Ayla, enjoying some time on the deck.

Flickr photo courtesy of Taylor Hulyk

This week, we were so glad once again see the enthusiasm that our readers have for sharing their photos of their beloved pets — and their ability to capture the essence of each of them.

Companion animals have a unique way of making us smile, and you'll get the chance to see a bunch of cute critters this week, including a poodle, a horse and a kitten cozying up to her housemate, a Golden Retriever. It's a fun way to end your week!

Participating in our weekly photo blog is easy — simply email a photo of your pet, just being him or herself, to ppsa2mi@gmail.com any time for our weekly Pet Photo Friday feature.

Be sure to include the name of the animal(s), as well as their age and city or township of residence in your email. Photos should be 600 pixels wide and in .jpg format.

We put the week's photos into a slideshow, publish and promote each Friday here in the Pets section.

Lorrie Shaw is lead pets blogger for AnnArbor.com. Follow her daily pet adventures on Twitter.