♡ How did Puka come into your life? And how did it change things?

I rescued Puka in 2011 when she was about 14 weeks old. She was sitting at a bus stop wearing a classic black bow tie. Puka was smiling ear to ear, which made her cleft lip all the more apparent. She never needed surgery to fix her lip, so it looks like Puka is always smiling. I joke with people saying Puka's smile is contagious, because you can't help but grin after looking at her sweet face. Puka and I have been inseparable ever since we found each other in 2011. I take Puka with me every where I go. Together we've vacationed in Hawaii and ventured on cross-country road trips. Thanks to her I've made so many new friends and been brave enough to travel to places I've never been. Puka has taught me that every animal is unique and they all have their own personalities, just like people.

♡ We read that Puka is opinionated and loves to talk. If Puka could talk what would she say....Or what would you ask her?

Puka loves to talk. Whether she is complaining about traffic on the 405 freeway or singing me a lovely tune first thing in the morning, hearing her voice is something I look forward to every day. If I could ask her anything, I would ask her why she was sitting at the bus stop when she was a baby. How could a puppy so beautiful and unique be homeless and how did she get there? I'd like to think that she'd tell me an epic tale full of adventure and heroism.

♡ Does Puka love posing for your pictures? Can you tell us a bit about your shoots?

Puka is a natural in front of the camera, but she does not work for free! During and after our shoots Puka is rewarded with yummy treats or an exciting game of fetch - she is obsessed with those orange Chuck-It balls! I work in the photography industry so I am constantly on the look out for new ideas. My favorite pics of Puka are of our outdoor adventures or when she poses with our tortoise Rocket Larry.

♡ What is a typical day like for Puka?

Puka's days are full of love and laughter. Every morning she wakes me up by singing at the top of her lungs and pawing at my head. If that doesn't get me out of bed fast enough, she will roll on the floor like a fish out of water and sing even louder. We then walk to the cafe so Puka can see all her friends in the neighborhood. After coffee, Puka enjoys breakfast at home with her best tortoise friend Rocket Larry and more often than not she insists on checking in with our next door neighbor - a sweet lady who showers Puka with delicious treats and belly rubs. Her afternoons consist of long naps, more snacks, and most likely a selfie or two. Our evenings together our either spent at the park playing fetch or cuddled up on the couch watching our favorite movies.

♡ Can you spill the beans on any funny stories about Puka?

Puka is a big goof ball in general. One of my favorite stories about her is how she learned to swim. The first time Puka ever attempted to swim, she sunk to the bottom of the pool like a rock. She was a tiny puppy then, but sinking never seemed to discourage her from getting in the water. Puka continued to show an interest in anything wet! She would bite at the sprinklers or the hose when they were running, or purposely walk through mud puddles on rainy days.Any time she was around a pool or the ocean, she would walk through the shallow parts of the water. One day my boyfriend Davis and I took Puka to a lagoon on the coast. The water was still but it got pretty deep if you ventured too far from the shore. Davis was skipping rocks on the lagoon when all of a sudden Puka chased one of the rocks straight out into the water. She realized quickly that her feet were no longer touching solid ground, but something in her told her to start kicking. She looked silly, exactly like a dog who had never swam before, but she made it back to the shore no problem. To this day Puka isn't the best swimmer, but you can't stop her from getting wet!

♡ Puka has a lot of playmates! What adventures do you go on together?

I'm pretty sure Puka has more friends than me. She's not a "dog park" kind of gal, but she loves long hikes with her dog buds, playing fetch at the park, and running at the beach. One of her first friends in Los Angeles is a gorgeous siberian husky named Ice. Puka loves Ice so much that anytime she sees another husky she gets really excited. Actually, I'm convinced that Puka thinks every husky she sees is her best friend Ice. Puka's other bestie is Phoenix, the cute rescue pup that lives next door. Phoenix generally joins Puka on her morning walk to the cafe and they play together every day. Puka also hangs with a group of rescue pups she met on Instagram - Ollie, Miles, Fujee, Abbey, Badger, Bodhi, Como, and Leo. We meet up with our Insta Friends often for fun adventures and animal adoption fundraisers. But I would say Puka's relationship with our foster dog Sir Clefton is the most unique and probably my favorite.

Tell us more about Puka and Clefton!

Puka has been an only child for 5 years, so when I brought our foster dog Clefton home, she was not amused. They always treated each other with respect, but I could tell Puka was bummed to be sharing her time with me. In a short amount of time, Puka bonded closer with Clefton than any other dog she has befriended. Sometimes I walk into a room and catch them cuddling on one dog bed, even though we have several in the house. And they love to chase each other around the yard and walk as close as possible to one another on our walks. I think Puka really loves Clefton and it's nice to to know that Clefton, who has only been out of the shelter for 4 months, already has a best friend in life.