I have a new toy! I’m not allowed to chew it, my people won’t throw it for me to fetch, and I can’t lick it either. But boy, is it FUN! I have my very own Doggie Cam!
Mom invented it. She took a quick release mini tripod and Velcro-ed two of its legs to my extra dog collar. The third leg gets wedged in this funny loop on the top of my old service dog backpack, the one I used to wear for my Nannie when I was her helper dog.
It looks like I have a camera growing out of my head in this photo (thanks, Mom) but it isn’t really. It is stuck to my extra collar. And then I have a real collar that works with the leash.
You can see the Velro strips (red and black) securing the tripod to collar. I can move my head anywhere I want it to go, including up and down.
The key ring on “handle” of my backpack just keeps the tripod from swinging all the way around to the bottom which would give you an “under chin” view which would be upside-down. My backpack also shifts when I move so it’s pretty comfy. (Yes, and I am a walking car door opener. I just need a human person to push the buttons.)
I have to carry two large bottles of hand cream, one in each side compartment of my backpack so keep it from flopping too much. And then the left pocket gets a bar of soap to counter-weight the camera which has a pretty high center of gravity and no place in the MIDDLE of it to screw onto the tripod. Yes, Mom stays up very late at night to think of these things.
Dad volunteered his old camera, but don’t tell him because I don’t think he knows yet. (Hi, Daddy.)
So when I’m all ready, Mom pops the camera in place and turns it on. We have some practice videos that mostly show Mom’s behind as I follow her around the house. She said we are NOT going to put those on YouTube. Then we shot this one last night once I got the hang of wearing the camera.
I can’t go under the table wearing the camera. The table and me are just about the same size. When I walk under it I don’t have to slouch. But, with the camera above my head I clunk the table which terrifies me and makes me run very quickly through the house looking over my shoulder in case the table is chasing me. This causes me to run into other objects which also terrorize me and could possibly come after me.
Going around corners fast is problematic because I sometimes slam the camera into the wall. Mom says that’s why we’re using Dad’s camera. She’s so funny.
Mom also didn’t prepare the house with extra cleaning and such to get it ready for our first video. We were pretty impromptu. That’s French for “not prepared.” So just ignore the mess. We also forgot to turn on all the lights before we started. Welcome to MY world.
Did you notice that Daddy watches TWO televisions at the same time? He is very talented. He also listens to sports on the radio at the same time and can tell you the score of all the games if you want to know. Mom usually doesn’t want to know. I don’t mind either way. The best part is Daddy always stops whatever he’s doing when Mom starts talking or when I woof to go outside or back in again. AND, he can throw things to me while he watches and listens to stuff.
My favorite part of the video is when Mom ran into the furniture in the dark. I do that all the time. I’m going to watch that part again.
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Through The Eyes Of A Quilter 
I love your doggie-cam, Madison! It’s very interesting viewing the world from your perspective. Well done! Good dog!! :)
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Oh, Madison, the things you put up with to amuse your owner!
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Madison, you are indeed a good dog! And I loved your doggie-cam. Yes, the world certainly does look different from your perspective. However, I worry about you and your Mom. Does she lie awake at night, thinking up ways to torture such a good, obedient doggie as yourself? (Serves her right – running into things in the dark! Maybe she will be more thoughtful of your feelings in the future!)
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Dear Madison ~ I the doggie-cam Mommy set you up with! She was very smart to use Daddy’s camera. Have a fun day and watch out for tables! Good dog.
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Karen again….Guess I need another cup of coffee! Sorry for the typos….I misspelledl my last name (Lange) and meant to say “I love the doggie cam….” Well, I’m sure you knew what I meant anyway as you’re such a smart dog!
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Hi Madison, watch those close ups
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I feel kinda seasick after watching that.
But… nice first try???
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Dear Madison…It would appear that your Mom has a very vivid imagination! And way too much time on her hands! Has been doing any quilting lately? or just playing with her ideas? But I think it looks very handsome on you and I sure wish my German Shepherd, Duke, would wear one so I could see where he goes on his morning walks! His Dad tells me they are in the park meeting and greeting all their friends, but one never knows until one has a doggie-cam just like you!
