Our beloved pets are truly members of the family. They bring so much joy and happiness into our lives, with their unconditional love and loyalty. And when it comes to flat-coated retrievers, it’s hard not to fall head over heels in love with this lovable, wild, goofy breed.

Hulk, our senior fur baby, is the wise old man of the group. He’s the one who knows all the tricks and loves nothing more than a sleep-in on a Sunday morning or a good snuggle on the couch. And who can blame him? He had a hard start to life with hip replacements and health issues, however, despite this, he was always happy and loving.

Bambi, on the other hand, is the unicorn of the breed. We waited 5 long years to welcome her to our family and she is the embodiment of pure love. Her affectionate nature and constant need for love, kisses, and snuggles make her the perfect furry companion. Her smile can light up any room, and her playful antics bring laughter and joy to everyone around her.

And let’s not forget about Ariel, our newest addition to our furry family. Another unicorn (liver/brown flat-coated retrievers hard to get in Australia!) At just 12 weeks old, she’s already making her mark with her cheeky personality and endless energy. It’s hard not to laugh when watching her get the zoomies, or smile when she cuddles with her sister all the while she is exploring the world, learning who she is.

But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows when it comes to our furry friends. Sadly some of us have pets who have devastating health conditions, a constant battle, losing a beloved pet, like Jake, can be one of the most heart-wrenching experiences a pet parent can go through. It’s easy to take for granted the special moments and memories we create with them until it’s too late.

We had booked a session with Fliss & Co – photos by Chelsea, the excitement leading up to our first professional family shoot since we got married was indescribable.  However, 13 days out, we received some devastating news – our senior boy Jake was unwell. Our family shoot was scheduled for the following weekend, but we made the heartbreaking decision to spend one last weekend with him, cherishing our last moments with him and indulging in all the things he loved.

I messaged Chelsea with the request to postpone our session until later that year as we would be saying goodbye to our family member just a few days prior and I couldn’t imagine having the shoot so soon after. Chelsea was nothing short of amazing and kind. She changed her schedule and moved our shoot up earlier to ensure our family photos were captured.

The photos that Chelsea captured during our session are now cherished memories that we will hold onto forever. She did an amazing job, capturing the love and joy that our family shared, even during a time of sadness.  And on the day, we had to say goodbye to our beloved senior boy, she sent flowers and a handwritten note – an incredibly thoughtful gesture that brought comfort in our time of grief.

At that moment, she became our photographer for all shoots moving forward, as her kindness and compassion will always be remembered.

In the end, our photography experience taught us the importance of capturing memories, cherishing our loved ones, and the power of kindness during difficult times.

Since that shoot, we have been lucky enough to have such an amazing photographer capture Bambi and Ariel’s 9 week old shoots, and we look forward to our family shoot in January 2024.

Follow Fliss & Co – Photos by Chelsea on Instagram (all images by fliss & co, Bambi 9week old session, family session, Ariel 9 week old session)

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