http://rachaelrodgersphotoworks.ca/

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

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.

03/23/2026

FRITZ: 4 months old

Fritz was shocked yesterday when a nice drive with his foster human turned into something else. He was dropped off and soon was in my car heading who-knows-where, clearly abandoned by his trusty foster. We spent the hour plus drive snacking and breaking the proverbial ice.

We arrived to a beautiful, sunny scene at the lakeside trailhead. Fritz probably didn’t mind the beauty or the sun, but he didn’t care at all for the wind or the icy sidehill trail. He made sad, high-pitches sounds and walked behind, sometimes attempting to hide his head between my knees. We didn’t make it far before we both agreed the hiking conditions were too far outside of our desired Sunday comfort zone.

We went back the way we came but with Fritz pulling full steam ahead.

We relocated to a different (smaller, less scenic) lake. The trail there was also icy and the wind there was also windy, but both slightly less so; both within acceptable levels for Fritz and his photographer to complete the task.

After a (mentally) strenuous day, Fritz hopped into the car and showed zero risk of escaping (to the windy, icy wilderness) through an open door. He curled up in the blanket and napped on the drive back to civilization.

Do you know someone who would love a sweet, comfort-loving forever companion? Fritz is adoptable now from Heart Mountain Rescue

03/14/2026

MYA: 4 years old

Mya had a family, but last year went on an adventure without her one day - and took all their stuff and never came back. Lucky for Mya, the landlord found her. Unluckily, she couldn’t sustain living on her own and was evicted.

Mya moved into a shelter for lost and abandoned good boys and girls. She’s been living shelter life for almost a year and her spirit remains in tact.

In pursuit of a new (and less spontaneous) family, Mya was unknowingly signed up for skijoring in the mountains yesterday. A nice lady named Morgan drove her for hours to the “trailhead” (there was no trail) where a woman with skis, a camera, and a baby was waiting.

When offered a how-do-you-do snack, she taught the camera woman that attention to the location of all digits is required. What Mya lacks in snack grab accuracy, she makes up for in power (a term which here means “the product of force and velocity”), but will adjust both if you remember to ask.

Mya was fitted with a genuine sled dog harness to match the rest of her genuine sled dog appearance. She didn’t know much about this skijoring business but she looked good and she felt great as we set out to break a trail.

The pull harness was carefully designed to spread the force ergonomically over her frame as she pulls her load, but Mya never used it for that. The humans did all of the skiing and trail breaking ourselves as Mya leapt and bounded and pranced to and fro with a genuine sled dog grin.

After trudging along for a while, we crossed a river and then trudged some more. We came to a picnic spot where Mya dined upon sardines and liver then posed for a few genuine sled dog pics to post on her profile later. Then we made our way back on the trail that we had broken (without the help of Mya), crossed the river, and skied back to the trailhead.

Mya had her driver take her back to her shelter in Red Deer to have some dinner and rest up.

If you know someone who would love to add this smiling outdoorsy girl to their family, she’s adoptable now from Next Chapter Animal Rescue.

01/05/2026

ABADDON: 7 months

Abaddon moved in just over a month ago. He was less than satisfied with his circumstances and his complaints were appropriately logged.

He was too afraid to leave his crate for most of the first day. He was too afraid to go into the yard for the first week (humans had to move away from the door then he could just slip through with his life). And he was too afraid to leave the yard for two weeks.

Abaddon is on week five here now, and he’s not afraid of much anymore (except the risk of missing a bite of anything or the loud noises from things he knocks off the countertop when he’s preparing his own snacks - and sometimes, the man is still suspicious).

He loves to show off his whole trick routine and seems eager to get into his harness for neighborhood patrols and off-leash forest meanders. He never goes far and checks back often.

Though Abaddon is always up for a stroll with his trusted canine and humans, he is elated to get home and curl up in one of his cozy spots for a long nap.

Anytime the baby comes to see what he’s eating/chewing/doing, Abaddon watches her with a patient curiosity and is almost always willing to share. The other dog who lives here prefers to have her close relationship with the baby from afar. Abaddon free roams at night and usually chooses to sleep beside the baby.

Rescued as a mangy and malnourished pup, he made gains at his first foster and has gained more than ten pounds just since his arrival here - but has plenty of growing left to do. He’s currently 38.5 lbs.

If you know someone who would love a loyal and handsome young fella like Abaddon, he’s adoptable now from Fostering Hope Animal Rescue Foundationa

12/05/2025

‘Tis the Season! 🎄🎁

Stocking Stuffer, Monthly Organizer, Office Pizazzer: The 2026 Adoption Adveturers calendar is here.

I will be getting orders to the post office daily but order soon if planning to gift to avoid the holiday season postal madness

Here’s the link to order your very own. If ordering four or more, DM me for the flat rate postage!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

https://rachaelrodgersphotoworks.wordpress.com/2025-homeless-youngsters-trailandbears-calendar/

11/18/2025

RUMI, 2 years old + PUMPKIN, 4 months old

Rumi and her son, Pumpkin, are living at shelter while they wait for foster homes (or forever homes) of their own. They caught a lift yesterday to the mountains for some visual documentation to help (cyber)meet you folks.

