Groom Away the "Ickies" in Your Dog Photos
Even the most well-cared-for dogs end up with some stinky yuckiness every now and then. They don’t exactly have hands to wipe away their morning eye crusties, brush their own fur, or swipe away the drool hanging from their chin. Obviously, removing any imperfections before you even take a photo is a good idea, but don’t pause every two seconds to nitpick your pooch’s face — that’s what Photoshop’s for!
Whether you need to get rid of a yucky eye goober, cover up a rogue white hair on your black dog’s face, or even dust away some dandruff, the following technique transforms those small imperfections, taking your dog from dingy to debonair in no time flat!
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1 With your image open in Photoshop, zoom in on the dog’s eye region using the Navigator palette.
If your Navigator palette isn’t already visible, choose it from the Window menu in the Photoshop toolbar that runs across the top of your program’s window. When your Navigator palette is open, look just below the “mini image” of your photo.
You’ll see a percentage next to a slider, which is your Zoom tool. Move it to the right to zoom in. If you need to adjust where the tool zooms, hover your mouse inside the red frame that appears in your mini image. Then you can drag the frame to the position you need. |
2 If you’re using Photoshop CS5 or later, choose the Spot Healing Brush from the Tools palette by right-clicking the Patch tool and then choosing the Spot Healing Brush tool.
If you’re using an older version of Photoshop, choose the Patch tool instead, because the Spot Healing Brush tool in older versions isn’t as “smart,” and you’ll probably have better luck with the Patch tool. If you use the Patch tool instead of the Spot Healing Brush tool, skip to Step 5. Again, if the Tools palette isn’t already visible, choose it from the Window menu in the Photoshop toolbar. |
3 If you choose to use the Spot Healing Brush, you have to adjust the size of your brush.
After you select the Spot Healing Brush, the Brush Picker drop-down menu appears in the options bar on the upper left-hand side of the screen. Click it to open the Diameter window. Drag the Diameter slider to adjust your brush’s size.
Choose a diameter that’s slightly larger than the goober you want to remove. As you adjust the slider, you can go back and hover your mouse over the goober to see how the brush’s diameter changes so you know when it’s big enough. |
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4 Position the brush over the goober and click.
If you can cover the entire goober with your brush (top), use one click to remove the imperfection. If not, click and drag over the area (bottom) and then release. If the Spot Healing Brush was your tool of choice, congratulations — you’re done!
If you’re using Photoshop CS4 or earlier and you’ve settled on the Patch tool instead of the Spot Healing Brush tool, make sure you select the Source radio button in the Option bar. |
5 Outline the goober with your Patch tool by clicking and dragging around the goober until you circle it.
When you release the mouse button, you see the area you’ve selected. For better results, don’t try to outline the goober precisely; instead, leave a small buffer so the outline actually runs through non-goobered area the whole way. |
6 Now you can click within your selected area and drag it to the area you wish to sample to replace the goober.
As you drag, you see the original area change according to the sampled area you’re hovering over. You need to move your selection around until you find a sampled area that appears to be a good match for the goobered area (top).
When you find an area that blends nicely, release the mouse button and relish in the perfection (bottom). When you find the perfect sampled area, simply release your mouse button and let Photoshop do its job. Your final results appear as if you did no touch-ups at all. |
Dogs Glossary
A-B-C assessment
Checking a dog’s airway, breathing, and circulation.
Dogs Glossary
animal shelter
1. An animal control agency run by local government to protect people from animals, take in strays, and manage animal issues and problems within the community. 2. A privately run shelter managed by individuals who want to protect, advocate for, and find homes for animals.
Dogs Glossary
BARF diet
A method of feeding dogs as closely as possible what they would eat in the wild: raw flesh and bones, along with vegetable matter from the stomachs of their prey. The acronym stands for either Bones and Raw Food or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food.
Dogs Glossary
blow out
A twice-yearly shedding of a dog’s undercoat.
Dogs Glossary
blue slip
An application to register a purebred puppy.
Dogs Glossary
breeder
A person who raises, sells, and often shows dogs of a specific breed. Reputable breeders screen parent dogs in an effort to produce healthy dogs that conform to breed standards.
Dogs Glossary
castrate
The removal of a male dog’s testicles to render him infertile.
Dogs Glossary
clicker
A small hand-held device that makes a sharp cracking sound when pressed. Paired with a food reward, an effective dog-training tool.
Dogs Glossary
cohesive bandage
A stretchy wrap that clings to itself used to cover and secure gauze bandages without tape.
