One of the fun things about being a pet photographer in Chattanooga is that you get to meet some of the most amazing dogs and their people. Take Gromit’s Grand Day Out, RAE for example.
Called Gromit for short, I came across him and his person and trainer, Elissah, a few years ago. It has been so fun watching Gromit and his goofy antics. Gromit is a mix of 50% Great Pyrenees, 25% Border Collie, 25% German Shepard and is 100% cute!
Gromit’s Story
Gromit was named after the British Claymation Series, Wallace and Gromit.
Gromit is about 6 years old now. He was adopted by Elissah and her husband from the White County Animal Shelter in Sparta, TN when he was about 8-10 months old. He is extra tall, super sweet and gentle with people and other dogs. While not trained as a service dog, Elissah finds that running her fingers through his long coat and hugging Gromit helps her to control her PTSD symptoms.
Gromit loves to visit new places with his person. He loves meeting new people and new dogs all over the Chattanooga and Cleveland area. They hang out at dog-friendly patios for brunches, watched the disk dog National Championships in Chattanooga, participated in various rallies, marches, and parades. Once, Gromit even helped Elissah get out of one of those escape rooms.
He’s an active dog and loves to run, chase things and fetch. A big fan of squeaky toys, Gromit turns his nose up at hard toys. He also loves stuffed animals.
“My favorite thing about Gromit is that he really is a gentle giant. His gentle nature with children especially. He seems to have an affinity for them, and is very sweet natured with them.”
Gromit is a study in contradictions. He is a giant but always acts like a puppy in dog class. He always wants to play with any dog who might be interested. He’s a brilliant dog, but the Great Pyr in him means that 50% of him is independent, stubborn, and willful. He thinks squirrels and outdoor cats are bad, and it’s his job to protect us from them. However, he’s also scared of small rooms.
Gromit’s Story
Gromit was named after the British Claymation Series, Wallace and Gromit.
Gromit is about 6 years old now. He was adopted by Elissah and her husband from the White County Animal Shelter in Sparta, TN when he was about 8-10 months old. He is extra tall, super sweet and gentle with people and other dogs. While not trained as a service dog, Elissah finds that running her fingers through his long coat and hugging Gromit helps her to control her PTSD symptoms.
Gromit loves to visit new places with his person. He loves meeting new people and new dogs all over the Chattanooga and Cleveland area. They hang out at dog-friendly patios for brunches, watched the disk dog National Championships in Chattanooga, participated in various rallies, marches, and parades. Once, Gromit even helped Elissah get out of one of those escape rooms.
He’s an active dog and loves to run, chase things and fetch. A big fan of squeaky toys, Gromit turns his nose up at hard toys. He also loves stuffed animals.
“My favorite thing about Gromit is that he really is a gentle giant. His gentle nature with children especially. He seems to have an affinity for them, and is very sweet natured with them.”
Gromit is a study in contradictions. He is a giant but always acts like a puppy in dog class. He always wants to play with any dog who might be interested. He’s a brilliant dog, but the Great Pyr in him means that 50% of him is independent, stubborn, and willful. He thinks squirrels and outdoor cats are bad, and it’s his job to protect us from them. However, he’s also scared of small rooms.
Dog Titles and Awards
Gromit’s favorite thing to do is to go hiking with Elissah and to train for Rally.
In 2017, Elissah and Gromit attended the AKC Rally National Championships where they scored 197/200 and placed 16th out of 80 dogs. They were sidelined by injuries in 2018 but are hoping to be able to continue on their Rally journey soon.
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Betsy Bird of Ride the Sky Equine Photography spends her days doing insane things to make animals look at her. Clearly, she’s desperate for attention. When she’s not celebrating the stories of the amazing equines and pets in her clients’ lives, she invests time and energy into perfecting her photography skills and growing her business, hanging with her favorite rescue dog, Nitro, and planning her next big adventure. She also tries to spend some time educating and entertaining her fans and potential clients by blogging and posting on social media about whatever catches her fancy at the moment.
Betsy is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) with the organization Professional Photographers of America (PPA). The CPP designation is held by fewer than 2,000 photographers nationwide and is a hallmark of consistency, technical skill, artistry, and professionalism. Ride the Sky specializes in on-location photography for equines and pets. Based in Chattanooga, TN, Ride the Sky Equine Photography works in Tennessee, North Georgia, and beyond.