Prepare your Dog for a Photo Session

You are excited – you’ve booked your professional photography session with your dog, and the big day is fast approaching with your chosen dog photographer! What on earth should you do to prepare? Here are ten tips to help you prepare your dog for the photo session.

Grooming

The finished photos from your dog’s photo session will look much better if you pay attention to your dog’s grooming requirements before the big day. For many dogs, especially short-haired breeds, this may just involve a bath, a brush, and perhaps a nail trim a day or two before the session. For longer-haired breeds, it can involve more.

Grooming is a personal choice; there’s no right or wrong approach. If you love your dog’s natural look, then go for it! These photos are for you to cherish, so choose what feels right. 

Even if you typically have your dog professionally groomed, allow time between the grooming and the session to let their new clip settle in. This helps avoid the just-groomed look. At the very least, bathe and brush your dog a day or two before the session. Don’t forget to trim their nails, clean up tear stains, and wipe away any eye boogers.

Pay particular attention to any fur around the eyes. This will make all the difference in ensuring heart-warming photos of your dog. As they say, the eyes are the windows to the soul. It is much harder to obtain great focus on a dog whose eyes are hidden by fur!

If you choose me as your preferred dog photographer, I can’t guarantee that your dog will come out of the session sparkly clean, but if we are shooting near the water, I will get the key portraits and family portraits before we let them loose in the water!

Choose Your Dog’s Accessories

Select a collar and leash that are clean, well-fitting, and visually appealing. Remove any tags prior to the session as these can detract from your dog, and on bright days, become reflective to the sunlight which is not great for photos. Consider a bandana if this is an accessory you love your dog to wear. The leash should be simple without any big buckles. Don’t worry if you don’t have a suitable leash, just bring yours along, and we’ll swap it out with one of mine for the session.

I’ll show you how to hold the leash in the photos so I can edit them out easily.

A few of their favourite things

Does your dog have a favourite toy or other cool treasure they adore? Bring it along to their photo session.

Adding personal touches throughout the session can make a real difference in telling your dog’s story through meaningful photographs.

This is especially important if you consider purchasing an album, as these little things add to your dog’s story.

Training and Assistance

Whilst basic training such as sit, stand, drop, stay, and come help the session go more smoothly, with outcomes similar to those featured throughout our website, we will still get some great photos if your dog is not fully trained.

If your dog has had little, if any, basic training, I encourage you to invest some time in teaching him a few basics in the weeks before the photo session.

If I had to choose two, it would be sit and stay. A little training goes a long way concerning the enjoyment you, your dog, and I will get from the experience.

I’ll also need you to assist during the photo session by positioning and directing his attention. For this reason, it’s great if you can bring someone else along to the session with you.

I’ll spend some time with your dog before I start shooting to build rapport, get them used to my camera, and get some cuddles, too! I have lots of tricks up my sleeve to get their undivided attention.

Treats

I use healthy, human-grade treats during the session to build rapport and engagement with your dog and reward them for the desired behaviour. I always carry a stash of treats, but if your dog is picky or has dietary restrictions, please bring something special they love! Tiny pieces work best.

If your dog is not treat-motivated, you may decide not to feed him before the session so he is extra hungry and interested in what I offer. I can also use toys and other methods to get their undivided attention so they strike an engaging pose.

Water

Make sure you pack your dog’s travel bowl and water. I have plenty of refreshing, filtered rainwater to top you up if needed. I also have bottled water available if you get thirsty, too.

Energy Levels

The best state for a dog to be in for their photo session is for their energy level to be average, meaning they are happy to play and also quite content to sit contentedly when asked.  Every dog is different, and you, as their parent, are the best to determine how to prepare them for the day.

If your dog is high-energy, please exercise him for an hour or two before the session.

If your dog is older or has a lower energy level, please ensure he is well-rested before the session.

Choosing Your Outfit

Wear colours that complement your dog’s fur to ensure you both look great together.

For example, avoid black clothing if you have a black dog to prevent blending in.

Coordinating your outfit with your dog’s look can create visually appealing photos.

Think About What You’d Love Captured

Your dog’s personality is the star of the show! Don’t stress if your dog isn’t perfectly behaved; the best photos often come from spontaneous, candid moments.

Think about the shots you’d love to capture and let your dog’s natural behaviour shine through.

Have these ten tips to help you prepare your dog for their photo session spurned you into action to think about booking your dog in for a photo session? If so, check out this blog post about the Discovery Call.

If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch!

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