Penn State Dog Session :: Daisy

Last fall I ran a Facebook contest and gave away a Penn State Dog session to one lucky winner. This was contingent on the Nittany Lions winning the Big Ten championship. Which they did when they beat the Wisconsin badgers in an epic 38-31 come from behind win.  The winner of my giveaway was Daisy and the plan was to have the session take place the weekend of the blue/white game in April. But with graduation events and many rainy days we had to postpone to a hot and sunny day a few weeks later. By then, the flowers were in full bloom, which was a perfect backdrop for our photos.

I know Daisy pretty well. She and my girl Izzy and Daisy’s mom and I are friends. So I was really looking forward to our session. Daisy is a very sweet girl with the softest fur I’ve ever petted! I always thought she would grow out of it once she shed her puppy coat, but at 2 years, it doesn’t appear as though she will.

We met at the Hintz alumni center on the campus. Even with all the activity going on around us, Daisy was very focused. While it had been a beautiful day, storms were rolling in and time was quickly running out. I always ask my clients what motivates their dogs – toys, treats, or praise. In Daisy’s case it was a tennis ball.  As long as her eye was on the prize, she would go anywhere I wanted her or follow it with her eyes. In between shots, we tossed it a few times, so she got plenty of playtime too.

Penn State anytime of the year is a wonderful location for a photo session. I especially love the spring with the burst of color after a long gray winter. Editing Daisy’s session reminded me yet again why I love what I do. The adoration Daisy has for her mom as she looked to her for guidance and reassurance was so sweet. I loved seeing how happy catching a ball made Daisy and watching her gently interact with a toddler who wanted to come over and meet the puppy.  I don’t think I’ll ever stop being amazed at all the love and happiness our canine friends bring into this world.