Jessica Wasik is the top dog at Bark & Gold Pet Photography in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Jes is unabashedly in love with her 13-year-old boy, Hunter, a Siberian retriever and Bark & Gold Photography’s Frisbee-catching, bed-hogging Head of Shed. Hunter, her heart dog, is the reason why her home is a little hairier, her bed a little tighter, and her heart a lot fuller. He is the inspiration behind Bark & Gold Photography.
When Hunter turned 10 a few years, Jes had a moment. She was hit by the fact Hunter had turned from a bright, bouncy puppy to a gray-faced old man. In this week’s episode, we dig into that and how our lives might change as our dogs grow older. We slow down with them and we want to … because who wants to miss a single moment when there are fewer days ahead of us than behind us?
We also chat about photos … of course … and why we shouldn’t just take all the photos we possibly can of our best fur friends but also get professional photos done with them.
November is National Senior Pet Month. Thanks to veterinary medicine and research, our pets are living longer and healthier lives but we do have to watch for those signs of aging and maybe take some slower steps with our sweet seniors.
Find Jes
Angela Schneider
Hi and welcome back to One Last Network. Thanks for listening!
Today I’m interviewing Jessica Wasik, the top dog at Bark and Gold Photography in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she celebrates the joy and love between Pittsburgh pets and their people.
Jes had a moment a few years ago when her Head of Shed, Hunter, turned 10. We dig into that and how our lives might change as our dogs grow older. We slow down with them and we want to … because who wants to miss a single moment when there are fewer days ahead of us than behind us?
We also chat about photos … of course … and why we shouldn’t just take all the photos we possibly can of our best fur friends but also get professional photos done with them.
Have a listen.
Angela
Good morning, Jess. How are you today?
Jessica Wasik
I’m wonderful. How are you?
Angela
I am well. Why don’t we get started by having you tell us a little about yourself?
Jes
Oh gosh, where to begin? I am in photography entirely. Thanks to Hunter, who is my Head of Shed around here. I have had him 13 years I got him right before I was married. And he became an instant subject for me to photograph. And you know, as I got a little better with it, my husband ended up getting me a camera. And of course, I just fell in love with just photographing him doing all his cute little daily activities, sleeping, playing, all the little details of him.
And I started sharing them on Instagram a lot. And someone that we both know who is Heather Lahtinen had commented that Hunter was so handsome and that I should be a pet photographer. And I had never in my entire life considered that. I just enjoyed it. And I said, yeah, I think maybe I can do this. So I started mentoring with her and that just launched the business a little over five years ago.
Angela
Wow, did you have one of those moments where it was like, pet photography? People make money doing that?
Jes
Um, no, I just like knew I loved pets. I just loved Hunter. And I knew there were other people that love their dogs as much as I did. Like there has to be, there have to be out there. And I never wanted to do weddings or seniors or kids. I just loved my dog. And from the beginning, that was all I wanted to do.
Angela
Cool. And so what do you think when you look back at those pictures that you took five years ago,
Jes
They were so bad. I believe that one that Heather comes in on was like sepia toned, and it was like soft focus, he’s on the couch. The lighting is absolute garbage expression was there. And I think sometimes that’s even when we take our snapshots on our phone, they’re not the most technically beautiful images, but they mean something so much to us that you can look past that. But looking back, oh my gosh, they were trash.
Angela
So what makes it important to you, though, to make sure other people have those kinds of pictures that you have of Hunter?
Jes
I hear it all the time that they have photos that they’ve taken, but they’re not good. And I think while those images that we can take every day are important, it’s nice to have ones that are of good quality, because those are going to be the ones that we’re going to display and that we’re going to see every day. And it’s going to remind us of that special day with our pet that maybe you know, we don’t get the shot of them running with the ball in your yard. But when we go to a park and you see how much they light up just doing something that’s a little different, novel. That’s what I think people want. They want something that makes their ordinary look extraordinary.
Angela
And what does it mean to you to have a complete story in images of your own dog from puppy phase to senior? Because Hunter is 13 now, right?
Jes
He just turned 13 in May. And gosh, we’ve been through so much together. Like I look back. Oh my gosh, like all the crazy things that we started with. Like he has had the most wild adventures from a puppy and I’ve seen him mature and grow up and I’ve grown up along with him. I got him right before we got married. And so, you know, we’re both such a part of each other’s lives that I can’t imagine not having something to look back. If something was ever to happen to those photos, I would be lost. I have memories. But there are some things I see in pictures and I’m like, oh my goodness, I forgot that he did that. I forgot about that day. And it just, it brings you back. It kind of ties that whole relationship back together that you don’t always remember but those photos do we connect that?
