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Tag: ‘mixed breed’



Juneau, Ella & Roxy – A Family of San Diego Dogs

Monday, August 27th, 2018

I absolutely love photo sessions that take place during a time of transition: sometimes it’s for a family who just moved to San Diego, or is just about to move away… or a family that already has 4-legged children and is about to add their first 2-legged child to the family… or perhaps those 2-legged kids are headed off to college and we’re capturing how life has always been before things change. In the case of Ella, Juneau & Roxy, we were celebrating a very happy occasion: Roxy is a brand new member of the family! She’s seriously spicing things up in her new home, too; Ella & Juneau are older pups who’ve been loyal members of the family for many years, and I have a feeling their routine has changed (just a little!) since Roxy came home. But they love their new little sister, especially Juneau; he’s such a great big brother and it’s already clear that he & Roxy have formed a special bond. (And it’s adorable!)

Our photo session took place at Mission Trails Regional Park, as well as at a nearby grassy park for a slight change of scenery. And even though things started out with a bit of chaos, the dogs soon settled into a rhythm of posing for me beautifully. Plus, it helped that we had some yummy treats for them on hand! I have a feeling that the photos from our session will be a fresh, gorgeous complement to the portraits they’ve taken in the past… and I’m so excited to share them with you!

 

This is Ella! She LOVES treats and has the most beautiful lab smile… one of my favorite moments of our session was when she spontaneously started crawling toward me (okay, let’s be honest, she was probably headed for the treat bag) near the end of our session!

chocolate lab

 

This handsome hunk-a-lunk is Juneau, the golden retriever and mama’s boy of the bunch. Whenever his mom & I stepped more than a few feet away from him, he would whine and fidget – he just looooooves his mom! And he’s such a sweetheart, I practically fell in love with him too.

golden retriever on grass

 

This little spitfire is Roxy! She’s part chihuahua, dachshund and about 5 other breeds, with an insatiable zest for life. She certainly keeps her new family on their toes!

chihuahua mix dog on hiking trail

 

One more photo of Roxy, just because this head tilt is too cute to resist. I mean COME ON.

chihuahua mix dog

 

Cinda, thank you for introducing me to your gorgeous dogs! I’m excited to see you again soon! :)

 

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Photos of Gus, the La Jolla Rescue Dog

Wednesday, July 18th, 2018

Rescue dogs don’t usually have many advantages in life (besides being cute, obviously). They often come to shelters and their adoptive parents with issues ranging everywhere from nutrition to socialization to internal health… and it’s up to the rescue organization and the dog’s future family to overcome those issues and eventually help that dog lead a healthy, happy life. That’s a tall order – it was definitely a challenge for Gus, whose previous caretakers tried to crop his ears in such a shoddy way that they botched it and caused nerve damage. I mean… if I were Gus, I’m not sure if I’d ever trust humans again – but Gus is a truly remarkable dog. He not only learned to trust again, he learned to love – and now he’s an incredibly sweet part of the family, living in La Jolla along with his parents! Now he serves as a vigilant guard dog, a constant companion, and he even moonlights as a cuddle buddy for his 3-year-old niece. I absolutely love his story, because many dogs aren’t as lucky as Gus – but his parents/rescuers helped him overcome his past and start enjoying the fabulous life of a La Jolla rescue dog. (Which, let’s be honest, is not a phrase you hear every day! “La Jolla rescue dog”? Well I think it’s a great title to bestow on any pup, and Gus can be the new ambassador – he already keeps a close eye on his neighborhood from his upstairs porch, haha!)

 

This is Gus! Such a good boy! (I took this photo during a brief moment in which there were no other dogs walking by… otherwise he certainly wouldn’t be looking at the camera, haha!)

la jolla dog picture

 

Gus at home. Don’t let those big eyes fool you; he takes his role as guard dog quite seriously. If you visit, you WILL be barked at!

la jolla dog at home

 

He loooooves his parents. And they love him.

la jolla mutt with parents

 

Ashley & Tom, thank you for a lovely afternoon! I’m looking forward to seeing you again soon! :)

 

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In-Home and Balboa Park Photo Session with Ben & Ranger

Friday, July 6th, 2018

When I first met these dogs, they were their parents’ only children… okay, besides their feline sister Dottie. But by the time our session rolled around, they had adapted quickly to their new role as big brothers – to their new human siblings, baby boys! And since I got to meet the adorable little twins during our photo session, which took place at their home and Balboa Park, I’ve been thinking about all the ways Ben & Ranger are similar as brothers… but also incredibly different!

