From time to time, I do “surprise” photo sessions. They’re usually for special occasions, in which a friend or relative wants to give their dog-loving recipient something that’s truly personal & special. And those sessions are a lot of fun – but it’s not every day that I get to work with a daughter who wants to surprise her mother! And it’s definitely not every day that that mother comes home early from work and totally interrupts her own surprise gift!! Haha! But that’s exactly what happened with Penny’s family – her “sister” Jemma planned everything perfectly for our session, until her mom got home early and immediately knew something was up. So everyone was in attendance at our session – which, quite frankly, was fine with me, since it meant we had an extra set of hands to help wrangle Penny!

Penny is an adorable Cavalier King Charles spaniel, about 10 years old and ridiculously sweet. Although she’s not accustomed to much obedience training, she did a great job with all the “posing” I asked her to do for me. (Which mostly involved running back and forth, and sitting a few times.) We visited Montevalle Recreation Center for our session, a gorgeous park with eucalyptus trees, lush greenery and even a cute wooden bridge. And even better: it’s only a short walk from Penny’s house! So Penny and her family literally walked over to meet me there. It was the perfect location, and we had a wonderful time together!

We started our photo session with treats! Is there anything this little Cavalier loves better than treats and food (especially wet food)?

Oh my gosh, those ears. I can’t handle it.

I just love to see this sweet girl smile.

Jemma, I’m sorry about your well-planned surprise – but I think it actually worked out perfectly in the end! (And Gary, I’m glad you could make it too!) I can’t wait to see you all again soon…  :)

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