Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 4, 2016

11

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 4, 2016 

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett


SIT, STAY, SMILE FOR 

THE CAMERA!


PARENTING: BUILD YOUR CHILD’S 
RESILIENCE TO SUPPORT THEIR 
ULTIMATE SUCCESS

If you are like most parents, your primary objective 
is to support your children to be prepared to handle 
the pressures of adulthood. And if there is a single 
human trait which helps to navigate all of life’s stages, 
it is resilience. Resilience is the ability to bounce back, 
move forward, and learn from the setbacks in life. As a 
parent, one of the greatest gifts you can give your child 
is the gift of learning how to make mistakes, learn from 
them, and grow as a result. 

The foundation for developing resilience in your child 
is threefold: 1) to develop resilience in your own life; 
2) to allow your child the freedom to make mistakes, 
the security to learn from them and the opportunity 
to move forward with a clean slate; and 3) to let your 
children see you make mistakes and role model 
resilience for them with vulnerable power. 

Here’s an example: imagine you face a situation at work 
that creates adversity for you. You could come home 
and complain about your coworkers, your boss and 
your team, or you could take full responsibility for 
your part in creating the stressful situation and share 
with your child what you are going to do to face the 
challenge head on and make it better. And, wherever 
you notice that you made a mistake or could have done 
something better, tell your child about it and what you 
learned as a result.

And of course when your child makes a mistake, 
celebrate the opportunity to learn, rather than 
reinforcing the negativity of the experience. Remember, 
some of the most successful people on the planet failed 
first. What made them an ultimate success? They had 
the resilience and support to recognize that failure was 
simply part of the journey and to keep going.

So how does estate planning fit into developing 
resilience in your children? First and foremost, 
resilience comes when your children know that no 
matter what happens, you love and accept them and 
will always be there for them. It is having that deep 
knowing that creates the security that allows your 
children to take the risks that others can’t or won’t. 
And I believe that’s the ultimate foundation of true 
success in life.

When you’ve handled your estate planning and talked 
with your kids about what you’ve set up (if they are old 
enough), they get the clear message that you’ve done 
everything possible to be there for them, even if you 
cannot be there physically. 

And by including them in the process when they are 
old enough, they began to see that you trust them, that 
you are working with them to design a future that is 
positive for your whole family and that you value and 
respect their input. 

Estate planning can (and should) be about so much 
more than just passing on your money. It can be a 
perfect opportunity to uplevel your family’s entire 
foundation, and create a future all of you are excited to 
live in to together.

Dedicated to your family’s health, wealth, and 
happiness,

 

A local attorney and father, 
Marc Garlett is on a mission to help parents protect 
what they love most. His office is located at 49 S. 
Baldwin Ave., Ste. G, Sierra Madre, CA 91024. Schedule 
an appointment to sit down and talk about ensuring a 
legacy of love and financial security for your family by 
calling 626.587.3058 or visit www.GarlettLaw.com for 
more information.

Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

The 21st century has been ever-so-kind to the 
modern-day lover of the canine. I am amazed at 
how much things have changed since just a few 
short decades ago, when your average dedicated 
dog lover would have been deemed obsessive 
compulsive if they were heard talking about their 
pet during a conversation in public. Anyone who 
may have been caught thinking or talking about 
their four-legged best bud in a social setting was 
assumed to be some kind of a weirdo, groping 
and hoping for love and in dire need of “getting 
a life“.

 Not so much anymore. In fact, most people I 
know are serious dog lovers and/or pet owners, 
and when we get together for a little social time 
in town, we are hard pressed to come up with an 
alternative topic to discuss! How is it that our 
precious pets have become such a major part of 
our everyday lives? I think it has to do with the 
fact that domesticated animals have proven to be 
consistently loving and affectionate through thick 
or thin, while we humans often choose to wiggle 
our ways out of being dedicated to relationships 
that turn out to be inconvenient or less than 
comfortable.

 Regardless of why pets have become such a 
major part of the average civilized citizen’s life 
on this planet, one thing is for sure; the human’s 
intensified relationship with animals has had an 
enormous impact on our society, and has given 
birth to an entirely new and fast-growing market 
for pet pampering services, retail pet products 
and pet care paraphernalia.

 Among the many fantastic facets for pampering 
our pets with products and services that have 
emerged in today’s market, is that of professional 
pet photography. There have been numerous 
famous photographers throughout history 
who’ve used their skills to document various 
subject matter since the art of photography was 
developed, but the concept of focusing specifically 
on pet photography is relatively new, and quickly 
becoming a prolific practice these days.

