When Edmund Fitzgerald's dad contacted me for his session, I'll admit that I didn't know what the Doxie's name was in reference to. It wasn't until after I talked to a friend of mine that I learned of the famed freighter and folk song. After reading up on the story, I was confident enough to go into the session knowing everything about the tragic events of the boat's wreck. Now I just needed to find out why this tiny little Dachshund was named after this freighter...
Turns out that Edmund Fitzgerald's parents are big Gordon Lightfoot fans (this singer of the folk song) and have been to several of his concerts. In ironic fashion, they thought it would be funny to name such a tiny, little creature after a huge 728-foot boat. How hysterical!!!
He is so cute and photogenic!
Not to be overshadowed, Hershel is Edmund Fitzgerald's older brother. His gray face shows his age but he is wise beyond his years. :)
He still has some craziness in him too! :)
Doxies are so cute when they run!!! I love their flying ears!
Hehe! Edmund Fitzgerald almost looks like a toy here...
Well, if you didn't know about the Edmund Fitzgerald and/or the song, I hope you get the chance to look it up and get a little history lesson today! :) And if you don't, at least you got to look at some super-cute pups!
Missy and Dailey
Before I start on the cuteness overload you're about to see of Missy and Dailey, I have to give a big shout out to their parents. Long-time followers of mine, they were all over everything for their session. Mom read all through the Welcome Package and did everything in the "How to Prepare" section and even had an appreciation for the lighting the day of the session (we had to reschedule once because of the threat of rain). Can I say dream client? Just wanted to put that out there because I don't do it often enough. My clients (human and 4-legged) are amazing. :) Now on to their super-adorable babies, Missy and Dailey. Although they greeted me with a couple barks, once I stepped in their home and they smelled treats, they were all mine. :) Even Dailey (who tends to be a little more shy) was following me around within seconds. I had a feeling they were going to be great models. I introduce the pups in front of the camera for this pet portrait session...drum roll please....Dailey (left) and Missy (right)...
I instantly fell in love with Dailey. He may have a little head - no, really, he's tiny - but he's got the smarts of a young child. There's a lot going on behind those eyes. He's one of the most intelligent pups I've ever met.
Missy wasn't a dummy either. She'd do anything for a treat. :)
The best part was seeing the two of these pups together. They are professional head-tilters part-time. 
And full-time crazy playmates!
And of course to-die-for models. :)
I squeal every time I see an image of these two together!!!
Toward the end of our session, we made a quick trip down to the neighborhood creek. Most of the tall grass and flowers had been cut that afternoon but we managed to find some pretty goodness to pose in.
These two, man. Gotta love 'em! :)
Shyla + Laynie - Studio Session
We are in the middle of a nasty snow storm here in Charlotte. Reasons like this, and honestly because I hate the cold, is why I love having the option for studio sessions. These are perfect for these cold, winter months that aren't so pretty as well as the dog days of summer when it's unbearable to be outside (doesn't that seem so far away?). We can curl up in the studio, relax and not worry about the rain, snow or temperatures out the front door. Sweet! Shyla and Laynie spent an evening in the studio with me and I just fell in love with these shorties. They had sweet little personalities and, I swear, they smiled for their group shot...
We also had some fun playing with the tennis ball...
Gotta love those puppy dog eyes... <3
I hope you enjoyed these Doxies as much as I did!!!
Barkley and Bailey
It doesn't quite look like Fall yet here in the Charlotte area. But with cooler temperatures and a few leaves on the ground, we figured we could recreate the look for Barkley and Bailey's session! It certainly helps when the models are covered in the gorgeous colors of Autumn - vivid golds, creamy browns, and luscious creams! Yes, Barkley and Bailey are super-amazing dappled Doxies and they are the epitome of cuteness! :)
These brothers are 2 years old and have the good looks to go with the young age! Barkley is the darker of the two and Bailey, well, I guess she just wanted to stick her tongue out...
In certain light, these two seriously glowed gold. I wonder if they are 14 or 24 karat?
Barkley and Bailey have a huge pen that they hang out in when they want to go outside. They are on full-force playtime when they are out there!
I love that the leaves were starting to fall and collect on the ground. Ahhhhhhhh...Fall...
Barkley had a good ol' time playing with the flurry of leaves.
Bailey was way more interested in the squeaky ball I brought.
But he also took some time to play in the leaves. :)
I'd like to meet the person that could say no to this face!!!
More gorgeousness in the leaves. I love how Barkley and Bailey blend right in - total camo!
What a wonderful and Fall-like session - just a preview of the months to come!!!! Thanks so much B&B!
Ellie, Mattie, and Lowrider
When you photograph smaller dogs, you sometimes don't know what you're gonna get. They can often be a little timid at first because they think the camera is a big black eye checking them out. Then, the click of the shutter can really spook them. Usually extra care and time must be used to condition them to think the camera is only a treat dispenser - not a nasty monster coming to destroy them. When it came time to photograph this trio of ladies, Ellie, Mattie, and Lowrider, I figured I'd spend quite a bit of time letting them warm up to me. I was warned that Lowrider could be a little shy around strangers and that Ellie was timid. Hahaha! When we finally met in person, there wasn't a lick of shyness between the three of them! They were super excited to explore and turn it on for the camera!
I introduce, from left to right, Ellie, Lowrider, and Mattie...
We started by photographing Mattie. This pretty Beagle/Italian Greyhound mix sure put her Beagle instincts to work out at Fisher Farm. Her nose was on full alert as she checked out all the stinky goodness around us!