Dogs Glossary
come into season
The advent of a female dog’s term of fertility.
Dogs Glossary
dead ring
The stationary ring on a training collar that pulls on the collar, not the dog’s neck.
Dogs Glossary
double coat
Two layers of fur — a top coat of stiff guard hairs and an undercoat that serves as insulation.
Dogs Glossary
dropped ears
The term for hanging or drooping dog ears.
Dogs Glossary
Elizabethan collar
A wide, cone-shaped plastic or cardboard collar that prevents a dog from being able to scratch her head. Used to prevent further injury or hasten healing.
Dogs Glossary
euthanize; put to sleep
To kill an animal to relieve suffering.
Dogs Glossary
fall
Hair that extends over a dog’s eyes.
Dogs Glossary
feathering
Long hair that runs from armpit to paw on the backs of a dog’s legs.
Dogs Glossary
free-feeding
Keeping a constant supply of dog food available so that the dog can decide when and how much to eat. It works best in single-dog households where there’s no competition for food.
Dogs Glossary
heartworms
Parasites that live in dogs’ hearts and cause heart failure. They’re transferred through mosquito bites.
Dogs Glossary
heat
The period when a female dog is fertile.
Dogs Glossary
heel
A command and position in which a dog walks at your left side staying with you as you change direction or pace.
Dogs Glossary
hip dysplasia
A painful malformation of a dog’s hip socket. Some breeds are genetically predisposed to the condition.
Dogs Glossary
hot spot
A localized area of skin infection. It’s usually round, red, and warm to the touch.
Dogs Glossary
live ring
The floating ring of a training collar. Attach a leash to this ring for training purposes.
Dogs Glossary
neuter
A general term to describe either spaying or castrating a dog to render it infertile. Neutering and castrating are often used interchangeably.
Dogs Glossary
pantaloons
The tufts of hair on the backs of a long-haired dogs legs that make him look like he’s wearing bloomers.
Dogs Glossary
pedigree
A diagram of a dog’s ancestors for three or more generations that lists the registered names of the dogs and the titles they earned.
Dogs Glossary
pinch collar
A training collar with interlocking prongs that pinch a dog’s neck when tugged on. Some veterinarians recommend them above all other collars for training purposes.
Dogs Glossary
praise
A verbal reward for a dog , such as an enthusiastic “good dog!”
Dogs Glossary
prong collar
A training collar with interlocking prongs that pinch a dog’s neck when tugged on. Some veterinarians recommend them above all other collars for training purposes.
Dogs Glossary
pulse
Normal dog pulse is between 70 and 120 beats per minute. The pulse of a puppy ranges from 120 to 160 beats per minute.
Dogs Glossary
puppy mill
A place that supplies puppies to pet stores, usually without screening for possible genetic defects or properly socializing the puppies.
Dogs Glossary
registration certificate
The paper certifying a dog’s registration with an accredited organization.
Dogs Glossary
registration slip
An application to register a purebred puppy.
Dogs Glossary
release word
A word that lets a dog know that she is free to move.
Dogs Glossary
rescue group
A network of animal lovers who rescue and find new homes for their favorite breeds or animals.
Dogs Glossary
reward
To give a dog a treat for a correct response while he’s still in the desired position.
Dogs Glossary
ruff
The long, thick fur around a dog’s chest, shoulders, and neck.
Dogs Glossary
separation anxiety
A condition in which your dog becomes anxious and stressed when you leave him.
Dogs Glossary
shed
A twice-yearly process of casting off the undercoat in a double-coated dog.
Dogs Glossary
single coat
A single layer of hairs that comprises a dog’s fur.
Dogs Glossary
spay
To remove of both the uterus and the ovaries of a dog to render her infertile.
Dogs Glossary
stripping
Plucking the dead hairs from a dog’s coat.
Dogs Glossary
titer tests
Tests that check a dog’s immunity levels to determine exactly which vaccinations are needed.
Dogs Glossary
top coat
The top layer of a double-coated dog composed of stiff guard hairs that tend to be naturally water-repellant. The top coat protects the dog’s skin and undercoat.
Dogs Glossary
training collar
A collar that enables you to guide your dog and to check her as necessary — a brief, sharp tug tightens the collar around the dog’s neck.
Dogs Glossary
treat cup
A plastic container filled with small treats or dog food. Shake it and give treats from it as a reward as you train a dog.
Dogs Glossary
undercoat
Fleecy or downy fur shorter than the top layer of a double-coated dog. The undercoat serves as insulation.
