Another very good dog went up to the sky recently. This is Harley the Chihuahua mix, who I photographed a few years ago in the San Francisco Bay Area at a big, beautiful home. One of my favorite old San Francisco dog photography clients purchased this session as a gift for her boss, and when I pulled up the driveway there was a herd of Standard Poodles and Chihuahuas running around the yard in the sunshine. My kind of a morning.

Harley was very loved, and will be deeply missed. This will be the third time in the past six months that I help a client put together a memorial urn - I've been getting many requests for this and I love pulling together small prints to go on these urns. Everyone has their own way of honoring beloved companions that have passed - spreading their ashes, burying them at a pet friendly cemetery, placing them in an urn or box and placing them on the mantle. Whatever speaks to you, taking the time to mark the passing of time and memorializing the short lives of our canine companions is incredibly meaningful and a powerful part of the mourning process.

We are all mortal beings. It hurts, it’s beautiful, it’s the foundational reality of sharing our lives with dogs. Saying hello and saying goodbye changes us humans forever. Godspeed little Harley. You’re a very good dog.

Farewell to Harley