Did you know that Great Danes are known as “the Apollo of dogs”? One reason my humans love Danes is for our majestic and elegant looks. Hsin-Yi has even taught me to stand tall and lift my head so that I look like a noble statue. That’s what I was doing in this photo – what do you think?
I liked this photo so much, I have decided to put it as my new Homepage photo, to replace the old one which was taken when I was 2 years old…now that I’m more ‘mature’, it’s time I had a grown-up photo! 
Well, as many of you know, my human has a serious addiction to the Camera Machine – it’s almost like an extra paw on her body, the way she carries it with her all the time and constantly takes photos of everything!
Of course, the thing she takes the most photos of is ME! 
When we’re out, other humans often stop, amazed, and ask Hsin-Yi how she gets me to pose so nicely for photos… 
Well, that’s easy: see, from the moment I walked in my home as an 8-week old puppy, I’ve had to get used to the thing being shoved in my face 24 hours a day (yes, even when I’m sleeping!) In fact, one of the first commands I learnt was “Wait!” – which means that I must freeze and not move until I hear my release word (“OK!”), while Hsin-Yi hovers around me, clicking away and gabbling to herself like a maniac! 
But that’s OK – I’m so used to it now, I barely even notice her and it’s best if I just humour her as then I can get on and do the more interesting stuff, like sniffing and chasing my tennis ball! 
So anyway, here are some photos that I modelled for in the last few weeks – the first batch is from our last visit to Rothesay Bay on the North Shore, back in July.
It was late afternoon – this is one of Hsin-Yi’s favourite time for photos as the light makes all colours look really deep and rich. Look at this water and sky! (these photos have not been retouched at all!)
She saw a lovely pool of water that was like glass and got me to go and stand in the middle…and pose!
Look, the reflection in the water made my legs look even longer!
Of course, I’m a very versatile model…I can do back views….
(Mango - what do you think of my 'hiney'??! 
…and I can even freeze in mid-air! 
OK, now for something a bit different…one of the nice things about Winter is all the beautiful magnolias blooming! Magnolias are one of Hsin-Yi’s favourite trees – especially the pink ones! Here are some photos from when Hsin-Yi and I went on a “magnolia tour” of our neighbourhood a few weeks ago…
(this last one’s especially for Khyra the Siberian Husky…”paw placement”! )
******
You know, in all the excitement with Agility and stuff, I totally forgot that I just passed my 1 yr anniversary of blogging! Yup, one year ago – on Aug 24th 2008 – I published my very first post! I was so new to the whole blog thing but everyone was so helpful and welcoming. It was lovely making so many new friends from around the world and sharing all your adventures!
And I must give a special mention to Dino the Golden Retriever for if my human hadn’t stumbled upon his blog and been so impressed and inspired, she would never have thought of helping me start one of my own! He really opened a whole new world for us – thank you, Dino!
Speaking of starting a blog, I’d also like to take this opportunity to introduce you to some of my friends who are new to the blogging world – if you have a moment, please do pop over and say hello! It can be a bit lonely when you first start and don’t know anyone!
First, there is El’bw the Mastiff and Hauwii the Small Musterlander who live in Belgium. Some of you may remember El’bow – he sent in a fantastic entry for my Spectacular Slobber Competition!
LOVE his 'bed head'!!
Then there is my old friend, Bodie the Border Terrier, who has finally gotten himself a blog! He was also at the Rachael Hale photoshoot and I also see him at dance classes…in fact, Bodie & I are working on a Pairs Dancing Routine together! (video coming soon!)
Oh, and check out Tucker the Great Dane - am so impressed: he’s only 10 months old but look at all the tricks he can already do! Woohoo!
Lastly, what do you think of my entry for Ludo’s “Not A Tricky T-Day Contest” – where all doggies have to send in a “not doing a trick” photo.
If you haven’t voted yet, do pop over to cast your votes! (and vote for meeeeeee!! )
I'm DEFINITELY not doing a trick!!
Nice hiney!
You are very patient to pose like that. Sometimes it is handy to have a little brother so that I am not constantly subjected to the camera beast.
You are most elegant indeed.
Slobbers,
Mango
P.S. I have decided that I will no longer jump over fences. I am boycotting the dumb things and am walking through them. Let stupid pee-wee wast his energy on them.
