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August 10, 2017 by Terran 3 Comments

5 Reasons This San Diego Pet Photographer LOVES Pit Bulls

I’ve met a LOT of dogs in my life and the bully breeds are right there at the top of my list of favorites. Every single one I’ve ever met has been so full of personality, love, and joy — and they have the best smiles! They’re just like every other dog who wants to feel loved, be a part of a family, and devote their lives to being your best friend. Need proof? Keep reading to meet five of the most lovabull pitties I’ve worked with… and if you want a special treat, stick around ’till the end!
 

#1 Joshua the international male model

This amazing fella was left for dead, chained to the wall in a basement many years ago. He was saved when a neighbor heard is original owner talking about how they were waiting for him to die before tossing his body in the trash. He was brought to his local SPCA where his soon-to-be mama volunteered. He was malnourished to an extreme level and had a long way to go before he would be ready to go into a home. When he was healthy and available for adoption, a nice family came in, fell in love, and took him home. His soon-to-be mom was absolutely heartbroken. She expressed her sadness to the head of the SPCA and he told her he never would have let Joshie go if he had known! But, as it turned out, Josh was not meant to be with this other family and they brought him back a few days later. His soon-to-be mama got the call that he was back and she raced down to scoop him up! Joshua now leads a very pampered life as an international male model for his mom who’s a fellow pet photographer in Boston. He has found his forever home and his forever family. He is so full of love and joy for every day.

As a little fun note, when I visited Joshie and his mom in Boston for their On-Location Adventure, I was invited to stay for a sleepover (his mom and I are dear friends) and I got to snuggle with Joshua all night long! He takes up the entire bed, snores like a little piggie, and when he senses you’re awake in the morning, will wiggle his entire body right up to touch your nose and give the biggest yawn right in your face to say good morning! I loved it all and it’s simply the best way to wake up!

Explore On-Location Adventures like Joshua’s

 

#2 Odin the squish-face 

In another story about love and fate, soft and squishy Odin was celebrating his 1-year gotchaversary during our On-Location Adventure in San Diego’s must-see Balboa Park! He was rescued by his mom from a high-kill shelter one hour before he was scheduled to be euthanized. His mom had been sharing his photo and story online, trying to find an adopter because she knew what was about to happen. As the fateful hour drew near with no family in sight, she knew it was because she was meant for him. She drove to the shelter, scooped him up, and the rest is history!

Odin is probably the most laid-back dog I have ever met. He’s a total goober and is always smiling. His mama loves him with her whole heart and he loves her just the same. He leads a wonderful life with his forever family!

Explore On-Location Adventures like Odin’s

 

#3 Athena the petite packs-a-punch-of-cuteness staffie

How gorgeous is this sweet girl? Athena is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and is one giant ball of happy lets-go-play energy! She absolutely loves the beach so we headed to Coronado Dog Beach for her On-Location Adventure. We spent a good chunk of time playing with the ball, running through the waves, and playing chase with mom and dad. She is teeny-tiny compared to other bully breeds but the amount of love this little girl has for her mom and dad in one of her little paws could outweigh the biggest bull mastiff around! Athena loves to say hello to everyone she sees, especially if you have a toy to play with! She leads an extremely good life with two doting pet-parents who love her more than anything!

Explore On-Location Adventures like Athena’s

 

#4 Polo the dapper dog

This handsome hunk is a professional male model extraordinaire. He waited and waited and waited at the shelter for over an entire year before I got to meet him. Polo is a very studious fella who spent his days in the shelter working with a talented trainer who was teaching him all the manners a gentleman needs before going into a proper home. We were doing a fashion shoot in the studio to help raise awareness for homeless pets and Polo came to model for us. He looked so dapper in his pink tie, don’t you think?

Want to know the best part about this story? Polo found his forever family just a week later!

Explore Studio Sessions like Polo’s

 

#5 Belle the Flower Child

Sweet, wonderful Belle. She was her mama’s first pup and was slowing down in her senior years. Belle had bone cancer in her left front limb right below her shoulder so she wasn’t as spry as she once was but she still loved making new friends, squeaking her tennis ball, car rides, and going on walks. Belle absolutely loved to explore and that’s exactly what we did during our springtime On-Location Adventure in Los Penasquitos Canyon in San Diego. By the way she smiled among the flowers in the golden afternoon light, I think she was a real country girl. She had 13 amazing years as the happiest pup with a mom and sister who utterly adored her!

Explore On-Location Adventures like Belle’s

 

Guess what?

A big part of why I do what I do is the ability to give back. For the next 10 bully-breed dog families who sign up for an On-Location Adventure with me before the end of 2017, I’m going to give $100 to It’s the Pits Dog Rescue of San Diego.

Are you with me? Grab your session today!


Want to read more stories? Scroll down and sign up for the Wild, Wild Westway!

 

Filed Under: all pet portraits, field notes

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. pene diMaio says

    August 15, 2017 at 1:50 pm

    This is lovely, Terran! You so obviously LOVE what you do and the sweet critters you get to kibbutz with!!

    Reply
  2. Wyn says

    August 16, 2017 at 10:23 am

    Love this post and your support of rescue organizations! Thank you for all you do for the animals :-)

    Reply
  3. Andrea says

    September 19, 2017 at 7:29 am

    Thank you so much for helping It’s The Pits! We very much appreciate you :)

    Reply

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Hi there! In the age of social media, we all scrol Hi there! In the age of social media, we all scroll... a lot. Since we've had a bunch of new followers lately, I wanted to take a moment to say hi, introduce myself, and get to know you a little!​​​​​​​​
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I'm Terran, the Crazy Dog Mom behind Westway Studio. My hubby, senior pup, and I live in San Diego for six months of the year and travel the US in our Airstream for the other six. We love being on the road, meeting new people, seeing new places, eating new foods, and experiencing this beautiful country we call home.​​​​​​​​
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I'd love if you would share a little something about you and your pets with me — like where you're from, your animal companion's favorite vacation destination, a silly story, or anything else! :)
It's your last chance to apply for our upcoming We It's your last chance to apply for our upcoming West Paw photo shoot! The casting call closes this afternoon! Don't miss out - photo shoots are TONS of fun for people and pets! Link in bio or https://www.westpaw.com/pages/model-call
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YahoOOoOooOoo!!! We are planning our next photo sh YahoOOoOooOoo!!! We are planning our next photo shoot with West Paw at the end of January! We're looking for dogs + their people to participate. Dogs should be well-trained and love treat toys! We are looking for pups of all breeds, mixes, and ages. Link in bio to apply or https://www.westpaw.com/pages/model-call​​​​​​​​​
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