Angela
Do you have as many pictures of your husband?
Jes
Nope. I try. I occasionally have some of him with Hunter. But no, our wedding photos is about the most I have. I do have a cohesive story of him.
Angela
What his husband’s name?
Jes
Mike.
Angela
Mike. Is Mike as attached to Hunter as you are?
Jes
Yes, in a different way. I think he views him more doglike than I do. I definitely feel like Hunter has a human soul and a dog body. Like there’s just something about him that I look at some dogs and I say that that’s a dog, acts like a dog, is a dog. I look at Hunter and he is just so soulful. Like there’s just something in him that I feel goes deeper than what most dogs behave like.
Angela
Let’s dig a little deeper into that.
Jes
Oh boy.
Angela
What do you see when you look in his eyes?
Jes
He must have heard you. He just looked up at me.
He’s so beautiful. There’s so much compassion. There’s so much empathy. There’s loyalty. Humor. Of course, he’s the funniest dog I’ve ever met in my life. I feel like he just gets me. He just relates to me on a whole different level.
Angela
Yeah. And so you had a moment when he turned 10?
Jes
Yes.
Angela
What was that, like?
Jes
I was great up until that day of his birthday. And you hear all these stories of, you know, they’re officially a senior, then they’re geriatric. And you see dogs it even six and seven starting to slow down. And we’ve been so lucky. But when I saw 10, there’s double digits. It’s like, how many years are left? Is it two? Is it four, is it 10? And that freaked me out. And then we got to 11 and 12. And I was great. And we hit 13 this year. And that teenage number feels so big and old. I just want many more 13 years.
Angela
Mmhmm. Do you see changes in him, especially in the last couple of years?
Jes
Not particularly, health-wise. He’s a little more nappy, he naps a lot more. He’s a lot more clingy. He doesn’t like his storms, maybe leaving is a little bit challenging. So he always wants to be with me or his grandma. But health-wise has been great. Like we have had very minor health issues. And I’m so thankful for that. I still say he’s a lot of a puppy. He really is.
Angela
So how it’s, oh, this is where it starts to get really tough. How are you preparing for what is inevitable?
Jes
Ah, I try not to think about it. Some days, though, it will hit me I’ll just look at him. And I’m like, What am I going to do when he’s not here at my feet. He’s at my feet every day. And I’m tripping over him. And I’m, you know, I call him Hunter Underfoot. But I’m going to miss that. And I’m going to miss the hair and mess. So I try not to think too far into the future. But I’m taking a lot more photos and a lot more videos. So just silly things that we’re doing every day.
Angela
Trying to slow the day down a little bit.
Jes
Yes, and I’m a workaholic, I love to work. But I’ve been making it more of an intention to take a day off and just spend it with him. We’ve done little day trips here and there we hike where we walk or just doing things that he likes. I know he likes to be near me, but he doesn’t always like to be near me. In my office.
Angela
If you could tell people, if you could stop people on the street and say, you should get pictures done of your dog, and they, you know, just kind of be like, what? How would you respond to that?
Jes
A lot of people act like that, especially when their dogs are getting older. They may not look how they want to remember, they may have the lumps and bumps and the missing patches of fur. Even people who do schedule, I think still have a hesitation. But that’s what you’re gonna want to remember. Because once they’re gone, you don’t get that opportunity. Like that is it. So step aside from what is I think what holds most people back that judgment, and just take the pictures. Like you’re going to love them. It doesn’t matter how they look, it doesn’t matter how you look, it’s not about you, in that sense. It’s not about them and how they look or feel, but it’s having that memory. Like you don’t get these days back.
Angela
And when we all get the messages from our clients that say, you know, we had to put Chief down or you know, Bam died in his sleep. Or, you know, the inevitable, we all stay in touch with those clients. What are those moments like for you?
Jes
That is every reason why I do this, the puppies are great, the, you know, midway through life photos are fun, but the seniors are my favorite. Because I know how much it means to them. Like just getting that short little email as, as sad as it feels. There’s an appreciation that you don’t get from other types of sessions. And just knowing that what you gave them is such an incredible gift. Like there’s nobody else that could give that person what you did.
Angela
When you get a client who is, who has let you know that that it’s a rainbow session, a legacy session, whatever anybody calls it, how do you how do you handle those sessions? You know, like It’s different than doing a puppy session or a midlife session kind of thing.
