Years ago, when Julie just got her first dog Tucker, she met Taylor, who had just gotten Cleo. Julie and Taylor became quick friends, and stayed in touch through moves, and life changes. Fast forward about eight years.
If you're a dog person, you know the concept of a "heart dog." A dog that someone has a special connection with, something that's kind of indescribable, almost like a soulmate. To Taylor, Cleo was her heart dog. A dog that shared so many moments in her life—ups and downs, through her 20s.
In 2022, Cleo was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. Taylor's year was filled with tough decisions, scary vet appointments, and a whole lot of unknowns. If you've ever lost a dog, I'm so sorry. It's a special kind of pain you can only understand from experiencing it. Julie and I didn't have much other than comfort to offer. Having photographed Taylor and Cleo a a little while before the diagnosis, we wanted to give Taylor and Cleo a few more moments to remember together.
Julie and I drove from Denver to the Illinois/Iowa border for an end of life session. And before my tears reach my keyboard, I'll leave you with the photos that tell the story of Taylor and Cleo <3
"They capture memories, moments—moments you might not even realized happened at the time and when you see them captured in photos, you melt. I'm obsessed with literally every photo they shot and I can't wait to hire them again!" - Taylor
In loving memory of Cleo 10/05/2014 - 12/23/2022