Honey you were such a cute little pup. You sure are an expert at poses..
Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus, Louie and Callie
Honey, I love all your pictures! My human loves the magnolia tree, she said it’s so beautiful with all the pink blooms. She’s crazy about the colour pink, just like your human…
Hi Honey!
You make a great model -- we LOVE how Hisin-Yi has taught you to hold your head up, you look so beautiful. And congratualations on blogging for a whole year -- we couldn’t imagine the blogosphere without you, your blog is simply amazing! 
Schnauzer snuggles -- JD and Max.
Hehe, glad to know I’m not the only one with a camera fanatic human. ‘Wait’ was one of my first ones too. I think my first first was learning to take treats out of mom’s hand without taking the hand.
I think the picture of you laying under the Magnolia tree is the best. Wow! You look beautiful!
Jackal
P.S. (for Hsin-Yi) How did you teach her to hold up her head? I might wanna teach that to Jackers.
waaw your photo’s are “GEWELDIG” (thats a dutch word meens very good)
thank you ( dankje wel = dutch)
and what do we look good
we hope that we meet more friends
El’bow and speedy HAUWII
Wow Honey, you are so beautiful! And almost as big as my Irish wolfhound. Big dogs rule!
I think you’re a very beautiful dog Honey. Mommy loves your big chest. You are very elegant looking with those long model legs & streamline body. You remind me of Faith’s body except now she’s full of lard after going on a course of medication for tick fever. You look nice in the 1st photo…
Smooch,
Saggy Gold Dancer
Honey, you’re funny. And cute.
We thought you were on the S African tour with Asta, Mango and the others.
Our momma is thinking that you are so majestic and PURRty and classy and noble that now she wants us to take modeling classes so she can get photos of us that are cool, too. Are you going to be giving any lessons?
Those magnolias are so beautiful. They bloom here in the spring, usually in April, but they don’t last very long. You look so elegant posing under those trees. Your Mom does a great job with her flashy beast, and it is so nice that you cooperate, not like us.
Tail wags, the OP Pack
We love your water pics, you are the epitome of a model doggie AND a doggie model! We also really LOVE the pic of you with the magnolia with your paws crossed, very lady like but also just a pretty picture. I think Moose is rather smitten! It is funny how small you make that tree look!
Moose + Dana
p.s. when will the book be coming out? Is it still planned for October?
Dear Honey,
You do make a magnificent model -- very statuesque! You are better about it than I am, I still pull faces to avoid the nasty flash.
Hey my mumma adores magnolias too! We have two in our backyard. One is just a baby and only had two flowers this winter! And the other one is evergreen and flowers in summer and smells like bubble gum!
Thank you so much for your wonderfully helpful comments on my blog. Don’t worry Mumma and I love essays, you are welcome to write many of them to us! Today we are starting work on it on building my confidence. Mumma started working on it straight away after that vet visit, and I did get all better, but then for some reason last week I started feeling frightened again. I am ok until until I realise they want to say hello and then I try to run away. Anyway i am sure I will get better with your method -- I will let you know.
smooches,
Mr Darcy
Hi, Honey!
You are the best model!
I loved all your pictures!
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza
Wow! Those water pictures are truly stunning! (And you were HUGE at 9 weeks!!!!) I haven’t quite got the modeling thing down -- when Mom pulls out the flashy box I immediately stop doing whatever it was that prompted her to pull it out in the first place!
*kissey face*
-Fiona
Woo NAILED the paws!
Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra
Oh, there are so many things you will have to teach us before you leave New Zealand!! Our dad is getting a new camera, so we will have to learn how to do modeling for him
Wow! You pictures look so gorgeous!!! We all love the pics where you stand in the water.
Licks,
Adele, Vincent & Bella
Honey -- those photos are gorgeous!!!! You are a beautiful dog in a beautiful place!!!!
We agree 100% with you concerning Cesar Milan and his methods. I’ll never forget the episode where he ran a Newfie until he was “bunny hopping” and then you saw him with the Newf in a pool trying to cool it down. I kept screaming at him that you don’t do that to a Newf in the heat! It made me wonder just how much, or little, he knew about specific breeds.
