I knew this photo session with Coco, an adorable little terrier mix from San Diego, would be an interesting one as soon as her father told me: “I’ve never really treated her like a dog.” And while you may raise your eyebrows at that kind of statement, what I learned is that Coco & her dad are simply best friends. He treats her as one of his buddies – they’re companions. And I absolutely loved watching them interact – he spoke to her without a high-pitched babying voice, without sternness or commands, but simply with statements and questions. And while their conversations are verbally one-sided, Coco’s big, expressive eyes contain all kinds of responses. It was so cute to see her open her eyes wide and tilt her head when her dad asked “do you want a treat?” And while, of course, most dogs have a similar reaction when they see a treat bag, it was somehow different between Coco and her dad… I felt a deep respect between them, a bonding love, that only comes from years of friendship. And these are the relationships I live to photograph! I only wish this photo session didn’t have to be expedited due to Coco’s recent medical issues… but happily, she’s feeling good these days, and we all had a great time during our visit to the beach in La Jolla!

How much do you love her ears?! So big & flappy! She’s such a cutie.

Coco can really run! Granted, she runs away from the water instead of toward it, since she hates getting wet… but hey, that’s okay!

So, our photo session was originally scheduled during last week’s El Nino downpour. I’m pretty glad we waited for clear skies… ;)

Mike, thank you for introducing me to your adorable girl. I can’t wait to show you the rest of our photos soon! :)

Tags: beach, dogs, pet photography, pets, photography, San Diego, San Diego Dog Photographer, San Diego pet photography