Photographer Travels the World Capturing Dogs in Their Ancestral Homeland

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A small dog with pointy ears sits on a platform in a cityscape at dusk. The background features illuminated buildings and a glowing archway, creating a serene urban atmosphere.

A photographer has spent ten years on his project Dogs of the World which sees him travel across the globe to capture dog breeds in their ancestral homeland.

Photographer Craig Turner-Bollock who is based in New Zealand has captured a French Bulldog in Paris, Italian Greyhounds in Venice, and an Alaskan Malamute in, well, Alaska.

Three hairless dogs stand on rocky terrain against a dramatic sunset backdrop. The sky glows with warm hues, silhouetting the distant hills and highlighting the dogs' sleek, muscular bodies.

Three golden-brown dogs stand together on a large rock by the sea at sunset. A lighthouse is visible in the background against an orange and purple sky.

All-in-all, Turner-Bollock has visited 20 countries and more than 50 cities documenting 60 breeds so far. He tells PetaPixel that in 2017 he photographed a pitbull in New York, a corgi in London, and a French Bulldog in Paris which formed the basis of the project.

“As far as I can tell, this approach to photographing dog breeds has not been done before, usually books about dog breeds feature two things: The dogs are photographed in a studio and they are stacked to show conformation of breed standards,” Turner-Bollock explains.

“In Dogs of the World, I’m not necessarily looking for perfect show standards of any given breed, I’m looking for real-life examples of the breeds in those places.

“It’s funny because I’ve noticed that actually, many of the breeds look quite different in their country of origin to the show standard dogs you see at shows around the world. It’s been a really interesting part of the process of finding these dogs.”

A fluffy dog with long, curly fur runs energetically on a sandy beach. Water droplets surround the dog, and a blurred background with trees and stone structures is visible.

A dog sits on ancient stones in front of the Colosseum in Rome, Italy. The historic amphitheater looms large in the background under a clear blue sky.

A French Bulldog sits in front of the illuminated glass pyramid of the Louvre Museum in Paris. The sky is overcast, and the museum's historic architecture is visible on both sides.

However, determining exactly which breeds come from where is a tricky and argued-about subject. For example, Turner-Bollock photographed a corgi in London even though it is a Welsh working breed.

“But it is so strongly tied to London because of its connection to Queen Elizabeth II and Buckingham Palace, it just seemed right that I photographed them in the city,” adds the photographer.

“There was certainly a debate with myself about how close to their place of origin I would photograph them and how much creative license I could use.

“In the case of dogs like the Australian Shepherd, which was created and first recognised in the USA, they got their name after some of the collies used in their creation were imported from Australia. I photographed them in Australia seeing as that was their namesake country.”

Regardless, Turner-Bolock says he discovered that each breed has a fascinating history. Adding that in “virtually every civilisation and culture” dogs have aided humans and made their lives better in some way.

A large dog walking on a grassy hillside, appearing to bark with its mouth open wide. The sky is cloudy, and the background shows green rolling hills and scattered trees.

A fluffy brown dog sits on a gondola in a narrow Venetian canal, surrounded by historic buildings and striped poles. The background is slightly blurred, creating a dreamy atmosphere as the evening begins to set in.

A small gray dog stands on a low wall in front of a large, historic stone mansion. The sky is blue with scattered clouds, and lush green trees surround the building, creating a picturesque scene.

Publishing the Project

Turner-Bollock is planning to publish Dogs of the World via a Kickstarter campaign. He previously had three books published by Penguin Random House in New Zealand but decided to go down the self-publishing route.

A herding dog guides a flock of sheep across a sunlit field. Dust rises around them, creating a golden glow in the warm, hazy afternoon light. The dog appears focused and energetic in its task.

A husky stands on a snowy landscape with jagged blue ice formations and majestic, snow-capped mountains in the background, under a partly cloudy sky.

The book will feature what he calls “Dogoramas”, a panoramic image of dogs in their ancestral land.

“It is the kind of image clients specifically come to me for now and it is a style of shot that has become so important in the making of the book to showcase dogs in the landscapes, while still making them the true hero,” adds Turner-Bollock.