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Tag: ‘beach’



Skype the Golden Retriever – San Diego, CA

Saturday, June 9th, 2018

Okay, you KNOW I have a weakness for golden retrievers. So when Skype’s dad called me, I couldn’t have been more excited! Skype is a 1-year-old golden retriever who’s 100% puppy, simply couldn’t be more gorgeous, and absolutely adores his parents. We ran & played at Encinitas Community Park and Tourmaline Beach, and I got to see his (very real) obsession with the ball the whole time… he would chase it literally all day long if he could! Apparently he’s somewhat famous at Camp Run-A-Mutt for never taking a break during playtime; the boy just doesn’t sit down if there’s a ball or another dog to play with. Shepherds, border collies and terriers usually get a reputation as “high-energy” breeds – but I think Skype could outlast them all, haha! And so I was able to capture our fair share of action photos, but lucky for me, Skype was also willing to show off his “sit” and “stay” commands every once in a while, so our session ended up having a ton of variety. I think his parents are going to have an exceptionally tricky time picking out their favorite portraits, as a result!

 

Here’s that handsome face. If Skype ever goes missing, don’t look at my house.

beautiful golden retriever

 

If these photos don’t make you want to adopt a golden retriever, I don’t know what will. There’s so much fluff to love – and can you tell he’s still a puppy?!

golden retriever picture

 

He LOVED the beach! And yes, since he always came trotting happily back to his dad after every fetch, we let him go off-leash – the lifeguard didn’t like that very much! Oops! :)

golden retriever at beach

 

Chris & Clara, thank you for introducing me to your sweet boy! I’m looking forward to showing you the rest of the images soon! :)

 

Parker the Super Dog!

Wednesday, March 21st, 2018

Every dog has a backstory…

Much like his predecessors Krypto, Lockjaw & Cosmo, Parker is a super dog! He even has special powers to prove it! His powers include: incredible obedience skills, unrelenting guard-dog vigilance, and the ability to sniff everything. (Plus, he’s pretty good at convincing you to give him belly rubs.) I first met Parker in my studio, where – oh! another power! – he shredded a record number of toys before my very eyes, haha! As he de-stuffed to his heart’s content, we planned a photo session to capture the personality and good looks of this friendly neighborhood dog.

(I know, you’re probably wondering: why all the superhero references? Well, let’s just say Parker’s parents have been to a few Comic Cons, so I figured this sneak peek could use an infusion of “super” energy that even Tony Stark could be proud of!)

But to be honest with you, Parker’s not the only one in his family that’s super. His parents have had out-of-this-world patience with him, since they rescued him a couple of years ago and discovered that he had some pretty significant issues. But they’ve been working together on developing his self-confidence, and over time Parker has turned into a wonderful, happy boy. So although he still has a handful of kryptonite-like weaknesses, he’s light years further along than where he started. And in my opinion, that’s evidence of a love that’s far beyond ordinary. It was an honor to photograph this beautiful family!

 

Look at that face… Parker is so adorable! And believe it or not, he may look like a labrador, but according to his DNA he’s practically everything except lab!

super dog

 

Now that’s a handsome boy. I’m pretty sure that’s his “proud” look – I’m just not sure whether it’s for fetching the ball, saving the world, or getting a belly rub…

super dog san diego

 

Did I forget to mention Parker’s other power?! Levitation, of course!

super dog in action

 

We also visited the beach for part of our photo session… Parker thought that was a pretty good idea too!

super dog photo

 

 

Janet & John, thank you so much for introducing me to your handsome boy – and for being willing to jump in the chilly water at the beach with me!! You’re both such great sports, and I can’t wait to get together with you again soon! :)

 

Chewy & Milo, Del Mar Dogs at the Beach!

Friday, February 2nd, 2018

I often wonder how my dog, Bailey, would get along with my clients’ dogs. I envision what they have in common, how they’d play together, what they’d “talk about”: their parents, their favorite kinds of treats, the squirrel they almost caught last week, etc. (It’s possible that I have an overactive imagination.)

And I’ve made a decision: Bailey is NOT allowed to meet Chewy & Milo! Want to know why?

They get to go to the beach in Del Mar every. single. day. If Bailey ever heard that was possible (instead of just going to the beach once-in-a-while like we do), I think she’d petition to be adopted by Chewy & Milo’s parents!!!

