A stunning photo project shows how dogs age through the years.
For many people, dogs are so much more than just a pet.
Dogs can be an integral part of life. They're loyal companions who, just like everyone else in the family, are there for the big moments and the little ones — like the birth of a baby or moving to a new home, or the first time you got grounded or binge-watched the last season of "Breaking Bad." They bring joy and support to our lives every day. It's easy to see why they've held the title of "man's (and woman's!) best friend" for ... pretty much ever.
Oh my dog! That is precious. GIF via Canal de MASQUENADAmx/YouTube.
That's the experience Massachusetts-based photographer Amanda Jones had with her long-haired Dachshund, Lily. Jones was inspired to adopt Lily after a photoshoot she did with the breed.
Lily brought 16 wonderful years of energy and love to her family, and Jones was there to capture it all. When Lily passed away, Jones made a memorial card to honor how much she had grown and changed over her lifetime, from a spunky little puppy to a well-loved, experienced senior.
Lily at 8 months, 2 years, 7 years, and 15 years old:
All images from "Dog Years: Faithful Friends, Then & Now" by Amanda Jones, published by Chronicle Books, used with permission.
The visual look at Lily's life gave Jones a bigger idea.
"If I have these photos of Lily, I could probably go back and find some other dogs I've taken photos of in the past and do the same," she recounted to Upworthy over the phone.
As a photographer for 20 years, she knew she had a huge database to work with. So she started following up with some clients from previous dog photoshoots, and turned her idea into a book called "Dog Years."
In "Dog Years," Jones shares photographs of 30 dogs in black-and-white at different points in their lives.
"The visual impact of comparing the young and the old varies greatly from dog to dog, just as it does from person to person," Jones says in the book.
She's so right.
Abigaile at 4 months and at 8 years old:
Fred at 3 years and 10 years old:
Audrey at 3 years and 12 years old:
You won't find any props or cutesy backdrops in her photos. Jones focuses on pulling out the dog's personality instead.
"A dog’s life starts off small and then grows to include many different humans, other dogs, new tricks, and new experiences," she said.
Cooper at 3 years and 10 years old:
Some dogs don’t seem to age, yet others show the signs quite openly.
Maddy at 5 years and 10 years old:
"Maddy actually turned completely gray and wasn't even that old. She had been treated for cancer, and the drugs turned her coat completely gray."
On that same note, Jones said, she photographed a Yorkie that didn't make it into the book "because she looked the same at 12 years old as she looked at 1."
"The easiest part of working with dogs is they don’t look at their photos and say, 'Oh my God, I look awful! Do I really have that many wrinkles?'"
It may be hard to get dogs to sit still and take a picture, but there is one distinct advantage of taking photos of dogs instead of people: They don't hold themselves to unrealistic standards the way humans do. Which means they're never self-conscious subjects, and don't know Photoshop even exists. (And even if they did... they probably wouldn't care).
"The easiest part of working with dogs is they don’t look at their photos and say, 'Oh my God, I look awful! Do I really have that many wrinkles?'" Jones said.
Visualizing the timeline of a dog's life is as beautiful as it is bittersweet.
Looking at these photos can bring out strong feelings and personal reflection on the dogs we've encountered in our lives, whether or not they were part of our families. There's a really profound connection between humans and our dogs, and Jones captures it in a very real and touching way.
For a behind-the-scenes look at how she created "Dog Years," watch this video:
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An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids…
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But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
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Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."