Rumi is patient, quiet, skeptical, and polite. Pumpkin is none of those things. Though Rumi is worn down from a recent litter of seven, Pumpkin will leap in front of her in line for snacks - and Rumi allows it every time.

Sweet Rumi was alarmed by my camera and by my undeclared intentions. She didn’t enjoy the high pressure/high stakes game of liver snack & photo with me, but she did seem to enjoy playing the same game with another volunteer photographer, Miho.

Pumpkin went straight for snacks when it was his turn to play snack & photo. It took only a few minutes of repetitive chats until he realized what “sit” and “paw” meant and that they were easy jobs for the pay.

Before they headed back to the shelter, Rumi was offered a whole tin of sardines (she accepted). Sardines are one of the healthiest foods for young puppies, but also help restore essential fatty acids, protein, and vitamins for momma dogs.

Pumpkin said bye to his mom and came back to Anna’s Camp to spend a few days with Anna (who has yet to employ gentle parenting). So far hes been learning about stairs, walking over big and little rocks, crossing creeks, dinner manners, and monster best practices.

If you would love to open your home to either of these pups for now or forever, apply with ARF Alberta to foster or adopt.

Miho () came to help document these two so be sure to check out her version of images and events and let your friends know about this mother and her pups.ne

11/12/2025

BLONDIE: 1.5 years old, 45 lbs

Blondie came out from the city yesterday with her buddy and foster human, Barb. We met at the beach for a picnic and some photos. They were a few minutes behind as Blondie needed to work up the courage to get in the car (car rides used to make her sick so she doesn’t think that highly of them, yet).

Once there, Blondie hopped out, gave a warm greeting, and began to smell the place (coyotes and bears and squirrels, oh my).

Blondie is a recent mom but her puppy-making shop is now permanently closed as she begins a new chapter in life.

When it was time for beach picnic, I revealed from my pocket dried beef liver, fresh, slow-cooked beef tongue, and bison chewies. Blondie indulged on the entire supply while photos were stolen. Barb didn’t have any.

Blondie knows to sit when asked. She’s a close sitter which can make photos and videos tricky, but hugs and snack sharing are that much easier.

She enjoyed a quick dip in the water and seemed happy to explore and accept picnic items for as many photos as could possibly be needed.

Once we were done, she (reluctantly) loaded back up in Barb’s car and did really well on the hour long drive back to the city.

If you would love to make sweet Blondie your forever bestie, she is adoptable now from Pawsitive Match Rescue in Calgary.

10/20/2025

PECORINO: 4 years old

Pecorino is currently homeless and bunking with a foster: a nice lady we’ll call “Bre”.

On paper, Pecorino sounds intimidating: “no dogs, no kids”. We know a certain monster who is much less tolerant than Pecorino and it’s true: certain concessions must be made. Bre emailed about doing an adoption adventure to help show this young fella’s true, happy nature and it sounded like a great idea so:

We met at a snowy trailhead in a high mountain pass yesterday. Bre got Pecorino suited up while I put on a coat and a baby. I stood in an open area and let Bre bring Pecorino past so he could sniff us when ready. He took no time to worry; approached right away, tail wagging.

The four of us headed up the trail (my time for hiking steep, slippery mountain sides tethered to large, strange dogs isn’t now, so Bre wrangled him most of the way). Pecorino seemed pretty happy about the hike even if he didn’t know the intended destination or if we would ever return to civilization.

He responded efficiently to “what’s this” by coming and sitting (without being asked) for a treat. If asked for a paw shake, Pecorino eagerly obliged - as many paw shakes as one wanted. Pecorino loves food. The “what’s this” cue isn’t needed if he sees a handful of food come out of someone’s pocket - he will hike no longer until it’s dealt with. He will physically block the path with his big galoot body until the rations are delivered.

He was interested in the baby who joined us but didn’t make her explain herself with more than a couple sniffs.

We climbed to the top of the tree line and took some photos in the wind and light snow. Pecorino didn’t care about the weather. He was loving the strange, group hike picnic situation in which he had landed.

After food and photos, we hiked and slid back down to the vehicles. Pecorino said [see ya] and drove off with Bre to rest while the perfect family finds him.

Do you know someone who would love a loyal, chipper buddy like Pecorino? He’s adoptable now at in Calgary.

08/09/2025

JUNO + CLEO: 5-8 weeks old

These two young pups flew from Manitoba yesterday and were met at the airport in the wee hours of the morning by Heart Mountain Rescue volunteers.

Both are girls, Juno is the smaller black and white one. We met at the river for some intake photos and a “how-do-you-do”.

There’s no doubt they would love to be napping with their moms someplace safe - alas, the world isn’t kind to all creatures. They were rescued over a month ago from a bad beginning that only they fully know.

Little Cleo is missing one foot - her brother is missing two… despite whatever someone did to her, Cleo’s first move is usually straight into the lap of a nearby human. Little Juno seems to be in one piece. Both are ready to find someone to love who will treat them nice, always.

If you know someone who would love to shower these pups in kindness as fosters or for the rest of their lives, contact Heart Mountain Rescue.

Rachael Rodgers Photo Works

05/22/2026

04/22/2026

03/23/2026

03/14/2026

01/05/2026

12/05/2025

11/18/2025

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10/20/2025

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