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Madison,
You are so smart to take pictures while you walk around your house with your mommy. I wish I could do that. How did you get your mommy to rig up the camera? I’m a golden too, and I live in a very interesting house with a bunch of other dogs who would love to have their pictures on our computer.
Pumpkin
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you look lovely in red, Madison. Keep up the good work, and always keep writing. You have the best sense of humor of any dog I ever met!
Sue
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Great minds think alike! I bought my daughter a Pet’s Eye View Camera for Christmas, which actually works quite well for her cats: http://tinyurl.com/dbyk22
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Hi, Madison. I think your Mom and mine might be related. She comes up with some….er…great ideas, too. My dad cringes when she says, “I was thinking….”
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Wow! Great tour of Mom and Dad’s house, Madison. I hope Mommy gave you an extra cookie for your video work!!!!
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Madison I love your doggie cam. Your Mommy tries very hard to keep your mind occupied and your service dog skills up. I tried to get Rica to watch the video, but she’s 12 and a half and doesn’t see too well and really never got into watching TV or the computer. She’s a Lab and would really like it if I kept her busy when she isn’t taking naps. You and your mom might enjoy this video that my daughter sent me. Here is the link: http://www.lockeober.com/about_cp.htm It is about sheepdogs and herding sheep.
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“Well, Madison, we’re sure glad our Mom isn’t into web cams. ”
Abby said, “I just think I’ll keep chasing balls and squirrels for fun.
Molly says, “You know what they say about old dogs learning new tricks. Well, I’m 14 and I just wouldn’t put up with any of that nonsense.”
“We just hope you get some mighty good treats after that camera business!”
Molly (aka MoMo) and Abby
your Black Lab Friends from California
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Oh, Madison, your mother has way too much time on her hands!!!~ The things you have to put up with – but then, all attention is good in doggie speak!
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My name is Dodger and I’m my mom’s furry child, (she says, but I know I am her bodyguard, really) I’m a cairn terrier, and my mom says I can’t have a doggie cam because I’m too close to the ground and I’d likely take more film of our dust bunnies than anything else. (do they make elevator shoes for dogs?)
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Yep–have to agree with Edwina! Way too much time on your Mom’s hands! (but what fun we are having ‘looking in’ on your antics!) I’m thinking I should send her the Double Wedding Ring quilt I am working on so she can finish it up for me! I’ve only been at it for 1 1/2 years and hate to admit that it’s the ‘easy’ version by Quilt Smart!!! BTW, my 4 doggies say “HI!” They love your turn at the blog!
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Okay, color me completely embarrassed! I can’t find the video! :( Is there a link hiding in there somewhere that I haven’t found?
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Oh, my, the things we put up with, but here’s an idea for you and your dark room. Last fall a hunter stopped to talk to my mom and got the “bright” idea to put a hunter’s head light on me. It wouldn’t stay on very good but they sure got a good laugh at my expense. I think it’d be better if our mommies would just hand out treats and get back to quilting!
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Thanks, but there wasn’t a third photo when I was looking. Of course, that’s because my flash plugin had gotten itself turned off, so everything is now working just great, except for my extreme embarrassment. I do love the dog-s-eye view from the doggie cam!
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Funny story. They actually use something called Critter Cams on large whales and turtles in the ocean to gain a better understanding of their behaviors and habitat. I will say, it’s much easier to see what’s going on from Madison’s cam than on those ;)
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Me thinks Mom has too much time on her hands! Maybe she should come visit me for a while and we can play together. Madison is welcome to come along and play with Pebbles and Baylee while we do quilt things.
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Hi Madison, We all think your Mom has to much idle time also. We are glad our Mama’s idle time is at the sewing machine and laptop.
Papa’s idle time is working in the yard or on his computers. Mama loves the letters and pictures you send out. She forwards some of them to Papa. We are glad spring is here. Care Bear, Sasha, Trixie & Martha
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Madison, I loved your doggie video. Maybe the quilt guild here can get your mommy back to speak and show how to set up a doggie cam. Then my Grammy can use it for our walks so my mommy and daddy can see where we go.
Roma, another golden
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THANK YOU.
I laughed so hard I couldn’t breathe. Really needed that. I have 3 cats that have had been accessorized at various times with antlers, bunny ears, etc… Madison, my kitties don’t like it either. Get used to it. You live with a creative Mommy with too much time on her hands. Cheers, Jenny
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Madison, you paint wonderful word pictures, as well as taking excellent photos. Keep up the good work.
