“Honest, straightforward and pulls no punches when it comes to pet loss grief, dog ownership and - gasp - having an LGD as a companion.”
I believe dogs show us the way. My first dog Shep has been one of my greatest teachers in life, guiding me to live more in the moment and to appreciate the wonder of the outdoors.
I have found my soul in the Maremma sheepdog, an old-world livestock guardian dog, and many U.S. breeders take umbrage at keeping these dogs as companion animals. I don't care. My 8-year-old Bella lives happily on a suburban property in Eastern Washington, United States.
As a professional dog photographer, I noticed many of my clients were coming in their dog's final days, whether they were in advanced ages or diagnosed with a terminal illness. I started to study grief and anticipatory grief and how I could provide a better, more comforting service to my clients.
When my mom died in early January 2022, I realized a new purpose: to help normalize grief but, because she was a big dog lover, especially pet loss grief. I have become a certified grief coach and am specializing in the study of pet loss grief. I am training other professional pet photographers how to be a better support to their clients who come to them in these stages of their best fur friend's life.
