To bring the dog or not to bring the dog
The answer is…YES!
Photography with family and pets together is not as hard as you might think and your pet often does better than you ever would have guessed.
Preparing for the shoot
Bringing your dog can be stressful, but it doesn't have to be. It's all in the prep, baby.
You know your dog better than anyone, so you know what will make him comfortable. Choose a location that won't stress him out or excite him too much. The dog park is NOT recommended.
I would choose an unpopular forest trail so your pooch can meander leash free. If your dog is leash free, then YOU are hands free. This might result in a lot of extra walking on your part, but that's never a bad thing…you will be transformed into a muscular machine. Wink. If your dog’s manners don’t allow for off-leash walking, then it might be better to stick to your backyard, which you can prep beforehand with backdrops and props that work for you.
If you had the option to go for a quick spin around the block with Brutus before you start the shoot, this will help a lot. A tired dog is less likely to be hyperactive during the shoot.
Also. Dog photography days are probably not the best time to wear your most expensive outfits. Drool happens. And stressed or excited puppers drop hair at an alarming rate. Avoid clingy or staticky fabrics. Photoshop can help, but it’s not a cure-all. Bring a lint roller!
Power up the positivity
Treats! The power of treats is unbeatable. The easiest way to get your fur baby to look at the camera is to load up the photographer with your dog’s favourites pre-shoot. The photographer then becomes the Treat God…whom your dog adores.
Try to keep it light. Dogs will be dogs. They might not give you the exact pose you were hoping for, but so what. Just go with the flow. Candid dog photos are some of the best pictures.
If you want posed photos together with Fido, do some of those first, then just let your photographer follow your darling around with the camera. ‘Keep it short sweetheart’ is my canine-tailored variation of the KISS principle. Don't allow the session to drag on; dogs are like kids they lose interest pretty quickly.
Want proof of the follow-the-dog and KISS? Check out the photos I took here, never once asking for anything special. All I did was praise the dogs to the stars and they lapped it up. Lol. Dogs are natural posers; let them be. They know how to look great.