As excited as I was to meet and work with Moose – after all, his name is “Moose”, how could I not be excited?! – I also wish we didn’t have to get together so soon. I wish I could have chatted with Moose’s parents and explained that my typical waiting list for a photo session is a month or two long. But unfortunately, we didn’t have that luxury – because of a recent diagnosis, I needed to get Moose’s photo session on the books ASAP. Luckily, his mom had the forethought to call me when Moose is still feeling good – and boy, is he feeling good! He’s still a 100%-energy-filled, goofy, happy labrador! As soon as we got to the beach he was practically choking himself to run around – because being on a leash is such a bummer when you have a million things to sniff and people to meet and a whole ocean to play in! ;)  So I shared a lovely afternoon with Moose and his parents, playing on the beach in Del Mar. It was so great to see Moose have a great time, in spite of his thinning fur and the other effects of his cancer treatment. I especially loved seeing the relationship Moose has with his dad; those two are incredibly close and there’s no one Moose listens to better. (Even when the temptation to run straight into the water is almost overwhelming.) So I’m happy to share these photos with you, and I hope you’ll take a second to send some prayers and happy thoughts to Moose and his parents.

This is Moose the chocolate lab! Can’t you tell he’s just bursting to jump up & run around?!

See what I mean? The rocket boosters still work! This dog goes crazy for his ball!

And as the sun went down and the last lights of the day lit up the sky, I felt there was nothing more fitting than for Moose to run around, doing whatever he pleased. The old guy deserves so many more trips to the beach… I want him to enjoy them all as much as he possibly can.

Aubrey & Steve, thank you so much for introducing me to your handsome boy. I really enjoyed meeting all three of you – and I’m excited to show you the rest of our photos soon!

The other day, I received a message from a lovely person who happens to live in Arizona with her two dogs. At first I was confused – but it turns out, they would be vacationing in San Diego the following week, and wanted to have a photo session to commemorate their time here! How fun is that?!

Vacation photo sessions are a growing trend these days; photographers will follow families around Disneyland, or join couples as they explore Paris. Many high-end beach resorts offer custom photography as an in-house service. So I suppose it was only a matter of time before I heard from a visitor to San Diego, since we’re A) a fabulous vacation destination, and B) one of America’s most dog-friendly cities!

I was thrilled to meet Daisy (a German Shorthaired Pointer) and Duke (an English Pointer) in Del Mar for their photo session – and they were thrilled about all the birds that were nearby! These two have hunting drives like you wouldn’t believe, especially Daisy. But I was able to snag their attention for a few photos, and we had a great time playing in the grass and the sand!

This is Duke, who was actually on a leash at the time. Both dogs’ instincts to chase the birds were so high that their mom didn’t feel comfortable taking them off-leash; so we didn’t! Safety first! (This is the sort of thing Photoshop was made for, haha!)

And this is Daisy, the huntress. I’m sure there’s a bird or two out there in the water!

 We enjoyed a gorgeous sunset on the beach that night. I just love these dogs’ powerful silhouettes.

It was such a pleasure to meet all of you, Gaby! Can’t wait to see you again soon! :)

If you’re looking at the title of this blog post and wondering if I’ve photographed a new species of animal, rest assured: Finn is a fun-loving canine! He just happens to have a rather modern breed name. Maltipoos are maltese-poodle mixes, and they’re just one of a huge list of new poodle-mix combinations that are popping up everywhere! Yorkiepoos, pekepoos, cavapoos… not to mention goldendoodles and labradoodles! Poodles are a great breed for families who can’t have a dog that sheds, and they’ve been bred recently with all types of other dogs to combine their best qualities for people of all different lifestyles. Check out this website for more information and a list of hybrid dog breeds you’ve probably never heard of!

This maltipoo photo session in particular had a very special purpose: Finn’s parents are getting married, so one of their photos will help them announce their wedding date to their friends & families! How great is that?! I love that they wanted to include Finn (their “first child”) in that process!

First we played in Powerhouse Park, where Finn chased his tennis ball and was fed plenty of treats. He also showed-off a bit, with this nice long sit-stay! :)

Then we headed down to the beach, where I learned that seaweed is one of Finn’s favorite things. He loves to play with it, tug on it, drag it around the beach like a trophy… haha, it was too cute to see him prancing around with a big chunk of seaweed in his mouth!

What do you think… is this a cute “save the date” photo?

And finally, after running in all directions and chasing a few birds, Finn settled down for a reflective moment in the last light of the day.

Wynter & Craig, I’m so excited for your save the date – and the rest of our photos too, haha! I’ll be in touch! :)