A lot of that pinching and stabbing with his hands bothers me, too. He did that to a German Shepherd Dog once where the dog winced in pain. That is TOTALLY wrong. You don’t hurt an animal to teach it. In fact, you don’t hurt any living being to teach it, flat out.
I read that one of his half hour episodes takes hours to accomplish. What he does is not instant and the people who own the dog are ready cue cards so it isn’t all that instantaneous.
I could rant on and on but I won’t because I know that I am preaching to the choir. He does have some good hints but he isn’t the be all and end all of dog training☺
you do a great job modeling! we do not know any commands like that and we know nothing about photography. we have a bad human. sigh.
Honey, you are beyond bootiful! I love the photos of you in the water… looks like a super special mirror!
Hi Honey
You make a superb model. We love all the photos of you.
Love Ruby & Penny
Honey, you are just so pretty and model so well! Do you have strangers take pictures of you all the time? Strangers take pictures of me because I am so goofy looking, lol.
I also love flowers. They smell so pretty and I always have to stop and smell them on my walks. I know, boys shouldn’t like flowers -- but I do.
Thanks for mentioning me on your blog, I’m glad you liked my trick video!
woof -- Tucker.
Those are some beautiful pics -- our momma loves taking pics too -- and your right it is best to just cooperate and get ti over with
Woodrow -- Sweetie -- MJ
I’ll try to get a video of a training session soon. I don’t like to film inside because the lighting is really bad and outside tends to be too much distraction. Maybe on a pretty day I can open all the windows and see if the natural light will help. I have a tripod so setting up the video camera won’t be a problem.
I also used the NILIF program with Jackal so he pretty much sits for everything too lol. Gets kind of annoying when I’m trying to get him to bow or something.
Those photos of you in the water are so cool. You must have had to stand there a long time, to get the ripples to settle down. It was worth the wait!
The lighting in those shots is unbelievable.
Honey
What fantastic beach photos! You look wonderful, the water looks wonderful, the colours everything! No wonder your Mom can’t stop taking photos!!
The magnolia photos are beautiful too!
Don’t know what that funny noise / pop-up was on our blog -- hope it stays away -- whatever it was!
Take care
Clive
Hi Honey and Hsin Yi.
How are you guys doing? Glad you came by to our blog. And yes, Missus has also been to Crufts for a couple of times. She did not made it this year (because her wedding anniversary coinside with the Crufts dates.) But, she planning for next year and she’s looking forward to it! You can check in my previous posting of Crufts. Here’s the link http://homergoldenretriever.blogspot.com/2008/03/crufts-2008-others-part-i.html
And there are more!
Love,
Homer
Honey, you are my FAVOURITE supermodel!
Hsin-Yi is right. Majestic is a very good word to describe your beauty!
You are very gorgeous Honey! Our Meowm wants to hug you! And we think you outshine those flowers.
Woo, Honey! I don’t know which picture of you I like best -- they’re all so great! The action shot? The ones of you with your feety-feet in the water? The one of you as a baby? It’s GOT to be the one of you in profile, by the magnolias! Wooooooo! You’re so beautiful!
Luv,
Dave
So many lovely photos…
I think I like the one with the reflection best of all -- the one where Honey is standing in the middle of circular ripples.
WOW! that first photo is absolutely striking. Mom says you could get a magazine cover with that one Honey! you are SO beautiful:0
Wags,
Benson and Gibson
We loved all of your pictures. They are all very pretty!
Kali and Rumer
What great shots Hsin-Yi, your camera skills are really coming on! I love the head shot with magnolia and also the water reflections…..so good!
Congrats on your anniversary, ours is just about to come up. It’s gone so fast.
Oh Wow!!! Amazing shots of you, Honey! Your human is getting so good at taking photos of you! They look really professional! And you make a great model too! Love, Dino
Oh I forgot to add…I am so happy that I got to know you and your family and that you started your blog so that all of us can learn from you! Keep your posts coming! Love always, Dino
Honey those wuz sum loverly pitchers!! You did a grate pose in the water like that. I do not think I could hold so still all the time espeshully not without a whole lot of treets!!
Yer pal Dozer
OMG YOUR DOG HONEY IS THE CUTEST GRATE DANE i ever seen I HAVE A DOG NAMED TOBY I KNOW THEY WILL BE BEST FRIENDS