Life is so unpredictable, isn’t it?

At the beginning of last week, I didn’t know that I’d be meeting Pork Chop, the sweet hound mix, at her favorite spot in Ocean Beach for a photo session.

Pork Chop’s mom didn’t even know that she’d be calling me for a photo session.

But things change quickly when you get bad news… especially if it’s a diagnosis. And I’m heartbroken to say that Pork Chop got bad news at the vet last week. 9 years old is far too young to be diagnosed with cancer… but her mom acted quickly and we met less than 72 hours later. Which is definitely NOT the circumstances in which I would have wanted to meet them, it’s not a scenario I’d wish upon anyone – but in the end I’m so glad that I got to meet this sweet girl and her mom.

Pork Chop lives in Tucson, Arizona – which is a pretty far distance from San Diego! But she and her mom have made the road trip out here several times in the past, so they hopped in the car again and didn’t stop until they reached their favorite place: Ocean Beach dog beach! They love relaxing in the sand and watching all the people & dogs play in the water together. Pork Chop doesn’t run around much; she’s always been a calm, even-keeled dog who’s happy to simply be right by her mom’s side. (Except when they walk around, haha – Pork Chop quickly forms a single file line right behind her mama! It’s like her favorite game is “follow the leader”!) So I joined them for a classic trip to the dog beach, which included a few brief spurts of energy and plenty of rest breaks. (And maybe a little spontaneous crying from her mama – and me, too.) But we had a fun time – despite the circumstances – and I’m loving the images we created together.

Pork Chop can still run through the waves! It’s not as easy as it used to be, but she can still move like a young dog!

You can’t tell from this photo, but Pork Chop really made me work for those ears. She’s a crafty lil’ lady.

There’s just something about sandy paws…

… they’re almost as cute as a sandy face.

Laura, thank you so much for introducing me to your sweet girl. I’ve been thinking about you both recently – I’ll talk to you soon! :)

Tags: beach, dogs, mixed breed, pet photography, pets, photography, San Diego, San Diego Dog Photographer, San Diego pet photography, senior