Greg Murray and The Fine Art of Rescue

By Belinda Jones

Peanut Butter Puppies is the latest lip-smacking addition to Greg Murray’s trio of joy-inducing dog photography books, including the original Peanut Butter Dogs and the inspiring Pit Bull Heroes: 49 Underdogs with Resilience and Heart. Here we discover more about the man behind the camera.

When inviting friends to check out Greg Murray’s collection of pet portraits, I had expected cooing over the candy-colored backdrops, peanut buttersmeared chins, quizzical head tilts, and lopsided ears—and sighs over the way he allows us to glimpse an animal’s soul through its gleaming eyes. (I also wouldn’t have been surprised if people singled out the perfectly-posed profile of a rescue squirrel about to bite a walnut!) But in reality, the most common response was, “Wow, he seems like a really nice person!”

Which he is—sincere, unrushed, thoughtful, and kindhearted, not to mention a man on a mission when it comes to promoting rescue animals and advocating for Pit Bulls. So then I wondered, were these empathetic qualities the key to his success, especially when it comes to gaining the trust of his subjects?

“Well, it’s an interesting theory!” Greg laughs. “Of course, dogs instinctively sense whether someone is a good person or a safe person to be around and, not wanting to toot my own horn, but I do have a lot of people say, ‘My dog is normally afraid of men’ or ‘I can’t believe how quickly my dog has warmed up to you!’”

Is there a special strategy he uses? “First, I have the owner fill out a survey prior so I know what the dogs do and don’t like. Then, when they arrive at the studio, I always give the dogs space and let them have free roam—always off leash—for at least the first 15 minutes.” Meanwhile, Greg will chat with the owner and offer the dog favorite treats. “But I let them come to me—I’m super-patient by nature, which I think helps!”

The camera flash can be a shock initially, but Greg says a surprising number of dogs don’t react at all, and he’s always willing to make adjustments to make his models feel more comfortable—like

stepping back and switching to a telephoto lens if a dog doesn’t enjoy having the camera so close to its face. I speculate that there must be a fair amount of pressure trying to capture something magical on cue?

“I used to really get stressed about this, and of course there are some animals who get too freaked out with the equipment to get the shot, but luckily that only happens a couple of times a year so I will either waive the fee or, most times, reschedule for an outdoor shoot where they will be more relaxed.”

Can he sense when the dog walks in which way it’s going to go? “I used to think I knew but I’ve learned that you just never know! Sometimes dogs are nervous and I need help from the owner; other times the owner can be a source of tension and I’ve had to politely ask them to sit to the side, and then assure them everything will be alright!”

Greg has been a professional photographer for seven years now. Before this, he spent ten years working, somewhat unhappily, in corporate human resources. He had been honing his camera skills on the side by photographing shelter pets at the Cleveland Animal Protective League, and when his job ended abruptly in 2014, he decided, with the support of his now-wife Kristen, to give pet photography his best shot.

“I’ve always had animals in my life—cats, birds, lizards, snakes, fish, guinea pigs—and my earliest childhood memory is sitting in a laundry basket with the family rescue dog!” (You can see a pic of toddler Greg with Muffit on Greg’s Instagram feed @thegregmurray.) Greg now has an 18-monthold child of his own, Evie, as well as two “big old mutts,” Leo and Kensie. “Kensie is a registered therapy dog who always wants to lick your face and be petted; Leo is more anxious and protective, but if I take them in the studio, he’s the one who goes straight to the spot with the lights!”

Greg has always favored humanizing headshots with the focus on the eyes and “funny expressions with tongues out and drool!” It was in trying to animate Kensie’s jaw using peanut butter that the

idea for a book came to him. Intending to self-publish, Greg started a Kickstarter campaign, but then, as is the stuff of photographer dreams, his “Peanut Butter Dogs” images went viral!

“For a couple of weeks it was nonstop interviews with the likes of Today, Daily Mail and HuffPost. Then the publishers started to call and a book deal was struck. “It was surreal, and still is, to hear from people all over the world who smiled because of my pictures!” Greg recalls the time a young woman in Japan tagged him in a photo with her dog. “I sent a message asking if she could take a picture of my book in her city, and to see such a distinctive skyline in the background was such a thrill!”

Greg is from and based in Cleveland, Ohio, and the amplified voice he gained from the book’s success played a vital role in reversing a local ban on Pit Bulls. He teamed up with other dedicated animal advocates and “attended meetings, voted for the right people, and protested. It’s something I’ll never forget.” That experience is detailed in his book, Pit Bull Heroes: 49 Underdogs with Resilience and Heart, which contains resources to help people fight against this prejudice in their own town.

That has to feel good, I note, to have effected genuine change by using his platform. “It does,” he sighs. “Pit Bull type dogs have a special place in my heart and I have made a commitment now to only photograph rescue dogs for my books from now on. Nothing against people who own purebreds, truly, but it is of vital importance to me to promote animal adoption, so that is a choice I have made.”

While the theme of Greg’s next book may be under wraps, one thing is certain—every

All Greg’s books are available through BookShop.org, Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble, or contact your local bookstore.

image will be beautifully lit, with love and integrity shining through.

See more at gmurrayphoto.com and on Instagram @thegregmurray

Belinda Jones is the author of Bodie on the Road: Travels with my Rescue Pup in the Dogged Pursuit of Happiness and works at Animal Rescue Rhode Island.

Belinda Jones is a dog-besotted British magazine journalist and bestselling author of eleven romantic comedy novels and a feeelgood road trip memoir titled Bodie on the Road - Travels With My Rescue Pup in the Dogged Pursuit of Happiness (Skyhorse Publishing). Her Instagram handle is @bodieeontheroad

According to the American Kennel Club, it’s ok for dogs to eat peanut butter as long as it is fed in moderation. But beware of a sugar substitute found in some peanut butters called xylitol. It is safe for people to eat, but can be extremely toxic to dogs—and even deadly. Unsalted or homemade peanut butter is considered the best option. And it is always recommended that you consult your veterinarian for advice, especially for dogs prone to food allergies, food sensitivity issues, or who have conditions like diabetes. With cancer-causing substances like glyphosate and aflatoxins found in some name-brand peanut butters, some recommendations are that you just skip the Skippy® altogether and feed your dogs healthier treats, such as dog-friendly fruits or vegetables.

Jerome Horwitz, better known as Curly from The Three Stooges, would often rescue stray dogs he found on his travels. He would kindly foster the dogs until he could find them new homes. A man before his time, it is estimated that Curly saved and rehomed more than 5,000 dogs in his lifetime—truly making him a dog’s best friend.

Both Laurel & Hardy and Charlie Chaplin shared the limelight with canine costars in their first major films. In A Dog’s Life (1918) Charlie saves a stray dog (Scraps) from other dogs. After sneaking Scraps into a cabaret, Charlie falls in love with the singer but is ejected from the club for having no money. Scraps saves the day when she digs up a wallet (stolen by thieves) that ends up containing a small fortune. Charlie uses the money to buy a small farm for himself and his bride. The closing scene shows the newlywed couple staring into a cradle. The cradle contains Scraps and her puppies.

The Lucky Dog (1921) was the first film to feature both Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy together prior to their becoming a comedy team. Laurel’s character is evicted for not paying his rent, shortly after he befriends a stray dog. The film ends when the dog picks up a piece of lit dynamite and chases the bad guys into the garden, dropping it on cue before being called back to the safety of Stan and his girl’s loving arms.