 I recently caught up with a friend who 
happens to be a professional pet photographer 
here in Sierra Madre. Steve Johnstone, owner 
of Canyon Pet Portraits is a talented artist who 
has photographed several of my canine clients 
as well as my bloodhound, Tatertotts. When I 
first saw the results of his work, I was impressed 
immediately! Steve agreed to an interview, during 
which I became even more fascinated with his 
story, his work and his amazing photography 
skills.

 CL: So, Steve, how did you get 
into pet photography?

SJ: After I retired from the movie 
industry, I set up a small studio 
to continue in photography. I 
was doing fine art and portraits, 
but people kept asking me to 
photograph their dogs. I really 
enjoyed it. People seemed to like 
the results and I started doing 
more and more.

 CL: So, you’re a dog person?

SJ: I’ve had dogs, cats and other 
critters throughout my life 
and always knew they are an 
important aspect, another dynamic in life. They 
become part of the family, true companions. And 
I try to treat them as such, with the dignity they 
deserve in my portraits. Of course, you can’t get 
too solemn because having a pet should be fun - 
even a little goofy at times!

 CL: Today it seems everyone has a phone or 
digital camera to take pictures with. Why should 
they go to a pet photographer if they can take 
photos of their pets themselves?

SJ: Excellent point. Today’s phones and point-
and-shoot cameras are amazing. But nothing 
compares to a high-quality, archival print on the 
wall or in an album. There’s something about 
prints that you just can’t replace. It’s the difference 
between receiving an email versus a hand-written 
letter.

 CL: What distinguishes you from other pet 
photographers?

SJ: There are some really fine pet photographers 
out there. I can only give you my approach: 
Everything I do is in my studio. With my 
background in motion picture lighting and 
photography, I feel I can get the best results under 
those controlled conditions.

 CL: So, how is the business going?

SJ: Great! I work with my wife, Rosemarie who is 
also retired from the movie industry. Only this 
is a lot more fun for us both. And, it is also very 
satisfying to give our clients something they will 
treasure for years to come.

 CL: What is the best way for a person to contact 
you, if they are interested in learning more about 
your pet photography services?

SJ: We are always reachable by phone at 626-
355-2808, or 818-292-5014, or visit our website at 
canyonpetportraits.com to view several samples 
of my work and to contact us via email.

 If you are like me, you probably enjoy 
patronizing our town’s local merchants and 
small businesses whenever possible. Canyon Pet 
Portraits is yet another tremendous treasure of 
Sierra Madre and Steve is a totally talented local 
artist who will definitely deliver high quality 
photos of your beloved furry four-legged friends. 

 So whether you are planning for your next 
Christmas calendar, or want to have a special 
keepsake of your pet to put on your wall or 
shelf, better call Stephen Johnstone, local pet 
photographer extraordinaire! 


PET OF THE WEEK ROBERTA: ANIMAL ID #A4690078

This girl’s smile can capture any heart! Meet 
Roberta, also known as “Bertie” (A4690078), an 
awesome 2-year-old tan spayed female Pug and 
Chihuahua mix (aka Chug) who was left at the 
Baldwin Park Animal Care Center by her former 
owner on May 28th. The 
owner literally threw the 
dog into our volunteer’s 
arms and said, “Take it!” 
We hope that Bertie will 
find a better home, one 
that this awesome girl 
truly deserves. Weighing 
12 pounds, Roberta 
is sweet and darling. 
With her snaggle tooth, 
airplane ears, and turned-
up nose, she has a goofy 
face that matches her fun 
personality. She adores 
having her rump scratched. 
Roberta is understandably 
discombobulated from being dumped at the 
shelter, but is clearly a lovely dog. She will thrive in 
any loving household. To watch a video of Roberta, 
please visit the following link: https://youtu.
be/7XE-arybcVU

 To meet Roberta in person, please see her at the 
Baldwin Park Shelter, located at 4275 N. Elton, 
Baldwin Park, CA 91706 (Phone: 626-962-3577). 
She is currently available now. For any inquiries 
about Roberta, please reference her animal ID 
number: A4690078. The 
shelter is open seven 
days a week, 12 pm-7 
pm Monday-Thursday 
and 10am-5pm Friday-
Sunday. This is a high-
intake shelter with a 
great need for adoptions. 
For more information 
about Roberta or the 
adoption process, 
contact United Hope 
for Animals Volunteer 
Adoption Coordinator 
Samantha at Samantha@
hope4animals.org. To 
learn more about United 
Hope for Animals’ partnership with the Baldwin 
Park Shelter, as well as the many dogs of all breeds, 
ages, and sizes available for adoption in local 
shelters, visit http://www.unitedhope4animals.org/
about-us/shelter-support-program/.


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