 

This is Ranger, a lab mix with one of the most joyful, irresistible smiles I’ve ever seen! His ears seem to prop themselves up on stilts whenever he’s paying attention to you, and he’s a playful, curious boy. Not to mention I adored photographing him – he’s so much fun to work with!

home photo session example

 

And this handsome, pensive face belongs to Ben (short for “Big Ben”), a retired racing greyhound from Mexico. He’s a gorgeous, lithe, graceful dog – but all that went out the window about 2 minutes into our session, when he skittered around on the hardwood floor at home in feverish excitement to jump up on the couch and pose for a few treats! Haha! If Ranger didn’t already have me laughing, Ben made sure to fill in the gaps, so there wasn’t a dull moment during our session. (Plus, I loved the challenge of making weird-enough sounds to ensure those greyhound ears are on full display!)

home pet photo session

 

Like I mentioned, we split our photo session between the dogs’ home and Balboa Park, so before long we were off to the visit the flowers, architecture and splendor of San Diego’s most famous park. Both dogs did surprisingly well amongst the crowds, and of course we took time to stop and smell the flowers. :)

balboa park dog photography

 

“Ranger” and “thoughtful” are two words that don’t usually go together, haha… but doesn’t he look like he’s pondering the mysteries of the universe? (Or maybe just how he’ll get his next treat?) Despite the soft, peaceful feel of this photo, knowing Ranger’s personality, it makes me smile. :)

balboa park photo example

 

Jeff & Meaghan, you two are total champions for joining me on a photo session with two dogs and two new babies! But no one could have handled it better, and I’m absolutely honored to know your beautiful family. Looking forward to seeing you both again soon! :)

 

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Petunia the Shar Pei Mix in San Diego, CA

Tuesday, June 12th, 2018

Some dogs are lucky enough to call San Diego home for their whole lives… they grow up playing on the beaches, basking in the year-round sun, and maybe never see the snow. (Doesn’t sound so bad to me, haha!) But Petunia is a little more “well-rounded” than that; she’s from Chicago! This midwestern mutt just moved here with her mom about 7 months ago, and she’s experiencing the joys of San Diego for the very first time! (So many firsts!) I absolutely loved getting to know her because she’s a total sweetheart. For example: although treats & toys are helpful in getting her focus at times, you can tell that her biggest reward is attention & love from her mama! She’s absolutely head-over-heels crazy about her mom, and their bond really shone through during our session. I think she knows that they’re on a great adventure together – after all, isn’t moving across the country an adventure?! Petunia’s mom told me how this little lady is already guarding her from big scary repairmen, haha – she’s even barked at them so intimidatingly (is that a word?) that she’s literally sent them running!! I’m telling you, don’t mess with this girl – it’s a much better plan to be her friend and get big slobbery kisses in the face. :)

 

Petunia is a shar pei mix, as you can probably tell with all those forehead wrinkles – and probably pit bull, too! Isn’t she the cutest?!

shar pei mix dog

 

Oh, hello there – ready for your close-up? (Petunia wanted to make sure you got a better view of those trademark wrinkles…)

shar pei mix studio photo

 

We visited Balboa Park for the second half of our session – because how much more “San Diego” can you get? Petunia got plenty of attention from passers-by as we walked through the park; those people had probably never seen a cuter shar pei mix in their lives. :)  And by the way – this photo was taken after the Great Squirrel Sighting of 2018 – the moment at which Petunia discovered her life’s true calling. Squirrel hunting, of course. But I was proud of her for being able to take a break from “squirrel watch” to pose for more photos, haha!

shar pei mix

 

One blooper, just for fun! (Petunia had a hilariously good time!)

shar pei mix dog yawning

 

Elizabeth, thank you so much for introducing me to your beautiful, sweet girl. She’s just amazing. I’m excited to get together again soon! :)

 

 

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Nomi & Nita, Poodle Mixes from North Park

Thursday, June 7th, 2018

You know what I love? Christmas gifts!

You know what I love even more? Christmas gifts in June!

Haha – Nomi & Nita’s mom received a gift certificate for a photo session for Christmas, and decided to spread out the holiday cheer by redeeming it a few months later. So although I had to wait a little while before meeting these cute pups, I have to admit, it was worth the wait – Nomi & Nita are the sweetest dogs! These poodle mixes live in North Park with their moms, and I photographed them both at home and at Presidio Park. And while they may be similar in appearance, they each have completely distinct personalities: Nomi is a little princess, ready to steal the ball from her sister at a moment’s notice, and averse to the idea of a “collar” and “leash” when she would simply prefer to be relaxing in her mom’s arms. Nita is a bit more submissive, happy to let her sister dig out the ball from underneath the couch, and loves to run & romp in new places (as long as her family’s there with her, of course)! So here’s my question for you: think you’ll be able to see their photos without squealing from all the cuteness? Good luck…

 

Although you’d never know it just from seeing her, Nomi has a rare affliction called mega-esophagus. Her moms have done an incredible, painstaking job of taking care of this sweet girl, and ensuring that she lives safely with this life-threatening issue. And as a result, she rules the roost at home! I just love her big fluffy ears!

cute poodle mix

 

This is Nomi, ready to play! Can you tell that she’s a poodle-chihuahua mix? She doesn’t have any medical issues like her sister, because their moms deserve to have at least one low-maintenance dog! ;)

poodle mixes photo

 

What a sight to come home to… I would literally sprint home after work every day if these sweet faces were waiting for me like this, haha!

poodle mixes

 

Tiffany & Kelly, thank you so much for introducing me to your darling girls! I’m excited to see you both again soon! :)

 

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