When the Wombat Flies
It starts with a wiggle. Not just any wiggle—the kind of butt-wiggle that says "I might look old, but watch this." And then? Pure. Canine. Chaos.
Meet the Chaos Makers
Sasha isn't just a dog. She's a 12-year-old American Staffy with the audacity of a rockstar and the build of a compact tank. Floppy ears that could win their own modeling contract, a snore that could wake the dead, and a personality that screams "I do what I want."
Then there's her brother, Dexter. Two years old, part Bullmastiff, part Staffy, 100% mama's boy with gorgeous mascara eyes that could guilt you into anything.
When she booked her session, Leah shared "I wish I had captured so many more moments of Gibbs life with us, before he passed. I don't want to make that mistake with Sasha and Dexter..."
This shoot wasn’t just about Sasha and Dexter—it was about making sure no more moments slipped through the cracks. About honouring the chaos, the snuggles, the weirdness.
These two rescue dogs, each with their quirks, have completely transformed Leah and Josh’s home—and their sleep schedule. After years of playing bed Tetris, they finally submitted to full Crazy-Dog-People ststaus and upgraded to a Super King matteress so everyone can fit! Because when you love your dogs like family, you learn to make space—on your couch, in your bed, and most importantly, on your walls.
The Moment of Magic
The Friday morning was crisp, quiet. Williamstown Gardens stretched out before us, empty and waiting—our own private playground. The entire shoot had been peaceful. Soft, gentle portraits that captured the deep bond between Leah and her dogs. Sweet moments of cuddles, quiet interactions that showed the love between them, a slobbery kiss or three.
We'd decided to end the session with some zoomies for Dexter. Let him stretch those muscly legs, have a bit of fun! Sasha was content to sit and watch - or so we thought...
As Dexter ran across the lawn towards us, we noticed Sasha's bum starting to wiggle. Leah and I caught each other's eye. "Would she run?", I asked.
"I didn't think so!" Leah laughed. "Her racing days are behind her, but she does look keen..."
We set the little wombat up for some action shots, and I was still expecting to be photographing a slow-but-happy waddle towards the camera. On the count of three, Leah let go of the collar and -
WOOOOSH
Twelve years old. Thirty-two kilograms of pure unexpected joy. Sasha took off across the park. So fast, so happy, it was like she'd been saving up all her energy for this moment of pure freedom.
From Zoomies to Zzz’s
We couldn’t stop laughing. For a few glorious seconds, Sasha flew. I knew, even before I looked at the back of my camera, that we’d caught something special. Not just a portrait—but a memory. A story Leah could hang on her wall and smile at every day.
As we packed up, Sasha’s zoomies had faded into satisfied snorts, and Dexter’s big goofy grin was starting to droop with sleep. The excitement of the morning had finally caught up with them.
Leah messaged me not long after: both dogs were snoring in the backseat before they even made it out of Williamstown.
And honestly? That’s the dream. A morning well spent, memories made, hearts full, and two happy rescue dogs snoozing all the way home.
We believe every dog's story matters. That's why our Ragamuffin family includes hundreds of dogs (and their humans) whose unique bonds we've had the privilege of capturing.
Our approach is simple: create a comfortable space where your dog can be themselves, and document the magic that naturally unfolds. The resulting artwork becomes a daily reminder of your journey together.
If this resonates with you, we'd be honoured to include your dog's story in our collection. We're currently meeting new dogs for upcoming sessions.
