The Dog That Started It All


I never set out to be a professional dog photographer. It wasn’t part of some grand business plan. Honestly - it never even crossed my mind.


I was dog obsessed as a kid and loved doing all of the things with my dogs.  Obedience classes to homemade agility courses with broom sticks and buckets.  4H and FFA of course helped fuel the fire. As I grew older - I enjoyed jobs that were dog centric. Doggy Daycare (who wouldn't love to get paid to literally sit and chill with a group of dogs all day?!), and my time as a veterinary receptionist was such a wonderful learning experience for me. Outside of getting a paycheck, I dabbled in AKC Obedience trialing and just genuinely enjoyed doing things with my dogs.


As I grew older and was about to be married, I found myself without my own personal dog.  I knew that moving into a new home wouldn't be complete without the pitter patter of little toe beans.


That's when I saw him.  His "mugshot" so I like to say, shared to a Pembroke Welsh Corgi rescue facebook group. It was a shelter photo of a Pembroke Welsh Corgi picked up as a stray, in rough shape, and just under eight hours away.


My family and I had a Pem years before who was honestly one of the best dogs. For those of you who have been blessed to have a Corgi in your life - you know why he HAD to be mine.


I knew nothing about him, as it was an Animal Control/Shelter stray pick up situation vs a rescue group. I knew his name had to be Pogo and sent in an application.  After getting approved, I jumped in the car and drove the 15+ hour round-trip to the southern part of Ohio to pick him up.  His coat in horrible condition, foul smelling - and still pretty sedated from his neuter. We got him settled in the car, rolled the windows down and jumped on the road with nothing more than hopes and dreams.


After some rest and recovery, he fit in like he belonged. Pogo was one of "those" dogs.  Down for anything and everything.  He loved to roll in the grass like it was his full-time job, lived for snacks, and was completely devoted to my daughter Riley. We did Corgi races and kayak trips and camping. He wasn't just a pet - he was family.


When a sudden onset of lameness canceled my daughter Riley's horse show season, I decided she could stay busy by showing the dog. I registered him with AKC's PAL program and I would have never imagined what a journey we would go on with Pogo.  He took to it instantly. "Stand and get thrown food? YES, PLEASE."


Together, they did big things showing in Junior Showmanship with the American Kennel Club. Numerous Best Junior Handler wins, scholarship wins, Best Junior Handler at the Pembroke Welsh Corgi National Specialty.  At ten years old, Riley and Pogo made the finals in Junior Showmanship at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City.   Watching that dog show on the green carpet at Madison Square Gardens was one of my most memorable moments.   The loud cheers of the audience seated above and all around. The bright flashing lights, the cameras moving all around.  Some dogs would have panicked. To say that Pogo thrived was an understatement.   Watching him soak in all of that energy and strut around like a Best in Show winner is a memory I will never forget.



What I Didn’t Have When He Was Gone


On August 1, 2024, after ten years together, we said goodbye.


I had taken hundreds if not thousands of photos of Pogo over the years—cell phone snapshots from every corner of the country. I have always been the type of person to document everything with a picture.  Phone storage was always full, and I always had to have the latest and greatest iPhone to capture the best photos of this dog crazy life we lived.  But when I went looking for the photo… the one I could print big and hang on my wall… it wasn’t there.


I had memories. But I didn’t have that image.


And that realization hit hard.


Even now, almost two years later, the loss feels raw. I see the Facebook memories and can't think of how lucky we were to have such a good dog to do so many adventures with. And although I have cell phone photos printed in honor of his memory, I do regret not having something of higher quality to admire on my wall. That’s the photo I never had. And it’s why I do what I do now.

A small dog peeks playfully around a corner while lying on the floor in a hallway.
Happy Corgi dog with brown and white fur sitting by a waterfront with palm trees and buildings in the background.
A Papillon dog sits against a railing overlooking a city skyline in a series of progressive shots.
A series of photos shows a fluffy orange and white Shetland Sheepdog peeking out from different angles in a dog carrier.
A car drives between glowing lamp posts on a dark curvy road at night creating a moody light trail effect.
A corgi dog running on a grass field during what appears to be a dog race or competition event.
Dogs competing in an agility course with yellow obstacles in an indoor arena setting.
A corgi dog wearing a blue bandana rests in the sandy beach grass on a sunny day.
A fluffy Papillon dog sits in sunlit grass during golden hour while being walked on a leash at sunset.
A smiling Sheltie or Shetland Sheepdog with brown and white fur plays and poses outdoors with their companion.
A person shares tender moments kissing a fluffy cat in a series of black and white photographs.
A small dog peeks playfully around a corner while lying on the floor in a hallway.
Happy Corgi dog with brown and white fur sitting by a waterfront with palm trees and buildings in the background.
A Papillon dog sits against a railing overlooking a city skyline in a series of progressive shots.
A series of photos shows a fluffy orange and white Shetland Sheepdog peeking out from different angles in a dog carrier.
A car drives between glowing lamp posts on a dark curvy road at night creating a moody light trail effect.
A corgi dog running on a grass field during what appears to be a dog race or competition event.
Dogs competing in an agility course with yellow obstacles in an indoor arena setting.
A corgi dog wearing a blue bandana rests in the sandy beach grass on a sunny day.
A fluffy Papillon dog sits in sunlit grass during golden hour while being walked on a leash at sunset.
A smiling Sheltie or Shetland Sheepdog with brown and white fur plays and poses outdoors with their companion.
A person shares tender moments kissing a fluffy cat in a series of black and white photographs.

Why Dapper Dreams Exists


I started Dapper Dreams because I never want another dog parent to feel that same regret.


These dogs are part of our lives in ways no one else really sees. And yet so often, the only photos we have are blurry phone shots or cluttered candids. They’re so very meaningful—but they’re not what you can put up on your wall.


Let me be the professional who gives you something better.

Clear, sharp images. Intentional posing. Perfect light. A beautiful background that compliments your dog—not distracts from them. These are the kinds of photos you can’t take on your phone, and they’re the kind that last.


Whether your dog is young, in their prime, or starting to slow down—don’t wait.


Because Someday, the Photos Are All You’ll Have


If you’ve ever looked at your dog and thought,

“I never want to forget this,”

then you already know why this matters.


Pogo was my why. He still is and forever will be.


Rest forever in peace, my sweet old man.