I don't think her smile gets much better than this!
Oh and she's a runner (actually they all are as you'll soon see). Shake a bag of treats and she's go, go, go!
Next we got to hang with the awesomely named, Lowrider. She was as poised and graceful as she could be. She happily showed her stuff for her time in front of the camera!
She's another treat hound! Again, shake the treat bag and she's all yours! She's pretty low to ground to start with but she's got some air in this shot...
And she loves to be held like a baby! Eeeek! :)
Lastly, we photographed Ellie. She was a recent foster failure who has certainly come into her own in her new home. Gone are the days of being timid! Nope! She is 100% in your face with love!
More air time!!!
Like I said, there's nothing timid about this! ;)
I know this shot is out of focus but it's soooo Ellie!!!
This is our attempt at getting all three to run together. With air like Mattie has, there's no wonder why she's in the lead!
And our attempt at a silhouette. Just missing a head but I think it works. :) Plus mom and dad worked very hard in the horrible humidity and they deserve a shot together! Love!
Bean
Last but not least, we have Bean!!! She is the last pup I photographed for the vets at Brawley Animal Hospital. :) Bean, like most Dachshunds, had her own idea of how the session should be run. Haha! Once we figured out this cutie was more comfortable around the vets, I just had them run with each other, stand by each other, and work-it together. It worked out perfectly and Bean has some great shots to show off!
I love her girly ears in her running shots...
Totally comfortable with her momma!
Bean's vet friend ran with her just off-camera. She was a trooper and, at one point, even lost her shoe in the freshly cut grass!
This was Bean's little nest in the uncut grass. The guy that was cutting the grass as we were shooting thought she was going rabbit hunting. Haha!
And finally all four of the 4-leggers! What a group!!!
I can't wait to see Bean, Rookie, Frank, and Ernie's faces up on the walls of their clinic. I hope they bring tons of smiles to their clients' and patients' faces!
Affinity, Kobe & Avalanche
Rainy, cloudy, and windy aren't really things you want to see in the forecast...especially when you are heading to the beach...from Kentucky. Every year, this furry family takes a week-long trip from the Bluegrass State to the shores of Emerald Isle. Usually the schedule consists of sunbathing and a little r&r but this time, I shook up their plans when they realized I would be doing doggy sessions there at the same time they arrived.
These troopers left Kentucky at 3 in the morning and arrived on the island around 3 in the afternoon. With little sleep, empty bellies, and a few excited Dachshunds, their session was only a couple hours away. We spent those 2 hours texting back and forth as rain, wind, and clouds surrounded us and made us wonder if we were going to have to give up hope on taking pictures of Affinity, Kobe, and Avalanche on their favorite beach. We decided to press forward and I'm so glad we did!
The wind and cold never let up on us and we had to dodge raindrops a few times, but it was totally worth it! Affinity, Kobe, and Avalanche had a great time and as long as they were on the beach, they were happy as the clams washing up on shore. :)
We began the session with Affinity. The eldest of the trio, she is pretty chill and just takes things as they come. For example, she was happy to let the wind do it's thing.
Don't let her fool you though. She does get excited. When she's allowed to roam on the beach, she comes out of her shell!
And she might even take a roll in the sand.
What a happy face!!!
LOVE this pretty necklace she modeled at the end of our time together!
Next up was Kobe. Kobe is pretty opposite of his sister and is a little firecracker! I was warned he likes to run and dig so I was happy he didn't disappoint!
Some outtakes that are oh-so-Kobe...
Don't get me wrong though, he was also an excellent model. I love this of him looking toward the ocean. He likes to look...not touch.
Last but certainly not least, we photographed Avalanche. This sweetie started cuddling with me the minute I showed up for the session and I knew right away he was going to be a little camera ham. I love his little white face! (PS - I'm going to drive to Kentucky to dog nap him.)
Mighty hunting stance...
Avalanche made sure he showed his crazy side too. I was impressed! Happy boy...
And the three beach bums...
So sorry for the longest post ever! I just couldn't help myself!
I hope the weather has gotten better for this furry family! Major props to them for putting up with the wind and rain. Safe travels home!!!
Oscar, Harriet, and Reese Cup
I introduce a trifecta of Dachshunds! From left to right - least hairiest to most hairiest - Harriet, Oscar, and Reese Cup! Each one of these 4-legged shorties have personalities as different as their looks. Put together, they have the perfect compilation of traits to complete their household. :)
Harriet is the most shy of the three (except come rabbit hunting time). However, her mom brought a couple of her favorite treats which grabbed her attention long enough for me to get some great shots of her sweet Red Dabble face. I instantly was attracted to the markings on her ears. I think she is stunning...
Nothing like gorgeous light and a beautiful pup! Love!
Next up is Oscar. This long-haired boy is his mom's heart dog. He can tend to be a little nervous around strangers but, again, the magic trick was some yummy treats. He actually warmed up to me and the camera very quickly. From judging some of his poses, I'd say he was practicing for this shoot for a while. :)
"Did you get my good side?"
He wanted to make sure I captured how luscious his locks were...
He really did pose the whole shoot!
Last but not least, we have Reese Cup! Reese is the newest addition to the family but is definitely the mother of the trio. Despite being the most laid back of the three, she won't take her eyes off Harriet and Oscar! She has to make sure they are ok 100% of the time.
She has the perfect name - her fur matches a Reese Cup perfectly!
I love how fluffy Reese is. Walking around in the grass, she looked like one of those woolly bear worms. It was cracking me up! She even kinda moved like one!
And the whole pack together... :)
