Want to bring your dog to your senior pictures?
My answer is almost always:
YES.
Do I expect your dog to sit perfectly, look directly at the camera and smile on command?
Absolutely not. 😂
Honestly, sometimes the slightly chaotic pictures are my favorites.
If your dog has been beside you through high school, greets you every day when you get home and has probably heard more of your secrets than most humans…
They belong in a few pictures.
But there are definitely some things we can do to make senior pictures with your dog easier.
For you.
For me.
And especially for the dog who has absolutely no idea why everyone suddenly cares where they’re looking.
First, Tell Me You’re Bringing Your Dog
Please don’t pull up to your session, open the back door and yell:
“SURPRISE!”
I love dogs.
I would probably be thrilled.
But let’s plan for them. 😂
Knowing ahead of time that your dog is coming helps us choose a location that works, think about when we should photograph them and decide how they fit into the rest of your session.
Not every location is equally dog-friendly, and some places may have rules about pets.
So tell me during the planning process.
We’ll figure it out together. I’ve photographed plenty of dogs over the years, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that they all have their own personalities. Some are natural models. Others have absolutely no interest in my plans. 😂
Either way, we’ll work with your dog, not against them.
Bring a Dog Wrangler
This might be my biggest tip.
Bring someone whose main job is:
DOG.
Mom. Dad. Sibling. Friend.
Someone your dog knows and trusts.
Because once we’re finished with the dog portion, that person can take them for a walk, hang out with them or even take them home.
Then you can relax and finish your senior session without worrying about whether your dog is eating a stick behind me.
This is especially helpful if your dog has approximately 47 seconds of patience for photography.
Which, honestly, is pretty normal.
We Probably Won’t Photograph Your Dog for the Whole Session
Your dog is important.
But this is still your senior session.
We’ll usually plan a portion of the session around getting photographs with your dog and then move on.
That’s actually better for everybody.
Your dog doesn’t get bored.
You don’t spend your entire session holding a leash.
And you still get plenty of variety in your senior portraits.
Think of your dog as one chapter of the session.
A very cute, possibly drooling chapter.
A Little Exercise Beforehand Can Help
If your dog has a lot of energy, a walk before the session can be helpful.
Notice I said a walk.
I don’t need you running a canine boot camp two hours before pictures. 😂
The goal is simply to take the edge off some of that energy so they’re a little more interested in hanging out with us.
You know your dog best.
If a walk helps them settle, great.
If a walk somehow convinces them it’s time to PARTY…
Maybe skip that one.
Bring the Good Treats
Not the boring everyday treats.
I’m talking about the currency your dog is willing to work for.
😂
Bring something small that we can use to get their attention.
A favorite toy can work too, especially if there’s something that immediately gets their ears up or makes them look toward us.
Just remember:
The second I squeak the squeaky toy, I may have approximately 0.7 seconds to take the picture.
Challenge accepted.
Don’t Worry About Perfect Behavior
Your dog does not need an obedience degree to be in senior pictures.
They don’t need to sit perfectly.
They don’t have to look at the camera in every photograph.
And if they decide that the exact moment I take the picture is also the perfect moment to lick your face?
I’m probably going to keep taking pictures.
Because sometimes that is the photograph.
Your relationship with your dog probably doesn’t look like both of you sitting perfectly still and staring straight ahead.
So your favorite image might be the one where you’re laughing because absolutely nothing went according to plan.
That’s okay.
Actually, that’s kind of the point.
Yes, We’ll Get the “Everybody Look Here” Picture
Don’t worry.
We’ll try for it.
Senior looking at camera.
Dog looking at camera.
Everyone looking adorable.
Done.
Hopefully. 😂
But then I want the other ones too.
You looking at your dog.
Your dog looking at you.
A hug.
A laugh.
Walking together.
The little interactions that actually show what the two of you are like.
Those are often the images that feel the most real.
What About the Leash?
Bring one.
Even if your dog is incredibly well trained.
We need to think about safety first, especially when we’re photographing outdoors or somewhere unfamiliar.
If you have a simple leash that isn’t neon pink, covered in cartoon characters or approximately six inches wide, that’s helpful.
But don’t panic and go shopping just for senior pictures.
We’ll work with what you have.
The leash is not going to be the thing you remember about these photographs.
Choose an Outfit That Can Survive Your Dog
This may sound obvious.
But if your dog sheds enough to create a second dog every three days…
Maybe don’t start with the black outfit. 😂
Think about paws.
Hair.
Drool.
Hugs.
And whatever mysterious substance your dog managed to find five minutes before leaving the house.
We can also photograph your dog before you change into an outfit that’s more delicate or harder to keep clean.
Again, this is why planning ahead helps.
What if My Dog Is Nervous Around New People?
Tell me.
Seriously.
I don’t need your dog to love me.
And I definitely don’t need to force interaction with a dog who’s uncomfortable.
We can give them space.
Let them settle.
Have their person handle them.
And adjust what we’re trying to photograph based on what they’re comfortable doing.
The goal is a photograph of your relationship.
Not proving your dog can behave for a stranger with a camera.
Your Dog Doesn’t Have to Be Young
This one matters.
Sometimes families hesitate because their dog is older.
Maybe they move slower.
Maybe their face has gone gray.
Maybe they can’t do everything they used to.
Bring them.
Your dog doesn’t need to be at their cutest, youngest or most energetic to belong in your senior pictures.
They’ve been part of your life.
That’s enough.
And if your senior has grown up with that dog?
I would much rather figure out how to make the photograph work than hear later:
“I wish we’d brought them.”
Your Dog Is Part of the Story, Not a Prop
This is the same thing I say about cars, sports, instruments and anything else we include in senior pictures.
We’re not bringing your dog because we need another cute senior photo idea.
We’re bringing them because they’re your dog.
They’ve been waiting at the door when you get home.
Sleeping at the foot of your bed.
Sitting beside you while you study.
Going on walks.
Stealing food.
Taking up 80% of a bed they contribute absolutely no money toward. 😂
They’re part of what home looks like right now.
And senior pictures are about more than what you looked like at 17 or 18.
They’re about remembering a little bit of what your life looked like, too.
So, Should You Bring Your Dog to Your Senior Pictures?
If they’re important to you?
Yes.
Tell me ahead of time.
Bring a helper.
Bring the leash.
Bring the really good treats.
And lower your expectations of perfect canine cooperation by approximately 72%.
We’ll handle the rest.
Because the goal isn’t a perfectly behaved dog.
It’s a photograph that makes you say:
“Yep. That’s us.”
And if you’re looking for a Blue Springs senior photographer who will happily plan around your four-legged family member?
You’ve found her.
Ready to plan a senior session that includes your favorite sidekick? Let’s talk.
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