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San Diego Service Dogs Pele & Alaska!

Thursday, October 22nd, 2015

I recently donated a photo session to an organization that I really believe in – Canine Companions for Independence, a national service dog training organization. Their annual golf tournament rolled around, and my donation was snatched up at the silent auction! I was thrilled to hear that I’d (fittingly) be photographing a couple of service dogs, too! I had the opportunity to work with a puppy raiser named Kathleen, and her two dogs Pele & Alaska: Pele is a fully-grown dog that’s already gone through training, but didn’t get placed with a handicapped person, so she went back to live with Kathleen as a (ridiculously capable) family pet! Alaska is currently in training – he’s only a year old, and in February, he’ll go back to CCI for “college” where he’ll learn advanced skills for working with a disabled individual. So although Alaska won’t be Pele’s brother for too much longer, I absolutely loved photographing both of them together! They have absolutely wonderful chemistry and they’re SUCH gorgeous dogs! They’re labrador/golden retriever mixes, but I think the only golden retriever parts about them are their extra-fluffy butt feathers, haha! They appear to be 99% black labs, and incredibly handsome ones at that. So add their good looks to their happy, confident, service dog personalities, and suffice to say they were a delight to photograph! :)

 

Here are both pups, in a spot they don’t often get to enjoy: their parents’ bed! But a photo session is a special occasion! ;) Pele is on the left and Alaska is on the right.

cute san diego service dogs

 

This is Alaska, the younger boy. He’s already so handsome, don’t you think?!

san diego service dog

 

And this is Pele, the little lady with the absolutely uncanny ability to stare directly into your soul. Seriously – this was an incredible moment – taking this photo sent a chill down my spine, and I had the feeling she was carefully evaluating exactly what I was doing and what I wanted her to do, as each second passed. I practically felt like she was one step ahead of me! (I guess that’s what you get when you work with service dogs!)

service dog san diego

 

I simply love the way both dogs look up at Kathleen. She’s their mom, their trainer, their constant companion… the devotion and love they have for both their parents is so beautiful to me.

service dogs san diego

 

 

Kathleen & Don, thank you for introducing me to your incredible dogs! I’m so glad you won the auction prize – and I’m looking forward to seeing you both again soon!

 

Tex the Chinook Sled Dog, in Balboa Park!

Tuesday, October 20th, 2015

“Maybe he’s a lab mix, or a Shepherd mix, or something else?” Tex’s parents puzzled over his heritage when they first adopted him, and so did everyone they met – because it just wasn’t clear from his appearance what breeds might have been hiding in his DNA. That is, until one day when Tex’s mom saw a TV show featuring a breed called the Chinook sled dog – and she knew immediately! That’s Tex! After a bit of research on the breed, and finding tons of similarities (his fur/ears/tail, his natural predisposition toward people instead of other dogs, his distaste for swimming/water), they deemed this mystery solved! Tex is a Chinook sled dog, through and through, and although I’ve never heard of a rescue Chinook sled dog before, I guess anything is possible! :)

Tex’s parents really lucked out when they adopted him, in my opinion. I mean, in addition to the bragging rights of owning a super-rare dog breed, Tex is simply a great dog! He adores his parents and is always excited to go on a walk with them. They say he’s so people-oriented that taking him to the dog beach usually entails stopping him from leaving with other families – but I saw a special glint in his eyes when he looks up at his mom & dad. :)  Plus, you can’t be in a bad mood around this guy – he won’t let you! That handsome, contagious smile and his sweet disposition will wipe a frown off anyone’s face! So naturally, our session together was a total blast!

 

This is Tex – he wore his patriotic bandana to our session, of course!

chinook sled dog san diego

 

We relaxed in the grasses of the Balboa Park Rose Garden …

chinook sled dog

 

… and then found a few fun architectural spots in the rest of Balboa Park! (All that constant love & attention from his parents is so rough, poor Tex…)

chinook sled dog photo

 

And lastly, I couldn’t resist including this outtake! This curious boy came up close for a bite of chicken treats! :)

chinook sled dog outtake

 

Stephanie & Steven, thank you so much for a fun afternoon! I’m excited to show you the rest of our photos when Steven is back on dry land! :)

 

Riley the Border Collie / Husky Mix, in San Diego!

Sunday, October 18th, 2015

Let’s be honest: I work with a lot of beautiful dogs. I get to meet big, handsome, regal dogs, as well as cute little puppies – I suppose I’m spoiled that way! And while I’ve never met a dog that I would consider “ugly”, I’ll admit that some dogs are just a little bit more good-looking than others… and Riley is definitely one of those extra-gorgeous pups!