Jes
Yeah, there’s a sensitivity to it, I think you can’t go into it. Feeling so excited in the same sense that you would say, I’m so happy to welcome your new puppy home. And there has to be a little bit more awareness of how to handle it. So they get priority scheduling, I will move mountains to get those people in.
Because there’s nothing worse than them missing that window. And I’ve had that happen a few times. And it’s, it’s an awful feeling. And sometimes, even despite everything we’re doing, it just doesn’t work the dog’s not up for it. So there’s a timing that we give to that the sessions are much slower pace, they’re the dog’s health that day. So if they need to go a little bit slower, if we don’t want to walk as far, just doing things that they enjoy making it the most low pressure, as fun as it can be, given the circumstance type of situation, and giving people time to connect with them, like on a more candid level.
So I’m often snapping in between. So we’ll do some posed shots. But the ones that I see connect with most people are the ones that they didn’t realize I took at that time. They may have leaned in, they may have given them a kiss or hug or just pet them. And just capturing that without them knowing when I get to show that to them. And they had no clue it was coming. That one is usually the one that sets the tears off. But it makes me feel really good.
Angela
It’s pretty amazing. What people show us when they’re not trying to.
Jes
Yes. And I think animals give us that freedom to like, let that guard down. They’re not trying to look good. And pose and they’re just connecting are just sharing love. And it’s the best feeling just you can see them light up. They don’t even have to look happy. But there’s a sparkle that pops into that image.
Angela
When a client and their dog connect eyes, it’s kind of a special moment, isn’t it?
Jes
Oh, for sure. Yeah, it’s like I’m not even there. And I like that. I love that natural, just genuine connection.
Angela
Cool. And so how do you take care of yourself? Because that’s a lot to carry.
Jes
It is. I view it as a job because that’s what I’m doing, I have to do my job. And I have to be in a mental state that I can perform to what they’re expecting. Even if they have no expectations, there’s still a mission that I have to do. And it’s getting good images that reflect their relationship and that dog.
So I can get through the session well. I come home, I’m usually with Hunter, I just have to cuddle with him and give him pets. And sometimes that bothers me a little bit because I almost feel overly fortunate that I still have him and that things are going well. Whereas the people I was just with don’t have that pleasure. So that’s a little bit tough.
I’m good at editing, I’m OK delivering. And then when I drop off their products, if the dog is still there, often that’s when it’s a little bit as hard because I don’t know if I’m saying goodbye, as in see you next time or this is the last time I will ever see them. And so I feel a little bit sad during those times.
Angela
And you said when you get home, you know you run right to Hunter and I often say that Bella carries the weight of her world and mine. They’re incredible comforts in in our time of need, aren’t they?
Jes
Oh, yeah. And sometimes I feel like he looks at me, and I’m kind of just extra lovey, and he’s thinking what’s wrong with you, Mom? I’m fine. I’m right here. But for how long?
Angela
Yeah. And that’s really the that’s really the nut of it, isn’t it? That our time with them is far too short, then we often want or need it to be?
Jes
Right. Definitely.
Angela
Cool. Is there anything else you’d like to add, Jes?
Jes
Oh, I haven’t thought about that. I would just tell everybody not to wait. Just get the pictures. It doesn’t matter what you’re feeling in that moment. Get the pictures.
Angela
Awesome. Thank you so much for joining us today Jess.
Jes
You’re welcome. Thank you
Angela
Don’t you just love how in love Jes is with Hunter? I mean, I can hear her smile when she talks about him.
I mean … if you’re listening to this podcast, you’re probably the same type of person who looks into her dog’s eyes and sees something special. I know I sure do. In fact, I just wrote a blog post on One Last Network dot com about my sacred bear.
Go check it out while you’re waiting for the next episode.
And speaking of which next week Jes interviews Darla Poole-Brescia of Gray Paws Sanctuary. Gray Paws is a nonprofit senior dog sanctuary that Darla and her husband Joe founded in 2014. They welcome unwanted and abandoned senior dogs would otherwise be euthanized due to age or care costs.
I also want to mention that November is National Senior Pet Month. Thanks to veterinary medicine and research, our pets are living longer and healthier lives but we do have to watch for those signs of aging and maybe take some slower steps with our sweet seniors.
Bella turns 9 in March and while that’s still late middle age for a livestock guardian dog, we’ve started her on geriatric care with Pet Vet here in Spokane Valley and we’ve trimmed our hikes from 8 to 9 miles down to 5 or 6.
Because, you know, I’m not getting any younger either.
