of handling Maisy myself, or the woman could. Of course, I did most of it, but she helped, too. The job was actually pretty tough. They needed Maisy to stand or lie in very particular positions. Her legs and feet needed to be in certain places, her tail lying just so, her head turned the correct amount, her ears (well, ear) needed to be up and forward, and her mouth either open or closed, depending on what they requested. I have not trained Maisy to do most of those things, but the woman helping us had it under control. She used treat bags and toys to get Maisy's attention directed in the right place, while I physically placed her feet or tail where I was directed.

Maisy ended up being a total rock star! In addition to all of the stuff (which was pretty intimidating), there was another set right next to ours with another dog working. There were all kinds of noises and flashes going off, but Maisy acted like she'd been doing it her whole life. She hit her mark and held it, all animated and flirty and adorable. It's like she was born to be a model. I was so danged impressed with her.

The art director must have been, too, because we ended up doing three sets. Barbara told me later that most dogs only do one or two. Maisy shot two different dog beds and a crate, and if her shots are chosen (it's possible none of her photos will be used; there were lots of dogs modeling the same items), you will get to see her on the packaging at your local store! If that happens, you can bet that I will find lots of excuses to go to Target.

I was so proud of my dog. I threw her into a crazy situation, asked her to do all kinds of very particular things, and she was all like, “I got this.” You would never have known that she ever had issues. In fact, when I told the woman helping us about Maisy's past reactivity, she didn't believe me. We were there for almost two hours, and the worst thing that happened was that she flinched the first couple of times the flash went off. I gave her some cookies, told her it was fine, and it was.

Several weeks later, Maisy got a paycheck in the mail. That was pretty awesome, although I'll admit I felt a bit jealous to learn that Maisy's hourly rate is over twice what I make! And I had to go to school and pass a licensing exam!

America's Next Top Doggy Model

About a month ago, Maisy auditioned for a gig modeling Halloween costumes for Target. The audition was held by Animal Connection, a local animal acting company owned by Barbara O'Brien. Sadly, Maisy didn't get the job, but we had a wonderful experience and we got some great photos out of the deal.

Original here.

First, I cannot say enough good things about Barbara, both as a person and as a photographer. Maisy is a funny little dog; she loves people, but she generally shies away when they try to touch her- even people she knows well. But she loved Barbara, and flirted shamelessly with her. Maisy must be a good judge of character, because I found Barbara to be warm, welcoming, friendly, patient, and kind- all great attributes for a photographer specializing in animals!

Original here.

The audition itself was very interesting. It was held at a local training center. There was a small waiting area in the foyer and then a larger area with a full-on photography studio set up. I don't know all the technical terms, but in addition to the flooring and backdrop you can see in the pictures, there were some large, bright lights, two of those huge umbrella things, a full computer set up, and then the large, intimidating camera. For a dog who's used to smart phones and point and shoots, it must have been overwhelming.

Original here.

Maisy handled it like a pro. There were a few moments of uncertainty, but no fear or reactivity. She sat where I told her, stayed when I asked, and was very, very cute. Well, I guess that last one goes without saying! Seriously, though, it was a really fun experience, one that even a year ago I didn't believe was possible. Thank you so much, Barbara, for the great experience!

You can see all of the auditions photos at this link. Maisy is about halfway down; there are about a dozen more that I didn't post here. You should also look at the other dogs that auditioned; there are some seriously cute dogs in that gallery!