Adorable Photos Reveal the Fluffy Under Belly of Playful Pups

Photography allows us to see things that we normally wouldn’t. Sometimes, this is a look into the fascinating “hermit kingdom” of North Korea, but other times, it’s more lighthearted. Photographer Andrius Burba uses his camera and a cunning setup to take a peek at what dogs have under them… literally. Aptly called Under-Dogs, Burba’s series showcases the belly of various canines—from Pomeranians to Poodles—in all shapes and sizes. As they sit on a glass surface, we get a crystal-clear view of their fuzzy undersides as well as glimpses into their temperament.

Last year, Burba delighted us with his similarly playful project Under-cats, and it’s clearly informed this series. “Pets photographed from the underneath on a black background somehow have become my signature artwork,” he explains. But, despite the familiar format, Under-Dogs is distinctly different than Under-cats. It’s all in personality. In general, canines are more playful, and this has translated into their portraits. (Some even licked the glass!) “Dogs are more obedient which helps us to create more interesting shots,” Burba explains. Continuing, “Others weren’t afraid of standing above [on the glass] which was easy and fun to work with.” In these images, Burba remarkably captures the essence of each dog.

Under-Dogs was photographed a year ago, but Burba kept it quiet for a long time. “We were patiently waiting until now,” he tells us in an email, “as we wanted to present the results along with the publication of Under-Dogs book.” In addition to a book, Burba has opened an Underlook shop with prints from the series.

Photographer Andrius Burba reveals what’s under dogs with his charming series of portraits.

Aptly called Under-Dogs, it showcases the adorable bellies of canine breeds from Poodles to Pomeranians.

Through a single shot, Burba captures the essence of the dogs’ personalities.

This one licked the glass! (It wasn’t the only one.) 

Here’s a look into Burba’s elaborate setup:

Underlook: Website | Facebook

(Via: My Modern Met)

“Unadoptable” Dark Dogs are Given Bright Sweaters to Help Them Find Forever Homes

Finding a forever home can be difficult for any shelter dog, but some have it even harder than others simply due to the color of their coats. According to the SPCA, darker dogs tend to be adopted less frequently than those with lighter fur. This may be because it’s harder to see their expressions, especially in photographs. Displeased that its perfectly adoptable dogs were being neglected because of their coloring, the Scottish SPCA has come up with an ingenious idea: to dress them up in colorful and cozy sweaters.Created in collaboration with numerous Scottish Women’s Institute (SWI) groups, the cute garments help dogs suffering from “black dog syndrome” in multiple ways. In addition to drawing attention to the otherwise overlooked pups, the swaddling effect of the sweaters helps anxious dogs to relax. This gives the dogs confidence and allows them to be on their best behavior for potential adopters. Moreover—and most obviously—the comfy coats keep the dogs snuggly warm in their kennels.

“Knitted jackets are ideal because they will be soft on the skin, have an element of give and stretch, and can be created in any, or many, colors of wool,” Sharon Comrie, the superintendent of the Scottish SPCA, explained to The Dodo.”With the SWI knitters’ support, we will be able to build up a collection of special jackets for our dark dogs to wear with pride.”

So far, the Scottish SPCA has clothed a handful of dogs with the SWI’s comfy creations. The goal, however, is to dress any and all dogs who need that extra boost to finally find the loving homes they deserve. “As well as making the dogs stand out,” Comrie explains, “we anticipate that bright-colored jackets will provide a conversation point, but more importantly, help us rehome all of our dogs, regardless of the color of their coat, quickly and effectively.”

If you’re interested in adopting an adorable, dark-colored dog, you can easily find your local SPCA here.

See some adorable examples of the black dog sweaters below.

The Scottish SPCA: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
(Via: My Modern Met)

All images via the Scottish SPCA.

When She Was Battling Cancer, This Photographer Turned to Her Dog

When photographer Jenny Cardoni was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma, she felt isolated. She found few people who had undergone treatment, and since the cancer mostly affects men, she had no women to talk to about the experience. Over the course of nearly a year of chemotherapy, surgeries, and spinal taps, her immune system was weakened, meaning that she couldn’t do much with other people.

But she always had her dog Finley.

“My walk in the woods with Finley became my most treasured routine,” she remembers. They live together in Pennsylvania, in the Poconos, where they could wander for hours in search of beautiful and secret places.

Instead of saying she took her dog out for walks, the artist says the opposite: “He took me out on daily walks.”

To cope with her battle with Burkitt’s, she took pictures of Finley as they explored. In 2013, she endured a total of eight rounds of weeklong in-patient chemotherapy at the hospital and two weeks of out-patient treatment. Burkitt’s, she says, is an aggressive form of cancer, but it’s also curable if it’s caught early.

“When life goes on for everybody else, Finley was the constant, next to me on a long journey to survival,” Cardoni says, “He taught me to stay in the present and focus on just the very next step.”

Since then, the pair has taken countless steps, side by side. The photographer is now cancer-free, though she still takes Finley to the woods and photographs him. She tells me he understands this is something special they do together. “He takes his job very seriously,” she explains, “and he often suggests locations and poses.”

Finley is now seven years old, and as the artist might put it, life has continued to move on for both of them. Scrolling through her Instagram feed, you’ll find the seasons change time and again.

Every winter, Finley wears the same little red coat, and in spring, they visit the cherry blossoms. Years ago, the artist didn’t have nearly as many followers— Finley looked younger and maybe a little bit wilder. Still, their bond has remained the same throughout the years.

She still thanks him for what he did for her so many moons ago.

Follow Jenny and Finley on Instagram.

All images © Jenny Cardoni (Via: Feature Shoot)