This was an action-packed photo session, with plenty of “firsts” for me as a photographer, and I’m so excited to share it with you! :)

Brinks and Tonka are two Rottles – and if you’re scratching your head at what kind of breed that its, I was with you, haha! Their mom had to educate me: a Rottle is a Rottweiler & poodle mix! Did you know that poodles are generally regarded as the smartest dog breed, and Rottweilers often come in as third-ranked? So when Brinks & Tonka’s parents were looking for dogs that wouldn’t affect their mom’s allergies and would also be easily trained, Rottles soon rose to the top of their list. And these dogs need to have great training, especially their recall skills – they live on several wide-open acres in Julian! To be honest with you, Brinks & Tonka really lucked out when they scored their parents; they get to have free range of their property, with constant opportunities to hunt small animals and explore the wild terrain. Plus, their parents love to bring them on mountain biking trips – so they get plenty of exercise too! (I’m pretty sure they’re living my dog’s ideal life, haha…)

So for our photo session, we went mountain biking at Mission Trails Regional Park and explored the unique scenery of Sunset Cliffs too. These outdoorsy dogs were so much fun to work with, and they kept me laughing all afternoon!

Here are Brinks (left) and Tonka (right)! Aren’t they gorgeous?

Morning bike rides have got to be their favorite daily ritual! So fun!

This is Brinks, the happy boy with a free spirit. He was having a great time chasing his parents up & down the trails! (Even with those crazy ears & tongue, haha!)

And this is Tonka, the princess/leader/alpha of the family – and owner of this adorable head tilt!

Shelagh & Mark, thank you so much for treating me to a ridiculously fun afternoon! Give the dogs a hug for me in the meantime, and I can’t wait to see you both again soon! :)

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