Haha – #beachlife aside, Chewy & Milo are awesome dogs, and they were incredibly fun to work with! We started our photo session in their backyard, and soon after walked down to the beach, where I got to see their boundless energy and incredible zest for life (or at least their zest for tennis balls and running through the surf). And I have to say, their moms – who are actually sisters – have done a pretty amazing job training their boys. Their recall is spot-on and I was impressed at how content the dogs were to stick nearby their moms; with a whole beach full of other dogs and people, there were distractions in every direction. But Chewy & Milo never went more than 5-10 seconds without turning around to make sure their moms were still close by and okay. I think they must know how loved they are – not to mention how good they have it!

 

This is Chewy – master of the adorable head tilt and one of the most easy-going dogs I’ve ever met. His favorite thing to do at the beach: chase Milo and play with the other dogs!

del mar dog

 

Milo’s favorite beach game, on the other hand, is FETCH! He’s an incredible athlete and will jump over waves and swim out into the ocean to get his ball back (usually with Chewy on his tail)… my favorite part of watching him play was how he’d bring the ball back to a different person every time! As if to say “okay, she threw it pretty far, let’s see what you can do!”

del mar dog at the beach

 

Del Mar dogs to the core.

del mar dogs

 

Janet, thank you for introducing me to your fun-loving boys – and for helping me support the San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy! I’m excited to share the rest of our photos with you soon! :)

 

Free Guide to the Best Dog-Friendly Spots in San Diego!

Thursday, October 26th, 2017

When I first moved here with my husband & our dog, we didn’t know anything about San Diego. I’d never been here before and didn’t know Ocean Beach from Oceanside. I was entirely clueless – so I decided that needed to change! I got outside and started to visit different neighborhoods, find my new favorite restaurants, sample some of the country’s best craft beer, and (of course) find the best places to spoil my Bailey. I found a lot of incredible businesses & places, each of them so uniquely amazing that I found myself wanting to stop by on an embarrassingly-frequent basis.

But what good is that information if I’m hoarding it alllllll to myself?

So I’ve decided to share all my favorite spots with you!

 

san diego guide

 

Yahoo!!! Click on the preview above (or click here) to get my exclusive list of favorites! It’s a compendium of San Diego’s best parks, beaches, breweries, restaurants, boutiques and coffee shops to enjoy with your 4-legged friends (in my opinion, at least). I hope you LOVE them as much as I do, and if this guide inspires a fun outing with your dog, I’d be thrilled to hear about it! (Perhaps post a photo on Instagram and tag @sandiegopetphotographer to let me know?!)

Enjoy the guide – and drop me a line if I left out your favorite place(s), since I’d love to keep on exploring America’s Finest (and Dog-Friendliest) City!  :)

 

Mister Mister, the Shepherd Mix from Encinitas

Sunday, October 15th, 2017

Okay, I know I’m not supposed to have “favorites” – but can I be honest? Awesome, wonderful repeat clients with silly, happy dogs are totally my favorites. And that means I simply could not have been more excited for my photo session with Mister Mister and his mom & dad!!

That’s right, his name is Mister Mister. He’s a handsome shepherd mix who lives in Encinitas with his family, and if you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you might remember their previous photo session. This time, we decided to let Mister have the spotlight all for himself! He holds a special place in his parents’ hearts, and they wanted a photo session all about him & his sweet personality. (Doesn’t every dog deserve to be the undisputed center of attention once in a while?) So we met at the beach in Del Mar, with plans to photograph the rest of his family (including his new foster-fail sister!!) at some point in the future. But today, it’s all about Mister! :)

 

We started our session with goofiness, smiles and wiggles – I think Mister was delightfully surprised at the prospect of having a beach day all to himself! We ran around a bit and let him acclimate to the spotlight. (Never going too close to the water, of course – this boy is a shepherd mix, not a labrador mix. He’s scared of the ocean. We stayed pretty darn dry for the afternoon – in fact, I think I got wetter than Mister ever did!)

funny shepherd mix dog

 

This photo makes me smile: only Mister would be in such a stately pose in gorgeous, epic surroundings, and yet be making the biggest cheeseball-goofy-smiley face!

shepherd mix at beach

 

Such a handsome boy. He deserves alllllll the beach days.

shepherd mix dog photo

 

Misha and Justin – I had a blast with you, as usual! Can’t wait to see you (and your other two troublemakers) in a few weeks!

 

 

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