Riley is a border collie & husky mix, an interesting combination of breeds that came together in a stunning way. His coat is a fascinating mix of black & white, and while the border collie is obvious on his handsome, narrow face, Riley’s fluffy tail is 100% husky! All in all, he’s a beautiful boy, and his parents have gotten so many compliments from strangers that it’s now a regular occurrence for them to hear people say “what a cute dog” anywhere around town! And fittingly, Riley’s personality is just as beautiful: he’s a happy, content pup who absolutely loves to be around his parents. He always wants to be on the move, from one place to another, but he never ends up exploring very far away from his mom & dad. I loved working with him (despite the fact that he totally snubbed my treats!), and the opinionated way in which he told us exactly what he wanted to do kept me laughing for our entire session!

 

We started our photo session on the white studio backdrop! I love how his features pop out in this setting!

border collie mix studio

 

After a while, we switched to the gray backdrop, but Riley soon decided he was ready to head to our next location…

cute border collie mix

 

… the park! I love the contrast of his black & white fur against the rich, warm colors of Presidio Park!

border collie mix dog

 

And I’ll share another photo with you, just because it made quite a splash on the Facebook page! I posted a quick iPhone photo of the back of my camera, right after our photo session ended, since I knew this would be an epic photo when I took it! Here’s the edited version (where you can actually see Riley’s face, haha!)

border collie mix beach

 

Mackenzie & Jonas, thank you for introducing me to your sweet boy! I’m so excited to show you the rest of our photos soon! :)

 

Savannah the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel turns 2!

Friday, October 16th, 2015

I am so excited to share this photo session with you! I got to catch up with a dog that I first met a whole year ago, for her first birthday… so it was only fitting that we celebrated her second birthday, too! Some of you might remember Savannah, the adorable little Cavalier King Charles spaniel… honestly, how could you forget her in that cute little party hat? So for this session, her parents wanted to visit a new location: Coronado! We had a great time playing & posing on the grass & boardwalk in front of the Hotel Del, and I really enjoyed catching up with them all. Savannah was definitely fluffier and a little bit bigger than I remembered, but otherwise, she’s the same happy-go-lucky, curious little pup! Seriously, I don’t think she could possibly be any cuter… and I think her sit-stay has improved since last year, too, haha! (The things a photographer notices…!)

 

What would a photo session on Coronado be without an image of the iconic Hotel Del? I love the way its red roof coordinates with Savannah’s red fur!

Cavalier King Charles spaniel Coronado

 

I wanted to document how Savannah is growing & changing… and this was a rare moment in which her little legs weren’t running between mom & dad! This girl is crazy about her parents… she wants to be right next to them both, at all times!

Cavalier King Charles spaniel

 

Savannah’s mom brought some amazing accessories to mark the occasion!

cute cavalier dog

 

… Savannah, however, wanted to keep her age a secret from everyone… as all proper ladies do! ;)

cute Cavalier King Charles spaniel

 

Ali & Brian, it was so nice to work with you again! Thank you so much for such a lovely afternoon! I’m excited to show you the rest of our photos soon (and figure out how to display them alongside the photos you have from last time)!  :)

 

3ee the San Diego Belgian Malinois!

Wednesday, October 7th, 2015

No, that’s not a typo – 3ee (pronounced “three”, just like the number) is the name of this gorgeous San Diego Belgian Malinois dog! This gorgeous girl is five years old, and her dad rescued her several years ago… since then, she’s grown to be his greatest friend and defender!

3ee is definitely protective of her dad, but at her heart, she’s an explorer. She absolutely loves getting out into the great wide open – and I was so impressed at how responsive she was to her dad’s calls & commands! It was clear how much she was enjoying herself at Mission Trails Park, sniffing everywhere and always looking for the opportunity to chase a small animal – but every time her dad said “hey!” her head would immediately spin around and she’d change direction, ready to go wherever he wanted her to be. It was amazing to witness their connection; I just love working with dogs who are so in-tune with their owners! :)

 

We started our photo session at Mission Trails Park – a part of the park I’d never been to before! – and hiked in & out of the brush, discovering the scenery as we went along. And the views certainly didn’t disappoint!

san diego belgian malinois

 

Then we headed to a greener park with plenty of soft grass to relax in… but don’t worry, 3ee still kept an eye out for any pesky squirrels… just in case. :)

belgian malinois san diego

 

And then it was time for 3ee’s first trip to the beach! Turns out, she ended up loving the water! And although she had to be coerced in for the first time, I was really impressed at how courageous she is; she spent the rest of our session confidently wading in & out of the shore. This dog is nearly fearless!

San Diego Belgian Malinois

 

Craig, I had a great time with both of you! Thanks again for introducing me to such fantastic locations. I’m really looking forward to showing you the rest of our photos soon! :)

 

 

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