4-legged family members...
This may be you: You've been researching photographers, pulling your available dates, and thinking about what to wear. You finally booked a photo session and you can't wait to update your home with fresh photos! While this is exciting, in your mind, no photo is a true, complete family photo without your sweet dog(s)... and although you will bring them, you feel a little apprehensive about how they will behave and if there will be any good shots with them. Well, I've got a few tips for you so that you AND your pup will be ready to roll!
Here are a few tips to prepare your dog for your photography session:
- Grooming/Bathing: Has it been a minute since your dog has been freshened up? Plan a trip to the groomer for the same week as the photo session or a bath the day before to look fresh and photo ready! No wet dogs in your photos please ;)
- Practice your commands at home: If your dog isn't used to sitting on command regularly, practice this at home a few days or weeks leading up to your session, with treat incentives. This can give your dog a "fresh training" to be ready for all the family shots! Bonus points for being able to lay down and shake ;)
- Give your pup a lighter meal pre-photo session: This may give your pup more incentive to perform well and follow commands for treats! Please of course feed your sweet dog, but overfilling may lead to less excitement over the treats. We are not above bribery to get those amazing shots!
- Rest or Run pre-photo session: Depending on your dog, they may need time to rest or time to get the zooooomies out prior to the session. You know your dog best, their personality and their activity levels. If you have an older dog, resting may be best to gear up for an hour of attention and activity! If you have a puppy or highly active dog, let them get some energy out prior to the photo session time- this should allow for more attention to commands and the desire to actually sit still ;)
- Bring treats + a neutral toy: You know your dog best! What treats do they love? A good rule of thumb is to bring at least 3-5 treats to use throughout the session. Do they have a favorite toy? The bright purple, yellow, and green one that clashes with every piece of your outfit? (Haha!) Look through your dog toys and bring one that you may be comfortable with being in the photos if necessary- generally the most neutral toy blends the best in outdoor settings and with an array of outfit color choices.
