RIP Dear Pepe

Pepe has been reigning King of the Kennel, expertly taking over the repected title when Sylvia passed 2 years ago (she made it to 21!). At age 19, Pepe fought his physical challenges bravely. Regular blood panels to monitor his thyroid issues were our first clue that something was amiss; he sure wasn't acting sick! After the blood numbers indicated something going on, a followup chest xray showed the severity of his condition. The vet was surprised that Pepe was still alive! However, with the amount of damage already done, the decline would be quick - within one or two days the vet thought. The decision was made by Pepe's mom to let him go while he still had great memories of health and happiness.

Pepe on the photo set in December 2010
Spunky Ivan is now the head of the kennel - will he grow up enough to become the King?

Ivan playing Camouflage Kitty, February 2012
Soon we'll be on the lookout for a sweet black/white tuxedo long haired female kitten to bring home to help Ivan run the greeting room in the kennel. But for today, we stay home and fondly remember handsome Pepe, running free at the Rainbow Bridge.

Sneak Peeks: Camp Bow Wow 2012 Holiday Pet Photo Shoot

It's been a l-o-n-g four (and then some) months of not feeling well, but look out pups 'cause I'm back in action! Are those tails I see wagging at the news? I appreciate all the emails in support while I was down for the count and am looking forward to seeing all the furries, and their parents, who are lined up to spend time with my camera.

Easing back into the action included spending time with my friends at El Cajon Camp Bow Wow and raising some money for their Bow Wow Buddies Foundation. Tis the Season, and the Holiday set was ready for the action. Beautiful Flirt (Cocker Spaniel) had a special reason for striking her pose. She is a Therapy Dog now and wanted some special Holiday goodies to hand out on her December visits.

Stoney (Irish Terrier) preferred to go with a classic look without the Holiday touches when he visited on set at Su-Et's Kennel in Santee, CA. Wednesday November 28th will be the last Holiday shoot before Christmas (there are a few spots left). And if the weather holds, there will be a Last Chance shoot with the Holiday theme between Christmas and New Year's for a "pet's first Christmas" if any new fur-kids join your home over the Holiday. Just use the "Contact Me" button at the top of the Blog to inquire about joining a shoot.

Meanwhile, back on the show grounds, the Del Sur Kennel Club held their Fall Puppy Match on a beautiful sunny Sunday in El Cajon, CA. This little Pug shows that even puppies can float on air, when they are a natural for the show ring!

Coming up next: the final Holiday shoot before Christmas, a trip up to Orange County to play with the dogs and some on-set time volunteering for English Springer Rescue America, Inc, one of my favorite rescue organizations!

I hope you enjoyed the sneak peeks into my return to the pet photo studio (and the healthy life). Thanks for the visit - please hug your pet for me today!

Valentine's Day!

Indie and Bennett enjoyed their Valentine's Day - many of their doggie friends sent sweet greetings and I read every one to them. Here are their official Valentine's Portraits for 2011 ... It was another great week of shooting. Camp Bow Wow El Cajon hosted a fundraiser benefiting Bow Wow Buddies Foundation and there were some very handsome campers who made time to come for portraits. This is Charlie, who loves his daddy very much and was such a darling on set for us! Saturday was another beautiful day in Santee, so the studio was open at Su-Et's Kennel. Bronson came for a sitting, and if you know Bulldogs, you KNOW that any photo session with this breed is a fun session full of laughter and love! Meet Cyndle - a sweet teenage West Highland White Terrier. Those that know me know that Cocker Spaniels are my heart dogs, but the Westie is a close second, as I grew up with both breeds. This one is a darling and loved posing for the camera. And no photo shoot at Su-Et's is really complete without a Scottish Terrier sitting for the camera! Meet Duncan and Angus - yes, they are related to many of the other lovely Su-Et's-bred Scotties that you've met through my photos. Such characters, these two! As much fun as the Valentine's set has been, it's time to pack it away until next year. For the rest of February I'll be featuring classic portraits on set, and I might come up with some fun surprises for the pets and owners who want to celebrate a bit of the Irish. Speaking of St. Patrick's Day, the ornaments are available - 50 breeds are up and more to come! You can see them at my Zazzle Store by clicking HERE. Here's a sample, featuring an American Staffordshire Terrier. And I'd like to end with a special tribute to a very special kitty. This is Sylvia's senior portrait, taken in 2009 when she was 20 years old. Sylvia was the Grand Mistress of the kennel, greeting all who came and showering disdain upon the canine world. After a slow physical decline - all the while with her mind sharp and her purr-motor strong - she made her final trip to the vet and is now at The Rainbow Bridge. She is very missed around here! THIS WEEK'S SHOOT SCHEDULE: Rain is in the forcast for the week. If Friday holds at a drizzle, then the Santee Studio will be open from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. It is looking as though Saturday will be too rainy for shooting, however. Location: Su-Et's Kennel, 10631 Prospect Avenue, Santee, CA 92071.

Shoot News and San Diego Photographers

Take a look at these cuties! Jackson and Atticus are two Pomeranian puppies who joined me at the most recent photo shoot. We met at Su-Et's Kennel in Santee and raised some bucks for Scottish Terrier Rescue of Southern California. These pups have a great life ahead of them - only 4 and 6 months old and they already have such great manners (way to go Pom Parents)! The day brought something new my way. Sylvia is the grand matriarch of the kennel, she makes sure things run smooth and that everyone takes a moment to send some adoration her way. You can't tell from looking at this beauty, but she is going to be TWENTY YEARS OLD in August! Wow! As I was surfing the search engines, checking my web sites' placements, I came across an interesting surprise. There's another Mundell in San Diego - and he is a photographer too! Mike is a dog lover as well, but his photography is usually centered on the humans around us rather than the four-leggers. If you are looking for a wedding or event photographer, you might want to check out his website at MundellStudios.com. While I'm tossing about local photographer names, I have to include Julie Edwards, Alicia McGraw and Jen Petit. I first came across Julie's photos when I started my relationship with Dogs and the City Day Care in downtown San Diego. She also does doggie shoots there and has a great style. Her human shots are just incredible! Take a look for yourself at her website: JEdwardsPhotographer.com. Alicia is a fun photographer! She is incredibly patient, as she didn't blink when *my* Indie went on a 40 minute run in the middle of a park shoot. She had Bennett, Spencer and Tara to keep her company while I went to corner and collect the Diva. Alicia does some great "retro" work too. Check out her site at AlishaMcGrawPhotography.com. My all-time hands-down paws-up favorite pet photographer (other than myself, of course!) in San Diego is Jen Petit at Fuzzle.info. Jen is a wonderful supporter of local animal rescue and takes some awesome luring photos as well at LurePix. I have some great role models and someday hope to see my name on a photographer's list of "faves"!