lord, this boy is cute …
he’s certainly got some giddy-up …
and an attitude.
Darby is a JRT/papillion cross and you can totally see it … the coat and ears of a papillion but the bone structure and snout of a jack …
and the classic underbite of unfortunate breeding from puppymills.
yes, Darby, too — like our newest little scruffy Merrick — is a puppymill survivor. but he’s living the good life now with mom and dad, Jennifer and Bruce …
just chillin’ on the beach … how pretty is this boy?
of course, boys can be pretty too! … even though i joked upon first meeting Darby, sitting in the lap of his ruggedly-handsome dad Bruce behind the wheel of their big diesel pick-em-up truck: “You look like a girl!” I couldn’t resist.
don’t misunderstand though, this boy is all boy …
… and i truly enjoyed his spirit and energy, even when he wasn’t up for posing. just look at that adorable bottom lip though!
always on the move …
and of course, my favorite stand of trees …
and yes, as you can see in the photo above, i always travel with model-fans just to get that windblown look. 
i was surprised that Darby actually got into the water … then again, with the “You look like a girl!” insult still ringing in his ears, no doubt, he was determined to squash any and all potential comparisons to the opposite gender, including a reluctance to actually get those delicate twinkle toes wet.
“Hey, did you catch that, crazy lady photographer? Hrrmph.”
thanks for being such a sport, Darby. you were a most wonderful model and some of these images are absolute favorites of mine.
and thanks, Jennifer and Bruce, for introducing me to your amazing little boy. i hope you enjoy your gallery of images.
