Sometimes, I work with dogs who are two peas in a pod; they’re similar in their personalities, looks, and pretty much everything else! I suppose living together can have that effect… but that’s not the case with Titus & Xena!

I had a wonderful Balboa Park pet photography session with these two dogs, and they couldn’t be more different! Titus is the old man of the house; he’s a 16-year-old dachshund mix who moves pretty slowly these days. He’s also deaf – or maybe I should say he has very selective hearing? :)  Regardless, he’s a good boy who’s spent his entire life with his mama, and they have a beautiful bond together. He literally wants nothing more than to be right next to her, looking up at her, at all times. It’s incredible.

Xena, on the other hand, lives up to her name pretty well, haha! She’s an energetic ball of cuteness and is completely obsessed with her ball! It’s kinda funny to watch – as you hold the ball in your hand and get ready to throw it, she barks at you impatiently… as if the 3 seconds you’re taking to complete the task are 3 seconds too many! She has a hilarious personality, and seems to be up for adventure any day of the week. Plus, she’s gorgeous – I love her coloring and sweet little face!

This is Xena – and she can RUN! This girl absolutely flies across the grass, it’s so cute (and pretty impressive) to see!

Her ball is her trophy. Don’t you love that satisfied look of accomplishment on her face?

And this handsome boy is Titus! Isn’t he a cutie in this flower bed?

I just love the way he stands, so tall & proud… Titus, you deserve to be proud of yourself. You’re such a good boy!

Emi & David, thank you so much for introducing me to your adorable dogs! I can’t wait to get together with you both again soon! :)

Bono the dog is a total sweetheart, a put bull with a huge smile and gorgeous brindle fur. I absolutely loved meeting him and working with him. So although it’s not too often that I schedule an emergency pet photo session, it breaks my heart that I had to do it for sweet, happy Bono.

I use the term “emergency” because my calendar typically books up about 1-2 months in advance with photo sessions. Which is great, from a business perspective – I love keeping busy! – but it’s not so great when someone has just received a terminal diagnosis from their vet clinic. Bono may not have that much longer with his family, and I hope that the vet’s predictions are entirely wrong and he still has many happy years left! But just in case his doctor isn’t wrong, his mom wanted to safe rather than sorry, and filled me in on Bono’s situation. So we were able to schedule our photo session just a week after chatting for the first time, and I got to meet Bono – and his canine brothers too! We had a fun, relaxed photo session and didn’t push any of the dogs too hard (Patriot the pittie is on the older side, and Archie the pit/Basenji mix prefers to relax, not run around). So it was a fun, leisurely time and I’m just so thankful that we were able to get together so quickly. Because I wouldn’t want to miss out on any time with Bono and his brothers.

This is Bono! Despite his medical issues, he’s feeling good and keeps a smile on his face! Isn’t the canine spirit amazing?

This is Archie, the dog who goes down playground slides! He’s also close with his human sister, and it was so much fun to see them interact & play with each other.

Last but certainly not least, this is Patriot. He’s a soulful old pup, and more than happy to just sit back and watch the action unfold around him. Unless he sees another dog, of course – then he’s off to go say hello!

Hanna & Kurt, thank you for introducing me to your wonderful dogs… I’m looking forward to seeing you both again soon!