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Might not want to wear a skirt when Madison has the Doggie Cam on.
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Love your video, but just don’t open the cupboard to get cookies out like I did. I found out that they have much higher shelves. My mom thinks I should get a wearable like yours so that I can take pictures of my brother that comes home in two weeks. Feather
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OMG, I’m a tad sea sick. But that was fun. You should follow your mom around more with this doggie cam turned on. Maybe during a class or lecture of hers that you get to tag along with her to?
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Madison, Madison — you are absolutely TOO MUCH. I adore you and your mommy is pretty darned funny too. You absolutely make me LAUGH and laugh and laugh, and that’s a good thing. Blessings to you both — and your daddy and sis too. Sharon
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Madison,
Great Job! But now you must change the name of the blog. “Through the eyes of a quilter” doesn’t apply, unless you have quilting skills, too. With all your talent, I wouldn’t be surprised!
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Madison, we need to talk… You really love your Mom and Dad and that is Great and your love shows. Thanks for helping Mom with her experiments and now we need to invent the “steady” cam part for you. Continue being good and tell Mom to scratch behind that right ear just like Aunt Sheron does.
Scratch, scratch for now, Aunt Sheron
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Love the dog he makes me laugh every time I see him. The articles are always great. Thanks
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Madison, your mom is a hoot. If I had a camera on my head all it would show is my “dogs on hogs” pillow as I am way into resting. I like to run in circles chasing my older cousin who is even more of a pillow potato than I am. He’s a chipugli (chihuahua/pug) and portly and I am a svelte Australian silky. Love your blog, Peaches
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Well, I’m laughing. I thought we were the only people making our dogs crazy, now I know better and am so relieved! Thanks for the fun. Keep up the good work, I hadn’t thought of this one. I figure half an hour and Baxter (our golden) will have his camera pack ready to roll and searching out his tennis balls.
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Hi Madison-
You look great in your Doggie Cam Gear. We can’t do that because we sleep all the time and don’t move around much so you might as well take a “still” pic, it amounts to the same thing! So no Kitty Cam for us, unless Mom decides to chase us around the house so we can get some exercise!!
Your Kitty friends from Texas-
Shadow & Shakespeare
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Ami, You are one of a kind. I have never written but this one just cracked me up too much. What will you think of next? Love your blog!
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Oh Madison….here I am in Iraq, in my trailer with paper thin walls, at 6:00 am, trying not to wake my neighbors from laughing so hard. What will your Mom think of next? When I am home in Arizona, my furry child, Morgan, gets all of my experiments, too. It must be difficult being a child of an imaginative person. Endure! It makes my time in the desert go by faster.
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I was laughing so hard! Laughter is THE BEST medicine, and I’m not sick, but sure felt better after laughing! Your Mom is really something! Reminds me of a lady I knew growing up. She is 93 and we still keep in touch. She taught me to sew, since my Mom just saw the fabric as a ‘mess’ in her clean house! I have a good Mom, we just have different hobbies…she is a clean freak…I am not, among other things…she often wondered if I was switched at the hospital, but all my sisters and I look alike…I was just the one that liked ‘different’ things…anyway, Mrs. Q taught me all kinds of things like sewing, knitting, gardening.
Thanks for the great Blog, Ami….you are one very terrific and special lady…and Madison is a good sport!
Looking forward to seeing many more Doggie Cam reports!
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Madison, You and your mommy are a great pair. Thanks for making the world a little brighter. I don’t know if any of my 3 dogs (Pug, Norwegian Elkhound/Lab mix or Blue Heeler) would be able to do as great a job as you do. Very nice camera work. Tell Mommy you deserve an extra treat!
Thanks for the smiles.
Rosemarie
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Ami sweetie…..you having a little down time lately…..snicker
Linda
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Oh my goodness!!! Now that I’m finished laughing and drying my eyes, I can type. What a great sense of humor both of you have and how fun that you share your adventures with all of us blog followers! I love that you speak french, that was what made me laugh the hardest and the explanation about going under the table and scaring yourself was the icing on the cake of the story! I’m sure there’s never a dull moment in your house, Madison!
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