How Can I Get the Most Out of My Dog’s Photo Session?


This is a question I hear all the time. Heck, it’s a question I used to ask myself before scheduling with another photographer! While it may not seem like a simple answer, it really is: Practice. Practice the things you want to see your dog do before you get to the photo session. Let’s use my own dog, Laika, as an example.

Laika is a 5 year old beagle mix that we adopted when she was 8 weeks. Have I been molding her into the perfect model for the last 5 years? Maybe… But you don’t need 5 years of training to get a great photo! If I adopted her today, here are three things I would practice right now to help us achieve the best photos possible!

  1. LOOK! Practice making eye contact with your dog and rewarding them when they do it! This is an unnatural behavior for many breeds, especially looking at a stranger, a giant camera lens (except if you own a border collie… they will stare into your soul!) There are a few methods to achieve this, and I’m not master trainer, but with Laika it was as simple as calling her name and when she would look at me or my husband, we would give her a big reward with a cookie.
  2. SIT! This seems like a no brainer, but surprisingly I have met quite a few pets who don’t know this trick, especially when in a new environment. Dogs don’t always take lessons learned at one place and have the ability to repeat them in a new place. Practicing this when you’re on walks, at the vet, dog park, and in other distracting environments will only help strengthen your bond and ensure you get a great photo on the studio.
  3. STAY/WAIT! Another great tip! Even if your pet isn’t comfortable sitting or laying down, as long as they stay where they are I can still get great photos. The longer they can stay in one place, the less physically tired they will be at the end of the session which allows us to take our time and keep their attention.


The benefit to learning all these behaviors isn’t just to have a good picture you can hang on your wall, but it will also keep your pet mentally stimulated and strengthen the bond between pet and owner. There is never a bad reason to start training your dog, but if you wanted an excuse, pet photography is a great reason in my mind!!


Are there any other tips I might be missing? Let me know in your next photo session!

-Zoë