Sur Nicholas McLovin and Sierra

There are so many places to start with this story that I'm not sure where to begin. I guess I'll start with Sur Nicholas McLovin, aka Sur. I actually met Sur about two-and-a-half years ago when I was volunteering with the Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas. He was being fostered by fellow volunteers - now his parents - and was fighting a horrible battle with Mange. He was struggling for his life but fortunately found a great couple that provided wonderful care and love. This is what Sur looked like before...And this is Sur now. Isn't he stunning?Too often, the "ugly" dogs (especially Pits and Pit-mixes) are overlooked and left behind at shelters around the country. I love Sur's story because it shows that the ugly duckling can turn into a swan! Through Sur's recovery, a strong bond formed between he and his dad. His dad owns a dog walking and training business and Sur has been instrumental in helping him perfect his training abilities. In fact, we took some time to photograph some of his training techniques for his developing website. The exercise on the right is called Pushing and is part of Natural Dog Training. Sur's dad uses these giant boulders during his training sessions and they were just to pretty to pass by. Time for a photo opp!This session wasn't just about Sur. His sister joined in too! Her name is Sierra and she is just the sweetest ol' lady ever!Sur may be daddy's dog but Sierra is definitely momma's girl. Some of Sierra's mom's favorite traits about her are...

1 - She always raises her paw to get your attention

2 - Her teeth!!!3 - She has a great body wag and bounce4 - Her play bow. I'm so glad we captured them all!!!This whole family makes me want to squeal!!! Love them and they are the epitome of dog people!Sierra looks gorgeous in this picture but I think she was ready for a nap! :)And I'll finish off with more of Sur balancing on things...

Thank you so much for a wonderful session! I'm so thrilled to see how far Sur has come and I hope he inspires others to take a second look at the "ugly" doggy in the window.

Morgan and Sam

Morgan and Sam are quite the special pair. They are the two oldest pups in a pack of five - yes, five! They are buddies and love to chill together while the other three "kids" do their young-dog thing. Sam, the oldest, has an *adorable* gray face (I'm a sucker) while Morgan is a super cozy, fluffy, black fur-ball. Back in August, these two had a surprise session for their mom's birthday/Christmas gift. She was away for the summer working on a ranch in Jackson, WY (my favorite place in the world) and missed her pups dearly. This gave us a wonderful opportunity to sneak in a session without her knowing.

Their dad *might* not have been able to wait till those special holidays to unveil the surprise though. ;) Well, now that the secret is out, I'm happy to share their beautiful faces with the world. Sorry I made their mom cry when she saw the pictures but I hope she cherishes them forever. <3

Morgan is such a sweetie pie with the cutest smile and to-die-for ears. Is this not a face that gets what it wants?Like I mentioned, I am a sucker for gray faces. So when I saw Sam for the first time, I melted a little on the inside. I heart older dogs! We had our session at Latta Plantation and spent most of the shoot along the lakefront. Morgan was, um, a little obsessed with the water and stared longingly at it... Just the thought of going near the lake got her super excited...And then she was pooped...

I just want to grab her and cuddle with her fluffy fur!Now Sam wasn't as excited about the water as Morgan was. However, he agreed to pose his handsome face in front of the lake for me!Sam was much happier hanging out where there wasn't risk of him falling in the water. He was all smiles on the dock.I just want to give his little face kisses!Thank you for such a wonderful session! I'm so glad I got to spend an evening making some wonderful memories for Morgan and Sam's mom! {{{HUGS}}}!

Ilsa - Dog Portraits

Ilsa. I almost cried when I met her. I had a flash-forward about 9 years and saw my Eva in her eyes. They look identical to the point it shocked me. However, Ilsa is still a gorgeous girl at fourteen-and-a-half years young! She is a tough lady once named the "Most Hyper Dog Ever Seen" by a local veterinarian. She still has her spunk after having 2 knee replacements, cancer on her nose, and arthritis in all of her legs. She was a pleasure to work with and kept me surprised at her love for yummy treats and the energy she still had. I mean, look at this adorable face... I'm so glad the family wanted to join in for some of the pictures! I always encourage my clients to join in and no one ever regrets doing it. Ilsa still has her skills!And she still has her silliness!We packed up the treats and heading to the local park...

Thank you so much for letting my photograph Ilsa. I hope this was a glimpse into what my future will be like with Eva. I would be one lucky girl :)